50 Fast Flash MX techniques

* 50 cool techniques that will take your Flash animations to the next level. Includes topics such as Simulating a 3D Cube, Creating an Explosion, Building Letters from an Images, Making Mono Clips Sound Like Stereo, Creating a 3D Morph, Triggering Speech Bubbles, Building a User-response Form, Putting a Flash Movie onto a PDA.
* Covers the latest Flash "X" release. Most of these effects can also be created with Flash 5.
* 50 step-by-step methods to make your Flash 5 and Flash "X" animations more impressive, engaging, effective, and fun. Includes a 32-page full-color insert highlighting the most dramatic visual tricks.

Author Notes

Ellen Finkelstein is the author of many other computer books
Gurdy Leete, a professor of digital media at Maharishi University of Management, has twenty years of computer animation experience

Preface	p. VII
Acknowledgments	p. XI
Introduction	p. XXIII
Chapter 1 2D Animation	p. 1
Technique 1 A Line Drawing Itself	p. 3
For Complex Images	p. 3
Step 1 Draw the Image	p. 3
Step 2 Erase the Image	p. 4
Step 3 Reverse the Animation	p. 4
For Simple, Linear Images	p. 4
Step 1 Draw the Image	p. 4
Step 2 Create the Coverup	p. 4
Step 3 Create the Shape Tween	p. 5
Technique 2 Make a Character Walk	p. 7
Step 1 Create Your Character	p. 7
Step 2 Create the First Position	p. 8
Step 3 Create the Other Positions	p. 9
Step 4 Move the Arms	p. 9
Step 5 Levitate Your Character	p. 9
Step 6 Fill in Your Character	p. 9
Step 7 Create Forward Motion	p. 9
Technique 3 Talking Head	p. 11
Step 1 Import the Sound File	p. 11
Step 2 Draw a Talking Head	p. 12
Step 3 Add the Mouth	p. 13
Technique 4 Create Ripples	p. 15
Step 1 Import a Photo	p. 15
Step 2 Create the Ripples	p. 16
Step 3 Shape Tween the Ripples	p. 16
Step 4 Add the Ripples to the Photo and Tween the Transparency	p. 17
Technique 5 Disolve a Vector into a Bitmap	p. 19
Step 1 Import a Photo and Convert it to a Vector	p. 19
Step 2 Place the Photo on the Stage	p. 20
Step 3 Fade Out the Vector	p. 20
Step 4 Fade In the Bitmap Photo	p. 20
Step 5 Add a Stop Action at the End	p. 20
Technique 6 Morph a Geometric Shape into an Image	p. 21
Morphing into a Photo	p. 21
Step 1 Import the Photo	p. 21
Step 2 Create an Outline	p. 22
Step 3 Fade Out the Outline	p. 22
Step 4 Create a Shape Tween	p. 22
Step 5 Fade in the Photo	p. 23
Morphing into a Vector Image	p. 24
Step 1 Draw the Shape	p. 24
Step 2 Draw or Import the Graphic Image	p. 24
Step 3 Create a Shape Tween	p. 24
Technique 7 Make Bubbles	p. 25
Step 1 Record Bubble and Popping Sounds	p. 25
Step 2 Create the Bubble	p. 26
Step 3 Make Bubble Variations	p. 26
Step 4 Make a Bubble Wiggle	p. 26
Step 5 Make a Tiny Bubble	p. 27
Step 6 Create The Popping Animation	p. 27
Step 7 Create Bubbles Bubbling Up and Popping	p. 28
Step 8 Create the Final Bubble Movie	p. 28
Technique 8 Kaleidoscope	p. 31
Step 1 Create a Wedge	p. 31
Step 2 Create the Kaleidoscope	p. 32
Step 3 Create the Motion Tweens	p. 32
Step 4 Create a Mask	p. 33
Technique 9 Warp an Image	p. 35
Do the Wave	p. 35
Step 1 Import an Image	p. 36
Step 2 Create a Moving Bar Symbol	p. 36
Step 3 Insert Instances and Make Each a Mask	p. 36
Step 4 Add ActionScript	p. 37
Step 5 Create a Mask	p. 37
Do the Flip	p. 38
Step 1 Import an Image	p. 38
Step 2 Create a Motion Tween	p. 38
Step 3 Complete the Revolution	p. 38
Technique 10 Fireworks	p. 41
Step 1 Create the Beam	p. 41
Step 2 Add ActionScript	p. 42
Step 3 Position the Fireworks	p. 45
Chapter 2 3D Animation	p. 47
Technique 11 Rotating 3D Logo	p. 49
Step 1 Create the Logo	p. 49
Step 2 Create the Rotation Effect	p. 50
Step 3 Complete the Rotation	p. 50
Technique 12 Rotating Earth	p. 53
Step 1 Import the Map	p. 53
Step 2 Create the Earth	p. 54
Step 3 Create the Motion Tween	p. 54
Chapter 3 Text	p. 57
Technique 13 Text Controlling Objects	p. 59
Step 1 Create a Symbol	p. 59
Step 2 Add an Input Text Box	p. 60
Step 3 Create a Button	p. 60
Step 4 Add ActionScript to the Button	p. 60
Step 5 Add Instructions	p. 61
Technique 14 Animated Text Warping	p. 63
Flying Letters	p. 63
Step 1 Create the Text	p. 63
Step 2 Put Each Letter on a Separate Layer	p. 64
Step 3 Create a Set of Smaller Letters	p. 64
Step 4 Move the Smaller Text to Frames	p. 64
Step 5 Create the Shape Tween	p. 64
Step 6 Stagger the Letters	p. 65
Step 7 Add a Keyframe at the End	p. 65
Growing Letters	p. 65
Step 1 Create the Text	p. 65
Step 2 Distribute the Letters to Layers	p. 65
Step 3 Squish the Letters	p. 66
Step 4 Distribute the Squished Letters to Layers	p. 66
Step 5 Create the Shape Tweens	p. 66
Step 6 Stagger the Tweens	p. 66
Technique 15 Text Morphing	p. 67
Step 1 Create the Text	p. 67
Step 2 Break Apart the Text	p. 67
Step 3 Create the Image	p. 67
Step 4 Create the Shape Tween	p. 68
Technique 16 Movies Inside Text	p. 69
Step 1 Create or Open the Animation	p. 69
Step 2 Add the Text and Make it a Mask	p. 70
Technique 17 Swarming Dots form Text	p. 71
Step 1 Create the Text	p. 71
Step 2 Make the Dots	p. 72
Step 3 Move the Dots	p. 72
Step 4 Place the Dots on the Text	p. 73
Technique 18 Radiating Text Effects	p. 75
Step 1 Create the Text	p. 75
Step 2 Soften the Edges	p. 75
Step 3 Create a Shape Tween	p. 76
Step 4 Make the Text Glow	p. 76
Chapter 4 Sound and Video	p. 77
Technique 19 On/Off and Volume Sound Controls	p. 79
Step 1 Create a Button	p. 79
Step 2 Create the Slider Bar	p. 80
Step 3 Assemble the Buttons and Slider Bar	p. 80
Step 4 Import the Sound	p. 80
Step 5 Add the ActionScript	p. 81
Technique 20 Adding Video to a Flash Movie	p. 83
Step 1 Import the Video File	p. 83
Step 2 Specify the Video Settings	p. 84
Chapter 5 Interactive Effects	p. 85
Technique 21 Draggable Magnifying Lens	p. 87
Step 1 Draw the Magnifying Glass	p. 87
Step 2 Import an Image to Magnify	p. 88
Step 3 Create the Magnified Image	p. 88
Step 4 Make the Magnifying Glass Draggable	p. 88
Step 5 Bring in the Scene and Add ActionScript	p. 88
Technique 22 Draggable Movies	p. 91
Step 1 Prepare Your Movie as a Symbol	p. 91
Step 2 Resize the Movie Clip	p. 92
Step 3 Make a Button	p. 92
Step 4 Make a Movie Clip	p. 92
Step 5 Insert the Draggable Movie	p. 93
Technique 23 Image Slide Scroller With Motion Blur	p. 95
Step 1 Create the Filmstrip	p. 95
Step 2 Create the Buttons	p. 96
Step 3 Insert the Large Images	p. 96
Step 4 Add the Motion Blur	p. 97
Technique 24 Pan and Zoon an Image	p. 99
Step 1 Import an Image	p. 99
Step 2 Make a Button	p. 100
Step 3 Create a Mask	p. 100
Step 4 Add the ActionScript for the Frames	p. 100
Step 5 Add the ActionScript for the Buttons	p. 102
Technique 25 Make a Scrolling Virtual Reality Panorama	p. 103
Step 1 Import a Panoramic Image	p. 103
Step 2 Place and Tween the Image	p. 104
Step 3 Convert the Animation to a Movie Clip	p. 104
Step 4 Create a Mask	p. 105
Technique 26 Draggable Mask	p. 107
Step 1 Create the Background	p. 107
Step 2 Create a Movie Clip	p. 107
Step 3 Create a Button	p. 108
Step 4 Make the Movie Clip Draggable	p. 108
Step 5 Set Up the Mask	p. 108
Technique 27 Interactive Shadows	p. 109
Step 1 Create the Text	p. 109
Step 2 Create the Cursor	p. 110
Step 3 Add The ActionScript	p. 110
Step 4 Place the Symbols on the Stage	p. 110
Chapter 6 User Interfaces	p. 113
Technique 28 Mouse Trails	p. 115
Step 1 Create the Trailing Graphic	p. 115
Step 2 Create a Background	p. 116
Step 3 Add ActionScript	p. 116
Technique 29 Tabbed Menu	p. 119
Step 1 Create the Layers	p. 119
Step 2 Create the Bar	p. 120
Step 3 Create the Tabs	p. 120
Step 4 Create the Chosen Tab	p. 120
Step 5 Extend the Other Layers	p. 121
Step 6 Add Labels	p. 121
Step 7 Add Content	p. 121
Technique 30 Scroll Bars	p. 123
Step 1 Insert a ComboBox	p. 123
Step 2 Create a Scrolling Dynamic Text Box	p. 124
Step 3 Add the Background	p. 125
Step 4 Add the ActionScript	p. 125
Technique 31 Pop-Up Windows	p. 127
Step 1 Create the Pop-Up Window	p. 127
Step 2 Set Up the Pop-Up Window	p. 128
Step 3 Add a Button to Display the Pop-Up Window	p. 128
Technique 32 Create a Multiple Choice Quiz	p. 131
Step 1 Create the Layers	p. 131
Step 2 Add Radio Buttons for Answer Choices	p. 131
Step 3 Add the Question	p. 132
Step 4 Add the "Next" Button	p. 132
Step 5 Add a Scoring Screen	p. 132
Step 6 Add the ActionScript	p. 133
Technique 33 User Response Form	p. 135
Step 1 Create Text Boxes	p. 135
Step 2 Add a Button	p. 136
Step 3 Create the Second Frame	p. 136
Step 4 Create the Third Frame	p. 136
Step 5 Add the ActionScript	p. 136
Technique 34 Form Validation	p. 139
Step 1 Create the Text Boxes	p. 139
Step 2 Insert a Pushbutton	p. 140
Step 3 Create the Next Screen	p. 140
Step 4 Add the ActionScript	p. 140
Step 5 Add a Background	p. 142
Technique 35 Collapsible Menu	p. 143
Step 1 Create Buttons For Menu Items	p. 143
Step 2 Add Actions For the Menu Frames	p. 144
Step 3 Add Actions For the Menu Movie Clips	p. 144
Step 4 Create the Submenus	p. 146
Step 5 Place the Menus on the Timeline	p. 146
Technique 36 3D Book as a User Interface	p. 149
Step 1 Create the Left Page	p. 149
Step 2 Create Images For the Book	p. 151
Step 3 Create Animation For the Pages	p. 151
Step 4 Add Other Left Pages Turning	p. 151
Step 5 Add Stop Actions	p. 152
Step 6 Return to the First Page	p. 152
Technique 37 Rollover Scroll	p. 153
Step 1 Create the Arrow Buttons	p. 153
Step 2 Create a Filmstrip	p. 154
Step 3 Make a Mask and Background	p. 154
Step 4 Add ActionScript	p. 154
Technique 38 Custom Cursors	p. 157
Step 1 Create the Graphic or Animation	p. 157
Step 2 Add ActionScript	p. 158
Technique 39 Cascading Menu	p. 159
Step 1 Create a Button	p. 159
Step 2 Create the Menu	p. 160
Step 3 Add Actionscript to the Buttons	p. 160
Step 4 Compile the Menu	p. 161
Step 5 Add ActionScript For the Menu	p. 162
Technique 40 Animated Button	p. 165
Step 1 Create the Image For the Button	p. 165
Step 2 Create the Animation	p. 166
Step 3 Create the Button	p. 166
Step 4 Place the Button on the Stage	p. 166
Technique 41 Preloader with Progress Display	p. 167
Step 1 Create the Preloader Box	p. 167
Step 2 Create the Preloader Animation	p. 168
Step 3 Add ActionScript	p. 168
Step 4 Create the Scenes and Main Movie	p. 169
Technique 42 Slide Show with Special Effect Transitions	p. 171
Step 1 Set Up the Slides	p. 171
Step 2 Create a "Next" Button	p. 172
Step 3 Insert the Slides	p. 172
Step 4 Add Some Actions	p. 172
Step 5 Create the Effects Layer	p. 172
Step 6 Create the Transition Effects	p. 173
Chapter 7 Mini-Applications	p. 175
Technique 43 News Ticker	p. 177
Step 1 Create the Text	p. 177
Step 2 Add ActionScript	p. 178
Step 3 Create the Text Box	p. 179
Technique 44 Digital or Analog Clock	p. 181
Digital clock	p. 181
Step 1 Create a Symbol with ActionScript	p. 181
Step 2 Create the Clock	p. 182
Analog Clock	p. 182
Step 1 Create the Hands	p. 183
Step 2 Add the Date/Text Box	p. 183
Step 3 Add ActionScript	p. 183
Step 4 Draw the Clock	p. 184
Technique 45 Music Keyboard and Synthesizer	p. 185
Step 1 Create the Piano Keyboard	p. 185
Step 2 Import the Sounds	p. 186
Step 3 Add ActionScript	p. 186
Technique 46 MP3 Player	p. 189
Step 1 Create the Artwork	p. 189
Step 2 Add the Buttons	p. 190
Step 3 Add the Counter	p. 191
Step 4 Add the ActionScript	p. 191
Technique 47 Drum Set	p. 195
Step 1 Create the Drumhead	p. 195
Step 2 Create the Snare Drum	p. 196
Step 3 Place the Drums on the Stage	p. 196
Step 4 Draw the Bass Drum and Cymbal	p. 196
Step 5 Import the Sounds	p. 197
Step 6 Add ActionScript	p. 197
Technique 48 On-Screen Paint Program	p. 199
Step 1 Make the Buttons	p. 199
Step 2 Add ActionScript	p. 200
Technique 49 Calculator	p. 203
Step 1 Create the Artwork	p. 203
Step 2 Add the Text Box	p. 204
Step 3 Add ActionScript	p. 204
Technique 50 Create a Stand-Alone Movie	p. 207
Step 1 Publish the Movie	p. 207
Step 2 Play the Movie	p. 208
Appendix A What's on the CD-ROM	p. 209
Appendix B Other Resources	p. 213
About the Authors	p. 215
Colophon	p. 216
Index	p. 217

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