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Lecture 9

Flash– Introduction

– Timeline

– Layers

– Symbol

– Keyframe

– Tweened Animations

– Demonstration– Creating Tweened Animations

– Shape Tween– Motion Tween– Classic Tween

– Working with Text– Adding & Editing Text– Animating Text– Animating Individual Letters– Morphing Text

– Animating Bitmaps– Import Bitmap

– Bitmap Symbol

– Animate and Distort Bitmap

– Modify Color and Transparency of Bitmap

– Animating along Motion Path

– Creating Mask Effect

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Flash

Develop Rich Internet Content and Applications– Design motion graphics or build data-driven applications

Flash Movies = Graphics, Text, Animation, – Mostly compact vector graphics– Can contain imported video, bitmap graphics, and sounds. – Incorporate interactivity – Create nonlinear movies that can interact with other Web apps– Create navigation controls– Animated logos– Long-form animations with synchronized sound– Complete, sensory-rich Web sites

Flash Document = “.fla” filename extension– File > Save / Save As

Publish Flash Document (.FLA) Flash Movie (.SWF)– Macromedia Flash file format (SWF) is the format for deploying Flash content

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Workspace

Workspace Settings: Designer or Classic

Timeline– Controls movie’s content over time– Consists of frames and keyframes– Layers to organize content

Stage– Draw or import artwork, add text or media– Compose content for individual keyframes

Properties Panel

Toolbox

Panels

Library: Stores reusable elements called Symbols

ActionScript: Built-in programming language: version 2.0 or 3.0

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Document Properties and Grid, Rulers & Guides

Create Document and set its Properties – File > New

– General: Flash File ActionScript 2.0 used in CS4+ demosActionScript 3.0 for Flash CC (and 2.0 not supported amymore)

– Modify > Document– Frame Rate– Dimensions– Background color

Using Grid, Rulers and Guides– Grid

– View > Grid > Show Grid / Snap to Grid

– Rulers– View > Rulers

– Guides– Drag horizontal and vertical guides from rulers onto Stage– View > Guides > Show Guides / Snap to Guides

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Timeline

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Layers

Layers = Stack of “transparent sheets of acetate” – Insert > Timeline > Layer or Click “Insert Layer” icon in Timeline– Drag & Drop Layer to change its position in stack – Name (double-click text), Hide, Lock Folder

Layer Folder = Organize Layers– Insert > Timeline > Layer Folder

or Click “Insert Layer Folder” icon in Timeline

Modify Layer– Select layer to make it active (only one layer can be active)– Pencil icon = Layer is active

Guide Layers Make drawing and editing easier

Mask Layers Help to create sophisticated effects

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Resource: Copying Layer & Layer Folder and Paste in Place

Copy Layer1. Click layer name to select the entire layer.

2. Edit > Timeline > Copy Frames.

3. Click Add Layer button to create new layer.

4. Select new layer and choose Edit > Timeline > Paste Frames.

Copy Contents of Layer Folder1. Click triangle to left of folder name to collapse it, if necessary.

2. Click folder name to select the entire folder.

3. Edit > Timeline Copy Frames.

4. Insert > Timeline > Layer Folder to create new folder.

5. Select new folder and choose Edit > Timeline > Paste Frames.

Paste in Same PositionEdit > Paste in Place

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Tools

Arrow (Selection) tool and Modifiers: snap to, smooth, straight– Reshaping lines and shapes Reshaping pointer

Free Transform tool and its modifiers: scale, rotate, skew etc.– Transform dialog panel: Modify > Transform

Lasso tool and its modifiers = polygon etc.

Text toolCircle and Square tools and Modifiers: Object Drawing on / off

– Stroke and Fill properties of graphic in Property Inspector

Pencil tool and Modifiers = straight, smooth etc.

Paint Bucket tool and Modifiers = fill large gaps etc.– Apply Gradient and use Fill Transform tool

Eraser toolZoom tool and Modifiers: zoom in, zoom out (or use Alt-click)

Line Color

Fill Color

Tool Options

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Graphic Objects = Items on Stage– Move, copy, delete, transform, stack, align, and group graphic objects. – Link graphic object to a URL. – Keep in mind: modifying lines and shapes can alter other lines and

shapes on the same layer if Object Drawing is not selected

Must first Select Object to Modify it

Graphic Objects

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Overlapping Shapes in Flash – if shapes were created Object Drawing off

Use Pencil, Line, Oval, Rectangle, or Brush tool to draw line across another line or painted shape, overlapping lines are divided into segments at the intersection points.

Use Arrow tool to select, move, reshape each segment individually

To avoid inadvertently altering shapes / lines by overlapping them• Group shapes

• Use Object Drawing

• Place on different layers

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Resource: Object Manipulations

Grouping Objects– Select objects on Stage to group– Modify > Group

Stacking Objects– Within a layer, objects stacked based on the order of creation– Modify > Arrange > Bring to Front or Send to Back

Modify > Arrange > Bring Forward or Send Backward

Transforming ObjectsFree Transform tool in Tools

– Modify > Transform > … free transform, rotate, skew, scale, or distort– Modify > Transform > Remove Transform

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Text

Text tool in Toolbox

Properties Inspector to change text properties

Static Text type– Appearance determined when you author movie.

Dynamic Text type– Updated text, such as sports scores or stock quotes.

Input Text fields type– Users enter text for forms, surveys, or other purposes.

Transform Text– Rotating, scaling, skewing, and flipping it - and still edit characters

Text Object & Grouped

Horizontal Text Linked to URLs– Select text and enter URL in Properties Inspector : Options

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Resource: Reshaping Text

Reshaping Text into its individual letter shapes– Select text with Arrow tool

– Modify > Break Apart

Distribute Text Letters to Layers – Select all letters

– Modify > Timeline > Distribute to Layers

Organize letters in Layer Folder– Insert > Timeline > Layer Folder

– Select layers containing letters

– Drag & drop in Layer Folder Static Text

Morph Text– Select Text and apply “Modify > Break Apart” TWICE

– Apply Shape Tween !

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Symbols and Instances

Symbols = Reusable Elements in Document – Symbols = graphics, buttons, video clips, sound files, or fonts– Symbol stored in file's library– Use symbols for every element that appears more than once.

Create Instance– Place symbol on Stage, you create an instance of that symbol.– Modify properties of instance without affecting master symbol– Edit master symbol to change all instances.

Symbols Reduce File Size – Flash stores symbol in the file only once greatly reduces file size

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Symbol - Behavior Types

Graphic Symbols for static images

Button Symbols to create interactive buttons

Movie Clip Symbols to create reusable pieces of

animation Insert > New Symbol

Convert Element to Symbol – Insert > Convert to Symbol– Drag the selection to the Library panel– Convert to Symbol from the context menu

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Keyframes

Keyframe = New Instance of Object Appears

Property Keyframe = Define Object’s Property Change

Use Keyframes to Create Change in Animation

• Flash can tween, or fill in, frames between keyframes

Create Keyframe1. Select a frame in Timeline2. Insert > Timeline > Keyframe

Frame Management– Delete a frame, keyframe, or frame sequence,

– Select and Edit > Timeline > Remove Frame or Right-Click (Windows)

– Extend duration of Keyframe– Select, hold and then drag keyframe to new final frame

– Change length of a tweened sequence, drag the beginning or ending keyframe left or right.

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Animation

Animate Objects or Shapes– Change object’s position, shape, size, color, opacity, rotation …

Frame-by-frame Animation– Create a separate image for each keyframe.

Tweened Animation– Create first and last keyframes of animation

or Specify object properties in different frames

– Flash creates frames in between

Motion or Classic or Shape Tween

Frame Labels useful for identifying Keyframes – Use instead of frame numbers (which can change)

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Tweened Animation

Select Keyframe, Right Click and Select Tween option

Motion Tween– Change Position, Size, Rotation, Alpha of Object– Specify object property in one frame and another value for that

same property in another frame.

Classic Tween– Like motion tweens, but more complex to create

Shape Tween– Change Shape

If you want Flash to tween the movement of more than one object, each must be on a separate layer.

– Select elements

– Use Modify > Timeline > Distribute to Layers

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Animations – Representations in Timeline

Motion Tween – Black dot at beginning keyframe; intermediate tweened frames have black

arrow with a light-blue background.

Classic Tween – Black dot at beginning keyframe; intermediate frames have a black arrow

with a blue background.

Shape Tween – Black dot at beginning keyframe; intermediate frames have a black arrow

with a light-green background.

Dashed line = – Tween is broken or incomplete

Cause?– Final keyframe missing– Classic Motion Tween: does NOT contain symbol, groups or type– Shape Tween: contains symbol, groups or type

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Motion Tween

Used for tweening:

• Instances of Symbol

• Type = Text

Instances and type tween:– Position, Size, Rotation, and Skew

Instances tween:

– Color shifts and Fade in / out (= Alpha)

To Motion Tween a Bitmap • Bitmap needs to be converted into Symbol• Modify > Convert to Symbol

To tween the color of type convert into symbols

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Create Motion Tween

Layer needs to contain Symbols or Type

and uses Property Keyframes

and can have only one object instance

1. Select keyframe

2. Insert > Motion Tween or Right click frame, select “Motion Tween”

3. Select frame and then select object

4. Move to new location (notice the motion trail) and/or

In Properties panel, change object property

Repeat steps 3 and 4

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Classic Tween

Layer needs to contain Symbols or Groups or Typeand uses Keyframes

Create Classic Tween a) Create first keyframe

– Insert > Classic Tween or Right click frame, select “Classic Tween”

Automatically turns content into Graphic Symbol

– In last frame, create keyframe and move object to new location

b) Create starting and ending keyframes – Select two keyframes and frames in between– Insert > Classic Tween

or Right click frame, select “Classic Tween” Automatically turns start and end keyframes into symbols

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Resource: Motion versus Classic Tween

Motion tween uses property keyframes, whereas Classic tween uses keyframes.

Both motion and classic tweens allow only specific types of objects to be tweened.

• Motion tween will convert all non-allowed object types to Movie Clip symbols.

• Classic tween will convert them to Graphic symbols.

• Motion tweens consider text a tweenable type. Classic tweens convert text objects to graphic symbols.

Only classic tweens allow frame scripts.

Only motion tweens can be used to animate 3D objects.

Only motion tweens can be saved as motion presets.

You can use classic tweens to animate between two different color effects, such as tint and alpha transparency. Motion tweens can apply one color effect per tween.

With motion tweens, you cannot swap symbols or set the frame number of a graphic symbol to display in a property keyframe. Animations that include these techniques require classic tweens.

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Shape Tweening

Similar to Morphing– One shape appears to change into another shape over time

Use Ungrouped Graphics to Tween Shapes

1. Create or select first keyframe

2. Create or place artwork in first keyframe

3. Create second keyframe and select it1. Select artwork in second keyframe 2. Modify shape, color, or position of artwork

(e.g. use “Free Transform” tool)

4. Select first keyframe in Timeline 1. Insert > Shape Tween

or Right click frame, select “Shape Tween”

2. Properties panel: select option from “Blend” menu: a) Distributive: intermediate shapes smoother and more irregular.b) Angular: preserves apparent corners and straight lines.

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Imported Artwork and Video

Bitmap– Can apply compression and anti-aliasing– Place directly in Flash document– Use as a fill– Convert to vector artwork

Video– Import video in MOV, AVI, or MPEG format– Importing video clips as embedded files

– Video clip becomes part of the movie, like an imported bitmap or vector artwork file. You can publish a movie with embedded video as a Flash movie.

Fireworks PNG– Can import files as editable objects that you can modify in Flash, or as

flattened files that you can edit and update in Fireworks.– File > Import Fireworks PNG Import Settings dialog box– If you import a PNG file from Fireworks by cutting and pasting, the file is

converted to a bitmap.

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Previewing Movies

Authoring environment– Control > Play– Window > Toolbars > Controller and click Play

Test Movie command – Control > Test Movie or Control > Test Scene

Web Browser– File > Publish Preview > HTML

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Exporting

File > Export Movie or File > Export Image

Flash Movie– Export entire document as a Flash movie, to place the movie in another

application, such as Dreamweaver.

Windows AVI (Windows)– Exports a movie as Windows video, but discards any interactivity

Export a movie directly into a single format: GIF, JPEG, PNG, AVI

– Animated GIF, GIF Sequence, and GIF Image

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Publishing

Flash Document (FLA file) Flash Movie (SWF file) – By default, creates Flash SWF file

and HTML document with inserted movie.

If you don’t want HTML, deselect it.

1. Choose Publishing File Formats: SWF or GIF, JPEG, PNG, and QuickTime

2. File > Publish

Test Before Publishing– Test Movie and Test Scene commands

Unicode Text Encoding

Exporting vs. Publishing FLA files – Exporting similar to publishing FLA files in alternative file formats,

except that settings for each file format are not stored with FLA file.

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Step 0 – Download files, Launch Flash, Create Document

Download Files http://scils.rutgers.edu/~aspoerri/Teaching/MPOnline/Lectures/Lecture9/stepbystep/

Launch Flash– Start > Macromedia > Flash

Create Flash Document and Set its Properties – File > New : General: Flash File (CS4+: ActionScript 2.0; CC: ActionScript 3.0) – Modify > Document or use Property Inspector

– Frame Rate = 12 Dimensions = 600 x 400 Background color = White

Using Grid, Rulers and Guides– Rulers

View > Rulers– Guides

– View > Guides > Show Guides– Drag horizontal (200) and vertical (300) guides from rulers onto Stage

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Step 1 – Keyframes and Create Shapes

1. Select Layer 1 and name it “Shape Tween”

2. Select first keyframe in Timeline

3. Select Circle Tool and Draw Circle in the center of Stage– Select Arrow Tool to select Circle (both Line and Fill!)

– In Property Inspector, set Width = 50 and Height = 50

– In Property Inspector, set Stroke and Fill properties of circle

4. Create second keyframe at frame = 30– Select frame = 30 and use Insert > Timeline > Keyframe

– Select circle using the Arrow tool in second keyframe

– Modify position by moving circle

– Modify size by using Free Transform

– Select Arrow tool and deselect circle

– Modify shape by using “Arrow” tool to change contour (notice how cursor changes)

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Step 2a – Shape & Motion Tween and Create Layer with Text

1. Select first keyframe in Timeline

2. Specify Shape Tween for first keyframe

– Insert > Shape Tween or Right Click and Select “Shape Tween”

– Properties Inspector: select option from “Blend” menu: Distributive

3. Play Movie so far– Control > Play or Display Controls: Window > Toolbars > Controls

1. Create New Layer and Name = Text– Insert > Timeline > Layer and select it

2. Create Text = “Hello”– Select first frame and Select Text tool and type “Hello”

3. Specify Motion Tween for first keyframe of Text Layer

4. Create property keyframe at frame = 30– Select text using the Arrow tool in frame

– Modify position by moving text

– Modify size, angle and distort by using Free Transform

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Step 2b – Animating Individual Letters

1. Create and Select Text in “text” layer at keyframe = 1

2. Break Text into Individual Letters using Modify > Break Apart

3. Distribute Individual Letters to Separate Layers– Modify > Timeline > Distribute to Layers

4. Select all the keyframes that contain a letter at frame = 1 and apply Motion Tween

5. Select frame = 30

6. Select a letter and move it to desired location

7. Repeat step 6 for next letter

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Step 2c – Morphing Text

1. Create and Select Text in “text” layer at keyframe = 1

2. Break Text into Individual Shapes by applying Modify > Break Apart twice!

3. Create Blank Keyframe at frame = 30

4. Create and Select Text in “text” layer at keyframe = 30

5. Break Text into Individual Shapes by applying Modify > Break Apart twice!

6. Select first keyframe and Shape Tween

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Step 3a – Animating Bitmap

1. Select first Keyframe

2. File > Import to Stage “bilbaodog” (creates record in Library)

3. Convert “bilbaodog” to Movie Clip symbol– Modify > Convert to Symbol: Movie Clip = “dog”

4. Apply Motion Tween at first keyframe

5. Insert Frame at Frame = 30 (if needed)

6. Select instance of “dog” in Frame = 30 and change position

7. Select instance of “dog” in Frame = 1 and Distort it using Free Transform tool

8. Select instance of “dog” in Frame = 30 and Remove Transform using Modify > Transform > Remove Transform

9. Fade in “dog”– Select instance in Frame = 30

and Properties > Color Effect: Set Alpha = 100%

– Select instance in Frame = 1 and Properties: Set Alpha = 0%

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Step 3b – Multi-part Motion Tween

10. Select Frame = 31 and Insert Blank Keyframe

11. Select dog in Frame = 30 and Edit > Copy

12. Select Frame = 31 and Edit > Paste in Place

13. Select Frame = 46 and Insert Keyframe using Insert > Timeline > Keyframe (instead of Right Click and then Insert Keyframe)

14. Create Property Keyframes at frame = 55 and 65

15. Edit motion path associated with motion tween

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Step 4a – Create Classic Tween

1. Select first Keyframe

2. File > Import to Stage “bilbaodog” (creates record in Library)

3. Convert “bilbaodog” to Movie Clip symbol– Modify > Convert to Symbol: Movie Clip = “dog”

4. Insert Keyframe at Fame = 30

5. Select instance in Frame = 30 and change position

6. Apply Classic Tween at first keyframe (should see solid arrow)

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Step 4b – Classic Tweening along Path

1. Select layer containing classic tween animation

2. Right-click layer and choose “Add Classic Motion Guide”

3. Use Pen, Pencil, Line, Circle, Rectangle, or Brush tool to draw desired path in motion guide

4. Snap center of instance to beginning of line in the first keyframe, and to end of the line in the last keyframe

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Step 4c – Creating Mask Layer

1. Select or create layer with objects to appear inside mask

2. With layer selected, choose Insert > Timeline > Layer – Mask layer always masks layer(s) immediately below it

3. Place a filled shape or symbol instance on mask layer– Mask layer can contain tween(s)

4. Right-click (Windows) mask layer's name in Timeline, and choose Mask from the context menu.

5. Display mask effect in Flash, LOCK mask layer and masked layer(s)