Flash MX Interface introduction
 

Here is the first tutorial for Macromedia Flash MX. I have tried to make it as simple as possible but with as much information as possible I hope you find it useful and enjoy it. Now let’s start. Macromedia Flash MX is the professional standard authoring tool for producing high-impact Web experiences. Whether you are creating animated logos, Web site navigation controls, long-form animations, entire Flash Web sites, or Web applications, games, picture galleries, you’ll find the power and flexibility of Flash ideal for your own creativity.

The above picture is a screenshot of Macromedia Flash MX user interface. It has:

Menu

Tools

Colour Mixer

Colour Swatches

Components

Answers

Properties

Actions-frame

Timeline

Layers

Work area

Here is everything explained as briefly and informative as possible so that you don’t get bored.

1:- Menu: There are 9 menus in flash they are:

1-File

2- Edit

3-View

4- Insert

5-Modify

6- Text

7-Controle

8-Window

9- Help

The menus will all be explained in detail next tutorial. I hope you don’t mind.



2:- Tools: There are 19 tools in the toolbar on the side. They are:

Arrow – for selection

Brush – for drawing brush like strokes

Eraser – for rubbing

Eyedropper –to pick colour

Fill Transform- sorry I don’t know how to use it

Free Transform - to transform an object freely

Hand – for moving during zooming in/out

Ink Bottle – modify a brush stroke

Lasso – for selection

Line –to draw a line

Oval –to draw an oval

Paint Bucket –to fill a shape

Pen –like the path tool in Photoshop

Pencil –to draw freely like a normal pencil tool

Rectangle –to draw a rectangle

Selecting –for selection

Sub selection –to select part of an object

Text –to enter text in it.

Zoom –to zoom into the stage.

3:- Colour Mixer: Is a tool where you mix colour to get the colour you want to fill in an object or a drawing.

4:- Colour Swatches: are common used colours and gradients. 216 are in the colour swatch but more can be added from the colour mixer panel.

5:-Components: Are basically form items but a bit more complicated and harder to use. I personally make the components my own.

6:-Answers: Is the help panel where new stuff, tutorials, and the read me file are available. It has an update button where the information there are updated from the internet connection

7:-Properties: This part is usually located at the bottom of the interface. When no object is selected it shows the properties of the flash file e.g. Background colour, size and what flash release to play it on. When an object is selected it shows the properties.

8:-Actions-(frame): It doesn’t always have to say frame. Anyway this is the place where flash code (actionscript) goes. The word frame is shown when no object is selected to it shows the actionscript of the frame. You can place actionscript in a symbol or a frame only.

9:-Timeline: Is the place where all actions are placed. It is like a storyboard for when making a film or a cartoon. There are several types of things that go on a timeline:

Keyframe- Is a main point. If it is shaded that means it has contents else it is a white un-shaded dot.

Frame: - Is a normal frame that doesn’t have to have content on it.

Tween: - Are several frames with at least two keyframes with the same contents but modified in size or colour.

10:-Layers: Like any other graphics program objects can be layered. There are several types of layers. They will be discussed in a later tutorial.

11:-Work area: Is the place where you place every visual item

That’s it really. If you have any problems please do not hesitate to ask me and I will be back as soon as I can.