Macromedia Flash 8 On Demand

Andy Anderson is a graphics designer and illustrator who has worked with Photoshop since it was released. A university professor, Andy is sought-after lecturer in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Steve Johnson has written more than twenty books on a variety of computer software, including Microsoft Office XP, Windows XP, Macromedia Director MX and Fireworks, and the Web publishing. Perspection, Inc. is a software training company committed to providing performance-based training to help people effectively and efficiently use computer technology. Perspection writes and produces software training books, and develops Web-based training for Windows and Macintosh personal computers.

Introduction.

Getting Started with Flash 8.

    Preparing to Install Flash 8

    Installing Flash 8

    Launching Flash 8

    Viewing the Flash Window

    Creating a Project Plan

    Building a Flash Project

    Creating a New Document

    Creating a New Document from a Template

    Opening an Existing Document

    Opening Sample Documents

    Changing Document Properties

    Working with Document Windows

    Saving a Document

    Saving a Document in Different Formats

    Getting Help While You Work

    Getting Online Support

    Closing a Document and Quitting Flash

Working Within the Flash Environment.

    Examining the Flash Window

    Using the Timeline

    Working with Layers

    Viewing Layers

    Organizing Layers

    Changing Layer Properties

    Using Guide Layers

    Working with Frames

    Working with Scenes

    Using the Edit Bar

    Using the Toolbar

    Using the Main Toolbar

    Using the Docking Channel

    Working with Panels

    Docking and Undocking Panels

    Grouping and Ungrouping Panels

    Creating a Panel Set

    Creating Keyboard Shortcuts

    Setting General Preferences

    Setting Text Preferences

    Setting Clipboard Preferences

    Setting Warning Preferences

    Working with Page Setup in Macintosh

    Working with Page Setup in Windows

    Printing a Document in Macintosh

    Printing a Document in Windows

Creating Graphics.

    Changing Drawing Settings

    Drawing with the Line Tool

    Drawing with the Pencil Tool

    Drawing Shapes with the Rectangle and Oval Tools

    Using the Polystar Tool

    Understanding Selections

    Selecting Strokes with the Arrow Tool

    Selecting Strokes and Fills with the Arrow Tool

    Making Selections with the Lasso Tool

    Zooming In and Out with the Magnifying Glass

    Moving Around with the Hand Tool

    Displaying Rulers

    Using Grids and Guides

    Modifying Grid and Guide Settings

    Using Snap Align

    Changing Stroke and Fill Colors

    Creating Custom Colors

    Editing Strokes with the Ink Bottle

    Editing Fills with the Paint Bucket

    Editing Strokes and Fills with the Eyedropper

    Creating Gradients

    Using the Fill Lock

    Using Paint Brush Modes

    Drawing with the Pen Tool

    Drawing Curves with the Pen Tool

    Modifying Shapes with the Arrow Tool

    Modifying Shapes with the Sub-Selection Tool

    Using the Free Transform Tool

    Using Transform Options for Shapes

    Transforming Gradient Fills

    Cutting and Pasting Graphics Between Layers

    Working with Graphics on Different Layers

    Distributing Graphics to Layers

    Working with Object Drawing

Working with Groups, Symbols, and Instances.

    Creating Groups

    Arranging Multiple Groups

    Using the Library

    Creating Symbols

    Editing in Symbol Mode

    Creating Instances

    Changing Symbol and Instance Behaviors

    Swapping Symbol Instances

    Using Graphic Symbols

    Using Button Symbols

    Enabling and Disabling Buttons

    Creating Invisible Buttons

    Using Movie Clip Symbols

    Breaking Symbols Apart

    Modifying Instance Properties

    Modifying Instance Color Styles and Blends

    Using Advanced Color Options

Working with Text.

    Creating Static Text

    Changing Font Type, Size, and Color

    Modifying Tracking and Kerning

    Changing Text Direction and Orientation

    Changing Text Alignment

    Using Break Apart to Modify Characters

    Using Anti-alias Text

    Using Font Mapping

    Setting Device Fonts Versus Embedded Fonts

    Creating Dynamic Text and Input Text

    Setting Dynamic Text and Input Text Options

    Using Cascading Style Sheets with HTML

    Checking Spelling

    Using Find and Replace

Importing Graphics.

    Understanding Vector and Bitmap Graphics

    Examining Import File Formats

    Importing PDF, EPS, and Illustrator Files

    Importing Bitmaps

    Importing Fireworks PNG Files

    Importing Multiple Files

    Copying Images from Other Programs

    Editing Bitmaps in an Outside Editor

    Setting Bitmap Compression

    Using Break Apart to Create Fill Patterns

    Modifying a Bitmap Fill

    Editing a Bitmap with the Magic Wand

    Using Trace Bitmap to Create Vector Shapes

Creating Frame-By-Frame Animation.

    Understanding Frame-By-Frame Animation

    Creating Keyframes

    Converting Frames to Keyframes

    Using Frame-Based Versus Span-Based Selection

    Clearing Keyframes Versus Removing Frames

    Editing Keyframes

    Creating a Simple Frame-By-Frame Animation

    Playing an Animation

    Using Onion Skinning

    Modifying Onion Skin Markers

    Editing Multiple Frames

Animating with Motion Tweening.

    Understanding Motion Tweening

    Creating a Motion Tween

    Adjusting Motion Tween Properties

    Working with Motion Tweening

    Understanding Frame and Instance Properties

    Changing the Length of a Tween

    Adding and Removing Keyframes from a Motion Tween

    Changing the Frame Rate

    Reversing Frames

    Animating Scale and Rotation Changes

    Adding Color Effects to a Tween

    Creating a Motion Guide Layer

    Animating Along a Motion Guide

    Orienting Objects to a Motion Path

    Customizing Motion Easing In and Out

Animating with Shape Tweening.

    Using Shape Tweening

    Creating a Shape Tween Form

    Adding and Removing Keyframes from a Shape Tween

    Changing Shape Positions with Shape Tweening

    Changing Shape Position and Form Simultaneously

    Adjusting Shape Tween Properties

    Changing Shape Tweening Color and Alpha Options

    Using Shape Hints

    Creating Animation Using ActionScript

Creating Masks.

    Understanding Masks

    Creating a Mask Layer

    Drawing a Mask

    Activating a Mask

    Editing a Mask

    Removing a Mask

    Adding Layers to a Mask

    Animating a Mask Layer

Working with Sounds.

    Importing Audio

    Using Audio on the Timeline

    Loading a Sound from a Shared Library

    Using Audio with ActionScript Behaviors

    Playing and Stopping Sounds

    Stopping All Sounds

    Loading a Streaming MP3 File

    Syncing Sounds to the Timeline

    Looping Sounds

    Publishing Documents Containing Audio

    Editing Sounds

Working with Video.

    Using the Video Import Wizard

    Working with Video on the Timeline

    Using Movie Clips with Video Files

    Using Video with ActionScript Behaviors

    Controlling Video Through Movie Clips

    Working with Media Player for Streaming Video

    Working with the Media Display Component

    Working with the Media Controller Component

    Exporting FLV Files from Video-Editing Applications

    Working with Alpha Channel Masks

    Working with the FLV File Format

Applying Timeline Effects.

    Using the Explode Effect

    Using the Blur Effect

    Using Copy to Grid

    Applying the Drop Shadow Effect

    Using the Expand Effect

    Using the Distributed Duplicate Effect

    Applying the Transform Effect

    Using the Transition Effect

    Modifying Timeline Effects

    Converting Timeline Effects into Keyframes

    Removing Timeline Effects

Using ActionScript Behaviors.

    Adding Behaviors

    Understanding the Load Graphic Behavior

    Using the Load Graphic Behavior

    Using the Goto Play and Stop Behaviors

    Using the Load External Movieclip Behavior

    Using the Start and Stop Dragging Behaviors

    Using the Goto Web Page Behavior

Using Basic ActionScripts.

    Using Object-Oriented Programming

    Viewing the Actions Panel

    Understanding Properties and Methods

    Applying Properties and Methods to an Object

    Setting ActionScript Preferences

    Using Dot Syntax

    Applying Dot Syntax to a Movie Clip

    Understanding Event Handlers

    Attaching a Mouse Event to a Button

    Working with Frame Events

    Understanding a Clip Event

    Working with Clip Events

    Attaching a Clip Event to a Movie Clip

    Understanding Data Types

    Creating Loops

    Working with For Loops

    Working with While Loops and Using Loop Exceptions

    Using Conditional Statements

    Using Functions

Debugging a Movie.

    Debugging Concepts

    Debugging with the ActionScript Editor     360

    Using the Movie Explorer

    Debugging Manually

    Using the Flash Debugger

    Viewing Variables

    Adding Variables to the Watch List

    Viewing Properties

    Setting Breakpoints

    Stepping Through Code

Adding Display Components.

    Understanding Basic Components

    Adding a Text Input

    Adding a Combo Text Box

    Adding a Check Box

    Adding a Radio Button

    Adding a Text Area

    Adding a Button

    Adding a Menu Bar

    Adding an Alert

    Adding a List

    Adding a Label

    Using Components to Build a Form

Adding Advanced Display Components.

    Adding a Data Grid

    Using a Local Data Provider

    Adding a Loader

    Adding a Numeric Stepper

    Adding a Progress Bar

    Adding a Scroll Pane

    Adding a Tree

    Adding a Window

    Modifying DataGrid Options

Adding and Modifying Data Components.

    Using the Data Holder

    Understanding Web Services

    Using XML in Flash

    Using the Web Service Connector

    Using the XML Connector

    Using the Component Inspector

    Working with Parameters

    Modifying Parameters

    Creating Bindings

    Modifying Bindings

    Understanding Schema

    Modifying Schema

    Modifying a Component's Attributes

Automating Your Work.

    Examining the History Panel

    Using the History Panel

    Undoing and Redoing Steps

    Replaying Steps

    Saving Steps and Using Commands

    Copying Steps Between Documents

    Working with Object-Level Undo Mode

Publishing a Movie.

    Publishing Considerations

    Modifying Publish Settings

    Specifying Flash Options

    Specifying HTML Options

    Specifying GIF Options

    Specifying PNG Options

    Specifying JPEG Options

    Creating a Windows or Macintosh Projector

    Creating a Publishing Profile

    Editing Profile Properties

    Exporting and Importing a Profile

    Duplicating a Profile

    Testing a Movie

    Using the Bandwidth Profiler

    Printing from the Flash Player

    Exporting a Movie to Different Formats

Using Flash Professional 8 Features.

    Creating a Slide Presentation

    Creating a Form Screen

    Creating and Managing a Project

    Testing a Project

    Using Version Source Control

    Checking Files In and Out

    Exporting Directly to the FLV Format

    Mapping MIDI Device Sounds     480

    Working with the Video Encoder

    Applying Graphic Filter Effects

    Using Advanced Component Enhancements

Andy's Workshop.

New Features.

Flash Certification.

Index.