GDT 260 Animation for the Web: Winter 2003

Notes & Handouts January 23

Modify > Group

Can group anything on stage, including lines, fills, symbols, other groups
Groups have thin blue (or highlight color set in prefs) outline
Double-clicking group -> edit group mode. edits group in place, other elements dimmed down
Can have groups within groups (nested groups)
Flash shows how many levels of nested group on top of stage, below timeline
Can't edit groups on main timeline, but can delete groups from main timeline

Symbols within symbols
Hierarchy of nested symbols displayed above stage when working in edit in place mode

To show grid: View > Grid > Show Grid
To snap to grid:
1. View > Grid > Snap to Grid
2. Click in center of object to snap center to grid, click near corner to snap corner to grid. (Cursor gets heavy black circle around it)
To change grid settings: View > Grid > Edit Grid
- Color
- Spacing between lines
- Snap Accuracy: how close before snapping occurs
Snap works even if grid is invisible

Window > Align

Select multiple objects, Flash aligns them in relationship to each other based on button clicked
To Stage button aligns objects relative to stage
Alignment is based on bounding box, ie. left edge of bounding box, center of bounding box, etc.
Distribute ensures equal space between respective edges/center of objects
Match size applies size of largest object to selected dimension
Space puts equal space between selected objects (select 3 or more)

Only symbols and groups have modifiable stacking order within a layer
Ungrouped shapes all sit at the same level on the bottom of the layer and are merged together
Symbols and groups are automatically stacked in order created/ placed on stage
To change stacking order, use the following:
- Modify > Arrange > Bring Forward: Moves selected object one level up
- Modify > Arrange > Send Backward: Moves selected object down one level
- Modify > Arrange > Bring to Front: Moves selected object to top of stack
- Modify > Arrange > Send to Back: Moves selected object to bottom of stack

Select items, Modify > Distribute to Layers
Moves each symbol, group, text box, and distinct (not touching each other) shape to its own layer

Break into 3 groups. Discuss one of the following sites, concentrating on the following criteria. Regroup and compare the sites.