book

Macromedia® Flash® 8: A Tutorial Guide

by Jay Armstrong, Jen DeHaan

October 2005

Beginner

304 pages

5h 2m

English

Adobe Press

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Copyright
Dedication
Introduction
1. Basic Tasks: Create a Document
Take a tour of the user interfaceSelect panel sets and arrange panelsUse tools to create Flash contentUndo changesView the TimelineChange background and Stage sizeChange your view of the StageView the Library panelAdd graphics to the StageAdd videoView object propertiesAdd video control behaviorsUse the Movie Explorer to view the document structureTest the documentFind helpSummary
2. Basic Tasks: Creating a banner, Part 1
Examine the completed FLA fileOpen the finished FLA fileReview the completed FLA fileClose the completed FLA fileCreating a new documentChanging document propertiesImporting graphicsIntroducing layers and the timelineCreating a new layerImporting to a layerTest the applicationSummary
3. Basic Tasks: Creating a banner, Part 2
Examine the completed FLA fileOpen the finished FLA fileReview the completed FLA fileClose the completed FLA fileAdding textCreating a symbolAdding animation to a timelineCreating a buttonWriting simple actionsTest the applicationSummary
4. Basic Tasks: Creating a banner, Part 3
Examine the completed FLA fileOpen the finished projectReview the completed projectClose the completed projectConsidering your audienceChecking your publish settingsInserting Flash on a Dreamweaver siteUsing roundtrip editingChecking for Flash PlayerTest the applicationSummary
5. Basic Tasks: Create Accessible Flash Content
Set up your workspaceMake your document accessible to screen readersProvide a document title and descriptionProvide a title and description for instancesSpecify that screen readers ignore elements in your documentChange static text to dynamic text for accessibilityControl the tab order and reading orderAbout testing your document with screen readersSummary
6. Basic Tasks: Work with Layers
Set up your workspaceSelect a layerHide and show layersLock a layerAdd and name a layerChange the order of layersOrganize layers in a folderAdd a mask layerAdd a guide layerDelete a layerSummary
7. Basic Tasks: Create an Application
Set up your workspaceCopy input and dynamic text fieldsName text fieldsAdd and name a Button componentDeclare variables and values for the pricesSpecify values for input text fieldsWrite a functionWrite an event handler for the componentTest your applicationSummary
8. Basic Tasks: Use Layout Tools
Set up your workspaceUse guides to align an objectChange the Stage sizeResize objects to match the Stage sizeSpecify snap alignment settingsAlign an object using the alignment guidesAlign objects using the Align panelSnap objects to each otherAlign objects using the Property inspectorAlign objects using the grid and arrow keysSummary

9. Basic Tasks: Create Symbols and Instances
Set up your workspaceAbout creating symbolsCreate a graphic symbolDuplicate and modify an instance of a symbolModify a symbolCreate a movie clip symbolAssign an instance name to the movie clipAdd an effect to the movie clipSummary
10. Basic Tasks: Add Button Animation and Navigation
Set up your workspaceCreate a button from grouped objectsName a button instanceView the hit area by enabling buttonsChange the hit area of a buttonAlign buttonsCreate animation for a button stateAdd an action to a buttonAdd navigation to a buttonTest the SWF fileSummary
11. Basic Tasks: Create a Presentation with Screens (Flash Professional Only)
Set up your workspaceView the screen hierarchy and screen TimelinesView screen propertiesAdd content to a presentation slideAdd screen navigation behaviors to buttonsAdd and name a slideSelect and move slidesAdd content to a new slideAdd transition behaviorsTest your presentationSummary
12. Creating Graphics: Draw in Flash
Set up your workspaceSelect a shape toolSelect options to create a polygonDraw a polygonRotate the shapeUse the cutout featureTransform the shape of your drawingCopy strokesDraw with the Line toolSelect and add a different fill colorGroup the shapeCreate a logo with the Pen toolSummary
13. Creating Graphics: Create a Timeline Animation
Set up your workspaceCreate a motion tweenCreate a shape tweenCopy and paste keyframes in an animationChange the speed of the animationChange the frames per second speedChange the acceleration and decelerationTest the SWF fileSummary
14. Creating Graphics: Making Animations with Easing (Flash Professional only)
Examine the completed FLA fileOpen the authoring documentReview the completed FLA fileSee the animation play in a separate window as a SWF fileSee the animation on the Stage in the Flash authoring environmentClose the applicationOpen the starter documentCreate a motion tweenAdd the necessary frames to the TimelineCreate a motion tween in the new framesUse easing controlsEase in the eight-ball animationEase out the eight-ball animationAdd custom easing settings to the eight-ball tweenCreate a motion tween with an alpha settingCreate the tween of the alpha value for the shadowTest the application
15. Creating Graphics: Applying Gradients
Examine the completed FLA fileOpen the authoring documentReview the completed FLA fileClose the completed FLA fileOpen the starter documentApply a linear gradientCreate a radial gradientCreate a transform gradient with a shapeApply the finishing touchesApply a gradient to the white circle on the eight ballApply a linear gradient to the highlightTest the application
16. Creating Graphics: Apply Graphic Filters and Blends (Flash Professional Only)
Review your taskOpen the starter documentApply filters and blendsApply a blend to the 9ball movie clipApply a filterApply filters and blends to the cue ball
17. Text: Add Text to a Document
Set up your workspaceCreate an expanding-width text blockCreate a fixed-width text blockEdit text and change font attributesSelect device fontsAdd an input text fieldCopy a text fieldAssign instance names to text fieldsCreate a dynamic text fieldSpecify format optionsView ActionScript for the dynamic text fieldTest the SWF fileCheck spellingSummary
18. ActionScript: Use Script Assist mode
Examine the completed FLA fileOpen the authoring documentReview the completed FLA fileClose the completed FLA fileOpen the starter documentAdd a script to a button by using Script Assist modeAdd frame scripts to the Timeline by using Script Assist modeAdd a frame script to the Title movie clipTest the applicationSummary
19. ActionScript: Add Interactivity
Set up your workspaceName button instancesAdd a sceneMove between scenesControl the document with a stop() actionLink a button to a sceneAdd navigation to return to Scene 1Play a movie clipUse the attachMovie() method to play a movie clipSpecify movie clip Stage coordinatesUnload the movie clipUse a behavior to play an MP3 fileTest your documentSummary
20. ActionScript: Write Scripts
Set up your workspaceCreate an instance of a symbolName button instancesInitialize the documentApply ActionScript syntaxLocate ActionScript reference documentationAdd comments to ActionScriptWrite a function for a buttonCopy and modify a button functionCheck syntax and test your applicationSummary
21. ActionScript: Create a Form with Conditional Logic and Send Data
Set up your workspaceAdd an input text field to collect form dataAdd a Submit button to the formAdd an error messageAdd a confirmation messageAdd a stop() actionAdd frame labels for navigationAdd conditional logic for the Submit buttonPass data out of a SWF fileWrite a function for the Try Again buttonTest your SWF fileSummary
22. ActionScript: Work with Objects and Classes
Set up your workspaceLearn about classes and object typesCreate an object from a classModify your scriptCreate a custom classSpecify the data type for method return valuesBuild a custom classCreate two objects from the Product classLearn about extending existing classesExtend the MovieClip class to create a new classSummary
23. Data Integration: Overview (Flash Professional Only)
24. Data Integration: Using the Macromedia Tips Web Service (Flash Professional Only)
Connect to a public web serviceCreate a user interface and bind the components with the web service
25. Data Integration: Using XML for a Timesheet (Flash Professional Only)
Create the user interfaceAdd XMLConnector and DataSet ComponentsAdd DataGrid and Button componentsEdit the data
26. Data Integration: Using XUpdate to Update the Timesheet (Flash Professional Only)
Update the timesheet
Official Product Documentation from Macromedia
Training from the Source

Content preview from Macromedia® Flash® 8: A Tutorial Guide

Appendix . Official Product Documentation from Macromedia

Powerful design and development tools require authoritative technical documentation. With the release of Macromedia Studio 8, there is no more authoritative source than the development and writing teams who created the product. Now their official documentation is available to you in printed book form, to help you evaluate the software or to advance your capabilities as you take advantage of the powerful features in this release.

Developing Extensions for Macromedia Flash 8

Learn firsth and how to extend the capabilities of the Web’s most popular authoring platform, using JavaScript. Create ...

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Learning ActionScript 2.0 for Macromedia® Flash® 8

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Macromedia® Flash® 8: A Tutorial Guide

by Jay Armstrong, Jen DeHaan

Appendix . Official Product Documentation from Macromedia

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