Flash

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Managing Content for Animation

GROUPINGPurpose prevents auto editing

Creating Select object(s) MODIFY > GROUP or CMD G

Editing Double click group(quite editing double click off group artwork)

UnGroup Select groupMODIFY > BREAK APART or CMD B

Managing Content for Animation

GRAPHIC SYMBOLS (Library)Symbols are the most important basic building block of flash.

Purpose reduce file size by storing a master object that can be reused

Creating Select object(s) INSERT > CONVERT TO SYMBOL or F8

Name must begin with a letter. May include letters, numbers _.

typeVerbNounBouncingBall_mc

Managing Content for Animation

GRAPHIC SYMBOLS (Library)

Stored in Library (CMD L)Library change names, delete, duplicate, organize with

folders, set or reset symbol propertiesEdit Double click symbol on stage to edit in place

Double click in library to edit symbolInstance Symbol on stage

Instance property transformationsSize, rotation, skew, pivot pt, etc

Managing Content for Animation

LAYERS

Each object to be animated must be on its own layer.Layers should be named Layers may be repositioned in stacking order

Objects can distributed to layers by:Select objects > ctrl click > select distribute to layers

Animation terminology & rules

CELLS.Frames

keyframe a frame in which you define a change to an object's properties for an animation

In the Timeline, you work with frames and keyframes, placing them in the order you want the objects in the frames to appear.

Animation terminology & rules

CELLS.Frames

You can perform the following modifications on frames or keyframes:

• Insert, select, delete, and move frames or keyframes • Drag frames and keyframes to a new location

on the same layer or on a different layer • Copy and paste frames and keyframes • Convert keyframes to frames • Drag an item from the Library panel onto the Stage to add the

item to the current keyframe

Animation terminology & rules

Frame Rules

Adding Frames

Menu Select the cells on all the layers you want to add frames to and choose INSERT > FRAME.

Shortcut F5Contextual Ctrl-click right-click and choose INSERT FRAME

from the contextual frame menu.Mouse (cmd) click-hold-drag/(ctr )click-hold-drag the end frame

indicator (small rectangular handle at the end of any number of frames on the timeline) out further along the timeline.

Frame Rules

Selecting Frames

mouse click-hold-drag (like selecting text in word processor)other hold SHIFT key and select each frame you want

Frame Rules

Deleting Frames

Menu INSERT > DELETE FRAMESShortcut SHIFT F5Contextual Ctrl right click and choose DELETE FRAMES

Keyframe Rules

Purpose a frame in which you define a change to an object's properties for an animation

Additional keyframes are only necessary where properties need to change.

Each time you insert a new keyframe (f6), you are making an exact copy of the previous keyframe to which you can then apply a change

The more keyframes = greater file size

Keyframe Rules

Keyframe Rules

Adding Keyframes

Menu Select frame/cell choose INSERT > KEYFRAMEShortcut F6Contextual Ctrl (right) click INSERT KEYFRAME

Deleting Keyframes

Menu Select keyframe choose INSERT > CLEAR KEYFRAMES

Shortcut SHIFT F6Contextual Ctrl (right) click and choose CLEAR KEYFRAMES

Keyframe Rules

Purpose creating new keyframe with no artwork in it.

Adding Blank Keyframes

Menu select cell/frame INSERT > BLANK KEYFRAME

Shortcut F7Contextual Ctrl right click and choose

INSERT BLANK KEYFRAME

Manipulating the Timeline

Moving Frames/Keyframes

1. Select frame or blocks of frames while holding SHIFT key 2. Click-Hold-Drag the selection to new location

Manipulating the Timeline

Copying/duplicating sections of timeline

Menu Select section, in menu EDIT > TIMELINE > COPY FRAMESMove cursor to new location EDIT > TIMELINE > PASTE FRAMES

Shortcut CMD OPT C CMD OPT Vnote: this is not a regular copy cmd c

Mouse Opt/Alt Click-Hold-Drag the selection to new location

Types of Animation

1. Frame-by-Frame AnimationManually changing individual contents of each successive keyframe

2. Motion Tweening (object must be symbol or group)3. Shape Tweening (object cannot be symbol or group)

TWEENING (in between keyframes) Tweening is short for "in between" and refers to filling in the frames between two keyframes .

Tweening is a method of animation that takes the position and attributes of an object in a start keyframe, and position and attributes of an object in an end keyframe, and calculates all the animation required to move from start to finish.

Types of Animation