Lynda Flash 8..

SHORTCUTS

	f1 - help - actually useful...
	f4 - minimize all interface elements
	f8 - convert to symbol
	f9 - actions panel
	f12- publish preview


	v - selection tool

	c-G - 	group
	c-s-G - ungroup

	c-s-v - PASTE IN PLACE	

TOOLS:

PENCIL

	options palette - straighten; smooth; ink (don't smooth or straighten...)
	stroke hinting - force whole # pixel increments. appropriate for straight horiz/vert lines
	smoothing - degree of smoothing...

PEN

BRUSH [B]

	draws with fill color (unlike pencil tool which draw with stroke); creates a closed, filled object
	works with wakom

SELECTING, SELECTIONS

	click once will select segment, dbl-click will select whole line

	overlapping objects on the same layer with the same properties 
		will NOT subtract from each other, and can become merged.

	OBJECT DRAWING [J] will treat each shape as its own independent, non-mergable/subtractable thing.
		it essentially just puts it in a group.

	LASSO [L]

	EYEDROPPER [I] - first click 'picks up' the color, subsequent clicks will paint with that color
		if it's a stroke, it'll apply all the stroke properties
		[shift] merely samples the color... (??)

	SMOOTH, STRAIGHTEN buttons in the Options section of toolbar - will smooth or straighten selections

FREE TRANSFORM [Q]

	options palette - scale; rotate & skew; distort; envelope

USEFUL:

	MODIFY > SHAPE > OPTIMIZE ...

	COLOR SWATCHES - palette menu > save/clear/add colors ... to make own swatches, etc

	INFO PANEL - useful. always keep open.

	PREMADE BUTTONS - window > common libraries > buttons

	SNAPPING - "magnet" togglebutton in OPTIONS part of toolbar

DOCUMENT PROPERTIES [c-J]

	title & desc are metadata for search engines, etc

GRADIENTS

	COLOR MIXER > TYPE: RADIAL or LINEAR, etc...

	For finer control, GRADIENT TRANSFORM TOOL - controls gradient center, size, scale, rotation

TIMELINE

Left side

	SOLID COLORED SQUARE - toggle outline mode for that layer

Right side

	INSERT > TIMELINE > FRAME [F5]
	INSERT > TIMELINE > KEYFRAME [F6] - will copy the contents of the last keyframe into this one.
	INSERT > TIMELINE > BLANK KEYFRAME [F7]

	BLACK CIRCLE - keyframe
	WHITE CIRCLE - empty keyframe
	WHITE FRAMES - has stuff
	GRAY FRAMES - empty frames
	WHITE RECTANGLE - ?

	REMOVE FRAMES - Edit > Timeline > Remove Frames [s-F5]

	COPY FRAMES - select the range of frames; copy; paste. 
		Or - select range, alt-click and drag

	REVERSE FRAMES - select range, right-click, select "Reverse Frames"

	PLAY - 
		press [ENTER], or 
		[c-ENTER] for real-time playback of swf, or
		[F12] of in-browser playback

	ONION SKIN toggle button - defaults to showing 2 keyframes behind, and 1 in front

	[,/.] advance a frame

	CREATE SHAPE TWEEN - go to first keyframe, go to properties, for TWEEN, select "SHAPE"
		timeline - interstitial frames go GREEN, with an arrowhead
		- won't work with symbols, or text objects

	MODIFY > SHAPE > ADD SHAPE HINT [c-s-H]

	EDIT MULTIPLE FRAMES toggle button - move the two i-bars to select the range... 
		shows all the frames at the same time. useful for, e.g., moving the animation to a diff. location

LIBRARY, SYMBOLS

	CREATING A NEW SYMBOL:

		(1) Select object, MODIFY > CONVERT TO SYMBOL [F8], or, 
		(2) NEW SYMBOL button in LIBRARY [c-L] panel - create new symbol, or

		Symbol view: Crosshair in the middle the symbol's center point

		When finished, new symbol goes into the library

		To create an INSTANCE, drag the symbol from the library to the stage. 
		(Note, instances have their own settings for graphic | movie clip | button ...

	EDITING A SYMBOL

		(1) EDIT IN PLACE - dblclk instance on-stage, and you can edit the symbol in-place
				(you can edit it in relation to the other visible elements in the stage)
		(2) Normal - dblclk symbol name in the LIBRARY palette		

	OTHER STUFF

		THUMBTACK toggle button in library panel - keep current library open even when changing fla's

		SHOW MORE THAN 1 LIBRARY PANEL - click NEW LIBRARY PANEL icon in the library panel

ALIGN PANEL [c-K]

	"TO STAGE" toggle button - does alignments in relation to the stage

MOTION TWEEN

	recommended to use SYMBOLS (esp., e.g., for text...)

	interstitial frames colored BLUE

	can tween not just motion, but color values (brightness, alpha, etc) and free transform values 

	FOR TEXT - choose "static text"

		(1) BREAK APART [c-B] - separate each character from the text block, 
		(2) DISTRIBUTE TO LAYERS [c-s-D]

	EASING - 

		"in" (positive) = slows down at end of anim
		"out" (negative #) = speeds up
		EDIT button - fine control over the ease; note checkbox "use 1 setting for all properties"

TIMELINE EFFECTS

	[insert > timeline effects ...]

	only 1 effect per object

	to MODIFY: [modify > timeline effects]

MOTION GUIDE -

	create an object and motion tween it for the duration you want.
	create a new layer and draw a path (try pencil tool)
	change the LAYER PROPERTIES to be a GUIDE, instead of NORMAL
	drag the layer with the object right under the new layer. 
	at 1st kf position, drag the object by its centerpoint til it snaps onto the motion guide where you want it
	do the same for the second keyframe position.

TEXTAGE

	BREAK APART [c-B] - break apart text into individ. char's

	MODIFY > TIMELINE > DISTRIBUTE TO LAYERS - takes a selection of objects and puts each in own layer

MASKING

	unlike other programs, you create the area NOT to be masked

	(1) dblclk layer icon - change type from normal to MASK
	(2) move other layer under & to the right

	(effect of masking is not apparent in stage view)

TEXT

	'anti-alias for readability' - new to flash 8, designed for small point sizes
	'use device font' - doesn't embed outline info and relies on local computer font
	'bitmap text' - no anti-aliasing, appropriate for pixel fonts

	DYNAMIC TEXT - for when text changes (via actionscript)
	INPUT TEXT - for text fields for user input

	WHITE CIRCLE (in ur corner of bounding box) = bounding box adjusts to width of the text
	WHITE RECTANGLE = bounding box has fixed width; dblclk itto change it back to a white circle...

	PARAGRAPH MARK BUTTON - paragraph options (margins, ldg, etc)

FIND & REPLACE

	useful for all sorts of selection criteria such as color, etc

IMPORTING GRAPHICS

	file > import > IMPORT TO STAGE [c-R]

	JPG files - by default are NOT recompressed in a SWF

	COMPRESSION SETTINGS for imported graphics - select image in library and click PROPERTIES button 
		[also: file > PUBLISH SETTINGS, "jpeg quality" (global setting = less control)]

	you can import a SERIES of bitmaps to do a flipbook kind of effect; 
	if the images are named with sequential numbering, flash'll insert them in sequential # of kf's

BITMAPS

	BITMAP FILL:

		select object, then in color palette, type: BITMAP
		to change properties of fill - use GRADIENT TRANSFORM TOOL [F]

	TRACE - modify > bitmap > TRACE BITMAP

	To change ALPHA and other properties, convert the bitmap into a symbol first...

FILTERS

	See Filters Palette for options.
	SAVE PRESET - "+" button > presets > save as

BLENDING MODES

	make your bitmap into a MOVIE CLIP symbol, and then BLEND MODES will show up under PROPERTIES

BUTTON SYMBOLS

	to make button: create object, convert to symbol, choose type:BUTTON (hitstate by default is same area as symbol)

	STATES: 

		UP, OVER, DOWN, HIT
		Each state has an independent keyframe (see timeline).

	INVISIBLE button - just a button just a hit keyframe. shows up on stage as turquoise

MOVIE CLIPS

	have their own timeline, separate from the main timeline

	example: how to make an animated button rollover -

		make button. make new keyframe in the over state. make that a new movie clip symbol. animate it.

LABELS

	Click on a kf. In Properties, click in "FRAME LABEL". that's it.
	Put these in their own layer. Go ahead and lock that layer to prevent it being used for objects

SCENES

	by default, they run sequentially
	you can get to scenes thru the SCENES PANEL or the button on the timeline
	lynda.com says scenes can be useful but that there are better advanced workflow techniques

BEHAVIORS (ch15)

	windows > behaviors. are like code-snippets. experiment with them.

COMPONENTS (ch16)

	window > components. ...

	e.g., UI Scrollbar:

		Make a text block with stuff in it (dynamic text, multiline, text > scrollable, and named 'whatever')
		drag and drop UIScrollBar component onto stage in appropriate spot.
		change parameters: _targetInstanceName to 'whatever', or whatever

SOUND (ch17)

	file > import > import to stage or library [library preferable usually]

	compression settings can be per-file [library > item > properties] or globally [file > publish settings]
	default is mp3. adpcm is for flash4 and lower. 

	add a sound to a button:

		go to the button symbol. add a layer (e.g., "s"). 
		make a keyframe at the desired button state frame.
		drag and drop the already-imported sound onto the stage. 
		a little waveform graphic will appear in the timeline at that keyframe. 
		in the properties panel, you can EDIT ENVELOPE if desired.

		Properties > SYNC: 

			[event] means same sound can overlap already playing sound; 
			[start] means no overlap possible (good for long sounds, soundtracks, etc.)
			[stop] stops it
			[stream] means timeline is synced with the sound (eg, for when a character talking)

VIDEO (ch18)

	file > import > video
	then it asks 'HOW TO DEPLOY' - 'EMBED INTO SWV' not recommended unless short; 'PROGRESSIVE DOWNLOAD' is good ...
	then ENCODING ... click 'ADVANCED' button
	CUE POINTS tab - for use with actionscript
	CROP AND TRIM tab ...

	FLASH 8 VIDEO ENCODER - standalone process, with batch too

PUBLISHING SETTINGS (ch19)

	file > 	publish settings

		.exe - executable flash anim

		choosing OLDER VERSIONS of flash as the type - items in ACTIONS panel not compatible will show up yellow

		html tab > DETECT FLASH VERSION - add flash version 'sniffer' to the html...

		GENERATE SLIDESHOW REPORT - saves as text file in same dir

FS COMMANDS (ch19)

	script: fscommand(...); 

		fscommand("fullscreen","true"); -- tells projector file (executable version) to run at full screen
		fscommand("allowscale","false"); -- don't scale in fullscreen, etc.
		fscommand("quit"); -- quit out of projector file

BANDWIDTH PROFILER (ch19)

	test movie window > view > bw profiler

	test movie window > view > SIMULATE DOWNLOAD - useful... good way to determine if preloader is warranted

FLASH PLUGIN SNIFFER (ch19)

	note, if viewer has older version of plugin, things can break silently

	publish settings > flash > version -- set to min. version required, then
	publish settings > html > detect flash version -- to add detection script to html file

	more robust version at: www.macromedia.com/software/flashplayer/download/detection_kit

ACCESSIBILITY (ch20)

	fill in document properties 

	when selecting symbols, you can change textual properties in the ACCESSIBILITY PANEL 
	(windows > other panels > accessibility)

	clickable buttons should be described as such in the DESCRIPTION field ("Click to view next image")

	unclick 'make object accessible' to make something not accessible

	without anything clicked, in access panel, click "make accessible" to globally make movie accessible (default)