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GDT 260 Animation for the Web: Fall 2003

Notes & Handouts September 10

Publishing Basics

File > Publish Settings

Formats Tab

• Flash (.swf)
• HTML

Flash Tab

Leave at default

HTML Tab

Defaults are fine

Dimensions

• match movie: exact size
• percentage: percentage of browser window

Playback

Generally check loop, unless movie should play only once

Publishing

Click "Publish" button in Publish Settings dialog box or File > Publish

FTP Review

See http://www.chriscassell.net/classes/2001/fall/gdt150/handouts.cgi?Using+FTP for complete instructions on using FTP.

Use the following settings to upload to your webspace:

• Host: stu.wccnet.org
• Username: your email username
• Password: your email password

For HTML files, be sure to upload in ASCII mode. For graphics, upload in binary mode. Or choose auto-detect

Flash files should be uploaded as binary and Raw Data, NOT MacBinary.

All files visible on the web must go in your public_html folder. If it doesn't exist already, create it in your home directory.

Symbols & Libraries

Symbol: self-contained, reusable piece of content

• Advantages of resuable elements:
• smaller file size
• consistent look and feel
• easy modification of movie
• components can be used in multiple movies
• Symbols stored in the Library (Window > Library, F11
• Each time symbol appears on stage (instance), Flash creates an exact copy of symbol
• Modifications made to symbol apply to every instance of symbol
• Can modify properties of instances without modifying original
  • position
  • transparency (alpha)
  • tint color
  • scale
  • rotation
  • etc.
• Can be created from existing content (Insert > Convert to Symbol or selecting and dragging into Library window) or from scratch (Insert > New Symbol)

Graphic Symbols

• Content remains static
• Can't be interactive
• Animation relies on parent element's timeline: when parent's timeline stops or slows, graphic's timeline stops or slows

Editing

• In place: double-click symbol on stage; other elements are greyed out
• In new view:double-click symbol in library; can't see main stage, no stage boundaries

Symbols have own timeline and layers: separate from main stage/ timeline

Black cross: registration point, center of symbol: flash uses for controlling position on stage

Modifications made to symbols apply to every instance

Button Symbols

• Basic method of interaction
• Timeline: four frames:
  • Up: normal state
  • Over: mouse over
  • Down: while clicking
  • Hit: hot (clickable) area, invisible

    Text buttons need to have Hit designated, otherwise only actual pixels filled by characters will be clickable

• States can contain Graphic symbols or Movie Clips

Movie Clips

• Self-contained movies running within the main movie.
• Has own full timline, runs independently of main timeline
• Timeline plays concurrently with main timeline: doesn't pause the main timeline
• Movie clips are "children" of the main timeline. The main timeline is a movieclip's "parent"
• Movie Clips can contain graphics, buttons, shapes, or other movie clips

Using Symbols in Multiple Movies

File > Open As Library

Library

• Folders: organize symbols in library; no effect on how movie appears or plays
• Deleting symbols from library: permanent, can't be undone, deletes all instances of symbol from stage