Flash is a vector animation (read about vector animation software) software, originally designed to create animations for display on web pages. Vector graphics are ideal for the web because they are so lightweight.
Over the releases of new versions of Flash, Macromedia has made Flash more and more controllable via programming, where they have it positioned as a competitor to HTML to build interactive web sites and applications such as an e-commerce store. Macromedia argues that Flash is the way to go instead of HTML because of the following reasons:
Flash movies load faster and save on download time because Flash is vector based whereas HTML is not.
Flash intelligently ‘caches’ it’s movies so they don’t have to be reloaded.
Flash gives the user (the person viewing/using the Flash movie) a more responsive ‘rich-client’ like experience.
All of these points are true, but they can be true for HTML pages as well (except for the vectors). I will address these points now:
Flash pages can be made to load faster, but most of the time, the way they are designed in the real world, they do not. That is not a Flash problem, it is more an issue of the Flash developers going nuts with fancy and heavy Flash movies.
HTML caches pages as well, once images are downloaded they are held in your browser's cache. The cached images are then used instead of dowloading them from the server again.
With new technology like ASP.net and Java Server Faces, HTML now can react just like a ‘rich-client’ application. Even without these new tools, properly designed HTML for most dynamic sites can provide a good user experience.
The Stage is where your graphics, videos, buttons, and so on appear during playback. The Stage is described further in Flash Basics.
The Timeline is where you tell Flash when you want the graphics and other elements of your project to appear. You also use the Timeline to specify the layering order of graphics on the Stage. Graphics in higher layers appear on top of graphics in lower layers.
The Library panel is where Flash displays a list of the media elements in your Flash document.
ActionScript code allows you to add interactivity to the media elements in your document. For example, you can add code that causes a button to display a new image when the user clicks it. You can also use ActionScript to add logic to your applications. Logic enables your application to behave in different ways depending on the user's actions or other conditions. Flash includes two versions of ActionScript, each suited to an author's specific needs. For more information about writing ActionScript, see Learning ActionScript 2.0 in Flash in the Help panel.
Flash includes many features that make it powerful but easy to use, such as prebuilt drag-and-drop user interface components, built-in behaviors that let you easily add ActionScript to your document, and special effects that you can add to media objects.
When you have finished authoring your Flash document, you publish it using the File > Publish command. This creates a compressed version of your file with the extension .swf (SWF). You can then use Flash Player to play the SWF file in a web browser or as a stand-alone application. For an introduction to Flash Player.
What is IDE?
IDE stands for "Integrated Device Electronics". It is the most widely-used hard drive interface on the market. The fancy name refers to how the IDE technology "integrates" the electronics controller into the drive itself. The original IDE standard could only support hard drives containing up to 540 MB of data. The new standard, EIDE (Enhanced-IDE), supports hard drives with over 50 GB of data and allows for data transfer rates that are over twice as fast as the original IDE.
Advantages
Expressiveness
Filters
Create more compelling designs with built-in filter effects like drop shadow, blur, glow, bevel, gradient bevel, and color adjust. Filters are visual effects applied to MovieClips and text fields and are natively supported and rendered in real time by Flash Player.
Blend modes
Going well beyond what other design tools offer, Flash Professional 8 offers run-time control over blend modes, allowing graphical effects to be composited for fully dynamic user interactivity.
FlashType—high-quality font rendering engine
A revolutionary new font rendering engine that provides clear, highest-quality font rendering, FlashType makes small fonts look amazingly clear and greatly improves readability. Choose from several options for font rendering, each optimized for different use cases. Optimize font rendering with the new custom anti-aliasing feature in Flash Professional.
Bitmap caching
Supports unneeded re-rendering of vector objects by simply flagging an object as a bitmap. Even though the object gets cached as a bitmap, the vector data is still maintained so, at any point, the object can be converted back into a vector again.
Custom easing control
Easily, intuitively, and precisely control the velocity of animated objects through an intuitive graph that provides independent control of position, rotation, scale, color, and filters.
Improved text tool
Resize a text field using new, improved text handles. Text fields can be resized by grabbing any of the four handles.
Enhanced stroke properties
Select from a variety of cap and join types. Apply a gradient to a stroke as well as a fill. Render stroke intersections better with stroke hinting.
Advanced gradient control
Tighter control over gradients such as changing the focal point of a radial gradient and selecting from different overflow modes.
Video
Higher-quality video codec
Flash Player 8 adds a new, far more advanced video codec, On2 VP6. This codec provides superior video quality that is competitive with today's best video codecs at a much smaller file size.
Alpha channel support
Support for a real alpha channel at run-time. This revolutionary new capability provides the unique ability to overlay video composited with a transparent (even semi-transparent) alpha channel over other Flash content. Create dynamic presentations such as splashing water, smoke and fire effects, as well as presenters shot in front of a blue screen.
Advanced video encoding options
The advanced video encoder, available within the Flash authoring tool, as a plug-in to professional video editing tools, as well as a stand-alone tool, provides advanced encoding options that will allow developers to optimize quality and file size of video content.
Stand-alone video encoder
Advanced encoding options for creating Flash Video files using either the new, high-quality On2 VP6 codec or the Sorenson Spark codec. This encoder also includes a batch-processing capability to encode multiple video files at once.
Video Encoder plug-in for professional video editing tools
Export video directly to Flash from leading professional video-editing and encoding tools such as Avid Xpress/Media Composer and Apple Final Cut Pro.
Embedded cue points
Embed cue points directly into Flash Video (FLV) file so events can be triggered dynamically during playback. Used in conjunction with the new Flash Video component, easily coordinate the playback of accompanying graphics and animations when individual cue points are reached.
Video import workflow
Centralized video workflow in one dialog presents all available options for deploying Flash Video, whether it is via the Flash Communication Server for streaming video, via progressive download of external FLV files over HTTP, or a number of other options. The new video import dialog also jump-starts great video experiences by instantiating the new, light-weight, easily-skinnable video component and pre-populating it with all required parameters for deployment.
(Flash Basic supports embedded video only)
Improved, easily-skinnable video component
Easily customize and change the look and feel without adding a great deal of file size to video projects. This new component also works with multiple deployment options including streaming and progressive download.
User Experience
Script Assist (formerly called Normal Mode)
Normal Mode is back, only it's much better. Script Assist provides a visual user interface for editing scripts that includes automatic syntax completion as well as descriptions for the parameters of any given action.
Advanced library
With multiple files open, the library for each open file will be consolidated into a single panel that acts like all other panels in Flash - it stays where it's put. Navigate between open libraries more easily using the new drop-down list at the top of the library to access any other open library.
Object drawing model
Visualize shapes as objects by toggling a new object drawing mode to represent shapes as objects, along the lines of vector drawing tools such as Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia FreeHand.
Improved panel management
proved panel management optimizes workspace as the user sees fit. Group panels together in tabbed-panel sets, ala Dreamweaver and Fireworks. Reduce on-screen clutter by grouping most commonly-used panels together. Assign custom names to each panel group.
Stage pasteboard expansion
For projects that require large graphics that extend far beyond the size of the stage in Flash, view objects much further off-stage. To expand the size of the pasteboard, just drag an object close to the edge and the pasteboard will automatically grow to fit.
Undo/redo options
Switch between "object-level undo" and "document-level undo."
SWF Metadata
new metadata property for the SWF file format improves searchability of SWF files by Internet search engines. Now Flash authors can add a title and description to a SWF file, allowing search engines to more accurately reflect the content represented by the SWF file.
What is Vector Graphics?
Same as object-oriented graphics, refers to software and hardware that use geometrical formulas to represent images. The other method for representing graphical images is through bit maps, in which the image is composed of a pattern of dots. This is sometimes called raster graphics. Programs that enable you to create and manipulate vector graphics are called draw programs, whereas programs that manipulated bit-mapped images are called paint programs.
Vector-oriented images are more flexible than bit maps because they can be resized and stretched. In addition, images stored as vectors look better on devices (monitors and printers) with higher resolution, whereas bit-mapped images always appear the same regardless of a device's resolution. Another advantage of vector graphics is that representations of images often require less memory than bit-mapped images do.
Almost all sophisticated graphics systems, including CADD systems and animation software, use vector graphics. In addition, many printers (PostScript printers, for example) use vector graphics. Fonts represented as vectors are called vector fonts, scalable fonts, object-oriented fonts, and outline fonts.
Note that most output devices, including dot-matrix printers, laser printers, and display monitors, are raster devices (plotters are the notable exception). This means that all objects, even vector objects, must be translated into bit maps before being output. The difference between vector graphics and raster graphics, therefore, is that vector graphics are not translated into bit maps until the last possible moment, after all sizes and resolutions have been specified. PostScript printers, for example, have a raster image processor (RIP) that performs the translation within the printer. In their vector form, therefore, graphics representations can potentially be output on any device, with any resolution, and at any size.
What is Bitmap Graphics?
A bitmap (also called "raster") graphic is created from rows of different colored pixels that together form an image. In their simplest form, bitmaps have only two colors, with each pixel being either black or white. With increasing complexity, an image can include more colors; photograph-quality images may have millions. Examples of bitmap graphic formats include GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, XBM, BMP, and PCX as well as bitmap (i.e., screen) fonts. The image displayed on a computer monitor is also a bitmap, as are the outputs of printers, scanners, and similar devices. They are created using paint programs like Adobe Photoshop.
Componets of Flash
1. Form Controls
2. List Controls
3. Panels / Menus
4. Other Controls
5. Dialogs / Windows / Forms
6. DataSources
1. Form Controls
2. List Controls
3. Panels / Menus
4. Other Controls
5. Dialogs / Windows / Forms
6. DataSources
Form Controls
• Label
A standard control for displaying text. Text can be aligned both vertically and horzontally, supports html, and in addition each label can display an Icon, the Icon can contain multiple images which can be selected using the IconIndex property. Also supports autoEllipsis.
• Button
A standard button, supports html, 3 click modes - normal, repeat, and toggle. In addition each button can display an Icon and has support for autoEllipsis.
• CheckBox
Standard application CheckBox.
• RadioButton
Standard application RadioButton.
• CheckBoxList
An array of CheckBoxes. Creates an array of ChekcBoxes in a grid like pattern, you can set the number of columns and rows and the orientation of tabbing. Can also retrieve the checked values of all the CheckBoxes as a single string for data binding.
• RadioButtonList
An array of RadioButtons. Creates an array of RadioButtons in a grid like pattern just by specifying propeties. You can set the number of columns and rows and the orientation of tabbing. The RadioButtonList autmatically exposes the current seleted RadioButton simplyfying data binding.
• TextInput
A standard control for inputing text. Can display an Icon, the Icon can contain multiple images which can be selected using the IconIndex property, Icon be placed in any corner of the control. Comes with a set of small icons to indicate error/required/info etc.In additionally has support for programticallly selecting and highlighting text within the control.
• TextArea
A multiline text input control. Also has support for directly loading external text files.
• DateSelector
A date chooser control. Has full keyboard support for those application where data input is important.
• DateField
A date selector in a dropdown box.
• NumericSpinner
A numeric spinner, allows you to set maximum, minimum, increment. Complete control over the numeric format, from hex to decimal palces and whether to show ",".
• MaskedEdit
Through an input mask provides resticted data input with visual cues, formatted data output, overtype capability and a validation framework
• ButtonEdit
A TextInput control with an associated button, like all other controls can be embedded in the DataGrid
• DBNavigator
Provides a button bar of 9 navigational and edit buttons that can be bound to a datasource, also includes a label display showing the current record position and editing state
List Controls
• ListBox
A control a that display a list of items, by default a list item has a label and optional icon but also allows a custom item panels displayed effectively giving you total control over how a row is laid out.
• ComboBox
A standard ComboBox, additionally can display an icon both in the list and in the closed item display. Also has support for full incremental and first letter keysearching.
• DataGrid
A DataGrid. Has a built in row editor so that you can both edit existing rows and add new rows directly in the grid. Also has fixed non-scrolling columns.
• TreeView
Typical Tree control. In addition supports drag and drop both with the control and between other Tree controls. Supports in line editing of node content.
• ScrollBar
Standard application scrollbar
Panels/Menus
• TabPanel
A tabbed control panel
• CollapsiblePanel
An accordion/OutlookBar like tabbed control panel. Supports both vertical and horizontal orientation and can control the direction of opening up, down, left and right.
• MenuPanel
A menubar displayed in a collapsible panel control.
• MenuBar
A standard application MenuBar
Other Controls
• ImageBox
An image control with support for scaling and cropping, plus transitional effect, can load both library "images" and external jpeg's. Includes optional preloader or spiiner icons.
• Icon
A typical application icon. Icon are a fixed size and dont scale or crop but do supports icon lists which can then be selected using the icon index.
• Slide
Extends the ImageBox with support for sophisticated and complex transitional effects for external jpeg's. Transitions can be applied to the "in" and "out" phases. A large range of built in transitions are provided
• ScrollPanel
A panel containing scrollable contant supports both internal and external content, swf and jpegs.
• HTMLText
A multiline read only text display optimized for HTML. Allows you to set a 'default' font for html text and provides methods to directly load documents into the control.
• Hyperlink
A hyperlink formatted text label, with support to open a browser window when clicked.
• ProgressBar
A control to show progress of loading. Supports deteminate and indeterminate displays. Can automatically bind to any control supporting the loader inteface (XMLConnector,XMLDataSource,ImageBox). Additionally can auto hide itself when loading is complete.
• Timer
A digital display cont down timer
• ToolBarClock
A digital display clock.
• PanelBevelled
A bevel. Supports multiple styled of borders, different fills, has an inner and outer areas both with borders.Colors ae set using ARGB values to allow alpha channel support. All effects are property driven.
• PanelGrid
An array of bevels arranged in a grid. Column or row orientated background color.
• PanelRound
A bevel with rounded corner controlled by inner and outer radius properties.
• PanelGradient
Easily create panels with gradient fills, no programming required.
• Rule
A horizontal or vertical rule.
• Separator
A horizontal rule with a text label.
Dialogs/Windows/Forms
• CommonDialogs
Provides common application dialogs, Message, Alert, Prompt, Confirm, About, Wait, Loading.
• Window
Provides support for modal and non-modal windows with a titlebar, statusbar and dragable resizer.
• Frameset
A typical application UI with top,left,right,bootom and center content panels.
• MDController
Provides a multi document(Form) interface, allowing unlimited numbers of form to be displayed with the main UI.
DataSources
• XMLDataSource
A DataSource that encapsulates an array of XMLNodes. Data is retained as XML at all times. Can directly load data from external sources. Supports an XPath like syntax to be able to bind to a particular NodeList in an XMLDocument.
• ListDataSource
Encapsulates an array. Exposing the array as a DataSource whilst fully supporting the DataProvider interface. Buitl in support for DataRelations, master/detail parent/child relations. Plus sorting and filtering.
• DataSource
Encapsulates a Data object, that all controls can bind to. Fully supports insert, update and deletes. Has transactional support to allow for server side validation or server side commits before commiting local data.
• CSVConnector
Connects to, loads and parses external CSV formatted text files. Supports data binding.
• RemotingConnector
• WebServiceConnector
Connects to external WebServices executes operations and retreives results. Supports binding and can be directly linked to DataSOurces..
• DBMSResolver
What is Layer?
A layer defines how to display the geographic data it references and where that data is located in your database.
A layer at the top of the table of contents draws on top of those below it. Thus you’ll place layers that form the background of your map, such as an ocean layer, at the bottom of the table of contents.
What is Keyframes?
In animation, key frames (also keyframes) are the drawings which are essential to define a movement. They are called "frames" because their position in time is measured in frames on a strip of film. A sequence of keyframes defines which movement the spectator will see, whereas the position of the keyframes on the film (or video) defines the timing of the movement. Because only two or three keyframes over the span of a second don't create the illusion of movement, the remaining frames are filled with more drawings, called "inbetweens".
What is Tweening or Motion Tween?
Tweening, short for in-betweening, is the process of generating intermediate frames between two images to give the appearance that the first image evolves smoothly into the second image. Inbetweens are the drawings between the keyframes which help to create the illusion of motion. Tweening is a key process in all types of animation, including computer animation. Sophisticated animation software enables one to identify specific objects in an image and define how they should move and change during the tweening process.
In the workflow of traditional hand-drawn animation, the senior or key artist would draw the keyframes which define the movement, then, after testing and approval of the rough animation, hands over the scene to his or her assistant. The assistant does the clean-up and the necessary inbetweens, or, in really big studios, only some breakdowns which define the movement in more detail, then handing down the scene to his assistant, the inbetweener who does the rest.
Contrary to popular belief no animator really draws inbetweens for all 24 frames required for one second of film. Only very fast movements require animation "on ones" as it is called. Most movements can be done with 12 drawings per second, which is called animating "on twos". Too few inbetweens distort the illusion of movement, like in cheap TV animation series where there can be as few as 4 drawings for a second of film. Computer generated animation is always animated on ones. The decision about the number of inbetweens is also an artistic one, as certain styles of animation require a not-so-smooth fashion of movement.
Traditional inbetweening involves the use of drawing tables with underneath lighting to draw a set of pencil-on-paper pictures, but in more recent times computers may be used to speed up the inbetweening process. The use of computers for inbetweening was pioneered by Nestor Burtnyk and Marceli Wein at the National Research Council of Canada. They received a Technical Achievement Academy Award in 1997, for "pioneering work in the development of software techniques for computer assisted key framing for character animation".[1]
In the context of Adobe Flash, the process is simply called "tweening," and the resultant animation is called a "tween."
What are the 4 button states?
Up State - How the button looks and behaves when it is in the "up" position.
Mouse-Over - How the button looks and behaves when the cursor is over the button.
Down State - How the button looks and behaves when it is pressed.
Hit state - How the button looks and behaves when it is clicked
What is Text Tool?
Text tool use to enter or edit text.
Setting text attributes
You can set the font and paragraph attributes of text. Font attributes include font family, point size, style, color, letter spacing, autokerning, and character position. Paragraph attributes include alignment, margins, indents, and line spacing.
You can optimize text to make it more readable at small sizes. See About font outlines and device fonts.
For static text, font outlines are exported in a published SWF file. You can choose to use device fonts instead of exporting font outlines (horizontal text only). See About font outlines and device fonts.
For dynamic or input text, Flash stores the names of the fonts used in creating the text. Flash Player uses the names to locate identical or similar fonts on the user's system when the Flash application is playing. You can also choose to embed font outlines in dynamic or input text fields. Embedding font outlines can increase file size, but it ensures that users have the correct font information. See Setting dynamic and input text options.
When text is selected, you use the Property inspector to change font and paragraph attributes, and to direct Flash to use device fonts rather than embedding font outline information.
When creating new text, Flash uses the current text attributes. To change the font or paragraph attributes of existing text, you must first select the text.
• Label
A standard control for displaying text. Text can be aligned both vertically and horzontally, supports html, and in addition each label can display an Icon, the Icon can contain multiple images which can be selected using the IconIndex property. Also supports autoEllipsis.
• Button
A standard button, supports html, 3 click modes - normal, repeat, and toggle. In addition each button can display an Icon and has support for autoEllipsis.
• CheckBox
Standard application CheckBox.
• RadioButton
Standard application RadioButton.
• CheckBoxList
An array of CheckBoxes. Creates an array of ChekcBoxes in a grid like pattern, you can set the number of columns and rows and the orientation of tabbing. Can also retrieve the checked values of all the CheckBoxes as a single string for data binding.
• RadioButtonList
An array of RadioButtons. Creates an array of RadioButtons in a grid like pattern just by specifying propeties. You can set the number of columns and rows and the orientation of tabbing. The RadioButtonList autmatically exposes the current seleted RadioButton simplyfying data binding.
• TextInput
A standard control for inputing text. Can display an Icon, the Icon can contain multiple images which can be selected using the IconIndex property, Icon be placed in any corner of the control. Comes with a set of small icons to indicate error/required/info etc.In additionally has support for programticallly selecting and highlighting text within the control.
• TextArea
A multiline text input control. Also has support for directly loading external text files.
• DateSelector
A date chooser control. Has full keyboard support for those application where data input is important.
• DateField
A date selector in a dropdown box.
• NumericSpinner
A numeric spinner, allows you to set maximum, minimum, increment. Complete control over the numeric format, from hex to decimal palces and whether to show ",".
• MaskedEdit
Through an input mask provides resticted data input with visual cues, formatted data output, overtype capability and a validation framework
• ButtonEdit
A TextInput control with an associated button, like all other controls can be embedded in the DataGrid
• DBNavigator
Provides a button bar of 9 navigational and edit buttons that can be bound to a datasource, also includes a label display showing the current record position and editing state
List Controls
• ListBox
A control a that display a list of items, by default a list item has a label and optional icon but also allows a custom item panels displayed effectively giving you total control over how a row is laid out.
• ComboBox
A standard ComboBox, additionally can display an icon both in the list and in the closed item display. Also has support for full incremental and first letter keysearching.
• DataGrid
A DataGrid. Has a built in row editor so that you can both edit existing rows and add new rows directly in the grid. Also has fixed non-scrolling columns.
• TreeView
Typical Tree control. In addition supports drag and drop both with the control and between other Tree controls. Supports in line editing of node content.
• ScrollBar
Standard application scrollbar
Panels/Menus
• TabPanel
A tabbed control panel
• CollapsiblePanel
An accordion/OutlookBar like tabbed control panel. Supports both vertical and horizontal orientation and can control the direction of opening up, down, left and right.
• MenuPanel
A menubar displayed in a collapsible panel control.
• MenuBar
A standard application MenuBar
Other Controls
• ImageBox
An image control with support for scaling and cropping, plus transitional effect, can load both library "images" and external jpeg's. Includes optional preloader or spiiner icons.
• Icon
A typical application icon. Icon are a fixed size and dont scale or crop but do supports icon lists which can then be selected using the icon index.
• Slide
Extends the ImageBox with support for sophisticated and complex transitional effects for external jpeg's. Transitions can be applied to the "in" and "out" phases. A large range of built in transitions are provided
• ScrollPanel
A panel containing scrollable contant supports both internal and external content, swf and jpegs.
• HTMLText
A multiline read only text display optimized for HTML. Allows you to set a 'default' font for html text and provides methods to directly load documents into the control.
• Hyperlink
A hyperlink formatted text label, with support to open a browser window when clicked.
• ProgressBar
A control to show progress of loading. Supports deteminate and indeterminate displays. Can automatically bind to any control supporting the loader inteface (XMLConnector,XMLDataSource,ImageBox). Additionally can auto hide itself when loading is complete.
• Timer
A digital display cont down timer
• ToolBarClock
A digital display clock.
• PanelBevelled
A bevel. Supports multiple styled of borders, different fills, has an inner and outer areas both with borders.Colors ae set using ARGB values to allow alpha channel support. All effects are property driven.
• PanelGrid
An array of bevels arranged in a grid. Column or row orientated background color.
• PanelRound
A bevel with rounded corner controlled by inner and outer radius properties.
• PanelGradient
Easily create panels with gradient fills, no programming required.
• Rule
A horizontal or vertical rule.
• Separator
A horizontal rule with a text label.
Dialogs/Windows/Forms
• CommonDialogs
Provides common application dialogs, Message, Alert, Prompt, Confirm, About, Wait, Loading.
• Window
Provides support for modal and non-modal windows with a titlebar, statusbar and dragable resizer.
• Frameset
A typical application UI with top,left,right,bootom and center content panels.
• MDController
Provides a multi document(Form) interface, allowing unlimited numbers of form to be displayed with the main UI.
DataSources
• XMLDataSource
A DataSource that encapsulates an array of XMLNodes. Data is retained as XML at all times. Can directly load data from external sources. Supports an XPath like syntax to be able to bind to a particular NodeList in an XMLDocument.
• ListDataSource
Encapsulates an array. Exposing the array as a DataSource whilst fully supporting the DataProvider interface. Buitl in support for DataRelations, master/detail parent/child relations. Plus sorting and filtering.
• DataSource
Encapsulates a Data object, that all controls can bind to. Fully supports insert, update and deletes. Has transactional support to allow for server side validation or server side commits before commiting local data.
• CSVConnector
Connects to, loads and parses external CSV formatted text files. Supports data binding.
• RemotingConnector
• WebServiceConnector
Connects to external WebServices executes operations and retreives results. Supports binding and can be directly linked to DataSOurces..
• DBMSResolver
What is Layer?
A layer defines how to display the geographic data it references and where that data is located in your database.
A layer at the top of the table of contents draws on top of those below it. Thus you’ll place layers that form the background of your map, such as an ocean layer, at the bottom of the table of contents.
What is Keyframes?
In animation, key frames (also keyframes) are the drawings which are essential to define a movement. They are called "frames" because their position in time is measured in frames on a strip of film. A sequence of keyframes defines which movement the spectator will see, whereas the position of the keyframes on the film (or video) defines the timing of the movement. Because only two or three keyframes over the span of a second don't create the illusion of movement, the remaining frames are filled with more drawings, called "inbetweens".
What is Tweening or Motion Tween?
Tweening, short for in-betweening, is the process of generating intermediate frames between two images to give the appearance that the first image evolves smoothly into the second image. Inbetweens are the drawings between the keyframes which help to create the illusion of motion. Tweening is a key process in all types of animation, including computer animation. Sophisticated animation software enables one to identify specific objects in an image and define how they should move and change during the tweening process.
In the workflow of traditional hand-drawn animation, the senior or key artist would draw the keyframes which define the movement, then, after testing and approval of the rough animation, hands over the scene to his or her assistant. The assistant does the clean-up and the necessary inbetweens, or, in really big studios, only some breakdowns which define the movement in more detail, then handing down the scene to his assistant, the inbetweener who does the rest.
Contrary to popular belief no animator really draws inbetweens for all 24 frames required for one second of film. Only very fast movements require animation "on ones" as it is called. Most movements can be done with 12 drawings per second, which is called animating "on twos". Too few inbetweens distort the illusion of movement, like in cheap TV animation series where there can be as few as 4 drawings for a second of film. Computer generated animation is always animated on ones. The decision about the number of inbetweens is also an artistic one, as certain styles of animation require a not-so-smooth fashion of movement.
Traditional inbetweening involves the use of drawing tables with underneath lighting to draw a set of pencil-on-paper pictures, but in more recent times computers may be used to speed up the inbetweening process. The use of computers for inbetweening was pioneered by Nestor Burtnyk and Marceli Wein at the National Research Council of Canada. They received a Technical Achievement Academy Award in 1997, for "pioneering work in the development of software techniques for computer assisted key framing for character animation".[1]
In the context of Adobe Flash, the process is simply called "tweening," and the resultant animation is called a "tween."
What are the 4 button states?
Up State - How the button looks and behaves when it is in the "up" position.
Mouse-Over - How the button looks and behaves when the cursor is over the button.
Down State - How the button looks and behaves when it is pressed.
Hit state - How the button looks and behaves when it is clicked
What is Text Tool?
Text tool use to enter or edit text.
Setting text attributes
You can set the font and paragraph attributes of text. Font attributes include font family, point size, style, color, letter spacing, autokerning, and character position. Paragraph attributes include alignment, margins, indents, and line spacing.
You can optimize text to make it more readable at small sizes. See About font outlines and device fonts.
For static text, font outlines are exported in a published SWF file. You can choose to use device fonts instead of exporting font outlines (horizontal text only). See About font outlines and device fonts.
For dynamic or input text, Flash stores the names of the fonts used in creating the text. Flash Player uses the names to locate identical or similar fonts on the user's system when the Flash application is playing. You can also choose to embed font outlines in dynamic or input text fields. Embedding font outlines can increase file size, but it ensures that users have the correct font information. See Setting dynamic and input text options.
When text is selected, you use the Property inspector to change font and paragraph attributes, and to direct Flash to use device fonts rather than embedding font outline information.
When creating new text, Flash uses the current text attributes. To change the font or paragraph attributes of existing text, you must first select the text.
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