Flash Drawing Tools Create ____ Graphics

Flash offers several draught tools for creating the graphics for your Flash projects that may seem familiar to you. In this article you will too see how Flash has few definite similarities and some unexpected differences with the other drawing applications so much as Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia Original.

This chapter is from the Word 

IN THIS CHAPTER

• The Tools

• Creating Custom Colors and Gradients

• Tips for Creating Graphics in Flash

• Graphic Techniques

• Importing Bitmap Graphics

• Workings with Bitmaps

Shoot has a unique drawing mode related with it. If you are familiar with other drawing applications, such as Adobe brick Illustrator and Macromedia Original, you'll find definite similarities and much unexpected differences. Flash offers several drawing tools for creating the graphics for your Flash projects that English hawthorn seem familiar with to you supported some of those programs. Jiffy differs from those other applications past the way IT handles artwork. Flash will join two items of the same color assess if the two artwork intersect. The bank line or stroke of an token is also thoughtful a separate factor. As you will see in this chapter, these differences can embody problematic, but they can also work in your favor. IT's just a matter of getting used to them.

The Tools

Eastern Samoa just mentioned, the drawing and handling of graphics in Flash takes a little getting used to, and that's what this assign of the chapter is for. It exposes you to the tools in Flash 2004; even up though they may look very similar to those in opposite programs, there are some differences.

Every the tools wish be reviewed in that chapter, sol let's protrude taking a look at them. Figure 3.1 shows the Flash 2004 toolbar and highlights each tool found in this powerful toolset.

The Arrow Tool

Shortcut: Microcomputer and Mac–V

The Pointer tool is Flash's selection tool. If you privation to move on an item, pick out and sweep it with this joyride. Of course of action, you can always use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the item for to a greater extent precise placement.

Figure 3.1 The Flash 2004 tools.

Toward the end of the chapter, when we sustain into really creating artwork in Flash, you'll see how this creature can also be an attention in drawing. The Arrow tool does experience one option: Snap to Objects.

Employment Snatch to Objects to have artwork snapshot to the control grid. This option will also cause objects to snap to one another when you'Re placing the graphics, contingent how close the objects are horizontally and vertically.

The Subselection Tool

Shortcut: PC and Mac–A

The Arrow tool has a counterpart—the Subselection tool (also known as the white arrow). Remember that Flare is transmitter-based, so the main job of the Subselection tool is to select actual vector points of an token. This instrument has no options. Again, we'll discuss this tool later in the chapter as we begin creating and working with our own art.

The Line Tool

Crosscut: PC and Mac–N

When drawing with the Line tool, you can create straight lines in any direction from the starting point. To first draftsmanship a line, choose the Line tool in the Tools panel, click anywhere on the stage, scuff the line toward the desired terminus, and release the mouse. The Line tool has no options. However, the size and style of the stroke will determine the appearance of the argumentation. You butt change the stroke's properties in the Properties Inspector when the Line tool is selected in the Tools venire.

You can draw out several line segments to pass wate a shape, as shown in Figure 3.2.

Material body 3.2 The Line tool can be secondhand to attraction a triangle by connecting three different lines. The Properties Examiner offers options for changing the line's appearance.

To change the appearance of the cam stroke, you can select a tinge and size of it from the Properties Inspector. You also receive a selection of styles—solid, dashed, dotted, ragged, stipple, and hatched—as well as options to customize each of these styles. Simply click the Custom button in the Properties Inspector with a drawing joyride selected. Present's an explanation of for each one style option:

NOTE

Heartbeat does not offer a way to save custom style settings. Also, all units for spacing and sizing options are in points. You can approach the Stroke Style dialog box by clicking the Custom button in the Properties Inspector. When you click the button, the dialog boxwood will appear, as shown in Figure 3.3.

• Hairline. This stroke style draws one-pixel-opened strokes and remains one pixel, regardless of magnification or zoom. Often, when a document gets armoured, the vector lines will scale with it to preserve the proportions of the artwork. This is not an option in the panel but is available through the drop-down menu in the Properties Inspector.

• Solid. This alternative is for draft solid lines and strokes. The entirely adjustable attributes are the thickness, color, and sharp corners of the stroke.

• Dotted. This choice generates a stroke with dashed breaks within the crease. To change the length of the dash and the gap space between dashes, enter numeric values in the individual schoolbook fields in the Stroke Style duologue box. Color, thickness, and unpleasant corners are also adjustable attributes.

• Dotted. Take the dotted style if the desired effect is to have a cam stroke with equally spaced dots on the line. This style has an selection for dynamic the distance between the dots. Color, thickness, and shrewd corners are also changeable attributes.

• Ragged. The ragged vogue creates stochastic wavy lines with dotted separations. The Cam stroke Style duologue box offers options to change the pattern, wave height, and flourish length. Color, thickness, and sharp corners are also adjustable attributes. Use a combination of all these styles for unlimited possibilities.

• Speckle. This choice creates a stroke style to resemble that of an artist's hand- stippling technique. Elvis size, dot variation, and density are options for changing the appearance of the stippling effect. Colouring material, thickness, and sharp corners are also adjustable attributes.

• Crosshatched. The hatched crinkle style resembles an artist's hatched-line technique. The thickness attribute determines the heaviness of the hatch line, which is autarkic of the circular thickness setting. You besides have options for spacing, jiggle, rotate, crook, and the length of the hatched lines. Of path, at that place are additional choices for global thickness, colour in, and sharp corners.

Figure 3.3 The Diagonal Style dialogue boxwood.

The Ink Bottleful Tool

Shortcut: PC and Mac–S

The Ink Feeding bottle tool is designed to change the color, style, and thickness of strokes. If you use the Eyedropper tool to try out the stroke show of any art in Flash, after the sample has been successful, the Eyedropper tool will mechanically bring forward on all the characteristics of the sampled stroke. The Ink Bottle does not have some options, but you stern choose the colour, thickness, and style of the stroke victimisation the Properties Inspector in conjunction with matchless of the vector drawing off tools.

The Eyedropper Instrument

Shortcut: PC and Mac–I

Role the Eyedropper (or Dropper) tool to select color values on the screen. If you are drawing a new object and prefer for the fill or stroking color to appear the same as whatsoever other value connected the screen, simply utilize the Eyedropper tool to sample that color value. When you click the coloration value, it's mechanically stored in the appropriate Ink Well tool in the Tools panel. If you select a stroke gloss, all attributes of that stroke (including size, distort, and style) leave constitute sampled. If you are using the Eyedropper tool from the Tools panel, you are limited to sampling within the confines of the stage. If you are using the Dropper tool built into the Swatches panel, you can sample a color from any author on the computer display.

The Pencil Joyride

Crosscut: Microcomputer and Macintosh–Y

When draft with the Pencil tool, you'll bill it uses a stroke discolor opposed to a filling color. You buns change its separatri appearance by choosing a stroke style in the Properties Inspector. The Pencil tool has around riveting options that can aid in the final outcome of a drawing. These options are detailed in the next list and displayed in Figure 3.4:

• Straighten. Choose this option if your end is to pull a perfect circle, oval, square, rectangle, or arc. The sensitivity of how Scoot determines a shape is set in the Preferences dialogue box. You privy access these preferences by choosing Edit, Preferences. For more information along preferences, refer to Chapter 2, "Acquiring Started with Flash MX 2004 Professional." Match out Figure 3.5 to see an example of draft with Straighten turned on.

• Easy. Generally this option will smooth out any curvy lines.

• Ink. This choice is for freehand drawing without Tatty making adjustments to the lines.

Figure 3.4 Pencil tool options.

Figure 3.5 A circle haggard with each panach.

TIP

When you'Ra drafting with the Ink option selected, it may look as if some change is on to your lines when the shiner is released. Flash lamp isn't making any adjustments to the curviness or good faith of the line; rather, it's antialiasing the edges of the line.

Subsequently the line has been drawn, you may feel that it needs to be smoother or straighter. This may aid in the ocular appearance of the stroke, and you mightiness really reduce file sizing away reducing the complexness of the stroke. To make believe a line straighter, follow these steps:

1. Click the line with the Arrow creature. The line will Be elect.

2. With the line selected, in the Options portion of the toolbar, every bit shown in Figure 3.6, opt the Straighten button.

See 3.6 The Pointer instrument's options.

3. Snap the Tidy up release as many multiplication as needed to sustain the desired effect.

The same method will work when smoothing a line.

The Rectangle Creature

Cutoff: PC and Mac–R

The Rectangle creature is accustomed create squares and rectangles. To create a perfect square, hold down the Chemise key to tighten the drawn object's proportions to it of a square. One option the Rectangle tool has involves setting the recession spoke to make rounded edges. If you click the Round Radius button in the Options section of the toolbar (or ambiguous-flick the Rectangle tool around in the toolbar), a dialog box will appear. In the text field, type in a numeric value between 0 and 999 that represents the corner radius.

TIP

Sometimes it is noncompliant to gage how a good deal roundness you leave desire to put on your rectangle's corners in a numeric form, so while drawing the rectangle you can pressing and hold down the down-arrow key to increase the roundness, and press and hold down the up-arrow key to decrease the roundness.

Drawing and Color Rectangle Shapes

Here are the steps to follow to draw and distort a rectangle forge:

1. Choose the Rectangle tool from the Tools panel.

2. In the Color portion of the Tools panel (or the Properties Inspector), choose a stroke color. If no stroke is desired, opt the first box in the top-right corner of the swatches, American Samoa shown in Figure 3.7.

Figure 3.7 Choosing the No Stroke option.

3. If you would prefer to utilise a custom color, something differently a Web-safe gloss, get through the button to the right of the No Stroke release to bring up the Color Picker. Inside the Color Picker are many divergent slipway to regar gloss in terms of establishment.

4. Choose a filling color. All the same techniques in terms of colour in selection used for the stroke apply to the meet too.

5. To create rounded edges, click the Round Rectangle Radius button in the Options subdivision of the Tools panel.

6. Place the cursor in the stage; then click and drag until the rectangle is the coveted sized. If the goal is to create a perfect square, bear down the Shift key.

NOTE

If you choose Gingersnap to Objects from the options when you draw a rectangle, you'll notice it is easier to feature a perfect transparent because your cursor will snap to a large revolve around your cursor, as shown in Figure 3.8.

Figure 3.8 Lottery a square with Snap to Objects selected.

CAUTION

The high the value entered in the Round Rectangle Radius dialog box, the more tongue-shaped the corners become. Avoid very large numbers, especially for smaller rectangles. If you dress use a pack, you run the risk of turning your rectangle into a circle.

When using the Rectangle tool, you may notice extraordinary gothic behavior when it comes to moving objects. This is discussed in detail in the "Tips for Creating Graphics in Flash" plane section, tardive in this chapter.

The Oval Tool

Shortcut: PC and Mac–O

The Ellipse instrument is used to create circles and ovals. To create a perfect circle, hold down the Change key. This will constrain the haggard object's proportions to that of a circle. If Snap to Objects is selected in the options when you'atomic number 75 drawing an oval, the shape wish snap to a perfect circle when dragged at a 45-degree angle.

The Rouge Bucket Tool

Shortcut: PC and Mackintosh–K

The Paint Bucket is used to fill an detail with a color or gradient. To choose a color operating theater slope, click the Fill Color joyride of the fill swatch in the Tools empanel or in the Properties Examiner.

Afterwards you select the occupy color, move the Rouge Bucket tool over an object and click it to vary its make full color to the current fill colorize.

In the Options region of the Tools panel, observe that the Paint Bucket tool has a Break Size up alternative as displayed in Figure 3.9.

Envision 3.9 The Paint Bucket options.

Select the first pick, Don't Close Gaps, if there are doomed areas in your artwork that shouldn't be filled.

The Penny-pinching Small Gaps, Nestled Medium Gaps, and Close Large Gaps options all ferment in the same way. If you have complex drawings that need to beryllium filled, you may want to opt unitary of these options. If you have Close Large Gaps selected and it doesn't seem to glucinium working, either the gap is too large or there are too umpteen gaps in your art.

The last option in the Tools panel is Lock Fill, which allows you to apply a gradient OR bitmap fill consistently across binary items.

Victimization Lock Fill to Hold a Gradient Across Multiple Objects

Here are the steps to follow to use Lock Fill to apply a gradient across multiple objects:

1. Draw four squares on the represent and align them exploitation the Line up panel. Space them out so that the integral degree is being utilized, boundary to boundary.

2. Choose the Blusher Bucketful tool in the Tools panel and be sure to choose the rainbow linear gradient in the replete swatch.

3. Detent the Ignition lock Fill button in the Options portion of the Tools panel.

4. Fill the first square, then the instant, tierce, and fourth. You'll notice that the gradient is being applied arsenic if the four squares are one continuous cast.

5. To figure the different squares, sate to each one one with a slope without the Ringlet Fill option selected.

6. -To apply a gradient crossways multiple items without using Interlock Satisfy, simply choose all the items away draught an invisible marquee with the Arrow tool or by Shift-clicking each object. Then click unrivalled of the items. You'll notice the gradient has practical color across more than one token. The effect, however, looks a bit different when compared to the Lock u Meet effect.

7. If you neediness to fill the squares with a electronic image, prefer File, Import, Moment to Stage and lookup for the project connected your computer. When the image is in Flash, highlight IT and choose Change, Break Apart. (For more information on importing bitmap graphics, come across the section "Discolor Social", later in that chapter.)

The PolyStar Instrument

Shortcut: None

New to the toolbar is the PolyStar tool. This tool is in use to draw multisided polygons surgery multipoint stars. To select this joyride, you click and hold down on the Rectangle tool in the toolbar. So a submenu will appear as shown in Figure 3.10. Blue-ribbon the PolyStar tool from there. There is zero shortcut tonality for this tool happening the Mac or the Personal computer.

When you select the PolyStar tool, there is only one option in the Options segment of the toolbar, the Snap to Object release, which works selfsame similarly here as IT does with the Rectangle and Oval tool. You lavatory change the polystar characteristics in the Properties Inspector using the Options button. This will bring up the Tool Settings dialog box (see Number 3.11) where you john choose either polygon Oregon maven, the telephone number of sides (or points when drafting a champion), and the starring point size (which entirely affects stars).

NOTE

The maximum value of sides is 32, and the nominal is 3. And the maximal value for point size is 1, with a token valuate of 0.

Physical body 3.10 Choose the PolyStar instrument to draw multisided objects as well as stars on the stage.

Number 3.11 In the Tool Settings panel, you stool choose settings for the PolyStar tool.

Drawing polystars dismiss represent a bit tricky at the start because unlike the former shape drawing tools, spell you are lottery the size of the shape, you can also control the rotation of the shape. Holding down the Shift key while draught polystars will slow down the rotation and make IT easier to control.

The Fill Metamorphose Tool

Shortcut: Microcomputer and Mack–F

The Fill Transform tool is configured to change the appearance of an applied slope operating theater electronic image fill. This tool enables you to make adjustments to the counselling, size, center point, and rotation of the gradient or bitmap fill.

Depending on the type of fill—radial gradient, linear gradient, or bitmap fill—the case of alterations that can be performed vary slightly. After you get some exercise victimisation the Fill Transform tool, IT will be something you'll use quite often. In the future exercise, you learn how to approach modifying a symmetrical slope. These aforementioned principles practice to transforming a linear slope. You'll save the bitmap satiate for later in the chapter in the "Importing Electronic image Graphics" section.

Working with the Fill Transform Puppet

Here are the steps to modify a symmetric gradient:

1. Draw a lot using the Oval tool (remember, to get a thoroughgoing circle, hold down the Shift connected your keyboard). When choosing a fill color for the circle, choose one of the default symmetrical gradients.

2. With the circle on the stage, select the Satisfy Translate tool in the toolbar. Acknowledge that your pointer has changed into a arrow cursor with a minute gradient icon to the bottom right.

3. Click in the center of the circle. This will actuate the bounding transform handles, shown in Figure 3.12.

Enter 3.12 Fill Transform bounding handles.

4. The transcend square handle will skew the gradient. Therefore, retarding force the skew handle out just a few pixels.

5. The shopping center handle will change the radius of the gradient (straight line gradient only). Drag this center cover unstylish about 40 pixels.

6. The buttocks cover will deepen the rotation of the gradient. There is no need at this point to rotate the gradient.

7. Haul the heart and soul circle handle toward the top-left corner of your shape. This will change the center point of the gradient.

8. Click outside the gradient bounding box to deactivate it. Our circle now looks like a 3D sphere.

NOTE

Be sure to check up on the education QuickTime movie along how to transform fills, located happening this book's companion Web site, http://www.samspublishing.com.

The Brush Tool

Shortcut: Personal computer and Mac–B

The Brush tool is a painting tool in Flash that offers individual options for painting. Information technology's epochal to note that the Brush joyride uses a fill, Eastern Samoa opposed to a stroke, like the other tools we've just looked at. The Brush tool can use massive colors, gradients, and smooth bitmaps to paint. The options in the Tools instrument panel for the Brush tool are shown in Figure 3.13. The chase list details these options:

Figure 3.13 The distinct brush modes for the Brush tool.

• Rouge Pattern. Purpose this selection to blusher the fill color anyplace you drag the Sweep tool.

• Paint Fills. This option allows you to paint but fill colors (although it really should be called Preserve Strokes). Paint Fills can be a bit confusing, because it bequeath paint empty parts of the stage. Withal, what it won't practise is neuter whatsoever stroke colors.

• Paint Behind. Choose this option if you only neediness to key an area underneath artwork already placed connected the stage.

• Paint Selection. This option allows the Clash tool to paint only in areas that have been selected.

• Blusher Inside. This option allows the brush to paint only in the interior section of the artwork. It will non paint or alter stroke colors. When using this option, comprise sure to start in the interior of the detail; otherwise, the Brush tool testament think the phase is the item to paint inside.

You can also change the size of the brush aside using the Skirmish Size throw off-retired menu, shown in Figure 3.14. When choosing a brush size, be aware that skirmish sizes are always relational to the magnification of the document. For instance, if you have a document magnified at 400%, and you prime a certain skirmish size and then zoom out of the document to 100%, that Saame brush will appear smaller at the 100% document size than it did at 400% enlargement.

Design 3.14 The Brush Size drop-down menu.

In the Brush Shape drop-mastered menu, shown in Figure out 3.15, you can select a brush shape or style. It consists of squares, ovals, rectangles, and umteen different angle brushes. When selecting a brush shape, keep in mind that the size of the brush bequeath also dally a cosmic role in the final appearance of the brush mark.

Figure 3.15 The Brush Shape drop-drink down menu.

The last option for the Brush instrument is Lock Fill. We discussed this selection in detail in the incision "The Paint Pail Tool," earlier in this chapter. This instance of Engage Fill works the same way. Of run over, to go predestinate effects, you bequeath need to use this option with a combination of brush modes.

Finally, note that the Brush tool offers a Pressure option when a Wacom tablet is used. Construe with the Wacom Technology Company's Entanglement page at http://www.wacom.com for more information. A Wacom tablet is a pressure-sensitive drawing pad that gives the computer mouse a behavior like a traditional art pad and pencil.

The Eraser Tool

Cutoff: PC and Mac–E

The Eraser tool, victimised for erasing shapes along the stage, has a few options of its own:

• Erase Pattern. This option is the standard way of erasing contentedness. It works just equally you would expect: If you go out the eraser over a fill or stroke discolor, information technology will be erased.

• Wipe out Fills. This option only erases the fill people of colour of objects, without harming the stroke semblance.

• Erase Lines. Erase Lines only erases shot colors and does not alter fills.

• Erase Selected Fills. This selection only erases items with fills that experience been elect. Any fills not selected leave not be harmed.

• Erase Inside. Score out Inside only erases the interior color of the object in which you come out erasing initially. This alternative will non erase anything outside the internal parametric quantity of that object.

The Eraser's Spigot Option

Personally, I think the Faucet tool is large. The Faucet tool literally washes the coloring material out of a fill or stroke when you click on it.

Finally, you can choose an eraser size of it and shape, such as a lap or square (similar to the Brush puppet).

The Pen Tool

Shortcut: PC and Macintosh–P

The Pen puppet allows you to define straight lines and smooth curves. To draw with the Indite tool, run the mouse and click successively. Each new point volition link with the previous point to create a line of products segment. To create a curved line section, use your mouse to haul the point in the direction you want the curve. The length of the tangent will determine the arc of the curve.

The Playpen tool has some preferences that need to be correct in the Preferences panel. To access this duologue box, choose Edit out, Preferences. Deep down this dialog box seat, select the Editing tab. Here are the options you'll find:

• Show Write Trailer. This option offers a preview of what the line segment will look like when an ground tackle is placed. If you're new to the Pen instrument, this is a great option to discipline because it helps beginners get more comfortable with the conduct of the Pen puppet.

• Show Solid Points. With this option selected, the selected transmitter points will appear fistulous, and the unselected points will come along solid. Aside default, this option is not selected, giving the opposite appearance (square indicates selected points and hollow refers to random points).

• Show Precise. There are two different views for the Write out tool. When using the Pen tool, you can either sentiment the standard write icon operating theater choose Precise, which will display crosshairs. Checking this boxful testament only change the default appearing of the Penitentiary puppet to Distinct. This alternative is pretty useless, given that you privy toggle between the two different views using the Caps Engage key.

The Pen tool also has respective different options in terms of changing, adding, deleting, and transforming points. When these options are available, there is a slight difference in the appearance of the Pen tool's image. The following list explains these differences:

• Cursor 1. This pointer icon displays a small minus sign (-). This means that if you were to click a transmitter point, it would be deleted.

• Cursor 2. This cursor icon displays a caret sign (^), which means that if you get through a vector degree, it will turn into a decent angle.

• Cursor 3. This cursor icon (+) adds a vector point to the existent line section.

• Cursor 4. This pointer displays a small x. This icon indicates in that location's no line section stage to delete. To annul seeing this icon, be sure to have the mouse positioned directly over a crinkle segment.

• Cursor 5. When the Write out joyride is over the first vector point placed, you'll see the itty-bitty "o" icon, indicating that this volition close the course or shape.

• Cursor 6. When the Shift is held down, the cursor icon changes into an pointer with a solid box. This indicates that you are moving the mouse over a line.

• Cursor 7. When the Shift key is held down, the cursor icon changes into an arrow with a hollow box. This indicates that you are moving the mouse finished a transmitter repoint.

After drawing a path with the Pen tool, you can blue-pencil the path using any of the pen icon cursor changes just explained, or you can use of goods and services the Subselection tool around. The Subselection tool allows you to change selected vector points and tangent lines. Remember that tangent lines change the degrees of the arc and the counsel of the curve. Figure 3.16 shows an good example of tangent handles.

The Free Transform Instrument

Shortcut: PC and Mack–Q

This tool has various options for distorting, skewing, grading, and rotating items in Flash.

With an item chosen on the stage, opt the Free Transform tool in the Tools jury. Remark the bounding box around the item. If there isn't an particular selected on the stage when the On the loose Transform creature is chosen, you will not see this bounding package. However, if you cluck an item with this creature selected, the bounding box will appear roughly that object.

The handles on the bounding box appropriate you to shuffle all sorts of modifications to the object. The handles in the corner scale descending the item, and holding down the Shift leave constrain the item's proportions. Just outside the corners, you can revolve around the item. Using the handles unofficially will scale it horizontally and vertically. Animated the cursor between handles will allow you to skew and distort the detail.

Figure 3.16 Tan handles.

The Out-of-school Transform tool also has various options in the Tools panel (see Figure 3.17). These options are discussed in the following list:

Bod 3.17 The Free Transmute options.

• Snap to Objects. This option will assist you when you exfoliation the item either vertically or horizontally, but want to maintain the other grading.

• Go around and Skew. This option rotates the item around the shopping mall point victimization the corner handles. Observance that you tin can move the center point to change the axis of rotation. IT likewise allows you to skew the item using the handles on the sides.

• Weighing machine. This option automatically constrains the proportions of the point when you're exploitation the quoin handles. You give the axe also scale the object horizontally and vertically.

• Colour. This option moves the corner or edge points to strain the item by realigning the adjoining edges. If you drag a corner handle and hold down the Shift key happening your keyboard, the edge leave candle. Tapering moves the opposed corner in the inverse direction at an level outstrip.

• Envelope. This alternative offers the ultimate control in transforming an particular. You adjust the points, and tangent handles alter the item. This option works with one or more selected items.

Precaution

The final two options of the Free Transform creature—Colour and Envelope—only work with primitive items. If the artwork is a symbolic representation, a grouped object, a video object, or text, it will be deactivated. In order to use these options, you mustiness break apart the artwork by choosing Modify, Split Apart.

To flip an item horizontally or vertically, it's best to usance the options under the Modify menu. To interchange an object, equal sure it's selected and then choose Modify, Metamorphose, Flip Horizontal or Vertical.

The School tex Tool

Crosscut: PC and Mac–T

Exploitation text in Flash is in some cases as simple as using textual matter in a word processing application. In other cases, it's about as problematic to use as HTML text. Remember, in order for text to be displayed on an end user's car, the proper face must follow present on that user's system. We're going to get a load at roughly obstacles to victimization schoolbook and how to remedy any likely problems. We are too going to review the editing features Flash has to offer.

Text can be used for many antithetic tasks in Flash—from something as basic as having a Christian Bible spelled out on a page, all the way to being a container for variable information. This is why our discussion of the Text instrument is broken into sections. Let's start at the editing features.

Text Creature Redaction Features

Select the Textual matter tool around in the Tools panel. The Text tool has no options. However, if you take a view the Properties Inspector, you'll see to it that it's loaded with goodies for changing the show of your textual matter, equally shown in Figure 3.18.

Figure 3.18 Text tool's properties.

The most obvious option in the Properties Inspector is the unitary for ever-changing the fount. In the drop-down menu, you'll see a list of the available fonts installed connected your system. Along with this choice is the ability to change the font size up. To change the font's detail size, either case in a value Beaver State use the slider to increase or decrease the size. To change the color of the text, use the Text (fill) color tool to the right of the Font Size field. Of course, you also have keyboard options for making the text bold (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+B) and italic (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+I).

To begin typing in Flash, choose the Text tool around and click where you privation the schoolbook to appear on the stage. As you type, the text box will resize to accommodate wholly the text.

The other option, when the Text tool is first selected, is to fall into place and drag a bounding text box along the stage. This will create a text block that will non permit whatever text to resize its dimensions. As you eccentric, the text wish automatically envelop and make breaks whenever and wherever necessary to fit inside the defined text box. You tail end always resize the text box by grabbing the wield in the top-right corner and dragging to the new desired size of it (reckon Figure 3.19).

CAUTION

You must use the text tool to resize the text field of operation; if you use the Footloose Transform tool, it will not only resize the text field, but also stretch the text inside it.

Tracking and kerning options are also available (see Figure 3.20). What you may find tricky, however, is the fact that both options are accessed low-level the Lapplander slider. To conform the tracking of the text, make sure either the full word is highlighted in black or the text has been elect with the Arrow puppet and a blue package is visible around the typecast.

You can typewrite in a value, where positive Book of Numbers increase the space betwixt the letters and negative values decrease the space. When this is done on an individual basis, much every bit to adjust the space between the letters A and V instead of a whole word, it's known as kerning.

Figure 3.19 Resizing a text box.

Figure 3.20 Adjusting the tracking.

To adjust the kerning between cardinal characters, foreground some characters and use the duplicate schoolbook box Beaver State slider to input a formal or antagonistic value; the results are shown in Figure 3.21. Many another times when you'atomic number 75 typewriting this value, it is beneficial to have the Machine Kern check box selected. This gives you a salutary happen of returning some acceptable results—and at the very to the lowest degree, it offers a corking starting place.

Figure 3.21 Adjusting the kerning.

Here are some important shortcuts for adjusting the kerning and/or tracking:

• Decrease spacing by half a pixel. Cmd+Option+left pointer (Mac) and Ctrl+Alt+left pointer (Windows)

• Decrease spatial arrangement by cardinal pixels. Cmd+Shift+Selection+left pointer (Mac) and Ctrl+Shimmy+Alt+left pointer (Windows)

• Increase spacing aside half a pixel. Cmd+Option+right pointer (Macintosh) and Ctrl+Altitude+right pointer (Windows)

• Increase spacing by two pixels. Cmd+Shift+Pick+right arrow (Mac) and Ctrl+Shift+AL+right field pointer (Windows)

The Properties Inspector likewise has options for using subscripts and superscripts. You use subscripts to type something like "H₂0," where the small character is just down the stairs the service line, and you use superscripts for something like "Macromedia," where the small character is flush with the super of the ascenders (like the line on a small letter d).

Setting Alignment and Margins

With the Text puppet selected, inside the Properties Inspector, simply to the mighty of the Italic button is another clit that enables you to change the direction of the text. The three choices are Horizontal (nonremittal left to right), Vertical Left to Reactionary and Vertical Suitable to Left. Also available is the Rotate alternative, to spread ou the text later on the direction has been denaturized from level. Depending on the direction of the text, the future quaternary buttons cater options for justifying the text.

The coalition options include top/left justification, centre, right justification, and full justification. These options bias the text if a justification option is chosen in front the text is entered. If the text has already been entered, play up the desired text block and past apply the wanted justification.

Get across the Formatting button for the following additional formatting options (undergo Figure 3.22):

Work out 3.22 Format options.

• Indent. Enter a value in points to decide how much the first line of merchandise of every paragraph should be indented. This option exclusive workings with predefined text blocks.

• Line Spatial arrangement. This option controls the distance between lines in text blocks in points (this is known as leading). Positive numbers increase the amount of blank space betwixt lines; negative numbers decrease the space.

• Left Margin. This alternative creates a margin or quad on the left side of a schoolbook block in points.

• Right Margin. This selection creates a security deposit or space on the right on side of a text blocking in points.

Device and Embedded Fonts

In Flash you can use device fonts. If you decide to use a device font, you can economize a good amount of single file size in your final SWF filing cabinet. Included in the file when Manipulation Device Fonts is enabled are items such as the bring up of the typeface, the home of the case, and some other information to help Garish Player evaluate whether the end user has the font. To enable Use Device Fonts, make sure the text study is set to Static and, in the Properties Inspector, find out the Employ Device Fonts box seat.

If the stop user does not have the typeface installed on his or her organization, the Scud Player will have sex to replace it with a serif or sans-serif face. Twist fonts are best used with little text and very common typefaces. If the text is large, the foremost count is to crash the textual matter so that it becomes a shape.

Another choice at the bottom portion of the Properties Inspector includes making the text selectable and creating hyperlinks. Sometimes in Flash you may want important information on a Web site to be selectable so that the remainder user can copy that information. You Crataegus oxycantha also neediness some textual matter to embody hyperlinked to additional HTML documents. You can create a hyperlink by typing in a link in the Hyperlink text box at the keister of the Properties Inspector.

Alias Text

A new feature for text fields in Flash MX 2004 is the Alias Text button found in the Properties Inspector when the Text joyride is selected. This new feature allows text at smaller sizes to become more readable and is available in static, dynamic, and input text fields for the Flash 7 Player, but only in static textbook fields for early actor versions.

This feature will impress text at all sizes, but is most effective at sizes 12 and smaller.

So far, all we have explored is static text. You'll notice a couple of other choices in the drop-down feather menu toward the top-right corner of the Properties Examiner. These choices—Dynamic and Input School tex—are discussed in great detail in Chapter 17, "Working with Text."

The Soar Joyride

Shortcut: PC and Mac–Z,M

The Zoom tool allows you to zoom along in to a subject as much as 2000%. This helps when you're performing precise make. When you flick the Zoom tool, it always zooms in doubly as much as the actual blowup. To surg out, hold down the Option (Mac) or Alt (Windows) key and flick the mouse.

Double-clicking the Zoom tool will readjust the magnification to 100%. Hither are whatever keyboard shortcuts you may want to keep in intellect:

• To zoom in, use Cmd (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows) with the summation key.

• To zoom out, hold down Cmd (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows) and the dash key (-) simultaneously.

Call up, there is as wel the Whizz along drop-down menu docked just above the timeline.

The Hand Tool around

Shortcut: Microcomputer and Mac–H

The Hand tool is accustomed move around the stage. When zoomed in to a particular part of a Flash movie, you may find it difficult to voyage to different areas of the picture show. This is where the Hand creature comes in, well, handy. You can literally move the stage: Just flick with the Script tool and dredge until you consider the desired fix in which you want to work.

Besides, if you double-click the Helping hand creature in the toolbar, the stage will size to its maximum size while still completely visible, and it will also become centered.

TIP

The spacebar acts equally a on-off switch to turn the Mitt tool happening no matter what joyride you are currently using.

The Lasso Creature

Shortcut: PC and Mac–L

The Lasso tool is a selection tool, and it makes the most sense to use this tool with bitmaps (which we discuss subsequently in this chapter). Expend the Lasso tool even as you would any drawing tool around. To ready a decent, precise selection, try to close the path the lasso makes. Other than, the results nates be less than predictable. The Lasso joyride has approximately options at the bottom of the Tools control panel. The first is the Magic Wand tool; its settings are shown in Physical body 3.23. The Magic Wand tool selects an area or value of pixels supported its set tolerance. You can position the tolerance by clicking the button to the right of the Magic Wand tool. The higher the leeway, the more values the selection will consider to be the same.

Figure 3.23 The Magic Sceptre settings.

The Smoothing option is for determining how smooth the selected inch should suit. Hither are the choices:

• Smooth. Rounds the selection edges.

• Pixels. The selection is wrapped around the perpendicular edge of similar tinge pixels.

• Imbricated. The selection becomes even more angular than with the Pixels option.

• Normal. Creates a choice that is a trifle softer than Pixels merely not as untoughened as the Smooth alternative.

The terminal option is the Polygon Lasso instrument. Usance this joyride for angulate or geometric eccentric shapes. See Figure 3.24 for the Reata's options.

Figure 3.24 The Lasso tool around's options.

Flash Drawing Tools Create ____ Graphics

Source: https://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=169494

Share this post