Macromedia Director MX for Windows and Macintosh. Visual QuickStart Guide
Authors: Persidsky A.,  Schaeffer M.
 Published year: 2003
 Pages: 33-34/139
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Locking Sprites

Director allows you to lock a sprite, preventing any of its properties from being changed inadvertently. This feature can be particularly useful when you don't want to accidentally move or delete a carefully positioned sprite on the Stage. Locked sprites remain visible on the Stage but can't be selected from the Stage.

The locked sprites are displayed with a lock symbol in the Score ( Figure 3.75 ). When selected in the Score, a locked sprite is surrounded by a red border on the Stage, which includes a lock symbol in the top-right corner ( Figure 3.76 ). Property fields are dimmed for locked sprites in both the Property Inspector and the Sprite toolbar.

Figure 3.75. Locked sprites in the Score are dimmed and accompanied by a lock symbol.

graphics/03fig75.gif

Figure 3.76. A locked sprite on the Stage.

graphics/03fig76.gif

To lock a sprite or group of sprites:

  1. In the Score or on the Stage, select a sprite or range of sprites that you want to lock.

    You can select multiple nonadjacent sprites. Note that you can't lock part of a sprite.

  2. Choose Modify > Lock Sprite.

    or

    Click the Lock button in the Property Inspector ( Figure 3.77 ) or Sprite toolbar.

    Figure 3.77. Click the Lock button to lock selected sprites.

    graphics/03fig77.gif

To unlock a sprite or group of sprites:

  1. In the Score, select a sprite or ranged of locked sprites that you want to unlock.

  2. Choose Modify > Unlock Sprite.

graphics/tick.gif Tip

  • You can change a property (such as blend percentage) of a multiple-sprite selection consisting of both locked and unlocked sprites, but only the unlocked sprites change.


   
   

Changing the Score View

In addition to standard viewing controls, such as the scroll bars, you have several viewing options in the Score. You can hide the effects channels to use more of your screen for the sprite channels, zoom in or out, or open multiple Score windows so you can easily drag sprites between different parts of the Score without excess scrolling. If you find the circular keyframe indicators distracting, you can hide those from view as well.

To center the playhead in the window:

  • Click the Center Current Frame button to reorient the Score so that the frame that contains the playhead is displayed at the center of the Score ( Figure 3.78 ).

    Figure 3.78. Click the Center Current Frame button to center the frame that contains the playhead.

    graphics/03fig78.gif

To hide or show the effects channels:

  • Click the Hide/Show Effects Channels button to toggle the display of the effects channels ( Figure 3.79 ).

    Figure 3.79. Toggle the Hide/Show Effects Channel button to hide or show the six effects channels.

    graphics/03fig79.gif

To zoom in or out:

  • Click the Zoom Menu button, and choose a magnification percentage from the pop-up menu ( Figure 3.80 ).

    Figure 3.80. Click the Zoom Menu button and make a choice from the pop-up menu.

    graphics/03fig80.gif

    Choose a percentage greater than 100 to zoom in and see more detail in each frame. Choose a percentage smaller than 100 to zoom out and see large portions of the Score.

To view multiple Score windows:

  1. Select the Score window. If it is docked to other panels, undock it.

  2. Choose Window > New Window to display an additional Score window ( Figure 3.81 ).

    Figure 3.81. Open extra Score windows to view and edit different parts of the Score at the same time.

    graphics/03fig81.gif

  3. Use the scroll bars to navigate in the new window.

    You can open as many additional Score windows as you need.

To show or hide keyframe indicators in the Score:

  1. Click on the Score to make it the active window.

  2. Choose View > Keyframes to toggle the display of keyframe indicators in the Score.

Working with sprite labels

The text that identifies each sprite in the Score is called a sprite label . Sprite labels make it much easier to work with sprites and edit your movie by providing key information, such as the name or number of the cast member on which a sprite is based ( Figure 3.82 ).

Figure 3.82. Sprite labels make it much easier to work with sprites in the Score.

graphics/03fig82.gif

To view sprite labels in the Score:

  1. Click on the Score to give it focus.

  2. Choose View > Sprite Labels and then choose an option from the pop-up menu.

    The option determines where the sprite label appears ( Figure 3.83 ). The actual information displayed by a sprite label is determined by the display option.

    Figure 3.83. Sprite-label options.

    graphics/03fig83.jpg

To change the display option for sprite labels:

  • Open the display options menu in the Score and make a choice ( Figure 3.84 ).

    Figure 3.84. Select sprite-label options in the Score.

    graphics/03fig84.gif

    or

    Choose View > Display and then choose an option from the pop-up menu.

    Following are the display options:

    • Member displays each sprite's name and/or number (as they are displayed in the cast window).

    • Behavior displays the behavior assigned to each sprite.

    • Location displays the coordinates of each sprite's registration point, which Director uses to match up images in animation sequences.

    • Ink displays the ink effect applied to sprites.

    • Blend shows each sprite's blend percentage.

    • Extended lets you view any combination of display options specified in the Score Window Preferences dialog box ( Figure 3.85 ), which you open by choosing Edit > Preferences > Score (Windows) or Director > Preferences > Score (Mac).

      Figure 3.85. When you choose the Extended spritelabel option, you can specify which combination of display options appears by using the Score Window Preferences dialog box.

      graphics/03fig85.gif

To turn a channel on or off:

  1. Click the button at the left side of a channel to turn the channel off during movie playback ( Figure 3.86 ).

    Figure 3.86. Turn a channel off or on to assist with testing.

    graphics/03fig86.gif

    Director ignores the contents of the disabled channel, allowing you to isolate other channels for testing.

  2. To turn a channel back on, click the button again.

graphics/tick.gif Tip

  • By default, all channels in the Score are turned on, but you can turn a channel off to make it easier to test or work on a portion of the Score.


   
Macromedia Director MX for Windows and Macintosh. Visual QuickStart Guide
Authors: Persidsky A.,  Schaeffer M.
 Published year: 2003
 Pages: 33-34/139
Buy this book on amazon.com >>

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