Flash 4 - Week 2
1. Groups and Symbols
Create any object and then select it by doubleclick on it. Go Modify - group. Now there is a selection box around. The object can now be places on any place or you can place other objects on this one and it will not be affected.
Go Modify Ungroup while your object is selected
you can ungroup it or you can double click with the arrow on it, so the rest of the work is dimmed and you can work on your object for to make changes. When finished just click double with the arrow on the dimmed section and it will go back to its grouped state.
Grouping objects will create sublayers on the layer. You can go to Modify Arrange and can bring the objects just to the back or in front like you want them to be places.
They are used to keep file size down. They are stored under Window/Library. Best you convert your objects to a symbol as soon you made it. Note: Before saving the final movie version go to Window Library then click on the options arrow and choose select unused items.
Insert / New Symbol. Give it a name and check off Graphic Button or Movie Clip. Then o.k. Now you can edit your Symbol and after finishing just click on the Scene tab. The symbol will wait in the Library for to be used. Open the Library and drag an Instance of it onto the stage. You can have as many instances as you need. It is not increasing your file size!
Select the object then go to Insert/Convert to Symbol
Each time you drag a copy of a Symbol from the Library to the Stage, it is an Instance of that Symbol.. When you select an Instance on the stagethen go to Modify Instance...From the drop down menue you can choose several options
My assignment part I
2. Layers
Layers stack on top of each other and are displayed as individual rows on the timeline.
Create a new layer
First select the layer you want the new one to appear above and
right click choose Insert Layer
Bei double click on the layer you can name it.
By activating a layer you can delete it again. By rightclick in the Prosperties
Box you can lock your layer so it cannot be changed . By clicking on the eye you
can make your layer invisible. You can rearrange your layers by dragging on the
right place up or down.
My assingment part II
Alignment and Inspectors
You can align your objects. Select each object and group it. Go Modify/Align.
Now you can choose the alignment place of your objects..
If you want to have a gradient background on your movie there is a good use of
the Alignment tool...Create a rectangle with gradient color...Then go to Modify/Align
set align vertical to center and also align horizontal center. Set Match Size to
matching in all 4 directions and check the Align to page box. That's great.
If you have several objects on the stage and want to prevent that they will get another place after you aligned them you can select the object and can go to Modify/Arrange/Lock. Then you can work with the other objects but the locked one will not be affected anymore.
The inspector can also help to center a symbol while in editing mode. Just select the object on the stage. Choose Windows/Inspector/Object. Check the "Use Center Point" box and enter 0 in the x and Y boxes. Then click apply. The inspector also shows you a lot about the object. So you can see on which coordinate it is on the stage and its width and height and also how many frames there are involved.
My assignment part III
was fun, needed a lot of reading and hopefully I did it right
Evi