Table of Contents

Macromedia® Flash® 8: Training from the Source
By James English
...............................................
Publisher: Macromedia
Pub Date: October 18, 2005
ISBN: 0-321-33629-1
Pages: 416

Table of Contents  | Index

		Copyright
		Credits
		Bio
		Acknowledgments
		Introduction
			Prerequisites
			Outline
			The Project Application
			Standard Elements in the Book
			Macromedia Training from the Source
			Macromedia Authorized Training and Certification
			What You Will Learn
			Minimum System Requirements
		Lesson 1.  Learning the Basics
			What You Will Learn
			Approximate Time
			Lesson Files
			Introducing Flash 8
			Looking at the Flash Workspace
			Creating Your First Flash 8 Document
			Working with Panels
			Using the Timeline and Frames
			Working with Layers
			Setting Your Preferences
			Testing an FLA File
			Finding Help
			Exploring the Project
			What You Have Learned
		Lesson 2.  Creating Graphics
			What You Will Learn
			Approximate Time
			Lesson Files
			Using the Tools Panel
			Learning About Fills and Strokes
			Using Vector and Bitmap Images
			Using Color
			Creating Graphics with Drawing Tools
			Using Guides, Grids, Coordinates, and Snapping
			Creating a New Graphic Symbol
			Creating and Using Masks
			Adding Strokes
			Using the Library
			Importing and Optimizing Bitmaps
			Importing Vector Drawings
			Using Fills and Gradients
			Manipulating Graphics
			What You Have Learned
		Lesson 3.  Using Text
			What You Will Learn
			Approximate Time
			Lesson Files
			Using the Text Tool
			Understanding Static Text and Device Fonts
			Adding Static Text to a Document
			Using Embedded Fonts
			Looking at Font Properties
			Adding a Timeline Effect to a Text Field
			Spell Check Your Document
			Using Text-Based Components
			Understanding Dynamic Text Fields
			What You Have Learned
		Lesson 4.  Creating and Editing Symbols
			What You Will Learn
			Approximate Time
			Lesson Files
			Symbols Explained
			Creating and Editing Symbols on the Stage
			Looking at Symbols in the Library
			Nesting Symbols and Timelines
			Revisiting Graphic Symbols
			Creating Buttons
			Placing the Buttons On the Stage
			Creating Text Buttons
			Creating an Invisible Button
			Creating and Using Movie Clips
			Creating the Menu
			Creating Movie Clip Buttons
			Duplicating Symbols and Adding Symbols to the Stage
			What You Have Learned
		Lesson 5.  Creating Animations
			What You Will Learn
			Approximate Time
			Lesson Files
			Animating Explained
			Setting Up for a Motion Tween
			Adding the Motion Tweens
			Animating Alpha Levels and Size
			Animating the Movie Clip Button
			Creating a Shape Tween
			Creating Frame-by-Frame Animations
			Animating Along a Path
			What You Have Learned
		Lesson 6.  Adding Basic Interactivity
			What You Will Learn
			Approximate Time
			Lesson Files
			Making Flash Documents Interactive
			Introducing Behaviors
			Using a Behavior to Load a JPEG
			Using Behaviors to Open a Web Page
			Loading an External SWF File with a Component
			Introducing Script Assist
			Using Actions to Control the Timeline
			Creating a Home Button
			Removing the Hand Cursor
			Making the Movie Clip Button Work
			Using the Script Navigator and Pins
			What You Have Learned
		Lesson 7.  Adding Sound and Video
			What You Will Learn
			Approximate Time
			Lesson Files
			Using Sound and Video
			Editing Sound and Video
			Assuming Responsibility with Your Media
			Compression, Codecs, and Plug-ins
			Delivering Media Online
			File Size Considerations
			Importing Sound into a Document
			Adding and Customizing Sound
			Adding Sound to a Button
			Importing Video into Flash
			Encoding the Video
			What You Have Learned
		Lesson 8.  Creating Forms Using Components
			What You Will Learn
			Approximate Time
			Lesson Files
			Introducing Forms and Data
			Introducing Flash Components
			Building the Feedback Form
			Using the Button Component
			Building a Questionnaire Using Flash
			Using the Focus Manager
			What You Have Learned
		Lesson 9.  Learning ActionScript Basics
			What You Will Learn
			Approximate Time
			Lesson Files
			Learning about ActionScript 2.0
			Learning About Classes, Methods, and Properties
			Looking at Methods and Properties
			Learning How to Use Strict Data Typing
			Using Code Hints in the Actions Panel
			Using Functions and Conditional Statements
			Understanding Scope
			Using _root, _parent, this, and Levels
			Understanding LoadVars
			Creating the Reviews Page
			Using Events and Handlers
			Using Listeners
			Adding a Listener to the Reviews Page
			Adding Cascading Style Sheet Formatting to the Reviews
			Creating the Catalog Pages
			Building the Main Catalog
			Creating the News Page
			Building the Home Page
			Animating the Menu
			Controlling the Menu's Buttons
			What You Have Learned
		Lesson 10.  Loading and Optimizing Flash Content
			What You Will Learn
			Approximate Time
			Lesson Files
			Optimizing Flash Documents
			Organizing Applications and Using Good Practices
			Understanding Usability
			Optimizing Animation
			Making a Background More Efficient with Runtime Bitmap Caching
			Understanding Bandwidth and File Size
			Considering User Platforms
			Loading External Content
			Loading Content into the Main Application
			Sending Data Out of Flash
			Adding the ProgressBar Component
			Loading the Tech Bookstore
			Testing and Debugging the Tech Bookstore
			What You Have Learned
		Lesson 11.  Publishing Flash Documents
			What You Will learn
			Approximate Time
			Lesson Files
			Adding Metadata and Publishing SWF Files
			Detecting Flash Player
			Embedding an SWF File in an HTML Page
			Uploading the Tech Bookstore to the Web
			Wrapping It All Up
			What You Have Learned
		Appendix A.  Installing Extensions
			Installing Extensions and Components
			Adding Commands and Behaviors to Flash
			Where to Find Extensions
		Appendix B.  Resources
			Macromedia.com
			Tutorial and Resource Sites
			Forums
			E-mail Lists
			Extensions and Fonts
			Third-Party Tools and Integration
			Related Macromedia Press Books
		Appendix C.  Keyboard Shortcuts
		Training from the Source
		Index