Adobe Flash Professional CS5 Bible pdf

Become fluent in
the Flash workspace
Create broadcast-
quality cartoons
Preview your video
in Flash
The book you need to succeed!
Todd Perkins
Flash
®
Professional
CS5
Flash
®
Professional CS5
Adobe
®
Adobe
®
Perkins
Feel the full effects of Flash
Adobe Flash is getting flashier with each release, and
the new Flash Professional CS5 comes with a slew of
new enhancements. Find out what’s new, what’s better,
and how you can get the most out of everything Flash
has to offer with this in-depth guide. Apply cool visual
effects, create interfaces with ActionScript
®
, add animation,
program faster with drop-in code snippets—it’s all here
and more from top industry Flash trainer, Todd Perkins.

• Understand everything Flash is—vector-based animator, video
engine, multimedia authoring program, desktop app developer,
and more
• Master the Flash interface, tools, symbols, and the Library
• Integrate Flash content with Web pages
• Use Flash movies with JavaScript
®
and DHTML
• Create animation, use the Motion Editor, and integrate media files
• Create and publish AIR
®
applications
Shelving Category:
COMPUTERS / Web / Page Design
Reader Level:
Beginning to Advanced
$49.99 USA
$59.99 Canada
www.wiley.com/compbooks
CD-ROM Included
What’s on the
CD-ROM?
Find source fi les and examples to ac-
company the lessons in the book, as
well as templates you can use for your
own projects. The CD also includes:
• Trial software and shareware
• Add-ons and plug-ins
System Requirements: Please see
Appendix A in the book for details and

complete system requirements.
Todd Perkins
is an Adobe Certifi ed Instructor who
spends much of his time teaching
people how to use Adobe’s Web
development software. He is a member
of the dynamic duo at the All Things
Adobe podcast, and he has authored
a vast array of video training titles
and books.
CD-ROM Included!
• Files from the book and valuable
trial software
Learn new video features,
such as adding ActionScript
Add interactivity to
your applications
Layout Framework
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Flash
®
Professional
CS5 Bible
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Flash

®
Professional
CS5 Bible
Todd Perkins
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Flash
®
Professional CS5 Bible
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
111 River St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Library of Congress Control Number: 2010929311
ISBN: 978-0-470-60228-7
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means,
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Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley logo, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley &
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Adobe and Flash are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. All
other trademarks are property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or
vendor mentioned in this book.
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Disclaimer: This eBook does not include ancillary media that
was packaged with the printed version of the book.
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About the Author
As a lifelong fan of animation, Todd’s childhood dream was to become a cartoonist. In 2000, Todd
had an opportunity to create his first Web site, and at the time, Flash was a popular tool for doing
so. He quickly fell in love with Flash, and a few years later got a job as a Flash designer at a graphic

design company. After gaining real-world experience using Flash to develop Web sites, Todd
decided to become a Flash consultant, using his skills to help others master Flash. Since then,
Todd has written several books, including Flash CS3 Hands on Training, ActionScript 3.0 in Flash CS3
Hands on Training, Nintendo Wii Flash Game Creator’s Guide, and Search Engine Optimization for
Flash. He has also recorded a vast array of video titles about Flash and ActionScript for Lynda.com,
including Flash CS5 Essential Training, ActionScript 3.0 in Flash CS4 for Designers, Object Oriented
Programming in ActionScript 3.0, and several others. Todd also speaks at conferences, trains in class-
rooms, and has taught Flash to employees in several major organizations including Disney, Boeing,
and Los Angeles Times. Todd also loves to create Flash applications and games, and has created
Web sites and apps for clients, such as Chris Orwig and Douglas Kirkland.
When Todd is not teaching Flash or creating Flash applications, he enjoys playing video games,
and spending quality time with his wife and son in southern California.
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Credits
Acquisitions Editor
Aaron Black
Project Editor
Beth Taylor
Technical Editor
Zachary Szukala
Copy Editor
Beth Taylor
Editorial Director
Robyn Siesky
Business Manager
Amy Knies
Senior Marketing Manager
Sandy Smith
Vice President and Executive Group

Publisher
Richard Swadley
Vice President and Executive Publisher
Barry Pruett
Project Coordinator
Katherine Crocker
Graphics and Production Specialists
Jennifer Mayberry
Ronald G. Terry
Quality Control Technicians
Laura Albert
Rebecca Denoncour
Proofreader
Christine Sabooni
Indexer
Potomac Indexing, LLC
Media Development Project Manager
Laura Moss
Media Development Assistant Project
Manager
Jenny Swisher
Media Development Associate Producer
Josh Frank
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I
n 1997, Macromedia acquired a small Web graphics program, FutureSplash, from a company
named FutureWave. FutureSplash was a quirky little program with the astounding capability
to generate compact, vector-based graphics and animations for delivery over the Web. With
Macromedia’s embrace, Flash blossomed. In 2005, Adobe Systems, Inc. acquired Macromedia and,

in three short years, has successfully integrated Flash into their family of powerhouse graphics,
video, and design software. Not only has the Flash platform obtained ubiquity, but Flash content
is now more easily created across a wide range of professional software applications. The Flash
Player plug-in ships with most major browsers and operating systems. Flash graphics appear not
only all over the Web, but also on television and movie screens, on phones, on kiosks, and even in
art galleries.
As the Web-surfing public and the development community have continued to demand more of
Flash, Adobe has delivered. After Creative Suite 3 was released, Adobe went out into the world and
sat with people using its programs to see what they used, what they needed, and how the next gen-
eration of Creative Suite tools could support daily workflow and specialize tasks more effectively.
The result is a release that promotes expressiveness and enhances efficiency while encouraging
best practices in development — a functional and an inspiring combination that has earned rave
reviews from visual designers and code-oriented developers at all levels.
The Flash CS5 Professional interface is consistent with other Creative Suite 5 (CS5) products; it
has tool options and other editing features contained in streamlined panels and lots of important
changes to the authoring environment. The Mac interface is nearly 100 percent identical to the
Windows interface, with support for docked panels, tabbed panels, and enhancements to the cod-
ing environments in Flash CS5 and Dreamweaver CS5.
Flash movies can communicate directly with server-side scripts and programs, using standard
URL-encoded variables, XML-formatted structures, Web services, or powerhouse data transfers
from Flash Remoting–enabled servers. Sounds can be imported and exported as MP3 audio for
high-quality music on the Web at the smallest file sizes. Flash Player 10 supports nearly every Web
file format you’ll ever come across. Loading of JPEG, PNG, GIF, MP3, FLV, AAC, and H.264 video
content streamlines production and maintenance of dynamic high-volume media sites. The
updated FLVPlayback component and the addition of custom tools, custom effects, and behaviors
offer Flash users of all skill levels some exciting possibilities. Evidence of the dominance of the
Flash format can be found in the wide range of third-party developers creating applications that
output to the Flash movie format (.swf files). Flash has fulfilled its promise of becoming the central
application for generating interactive content for delivery on the Web; the potential only seems to
expand as more developers tap into the data-handling power of Flash and its increasingly sophisti-

cated graphics capabilities as it continues to grow beyond the computer screen.
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viii
Preface
Is there any other Flash book for you?
Adobe Flash CS5 Professional Bible is the most comprehensive and exhaustive reference on Flash.
It helps you get started on your first day with the program and will still be a valuable resource
when you’ve attained mastery of the program. When you’re looking for clues on how to integrate
Flash with other programs so that you can deliver unique and compelling content in the Flash for-
mat, you’ll know where to turn. We’ve put significant effort into this edition, updating all
ActionScript content to use ActionScript 3.0, the most recent version of the ActionScript language
available in Flash Player 9 or higher.
Flash is not just a single tool. You can think of Flash as a multitasking application. It’s an illustra-
tion program, an image/sound/video editor, an animation machine, and a scripting engine, all
rolled into one. In this book, we look at each of these uses of Flash and explain how all the features
work together.
To address advanced scripting topics and more server-side development issues, Roger Braunstein,
Mims Wright, Josh Noble, and Joey Lott have written the ActionScript 3 Bible (Wiley, 2007) to
fully address advanced use of the ActionScript 3.0 scripting language. If you’re already adept at
creating animation and basic interactive interfaces in Flash and you want to expand your knowl-
edge of more complex coding techniques, you may want to compare the table of contents in this
book with that of ActionScript Bible to determine which book covers the topics you’re most inter-
ested in.
How to Get the Most Out of This Book
Here are some things to know so you can get the most out of this book:
First, to indicate that you need to select a command from a menu, the menu and command are
separated by an arrow symbol. For example, if we tell you to select the default workspace layout
from the Flash application menu, the instructions will say to choose Window ➪ Workspace ➪

Essentials.
Parts I and II of the book are entirely dedicated to project planning and getting familiar with the
Flash interface. Parts III and IV explain how to generate animation and integrate other media files
into your Flash movies. Parts V through VIIgradually introduce you to the power of ActionScript
and show you how to take advantage of Flash components to quickly create dynamic applications
that support live data. Although this book was written to take a beginner by the hand, starting
from page one, you can also use it as a reference. Use the index and the table of contents to find
what you’re looking for, and just go there, or jump in anywhere. If you already know Flash and
want to get some details on sound, for example, just go to any of the chapters in Part IV,
“Integrating Media Files with Flash.”
This is a real-world production book: We’ve worked hard to ensure that our lessons, examples,
and explanations are based on professional conventions. The CD-ROM that accompanies this book
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ix
Preface
contains many of the source Flash project files (.fla), with original artwork and ActionScript for the
examples and lessons in the book. You can also find sample video files to encode with Flash video!
Icons: What Do They Mean?
Although the icons are pretty standard and self-explanatory (they have their names written on
them!), here’s a brief explanation of what they are and what they mean.
Tip
Tips offer you extra information that further explains a given topic or technique, often suggesting alternatives
or workarounds to a listed procedure.
n
Note
Notes provide supplementary information to the text, shedding light on background processes or miscellaneous
options that aren’t crucial to the basic understanding of the material.

n
Caution
When you see the Caution icon, make sure you’re following along closely to the tips and techniques being dis-
cussed. Some external applications may not work exactly the same with Flash on different operating systems
and some workflows have inherent risks or drawbacks.
n
Cross-Reference
If you want to find related information to a given topic in another chapter, look for the Cross-Reference icons.
n
New Feature
The New Feature icons point out differences between Flash 8 and previous versions of Flash.
n
Web Resource
For related information, resources, or software available online, look for the Web Resource icons.
n
On the CD-ROM
This icon indicates that the CD-ROM contains a related file and points you to the folder location.
n
How This Book Is Organized
This book has been written in a format that gives you access to need-to-know information very
easily in every section (or part) of the book. If you are completely new to Flash, then you’ll want to
read Parts I through VI. After you have developed a familiarity with the Flash interface and the new
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Preface
drawing and effects tools, you can proceed to Parts VII and VII. We’ve included step-by-step
descriptions of real Flash projects to help you “leap” from the intro topics to the advanced topics.
These sections of the book guide you through the production process, helping you apply
ActionScript and production techniques that may be new to you.
If you’ve already used Flash, then you may want to review the changes to the Flash CS5 interface

in Part I, and then jump right into other specific parts to learn more about animation, ActionScript,
creating artwork and content in other applications, integrating Flash with HTML, and using Flash
to publish iPhone applications. There are many new features and workflow enhancements for new
and experienced users alike in every section of the book, so even if you’ve done a lot of work in
Flash, it’s worth scanning each part for an introduction to new tools and techniques.
Part I: An Introduction to
Flash Web Production
The first part of this book explores the Flash file format and how Flash CS5 fits into the evolution
of the program (Chapter 1), explains the context in which Flash movies interact on the Web
(Chapter 2), and gives an overview of multimedia planning and some specific techniques and
suggestions that will make your Flash project development less painful and more productive
(Chapter 3).
Part II: Mastering the Flash Environment
This part gives you all the information you need to feel comfortable in the Flash CS5 authoring
environment. Get an introduction to, and some tips for, customizing the Flash UI (Chapter 4).
Learn where to find your drawing tools and how to use them efficiently (Chapter 5), and then dis-
cover all the ways that Flash helps you to organize and optimize project assets (Chapter 6). Learn
key color concepts relevant to multimedia production and find out why Flash has the best color
tools yet (Chapter 7). Jump into using text-editing tools and see how to get the best-looking type
and the smallest file sizes in your Flash projects (Chapter 8). Finally, learn how to modify text and
graphics to get the most out of your Flash artwork (Chapter 9).
Part III: Creating Animation and Effects
After you’ve learned how to find your way around the Flash interface and how to create static
graphics, you can learn to make things move and how to work with different symbol types to opti-
mize your animation workflow (Chapter 10). Then, add polish and pizzazz with Flash filter effects
and blend modes (Chapter 11).
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Preface

Part IV: Integrating Media Files with Flash
Now that you’re fluent in the Flash workspace, take your projects to the next level by adding
sound, special graphics, and video assets. In Chapter 12, you learn the basics of digital sound, and
how to import, optimize, and export high-quality sound for different types of projects. Chapter 13
gives you an overview of how to bring vector or raster artwork from other programs into Flash and
how to protect image quality while optimizing your Flash movies. Chapter 14 introduces the excit-
ing video features of Flash CS5 and the new Adobe Media Encoder CS5 application, including the
use of the high-quality AVC/H.264 video codec and adding ActionScript cue points without writ-
ing ActionScript code.
Part V: Adding Basic Interactivity
to Flash Movies
Learn how to start using Flash actions to create interactive and responsive presentations. Get ori-
ented in the Flash CS5 Actions panel and fundamental ActionScript in your movies (Chapter 15).
Use ActionScript in Flash movies to control internal elements on multiple timelines, such as nested
Movie Clips (Chapter 16). Finally, use Flash CS5 to create your first full application (Chapter 17).
Part VI: Distributing Flash Movies
You need to learn how to export (or publish) your Flash presentations to the .swf file format for
use in an HTML document, or within presentations in other formats. Chapter 18 details options in
the Flash CS5 Publish settings, and provides tips for optimizing your Flash movies in order to
achieve smaller file sizes for faster download performance. If you prefer to hand-code your HTML,
read Chapter19, which describes how to use the
<embed> and <object> tags and how to create
plug-in detection systems for your Flash movies using the SWFObject JavaScript library. If you
want to find out how to create a Flash stand-alone projector, or use the Flash stand-alone player,
check out Chapter 20. Learn how to publish cross-platform applications using Adobe AIR in
Chapter 21. In Chapter 22, use Flash to create iPhone applications and learn how to get those apps
on your iPhone and in the App Store.
Getting in Touch
Check Appendix B to learn more about this book’s various contributors and guest experts, includ-
ing URLs of their work and contact information for people who don’t mind being contacted

directly by our readers.
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Preface
For quality concerns or issues with the CD-ROM, you can call the Wiley Customer Care phone
number: (877) 762-2974. Outside the United States, call 1 (317) 572-3994, or contact Wiley
Customer Service by e-mail at
Wiley Publishing, Inc. will provide
technical support only for CD-ROM installation and other general quality-control items; for techni-
cal support on the applications themselves, consult the program’s vendor.
Adobe Wants to Help You
Adobe has created a Feature Request and Bug Report form to make it easier to process suggestions
and requests from Flash users. If you have an idea or feature request for the next version or you
find a bug that prevents you from doing your work, let the folks at Adobe know. You can find the
online form at
www.adobe.com/support/email/wishform.
The simple fact is this: If more users request a specific feature or improvement, it’s more likely that
Adobe will implement it.
Regardless of your geographic location, you always have access to the global Flash community
for support and the latest information through the Adobe online forums at
www.adobe.com/
cfusion/webforums/forum/index.cfm?forumid=15
.
For inspiration and motivation check out the Site of the Day, weekly features, and case studies at
www.adobe.com/showcase.
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xiii

T
his book would not have been possible without the dedication and talent of many people.
Although much of the content in this edition has changed to reflect changes in the tools,
there is also a good deal of content from dedicated contributors that has been carried over
from the previous edition. We are always grateful for the added breadth and depth the tutorials
from our guest experts bring to the content. First and foremost, we would like to thank the Flash
development community. In our combined experiences in research and multimedia production,
we haven’t seen another community that has been so open, friendly, and willing to share advanced
tips and techniques. It has been gratifying to be involved as the community keeps expanding and
to see the innovators in the first wave of Flash development become mentors to a whole new gen-
eration. Thank you all for continuing to inspire and challenge audiences and each other with the
possibilities for Flash.
I would like to thank everyone at Wiley Publishing who supported us as we researched and
revised, week after week. A Flash Bible production team can’t steer itself — our gratitude goes to
Aaron Black, the acquisitions editor, and Beth Taylor, the project editor. Zachary Szukala, the
technical editor, was instrumental in helping me keep our material honest and effective.
Of course, this book about Flash wouldn’t even exist without the hard work of the people at Adobe
who make it all possible. Many thanks to the developers, engineers, and support staff at Adobe,
especially Jay Armstrong, for answering so many of my questions. I am also indebted, as always, to
all our intrepid fellow developers and authors, who helped us to get our bearings in early versions
of Flash CS5.
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xiv
About the Author v
Preface vii
Acknowledgments xiii
Part I: An Introduction to Flash Web Production . . . . . . . . . . .1
Chapter 1: Understanding the Adobe Flash CS5 Blueprint 3
Chapter 2: Exploring Web Technologies 17

Chapter 3: Planning Flash Projects 33
Part II: Mastering the Flash Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Chapter 4: Interface Fundamentals 63
Chapter 5: Drawing in Flash 113
Chapter 6: Symbols, Instances, and the Library 185
Chapter 7: Applying Color 233
Chapter 8: Working with Text 263
Chapter 9: Modifying Graphics 305
Part III: Creating Animation and Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Chapter 10: Timeline Animation and the Motion Editor 359
Chapter 11: Applying Filters, Blends, Guides, and Masks 429
Part IV: Integrating Media Files with Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Chapter 12: Adding Sound 475
Chapter 13: Importing Artwork 513
Chapter 14: Displaying Video 557
Part V: Adding Basic Interactivity to Flash Movies . . . . . . . . 599
Chapter 15: Understanding Actions and Event Handlers 601
Chapter 16: Building Timelines and Interactions 627
Chapter 17: Making Your First Flash CS5 Project 641
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Part VI: Distributing Flash Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 671
Chapter 18: Publishing Flash Movies 673
Chapter 19: Integrating Flash Content with Web Pages 707
Chapter 20: Using the Flash Player and Projector 739
Chapter 21: Creating Adobe AIR Applications Using Flash CS5 753
Chapter 22: Using Flash to Create iPhone Applications 769
Part VII: Appendixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 785
Appendix A: Using the CD-ROM 787
Appendix B: Guest Experts’ Information 791

Appendix C: Digital Audio Basics 793
Appendix D: Digital Video Basics 801
Index 811
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xvii
About the Author............................................v
Preface...................................................vii
Acknowledgments .........................................xiii
Part I: An Introduction to Flash Web Production 1
Chapter 1: Understanding the Adobe Flash CS5 Blueprint .............3
The Key Is Integration 4
The topography of Flash CS5 6
File types in Flash CS5 7
The Many Worlds of Flash CS5 12
Bitmap handler 12
Vector-based drawing program 13
Vector-based animator 13
Video engine 13
Audio player 14
Multimedia authoring program 14
Animation sequencer 14
Programming and database front end 15
Desktop application authoring program 16
iPhone application development program 16
Summary 16
Chapter 2: Exploring Web Technologies .........................17

Contextualizing Flash in the Internet Evolution 17
High expectations for Web experiences 17
To Flash or not to Flash? 20
Alternative methods of multimedia authoring 24
Exploring Companion Technologies 27
HTML is here to stay 27
Client-side scripting using JavaScript 28
The world of Web services 28
Adobe server technologies 29
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Recognizing Project Potential 29
Linear presentations 29
Interactive presentations 30
Data-driven presentations 30
Data-driven applications (or Rich Internet Applications) 30
Summary 31
Chapter 3: Planning Flash Projects .............................. 33
Workflow Basics 33
Phase I: Establishing the concept and goals 34
Phase II: Producing, testing, and staging the presentation 46
Using the Project Panel in Flash CS5 49
1. Establishing a project structure 50
2. Creating the project in Flash CS5 51
3. Changing project and panel preferences 54
4. Opening and editing files in the project 57
5. Publishing the entire project 58
Summary 59
Part II: Mastering the Flash Environment 61

Chapter 4: Interface Fundamentals.............................. 63
Getting Started 63
Welcome to Flash CS5 64
Start Page 64
Help menu options 66
The Flash CS5 interface on Macintosh and Windows 67
What to expect from the Properties panel 69
Managing Windows and Panels 71
Contextual menus 71
Floating and docking panels 72
Focus: Making panels or windows active 73
Creating custom workspace layouts 73
Keyboard shortcuts 74
The Tools Panel 76
Controlling the Tools panel 76
Reading the Tools panel 77
Using Tool options 78
Customizing the Tools panel 78
The Document Window 82
Controlling the Document window 83
Reading the Document window 85
Using scenes 86
Using Document window menu options 88
Working with Flash templates 91
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The Timeline Window 92

Controlling the Timeline window 92
Using the Timeline Controller toolbar 93
Reading the Timeline 93
Editing frames and layers 99
Using Frame View options 108
Printing 111
Summary 112
Chapter 5: Drawing in Flash.................................. 113
Using Geometric Shape Tools 114
The Oval tool 115
The Oval Primitive tool 116
The Rectangle tool and Rectangle Primitive tool 118
Join and Miter settings 119
The PolyStar tool 120
The Line tool 122
Using Drawing Tools 123
The Pencil tool 123
The Brush tool 125
The Eraser tool 130
Creating Precise Lines and Bezier Curves with the Pen Tool 132
Using Fill and Stroke Controls 137
Choosing colors 137
Choosing line styles 139
Controlling stroke Scale behavior 143
Optimizing Drawings 145
Putting Selection Tools to Work 146
The Selection tool 147
The Lasso tool 154
The Subselection tool 156
Designing and Aligning Elements 159

Simplifying snapping settings 159
Design panels 164
The Edit Menu 170
Creating Patterns with Symbols Using the Spray Brush Tool and the Deco Tool 172
Applying random “ink” with the Spray Brush tool 173
Creating order and pattern with the Deco tool 176
Summary 183
Chapter 6: Symbols, Instances, and the Library................... 185
Understanding the Document Library 186
Working with Common Libraries and External Libraries 187
Working with multiple Document Libraries 189
Reading the Library panel 191
Organizing Library panels 195
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Defining Content Types 196
Raw data 196
Drawing objects and shape primitives 197
Groups 197
Native symbols 198
Imported media elements 200
Editing Symbols 202
Modifying a symbol in Edit mode 202
Editing a symbol in a new window 203
Editing a symbol in place 203
Editing symbols from the Library 203
Returning to the Main Timeline or scene 203
Modifying Instance Properties 205

Applying basic color effects to symbol instances 206
Changing the symbol type of an instance 207
Swapping symbols 208
Building Nested Symbol Structures 208
Converting a raw shape into a Graphic symbol 209
Using Graphic symbols in a button 210
Animating Graphic symbols in a Movie Clip 212
Adding a Movie Clip to a Button symbol 214
Modifying a MovieClip instance 215
9-Slice Scaling for Movie Clip Backgrounds 218
Using the Movie Explorer 222
Filtering buttons 223
The display list 223
The Movie Explorer Options menu 224
The contextual menu 225
Using Authortime Shared Libraries 226
Summary 231
Chapter 7: Applying Color................................... 233
Introducing Color Basics 233
Discussing Web-safe color issues 234
Using hexadecimal values 235
Using color effectively 236
Working in the Swatches Panel 240
Swatches panel options 242
Importing custom palettes 244
Using the Color Panel 248
Adjusting fill and stroke transparency 251
Working with gradient fills 252
Controlling gradient fill colors 254
Using alpha settings with gradients 256

Selecting bitmap fills 259
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Working with Droppers, Paint Buckets, and Ink Bottles 261
Summary 261
Chapter 8: Working with Text ................................. 263
Considering Typography 264
Text Field Types in Flash 264
Editable text fields 268
The Text Tool and the Properties Panel 269
Working with the Text tool 269
Setting text attributes in the Properties panel 273
Controlling flow between multiple text fields 281
Font Export and Display 283
Smoothing text with anti-alias settings 283
Understanding device fonts 285
Working with the Use Device Fonts setting 286
Troubleshooting font display 287
Controlling font substitution 287
Font Symbols and Shared Font Libraries 289
Creating a font symbol 290
Updating font symbols at authortime 293
Using font symbols in runtime shared libraries 294
Modifying Text 300
Editing text manually 300
Moving beyond the box with live filter effects 302
Summary 304
Chapter 9: Modifying Graphics ............................... 305

Sampling and Switching Fills and Strokes 306
The Eyedropper tool 306
The Ink Bottle tool 308
The Paint Bucket tool 309
Using the Paint Bucket Gap size option 311
Using the Paint Bucket Lock Fill option 312
Transforming Gradients and Bitmap Fills 313
Adjusting the center point with the Gradient Transform tool 314
Rotating a fill with the Gradient Transform tool 315
Adjusting scale with the Gradient Transform tool 316
Setting gradient fill overflow styles 316
Skewing a bitmap fill with the Gradient Transform tool 318
Gradient Transform Used for Lighting Effects 318
Applying Modify Shape Menu Commands 320
Convert Lines to Fills 320
Creating scalable artwork 320
Expand Fill 321
Soften Fill Edges 322
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Free Transform Commands and Options 325
The Transform panel 326
The Modify Transform menu 326
The Free Transform tool 326
Transforming shapes, symbols, text, and groups 327
Manipulating Symbols in 3D Space 329
Controlling the camera view: Perspective and vanishing point 331
Transforming symbols with the 3D Rotation tool 332

Moving symbols with the 3D Translation tool 336
Modifying Item Types 337
Stacking order 337
Grouping 338
Applying Break apart 339
About the Magic Wand option 343
Tracing bitmaps 344
Working with Drawing Objects and Combine Object Commands 346
Working with Compound Shapes 348
Editing with Find and Replace 350
Using the History Panel 352
Replay Steps 353
Copy Steps 354
Clear History 354
History View 354
Save As Command 354
Summary 355
Part III: Creating Animation and Effects 357
Chapter 10: Timeline Animation and the Motion Editor............. 359
Basic Methods of Flash Animation 359
Frame-by-Frame Animation 360
Adding keyframes 362
Creating frame-by-frame animation 363
Modifying Multiframe Sequences 364
Onion skinning 366
Editing multiple frames 366
Using Tweens for Animation 369
Shape tweening 370
Adding shape hints 374
Motion tweening 378

Modifying motion tween properties 382
Working with motion tween spans and layers 384
Editing motion paths 387
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