| The Library provides a home for your document's symbols and imported assets, including bitmap graphics, sound files, and video clips. NOTE A symbol is a reference to an object ”a graphic, button, or movie clip ”that you create in Flash. Using a reference rather than the actual object allows you to display the symbol many times with negligible effect on the size of your SWF file.
NOTE When you drag a symbol onto the Stage from the Library, you create an instance of the symbol on the Stage.
The Library panel lets you organize library items in folders, see how many times an item is used in a document, and sort items by type. The Library displays a list of its contents, with each item preceded by an icon that indicates the type of content. Items can be grouped into folders, which can be selectively expanded to limit the amount of scrolling required to view the Library contents. Like layers , Library items rapidly multiply over the life of a project and can become the bane of a project if not carefully organized. TIP Try to anticipate the kinds of assets and symbols that a project will require. Create folders and decide on naming conventions before you begin to import assets.
Creating Common Libraries Flash offers the capability to store permanent Library collections, known as Common Libraries. You can create your own project-specific Common Libraries to ensure that team members are using the same assets. Flash MX 2004 also comes with some Common Libraries containing sample buttons , classes, and learning interactions, which you can access by choosing Window, Other Panels, Common Libraries. | 