Exploring the Macromedia Flash MX Workspace – Lesson 2 1 Exploring the Macromedia Flash MX Workspace Lesson 2

Exploring the Macromedia Flash MX Workspace – Lesson 2

1

Exploring the Macromedia Flash MX Workspace

Lesson 2

2 Exploring the Macromedia Flash MX Workspace – Lesson 2

Objectives Understand the purpose of the Stage,

Tools toolbox, panels, and Timeline. Open, close, and configure the panels in

your workspace. Work with Flash and use layers. Use drawing tools such as the Rectangle

tool. Use the Property inspector panel to

modify an object’s properties.


The Flash MX Workspace The Flash MX workspace is divided into

five main areas: The Stage is where you draw and import

artwork and add additional features. The Tools toolbox contains the tools required

for working with Flash files. The Panels area contains panels you use to

assist you in working with actions and objects.

The Timeline is used to control the animation over time.

The Property inspector allows you to specify the properties of a selected object.


An example of the Flash MX workspaceThis figure shows the usual layout of the Flash MX workspace area.

Tools toolbox

Timeline

Panels

Stage

Property inspector


Set up the panels you need The first time you start Flash MX, you will see

a Welcome dialog box from which you can choose one of the following sets of panels to be shown:

Designer – Contains panels for creating and modifying graphics and animation.

General – Contains design and some development panels.

Developer – Contains panels for writing and debugging ActionScript code.

Once you choose a panel set, it will be visible the next time you start Flash MX by default.


Open and close panels Although you choose a default panel set

to display, you are not limited to just those panels.

You can close panels you do not want to use. To do so: Click the Options menu for the panel to be

closed and then click Close Panel. You can open other panels that are not

currently displayed. To do so: Click the Window menu and then click the

name of the panel you wish to open.


Examples of manipulating panels

The figure below shows how to close an open panel by selecting the Close option from the Options menu.

You can collapse a panel to provide more visible work area by clicking the panel’s title bar.

You can dock an undocked panel by clicking the grip on the left of the panel title and dragging the panel to the desired location.


Working with Flash MX When a document is opened in Flash MX,

the title bar reflects the document name or a default name if it is a new document.

Below the title bar is the menu bar which provides the means to access the tools, panels, and options within Flash MX.

The Timeline is below the menu bar and is the means for controlling the events of the animation.


Working with layers The Timeline contains a layers section

where you can organize your objects, artwork, and animation.

Layers are like transparent sheets placed one on top of the other.

Layers can be turned on or off to make them visible or invisible.

Frames and layers interact on the Stage, and that interaction can be controlled via the Timeline.


An animation with two layers

This figure shows a Flash MX document that contains two layers, Text and Ball.

The animation can be played by clicking the Control menu, then Play.


Use the Flash MX toolbox Flash MX has a toolbox containing the tools used

to add and manipulate objects. The toolbox is divided into four sections:

Tools – Contains drawing, painting, and selection tools. View – Contains tools for zooming and panning the

application area. Colors – Contains modifiers for the selected tool that

affects the stroke and fill colors for that tool. Options – Contains settings used to enhance tool

functionality, like curving edges of shapes or straightening lines.


The Tools toolbox and its sections

This figure shows the Flash MX toolbox and its various sections.

Tools

View

Colors

Options


Draw a rectangle using the drawing tools You can easily draw and color a

rectangle in Flash MX. To do so: Create a new document if necessary, or use

the open document you are in. Click the Stroke Color menu in the toolbox

to select a stroke color. Click the Fill Color menu to select a color to

fill the rectangle. Click the Rectangle tool and drag across the

area of the document where you want the rectangle to be located.


Use the Property inspector to modify an object

The Property inspector can be used to change an object’s color, line width, font size, or other attributes.

If the Property inspector is not visible, it can be opened from the Window menu.

If it is collapsed, click the title bar to expand it.


The Property inspector

This figure shows the Property inspector, which is usually found at the bottom of the Stage area.


Summary

In this lesson, you learned: The purpose of the Stage, tools toolbox, panels,

and Timeline. To open, close, and configure the panels in your

workspace. How to work with Flash, including how to use

layers. To use drawing tools such as the Rectangle tool. That object properties can be modified using

the Property inspector panel.

Documents

Exploring the Macromedia Flash MX Workspace – Lesson 2 1 Exploring the Macromedia Flash MX Workspace Lesson 2