This document provides an overview of getting started with Adobe Flash CS4, including starting Flash, understanding the workspace, opening and playing movies, using the timeline, adding layers and elements, and accessing help. The timeline controls animation and is used to organize movie elements into layers and frames. Layers contain elements and determine their position, while frames show elements over time and are used to create animation effects. Help is accessed through the Help menu or by searching for topics.

1. Adobe Flash CS4 – Illustrated Unit A: Getting Started with Adobe Flash

2. Objectives Understand Adobe Flash Start Adobe Flash CS4 View the Flash workspace Arrange the workspace Open a document and play a movie Understand the Timeline Add a layer and element Use Help and exit Flash

3. Understanding Adobe Flash Multimedia program for: Creating and organizing media Applying animation and other effects to the media An authoring tool

4. Uses of Adobe Flash Add movies to Web pages Animation Persistence of vision Streaming Create interactive content Navigational components User interface Create self-running programs Rich Internet Applications (RIA)

5. Uses of Adobe Flash (cont’d) Develop content to create playable files Create documents with .fla file extension Save document as output file for users in .swf file format Use Flash Player plug-in (standard in most browsers) to play .swf files

6. Starting Adobe Flash CS4 Double-click Flash shortcut icon on desktop (Win) or in dock (Mac), or Use the Start menu

7. The Welcome Screen Open existing or recently used files Create new files of various types Create files from a template Access link to Flash Exchange Web site Access links to additional information and tutorials Turn off Welcome Screen

8. The Welcome Screen

9. Viewing the Flash Workspace Workspace definition Screen area for working with elements of a movie Workspace elements Stage Timeline Panels Menu bar

10. Viewing the Flash Workspace

11. Flash Workspace: Stage Contains movie elements (text, images, graphics, drawings, video) Shows how elements interact with each other Shows how action plays in the movie Size corresponds to size of movie when it is played on the Web

12. Flash Workspace: Timeline Controls and organizes movie elements by using layers and frames

13. Flash Workspace: Panels Control aspects of a project with individual windows Display information and options for selected objects Select tools for creating and modifying objects Store media objects for the project

14. Flash Workspace: Panels Tools to draw, select, modify, and view graphics and text Selection tools Drawing, painting, and text tools Retouching tools Navigation tools Color tools Tool options Tools panel Media to be used in a project Library panel Attributes and options for selected element on Stage or Timeline Properties panel

15. Flash Workspace: Menu Bar Contains Flash commands and workspace and Help options Workplace switcher Flash Workspaces:

16. Planning a Flash Project Flash project planning process

17. Arranging the Workspace Create a custom workspace by performing different actions on panels or panel groups Dock (group) Undock Regroup Collapse Expand Close panels

18. Arranging the Workspace Viewing collapsed panels

19. Arranging the Workspace Undocked Tools panel

20. Arranging the Workspace Panel opened from the Window menu

21. Opening a Document and Playing a Movie Options for opening a document From the location where Data Files are stored From the Welcome window Keyboard shortcuts Options for playing a movie On the Stage Commands on the Control menu Keyboard shortcuts Controller

22. Opening a Document and Playing a Movie Good practice Save file with a different file name to protect the original

23. Opening a Document and Playing a Movie Open dialog box

24. Opening a Document and Playing a Movie Viewing the Controller

25. Opening a Document and Playing a Movie Testing a movie in Flash Player

26. Understanding the Timeline Layers Appear in a column Contain elements of a movie and determine their position Frames Appear in a row Show elements in the project over time

27. Understanding the Timeline: Layers Ways to manipulate Show/hide Lock from editing Display as an outline Add/delete Create a folder (useful organizing tool)

28. Understanding the Timeline: Layers Viewing layers

29. Understanding the Timeline: Frames Use to create animation Create different effects by using different frame types View status of a movie (current frame, frame rate [fps], total elapsed time) Scrubbing

30. Understanding the Timeline Viewing the Timeline

31. Understanding the Timeline Options for changing appearance Undock Move Resize Close

32. Adding a Layer and Element Each document has one layer by default Elements are added to layers by Importing them, or Dragging them from the Library panel to the Stage Rename layers as an organizing technique

33. Adding a Layer and Element Adding content to a new layer

34. Using Help Find what you need by Looking up a subject by topic, or Searching for specific keywords, or Pressing [F1] Access Help by Typing a search item in Help text box on the menu bar, or Opening Help from the Window menu

35. Exiting Flash Click Close button on the menu bar, or Use keyboard shortcuts

36. Using Help Adobe Flash Help window

37. Using Help Viewing a Help topic

38. Using Help Searching for help on a keyword