Chapter 3. Working with Text

3. Working with Text

Flash's text tool doesn't just create graphic-objects in the shape of letters, it creates text boxes filled with live type; in the authoring environment, the contents of a text box are fully editable. As you create text elements, you must decide how they will be used in the published movie and assign them a text-type property. If you want the end user to interact with a text field (for example, to enter personal information), set the text box's text-type property to input. If you want to update the text at runtime (for example, using ActionScript to download and display new basketball scores to a sports site), set the text-type property to dynamic. If the text will just sit there looking pretty, set the text-type property to static.

Flash 8 uses a new text-rendering engine called Flash Type, which makes fonts more legible (especially at small sizes). This legibility shows up in the authoring environment, as you create your movies, but it also comes into play for your end users if you publish your files for Flash Player 8 (see Chapter 16).

In this chapter, you learn about using static text. The manipulation of input and dynamic text fields requires a more advanced level of ActionScripting than this book can cover; if you need to know more, check out Macromedia Flash 8 Professional Advanced; Visual QuickPro Guide, from Peachpit Press.