Introduction to Macromedia Flash MX 2004

Macromedia Flash MX is a very powerful tool that allow you to add animation to you site. Additionally, Flash can be used to build interesting navigation systems and other images. In this class you will learn how to use Flash's drawing tools to build graphics. Then, using its timeline, you will master Motion Tweening and learn good usage of the Library. With an introduction to ActionScript, ou will even build a Flash-based navigation system and insert it into a small HTML site.

Course Outline

• Introduction to Flash
  • Flash vs. the free Flash Player
  • Goals of this course
  • Review of Course Project
  • Module 1: Using Drawing Tools
  • Using the Flash MX Interface
  • Experiment with Drawing Tools
  • Introduction to Flash MX 2004 Interface
  • Vector vs. Raster Graphics
  • Tools
  • Panels
  • Paths and Strokes
  • Demo: Building an Underwater Scene
  • Drawing Tips: Making Clouds
  • Exercise 1: Using Drawing Tools – Draw Clouds and Balloon
    
• Color and Gradients
  • Fills
  • Closing Gaps
  • Gradients
  • Fill Transform Tool
  • Fill Lock
  • Eye Dropper / Ink Bottle
  • Exercise 2: Add Color to the Scene
    
• Adding Text
  • Size of Text Box / Text Wrapping
  • Static Text vs. Dynamic Text vs. Input Text
  • Using Fonts
  • Exercise 3: Adding text
    
• Layers
  • Exercise 4: Add Layers
  • Importing and Manipulating External Images
  • Import Images
  • Trace Bitmap – Convert Bitmap to Vector Graphic
  • Break Apart
  • Import Colors & Save Colors
  • Exercise 5: Importing Images
    
• Module 2: Library, Timeline and Tweening
• The Library & Graphic Symbols
  • Types of Symbols
  • Instances of Graphic Symbols
  • Creating Symbols with “Convert to Symbol”
  • Exercise 6: Using Graphic Symbols
    
• Timeline
  • Keyframes
  • Frame-by-Frame Animation
  • Testing the movie
  • Exercise 7: Frame-by-Frame animation – Intro Scene
    
• Motion Tweening
  • Using Motion Tweening to Rotate an Image
  • Rotate an Object while it moves!
  • Exercise 8: Motion Tweening
    
• Motion Tweening along a Path
  • Exercise 9: Motion Tweening along a Path
    
• Shape Tweening
  • Exercise 10: Shape Tweening
    
• Masking
  • Animating Masks
  • Mask the Entire Stage
  • Exercise 11: Animating a Mask
    
• Module 3: Movie Clips and Button Symbols
• Movie Clip Symbols
  • Naming Movie Clips instances
  • Exercise 12: Movie Clips
    
• Button Symbols
  • Text Buttons – using the Hit State
  • Exercise 13: Button Symbols
    
• Basic ActionScript
  • Basic Actions
  • Button Actions vs. Frame Actions
  • Exercise 14: Basic ActionScript
    
• Module 4: Creating a Flash-based Navigation System
  • Use Graphic Symbols in Movie Clip Symbols in a Button Symbol in an HTML document –whew!
  • Creating a Flash-based Navigation System to use in an HTML page
  • Exercise 15: Flash Navigation System for HTML site
    
• Appendix A: Resources
• Appendix B: Adding Simple Sounds
• Exercise 16 (optional): Importing Sounds
• Appendix C: Publishing Movies

See also

Adobe Flash CS4 Training Courses

• Flash CS4 Training (3-5 days)
• ActionScript 3.0 Training with Flash CS4 (3-4 days)

Adobe Flash CS3 Training Courses

• Introduction to Flash CS3 (3-4 days)
• Intermediate Flash MX 2004: Introduction to ActionScript (1 day)
• Advanced Flash MX 2004: ActionScript (2 days)