Flash is all about animation. In its newest incarnation, it’s also all about creating interactive web pages—including the ability to create forms, analyze user input, and trigger responses based on that information. Flash MX 2004 can also import and play digital video and sounds.

Flash calls itself a vector drawing program (which makes the files very small), although the drawing tools contain a mixture of vector-like tools, and bitmap-like tools.

This document focuses on the animation aspect, and includes some scripting examples (ActionScript 2).

One feature that is of constant value is the properties palette. Make sure this is showing by selecting it from the Window menu. The contents of this palette change depending on what you’re doing.

WORKSPACE

There are three fundamental spaces in Flash where you work. The timeline, which is where the “action” literally takes place, the “stage,” where you create the objects that appear and move, etc., and the tool bar with tools you can use to create and manipulate objects.

workspace

TIMELINE

The timeline contains layers, with each layer containing a seemingly infinite number of frames.

Each layer above the first (which is opaque) can be thought of as a sheet of clear acetate where objects reside. Layers dictate “stacking order” by their own order. Objects on the topmost layer will be in front of objects on lower layers.

Within a single layer, each frame contains an object. When you want to change that object (make it move, resize, fade away…), you must insert a new “keyframe” into the timeline. This new keyframe is where you make the desired change(s).

When you have two keyframes within a layer, you create the animation between them by creating a “tween.”

Create new layers by clicking on the “new layer” icon at the bottom left of the timeline.

timeline

STAGE

The stage is the area on which you draw and/or place symbols and objects so they appear in your movie.

The stage is (usually) white and the gray area around it is used for placing objects out of view.

You can enlarge your view of stage (i.e. get closer or further away from it) using the space and command keys (to get a magnifying glass) or the space, command and option keys to move away.

Command 1 will put you at a 100%, or wysiwyg view. You can also choose a percentage using View > magnification.

There are rulers and grids available to assist you in positioning objects. To view them, choose either or both from the View menu. You can change the measurement units with Modify > movie. Drag guides from the rulers.

stage

Flash is all about animation. In its newest incarnation, it’s also all about creating interactive web pages—including the ability to create forms, analyze user input, and trigger responses based on that information. Flash MX 2004 can also import and play digital video and sounds. Flash calls itself a vector drawing program (which makes the files very small), although the drawing tools contain a mixture of vector-like tools, and bitmap-like tools. This document focuses on the animation aspect, and includes some scripting examples (ActionScript 2). One feature that is of constant value is the properties palette. Make sure this is showing by selecting it from the Window menu. The contents of this palette change depending on what you’re doing.
WORKSPACE There are three fundamental spaces in Flash where you work. The timeline, which is where the “action” literally takes place, the “stage,” where you create the objects that appear and move, etc., and the tool bar with tools you can use to create and manipulate objects.
TIMELINE The timeline contains layers, with each layer containing a seemingly infinite number of frames. Each layer above the first (which is opaque) can be thought of as a sheet of clear acetate where objects reside. Layers dictate “stacking order” by their own order. Objects on the topmost layer will be in front of objects on lower layers. Within a single layer, each frame contains an object. When you want to change that object (make it move, resize, fade away…), you must insert a new “keyframe” into the timeline. This new keyframe is where you make the desired change(s). When you have two keyframes within a layer, you create the animation between them by creating a “tween.” Create new layers by clicking on the “new layer” icon at the bottom left of the timeline.
STAGE The stage is the area on which you draw and/or place symbols and objects so they appear in your movie. The stage is (usually) white and the gray area around it is used for placing objects out of view. You can enlarge your view of stage (i.e. get closer or further away from it) using the space and command keys (to get a magnifying glass) or the space, command and option keys to move away. Command 1 will put you at a 100%, or wysiwyg view. You can also choose a percentage using View > magnification. There are rulers and grids available to assist you in positioning objects. To view them, choose either or both from the View menu. You can change the measurement units with Modify > movie. Drag guides from the rulers.