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In just 24 lessons of one hour or less, you can learn how to design, create, and deploy high-impact graphics and animation with Adobe Flash CS4 Professional.
Using this book’s straightforward, step-by-step approach, you’ll master the skills and technologies you need, from creating interactivity and animation to optimizing and publishing your Flash movies on the Web.
Each lesson builds on what you’ve already learned, giving you a rock-solid foundation for real-world success!
* Full-color figures and clear step-by-step instructions visually show you how to use Flash.
* Quizzes and Exercises at the end of each chapter help you test your knowledge.
* Notes, Tips, and Cautions provide related information, advice, and warnings.
Learn how to…
* Make the most of the updated Flash interface, including its new Motion tools
* Draw and paint original art in Flash
* Use layers and the Library to efficiently organize your content
* Build animations using shape tweening, Flash CS4’s new motion tweening, and advanced inverse kinematics
* Create special effects with shapes, filters, and the new Deco Tool
* Add interactivity to your Flash movies
* Integrate a wide spectrum of audio and video content
* Use ready-built components to create sophisticated content without programming
* Get started with ActionScript 3
* Publish your movies to the Web
* Design modular Flash sites that load quickly and perform well
Phillip Kerman is an internationally recognized expert on the use of the Web and multimedia for training and entertainment. He has frequently presented at Macromedia and Adobe user conferences, and has taught Flash and other Adobe Web development technologies to working web professionals worldwide.
Lynn Beighley, a freelance web programmer and designer, has written several Flash, Dreamweaver, and Photoshop books and training CDs. She has worked at Los Alamos National Labs, Palm, and Yahoo! Her dynamic Flash advertisements have appeared on Yahoo!’s home page.
Importing Graphics into Adobe Flash CS4
Download the sample pages (includes Chapter 3 and Index)
Introduction
What’s New in This Edition
Who Should Read This Book
How This Book Is Organized
What’s on the Book’s Website
Part I: Assembling the Graphics You’ll Animate in Flash
HOUR 1: Basics
Jump Right In and Make an Animation
Getting Your Bearings
Getting Around in Flash
Document Properties
File Types
HOUR 2: Drawing and Painting Original Art in Flash
Drawing on the Stage
Tools
Selecting and Transforming Objects
HOUR 3: Importing Graphics into Flash
Vector Graphics Versus Raster Graphics
Reasons to Avoid Importing Graphics
Importing Vector Graphics
Using Bitmaps (Also Known as Raster Graphics)
HOUR 4: Staying Organized with the Library and Layers
The Concept of the Library
Using the Library
Using Symbols from the Library
HOUR 5: Controlling Color
Using Blends and Filters
Creating and Saving Color Swatches
HOUR 6: Applied Layout Techniques
Setting Text
Applied Examples Using Color Styles, Blends, and Filters
Part II: Animating in Flash
HOUR 7: Understanding Animation
How Animation Works
Elements of Animation
HOUR 8: Using Motion Tweens to Animate
Creating a Motion Tween
Fine-Tuning a Motion Tween
HOUR 9: Using Shape Tweens to Morph
Making a Shape Tween
Refining and Fine-Tuning a Shape Tween
HOUR 10: Advanced Animation with Inverse Kinematics
Linking Symbols with the Bone Tool
Animating the Armature
HOUR 11: Simulating 3D Animation
Creating a 3D Movie Clip
Moving Objects with the 3D Translation Tool
Rotating Objects with the 3D Rotation Tool
HOUR 12: Reusing Your Animations with Motion Presets
The Motion Presets Panel
Applying an Existing Motion Preset
Editing an Existing Preset with the Motion Editor Panel
HOUR 13: Including Sound in Animations
Importing Sounds
Using Sounds
Controlling Quality and File Size
HOUR 14: Nesting Animations in Movie Clip and Graphic Symbols
Movie Clip Symbol Behavior
Subtleties of Movie Clips
HOUR 15: Creating Special Effects
Effects with Shapes
Splatter Movie Clips with the Spray Brush Tool
Using Filters for Special Effects
Masking Effects
Part III: Adding Interactivity and Video
HOUR 16: Basic Interactivity
Basic ActionScript
Making Simple Buttons
Listening for Events
HOUR 17: Introducing Components
What Is a Component?
Using the Button Component
Using the RadioButton Component
Changing Component Appearances
HOUR 18: Using Components
Using Data Providers
Working with Other Components
HOUR 19: Using Video
Embedding Video Versus Playing External Video
Using Video
3D Animation with Video
Part IV: Putting It All Together for the Web
HOUR 20: Linking a Movie to the Web
Basic Publishing
Simple Hyperlinks
Using Style Sheets
What Other Web Tasks Can Flash Do?
Using Flash Inside a Larger Website
Uploading Files to a Web Server
HOUR 21: Designing a Website to Be Modular
Loading Movies or Images
Determining When a Movie Is Fully Loaded
Playing External Sounds
Loading External Text
HOUR 22: Minimizing File Size
File Size Considerations
HOUR 23: Optimizing Performance
Measuring Performance
Impacts on Performance
HOUR 24: Publishing a Creation
How to Publish
Adding Metadata to Your Flash Creation
Choosing Which Version to Publish
Deciding Which Media Types to Publish
Exporting Other Media Types
Index