Syllabus --------------------- Calendar/Schedule --------------------- Lecture Notes --------------------- Projects --------------------- Resources --------------------- Student Work				Art 444 Lecture Notes Flash MX 2004 Lecture Notes Graphics On Multiple Layers (Chapter 5) Timeline layers: layers in Flash are like translucent pieces of acetate with different graphic objects on each layer. This allows you to change the stacking order and manipulate and animate the layered object independently of the other layered objects Creating & deleting layers: Insert>Timeline>Layer or simply click on the white square with the + symbol on the timeline. To delete a layer, select the layer you want to delete & click on the trash can symbol. Controlling layers via dialog box: Modify>Timeline>Layer Properties (normal, guide, guided, mask, masked, folder, rename the layer). Controlling layers via timeline: to rename layer double click on the name entry field & type the new name, turn visibility of a layer on & off with eye icon (hidden layers will still appear in your final movie - delete if you do not want them), lock a layer with padlock icon to protect from further editing Stacking order of layers: select & move them to new position Copying & pasting between layers: paste in center, paste in place or distribute to layers (Modify>Timeline>Distribute to layers) to place a group of objects on separate layers. Guide layers: serve as a point of reference to position elements and will not be included in your final movie. To create a guide layer, create a new layer on the timeline and double click it to display the Layer Properties. Select the Guide radio button. The layer's icon will change to a crosshair. Mask layers: allow you to hide & show elements of underlying layers. Mask layers act as a window showing the masked layer belwo it. Create a mask layer: create the new layer on the timeline and double click it to display the Layer Properties. Select the Mask radio button. The layer's icon will change to the mask icon. Layers you wish to mask must have their properties changed to: Masked. Repeat the steps to mask additional layers. To preview the mask's effect, lock both the mask and linked layers in the timeline. Undo a mask: to break a connection between a mask and linked layers, redefine the layer type in Layer Properties. Saving & Reusing Graphic Elements (Chapter 6) Library window: libraries store assets for your movie (text, sounds, animations, rollover buttons, bitmapped graphics, video clips). Frequently used assets should be saved as Symbols to reduce your movie's final file size. Use Control + L to open your movie's library or Window>Library. Open the library of another movie: File>Open as Library Common libraries: Flash comes with a series of libraries for buttons, sounds, etc. Access them with Window> Common Libraries Organizing libraries: organize library elements into folders (drag the icon of the library object onto the folder's icon) Deleting a library object: select the object to delete and click the trash can icon or use pull-down menu on top right. A dialog warning box will appear asking you if you really want to delete it. Converting graphics to symbols: select an existing graphic and in menu select Modify>Convert to Symbol or hold your Option key as you select the object. The Symbol Properties box appears where you name and select the symbol's behavior type. Different types of symbols: graphic, button and movie clip. Creating new symbols from scratch: click the New Symbol icon at the lower left of the library panel or use Modify>New Symbol. The main timeline will change to the symbol's timeline. Create the new symbol here, centering it to the registration point. To return to the main stage, click the scene name at the top left hand of the timeline. Editing symbols: double click on the symbol in your library or on the main timeline to edit (this technique will show your symbol's relationship to other objects on your main stage). To return to the main timeline, click the scene name at the top left hand of the timeline. Using symbol instances: drag an instance of the symbol to the stage. Each instance refers to the original symbol but may be edited to a different size, etc. Modifying symbol instances: unlike plain graphics, symbols have color attributes: brightness, tint, alpha (opacity) as well as advanced settings (changes tint & alpha simultaneously) and can be animated. Select the symbol on the stage with the color pull-downmenu in the Properties window to modify a symbol color attributes. Swapping one symbol for another: select the symbol on the stage you want to swap out. Using the Properties panel, click on the Swap button and select the new symbol from the list and click ok. Duplicating symbols: select the symbol you wish to duplicate in the library panel. Select duplicate form the the library's Options pull-down menu. Converting a symbol back to a graphic: select the symbol on the stage and chose Modify>Break Apart. Shared libraries: allows you to share assets from various movie's libraries. To open a movie's library as shared, go to File> Open as Shared Library. Drag a shared symbol or asset you wish to use to your library. Font symbols: allows you to avoid embedding the same font in multiple movies, bringing down the movie's file size. Using Non-Flash Graphics (Chapter 14) Importing non-flash graphics: File> Import or use the clipboard with copy/paste. Flash imports GIF, animated GIF, PNG, JPEG, BMP (Windows.) Flash also preserves transparency for file formats that include it (GIF, PNG). Importing vector graphics: there are several ways to import Adobe Illustrator 9 or later files into Flash. Copy & paste from Illustrator into your Flash movie. One problem with this method is that you may loose color information and your layers will not be preserved. Save as a Illustrator 9+ EPS or PDF and import using Flash's import options dialog box. Options include converting to keyframes or scenes, converting to layers, keyframes, or flatten. Export as a SWF file from Illustrator this technique is often the best solution. File> Export and selectt Macromedia SWF. In the Export Options dialog box set export as to: AI file to SWF file, check 'Preserve Editability where possible,' make sure Image Format is set to 'Lossless' (otherwise you will convert the vector graphic into a raster graphic), set resolution to 72 dpi. To bring the SWF into Flash, import the SWF using the Flash's Import Option dialog box which has options for importing layers to layers, keyframes or flatten. Importing a graphic series: to import a graphic series of images (to be animated) you need to name then with as numbered files (such as img01, img02, img03 and so on). Flash will ask whether you want to import the entire series or part of it. Turning bitmaps into vector graphics: with Flash's Trace Bitmap feature you can convert a bitmap into a vector graphic. Select your bitmap image and apply Modify>Bitmap>Trace Bitmap. Adjust the color threshold, minimum area, curve fit & corner threshold. Bitmaps as fills: the Break Apart feature allows you to use a bitmap to fill a shape. Select your bitmap and apply Modify>Break Apart. Use the eyedropper tool to select the the bitmap which will change into the paint bucket and fill the new shape. The bitmap fill can be modified afterwards. Updating edited bitmaps: If you made editing changes to an imported bitmap used in your Flash file rather than deleting it and importing it all over again use the Update feature in the movie's library. Select the bitmap you wish to update in the library and either double click it for the Bitmap Properties dialog box or use the Library's options pull-down menu. Click 'update' and the bitmap will be updated with the new edits. This technique also works for sounds that have been re-edited in a sound editing program.

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