Adobe Flash Professional CS3 User Guide En
User Manual: adobe Flash Professional - CS3 - User Guide Free User Guide for Adobe Flash Software, Manual
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ADOBE FLASH CS3
PROFESSIONAL
®
USER GUIDE
®
© 2007 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved.
Copyright
Using Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional for Windows® and Macintosh
If this guide is distributed with software that includes an end user agreement, this guide, as well as the software described in it, is furnished under license and may be used or
copied only in accordance with the terms of such license. Except as permitted by any such license, no part of this guide may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Please note that the
content in this guide is protected under copyright law even if it is not distributed with software that includes an end user license agreement.
The content of this guide is furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice, and should not be construed as a commitment by Adobe Systems Incorporated. Adobe Systems Incorporated assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in the informational content contained in this guide.
Please remember that existing artwork or images that you may want to include in your project may be protected under copyright law. The unauthorized incorporation of such
material into your new work could be a violation of the rights of the copyright owner. Please be sure to obtain any permission required from the copyright owner.
Any references to company names in sample templates are for demonstration purposes only and are not intended to refer to any actual organization.
Adobe, the Adobe logo, Adobe Premiere, ActionScript, ColdFusion, Director, Fireworks, Flash, Flash Lite, FreeHand, Illustrator, and Photoshop are either registered trademarks
or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.
Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Macintosh is a trademark of Apple
Inc. registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
This product includes software developed by the Apache Software Foundation (www.apache.org). MPEG Layer-3 audio compression technology licensed by Fraunhofer IIS and
Thomson Multimedia (http://www.iis.fhg.de/amm/). You cannot use the mp3 compressed audio within the Software for real time or live broadcasts. If you require an mp3
decoder for real time or live broadcasts, you are responsible for obtaining this mp3 technology license. Speech compression and decompression technology licensed from Nellymoser, Inc. (www.nellymoser.com) Flash CS3 video is powered by On2 TrueMotion video technology. © 1992-2005 On2 Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.on2.com. This product includes software developed by the OpenSymphony Group (http://www.opensymphony.com/)
Sorenson Spark™ video compression and decompression technology licensed from Sorenson Media, Inc.
Adobe Systems Incorporated, 345 Park Avenue, San Jose, California 95110, USA.
Notice to U.S. Government End Users: The Software and Documentation are “Commercial Items,” as that term is defined at 48 C.F.R. §2.101, consisting of “Commercial
Computer Software” and “Commercial Computer Software Documentation,” as such terms are used in 48 C.F.R. §12.212 or 48 C.F.R. §227.7202, as applicable. Consistent with
48 C.F.R. §12.212 or 48 C.F.R. §§227.7202-1 through 227.7202-4, as applicable, the Commercial Computer Software and Commercial Computer Software Documentation are
being licensed to U.S. Government end users (a) only as Commercial Items and (b) with only those rights as are granted to all other end users pursuant to the terms and conditions
herein. Unpublished-rights reserved under the copyright laws of the United States. Adobe agrees to comply with all applicable equal opportunity laws including, if appropriate,
the provisions of Executive Order 11246, as amended, Section 402 of the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (38 USC 4212), and Section 503 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the regulations at 41 CFR Parts 60-1 through 60-60, 60-250, and 60-741. The affirmative action clause and regulations contained in
the preceding sentence shall be incorporated by reference.
iii
Contents
Chapter 1: Getting started
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Using Help
................................................................................ 2
Resources
................................................................................ 6
What’s new
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Chapter 2: Workspace
Flash workflow and workspace
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Using the Stage and Tools panel
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
The Timeline
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Using Flash authoring panels
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Accessibility in the Flash workspace
Undo, redo, and history
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Automating tasks with the Commands menu
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Chapter 3: Creating and managing documents
Working with Flash documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Creating and previewing mobile content with Adobe Device Central
Working with projects
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Adding media to the library
Working with timelines
Working with scenes
Find and Replace
Templates
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Chapter 4: Adobe Version Cue
Working with Adobe Version Cue
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Working with the Version Cue Server
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Working with Version Cue projects
Working with files in Version Cue
Version Cue versions
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Editing and synchronizing offline files
Version Cue Server Administration
Version Cue PDF reviews
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Chapter 5: Using imported artwork
Placing artwork into Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Working with Illustrator AI files
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Working with Photoshop PSD files
Imported bitmaps
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
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Chapter 6: Drawing
Drawing Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Using Flash drawing and painting tools
Drawing with the Pen tool
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Reshaping lines and shape outlines
Snapping
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Chapter 7: Working with color, strokes, and fills
Working with color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Modifying color palettes
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Strokes, fills, and gradients
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Chapter 8: Working with graphic objects
About graphic objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Selecting objects
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Moving, copying, and deleting objects
Arranging objects
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Transforming objects
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Chapter 9: Using symbols, instances, and library assets
Working with symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Working with symbol instances
Library assets
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Using shared library assets
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Working with button symbols
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Scaling and caching symbols
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Symbols and ActionScript
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Chapter 10: Creating animation
Animation basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Using Timeline effects
Tweened animation
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Chapter 11: Special effects
About filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
About blend modes
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Chapter 12: Working with text
Text and fonts in Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Creating text
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Setting text attributes
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Chapter 13: Creating multilanguage text
Creating multilanguage text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Encoding text formats
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Authoring multilanguage text
XML file format
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Multilanguage text and ActionScript
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
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Chapter 14: Working with sound
Using sounds in Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Exporting Sounds
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Sound and ActionScript
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Chapter 15: Working with video
Creating and publishing Flash Video
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Importing and modifying Flash Video files
About digital video and Flash
Encoding video
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Working with Premier Pro and After Effects
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Using ActionScript to play external Flash Video
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Chapter 16: Creating e-learning content
Getting started with Flash e-learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Including a Flash learning interaction in a document
Adding, naming, and registering assets
Configuring learning interactions
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Changing the appearance of a learning interaction
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Tracking to AICC- or SCORM-compliant learning management systems
Extending learning interaction scripts
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Chapter 17: Creating accessible content
About accessible content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Using Flash to enter accessibility information for screen readers
Specifying advanced accessibility options for screen readers
Creating accessibility with ActionScript
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Chapter 18: Working with screens
Screen-based documents and the screen authoring environment
Working with screens
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Adding content to screens
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Chapter 19: ActionScript
Working with ActionScript
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Script Assist mode and behaviors
Writing and managing scripts
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Debugging ActionScript 1.0 and 2.0
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Debugging ActionScript 3.0
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
ActionScript publish settings
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
Chapter 20: Publishing Flash content
Publishing Flash documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
Using Flash Player
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
Developing applications for mobile devices
Configuring a web server for Flash
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432
Flash security features
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433
Using publish profiles
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434
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HTML publishing templates
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435
Editing Flash HTML settings
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439
Chapter 21: Exporting from Flash
About exporting from Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
Exporting Flash content, images, and video
Chapter 22: Printing with Flash
Printing from the Flash authoring tool
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 455
Chapter 23: Best practices
Structuring FLA files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464
Organizing ActionScript in an application
Behaviors conventions
Video conventions
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
Projects and version control guidelines
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472
Flash application authoring guidelines
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Accessibility guidelines
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478
Advertising with Flash
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482
Optimizing FLA files for SWF output
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484
Tips for creating content for mobile devices
Index
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501
1
Chapter 1: Getting started
If you haven’t installed your new software, begin by reading some information on installation and other preliminaries. Before you begin working with your software, take a few moments to read an overview of Adobe® Help and
of the many resources available to users. You have access to instructional videos, plug-ins, templates, user communities, seminars, tutorials, RSS feeds, and much more.
Installation
Requirements
❖ To review complete system requirements and recommendations for your Adobe® software, see the Read Me file
on the installation DVD.
Install the software
1 Close any other Adobe applications open on your computer.
2 Insert the installation disc into your DVD drive, and follow the on-screen instructions.
Note: For more information, see the Read Me file on the installation DVD.
Activate the software
If you have a single-user retail license for your Adobe software, you will be asked to activate your software; this is a
simple, anonymous process that you must complete within 30 days of starting the software.
For more information on product activation, see the Read Me file on your installation DVD, or visit the Adobe
website at www.adobe.com/go/activation.
1 If the Activation dialog box isn’t already open, choose Help > Activate.
2 Follow the on-screen instructions.
Note: If you want to install the software on a different computer, you must first deactivate it on your computer. Choose
Help > Deactivate.
Register
Register your product to receive complimentary installation support, notifications of updates, and other services.
❖ To register, follow the on-screen instructions in the Registration dialog box, which appears after you install and
activate the software.
If you postpone registration, you can register at any time by choosing Help > Registration.
Change or reinstall Flash Player
1 Close your browser.
2 Remove any currently installed version of the player.
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For instructions, see TechNote 14157 on the Adobe® Flash® Support Center at www.adobe.com/go/tn_14157.
3 To begin installation, run one of the following in your Players folder:
• For the ActiveX control for Windows® (Internet Explorer or AOL), run the Install Flash Player 9 AX.exe file.
• For the plug-in for Windows (CompuServe, Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape, or Opera), run the Install Flash Player
9.exe file.
• For the plug-in for Macintosh® (AOL, CompuServe, Firefox, Internet Explorer for Macintosh, Netscape, Opera, or
Safari), run Install Flash Player 9 (Mac OS 9.x) or Install Flash Player 9 OS X (Mac OS X.x).
Note: To verify installation in Netscape, select Help > About Plug-ins from within the browser.
Using Help
About Flash Help
The Flash Help panel (Help > Flash Help) contains the full set of user-assistance information provided with Flash.
To view a Help topic, click its title in the table of contents. Above the topic, you can see its relative location in the
hierarchy of topics.
You can hide the table of contents. To display it again, click the Table of Contents button . When you search Help,
the returned topics take the place of the table of contents. To redisplay the table of contents, click Clear.
The Help panel also displays context-sensitive reference information that you access from the Actions panel.
Adobe Help resources
Documentation for your Adobe software is available in a variety of formats.
In-product and LiveDocs Help
In-product Help provides access to all documentation and instructional content available at the time the software
ships. It is available through the Help menu in your Adobe software.
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LiveDocs Help includes all the content from in-product Help, plus updates and links to additional instructional
content available on the web. For some products, you can also add comments to the topics in LiveDocs Help. Find
LiveDocs Help for your product in the Adobe Help Resource Center, at www.adobe.com/go/documentation.
Most versions of in-product and LiveDocs Help let you search across the Help systems of multiple products. Topics
may also contain links to relevant content on the web or to topics in the Help of another product.
Think of Help, both in the product and on the web, as a hub for accessing additional content and communities of
users. The most complete and up-to-date version of Help is always on the web.
PDF documentation
The in-product Help is also available as a PDF that is optimized for printing. Other documents, such as installation
guides and white papers, may also be provided as PDFs.
All PDF documentation is available through the Adobe Help Resource Center, at www.adobe.com/go/documentation. To see the PDF documentation included with your software, look in the Documents folder on the installation
or content DVD.
Printed documentation
Printed editions of the in-product Help are available for purchase in the Adobe Store, at www.adobe.com/go/store.
You can also find books published by Adobe publishing partners in the Adobe Store.
A printed workflow guide is included with all Adobe Creative Suite® 3 products, and stand-alone Adobe products
may include a printed getting started guide.
Searching Flash Help
Flash can search all Flash Help systems or a single Help system (such as Using Flash).
You can also search the text of a single topic: Click in the topic to give it focus and press Ctrl+F (Windows) or
Command+F (Macintosh).
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You can search Flash Help for a combination of words and phrases:
Single-word searches Return a list of help pages that contain the specified word. For example, if you type timeline
in the search text field, Flash returns a list of help pages that contain the word timeline or Timeline.
Multiple-word searches Return a list of help pages that each contain all of the search terms you enter. In this case,
the word and is implicit in the search. For example, if you type movie clip in the search text field, Flash returns a
list of pages that contain both movie and clip—that is, clip movie, movie clip,movie...clip, and so on.
Explicit AND/OR searches Use the words and or or to refine the search results. For example, if you type timeline
and keyframe or tween in the search text field, Flash returns a list of help pages that contain timeline and keyframe
and help pages that contain timeline and tween.
Exact phrase searches Use quotation marks to return only pages that contain the specific phrase you enter. For
example, if you type “motion tween” in the search text field, Flash returns a list of help pages that contain the phrase
motion tween, but not pages that contain separate instances of motion and tween.
Exact phrase with explicit AND/OR searches Use a combination of quotation marks and the words and or or to
further refine your searches. For example, if you type “motion tween” and “ActionScript” in the search field,
Flash returns a list of pages that contain both the phrase motion tween and the word ActionScript.
Access context-sensitive Help from the Actions panel
1 To select an item for reference, do any of the following:
• Select an item in the Actions panel toolbox pane (on the left side of the Actions panel).
• Select an ActionScript term in the Actions panel in the Script pane.
• Place the insertion point before an ActionScript term in the Actions panel in the Script pane.
2 To open the Help panel reference page for the selected item, do one of the following:
• Press F1.
• Right-click the item and select View Help.
• Click Help
above the Script pane.
Choosing the right Help documents
Flash Help contains many documents. The following list describes each document’s purpose and contents:
• Using Flash contains an introduction to what Flash is, what you can do with it, and how the Flash user interface
works. It also contains detailed information about using all of the tools and features in the Flash authoring tool.
• Programming ActionScript 3.0 provides a detailed description of the ActionScript 3.0 language, intended for
beginning and experienced scripters. Programming ActionScript 3.0 explains the basic concepts of writing code,
including how to use logic to write code that makes decisions, how to make your Flash projects respond to user
actions, and how to write code to perform the most common tasks in Flash. ActionScript 3.0 is faster and more
appropriate for computationally intensive applications than ActionScript 2.0, and is somewhat more complex than
ActionScript 2.0.
• The ActionScript 3.0 Language and Components Reference includes dictionary-style entries for all of the actions,
methods, and properties in the ActionScript 3.0 application programming interface (API), as well as the APIs for
the ActionScript 3.0 components included with Flash. This reference is a fast way to find specific ActionScript
terms to accomplish specific tasks. Each entry includes details of the term’s syntax and functionality, and code
examples.
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• Using ActionScript 3.0 Components contains information on using and configuring ActionScript 3.0 components
in a Flash document. Components are reusable user interface elements such as buttons, menus, and so on, that you
can use in your own projects without having to create and script them yourself. Some components do not have a
visual presence, but instead help you store and manage data for your application. This document also contains
information about creating your own reusable components with ActionScript 3.0.
• Learning ActionScript 2.0 in Adobe Flash provides a detailed description of the ActionScript 2.0 language, intended
for both new and more experienced scripters. Learning ActionScript 2.0 in Adobe Flash describes the basic
concepts of writing code, including which scripts you can use in Flash, when to use each type, how to use logic to
write code that makes decisions, how to make your Flash projects respond to user actions, and how to write
specific code to perform the most common tasks in Flash.
• The ActionScript 2.0 Language Reference includes dictionary-style entries for all of the actions, methods, and
properties in the ActionScript 2.0 application programming interface (API). This reference is a fast way to find
specific ActionScript terms to accomplish specific tasks. Each entry includes details of the term’s syntax and
functionality, as well as code examples.
• Using ActionScript 2.0 Components contains information on using and configuring components in a Flash
document. Components are reusable user interface elements such as buttons, menus, and so on, that you can use
in your own projects without having to create and script them yourself. Some components do not have a visual
presence, but instead help you store and manage data for your application. These documents also contain information about creating your own reusable components with ActionScript.
• ActionScript 2.0 Components Language Reference includes dictionary-style entries for all of the methods and
properties that are available to each component included with Flash. You control the behavior of components with
these APIs. After you understand the basics of how to use components, this reference is a fast way to find specific
APIs that can help you accomplish specific tasks.
• Extending Flash describes how to add functionality and automation to the Flash authoring tool with custom
JavaScript APIs created for that purpose.
• Getting Started with Flash Lite 2.x provides an introduction to the process of developing content with Adobe®
Flash® Lite™ 2.x for delivery on mobile phones and devices. Flash Lite 2.x supports a subset of ActionScript 2.0.
• Developing Flash Lite 2.x Applications provides techniques and guidelines for creating content and applications for
Flash Lite 2.x, the most current version of Adobe® Flash® Player designed for mobile phones and other devices.
Because Flash Lite 2.x supports different features than the desktop version of Flash Player, techniques for creating
content for Flash Lite are different from techniques for creating Flash desktop content.
• Introduction to Flash Lite 2.x ActionScript describes in detail the ActionScript features available in Flash Lite 2.x
and explains how to accomplish common scripting tasks when using Flash Lite 2.x.
• Flash Lite 2.x ActionScript Language Reference provides dictionary-style entries for all of the actions, methods, and
properties available in Flash Lite 2.x. Each entry includes the details of the term’s syntax and functionality, as well
as sample code.
• Getting Started with Flash Lite 1.x provides an introduction to the process of developing content with Flash Lite
1.x for delivery on mobile phones and devices. Flash Lite 1.x supports a subset of ActionScript 1.0.
• Developing Flash Lite 1.x Applications provides techniques and guidelines for creating content and applications for
Flash Lite 1.x, the first version of Flash Player designed for mobile phones and other devices. Because Flash Lite
1.x supports different features than the desktop version of Flash Player, techniques for creating content for Flash
Lite 1.x are different from techniques for creating Flash desktop content.
• Learning Flash Lite 1.x ActionScript describes in detail the ActionScript features available in Flash Lite 1.0 and 1.1
and explains how to perform common scripting tasks when using Flash Lite 1.x.
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• Flash Lite 1.x ActionScript Language Reference provides dictionary-style entries for all of the actions, methods, and
properties available in Flash Lite 1.0 and 1.1. Each entry includes the details of the term’s syntax and functionality,
as well as sample code.
Resources
Adobe Video Workshop
The Adobe Creative Suite 3 Video Workshop offers over 200 training videos covering a wide range of subjects for
print, web, and video professionals.
You can use the Adobe Video Workshop to learn about any Creative Suite 3 product. Many videos show you how to
use Adobe applications together.
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When you start the Adobe Video Workshop, you choose the products you want to learn and the subjects you want
to view. You can see details about each video to focus and direct your learning.
Community of presenters
With this release, Adobe Systems invited the community of its users to share their expertise and insights. Adobe and
lynda.com present tutorials, tips, and tricks from leading designers and developers such as Joseph Lowery, Katrin
Eismann, and Chris Georgenes. You can see and hear Adobe experts such as Lynn Grillo, Greg Rewis, and Russell
Brown. In all, over 30 product experts share their knowledge.
Tutorials and source files
The Adobe Video Workshop includes training for novices and experienced users. You’ll also find videos on new
features and key techniques. Each video covers a single subject and typically runs about 3-5 minutes. Most videos
come with an illustrated tutorial and source files, so you can print detailed steps and try the tutorial on your own.
Using Adobe Video Workshop
You can access Adobe Video Workshop using the DVD included with your Creative Suite 3 product. It’s also available
online at www.adobe.com/go/learn_videotutorials. Adobe will regularly add new videos to the online Video
Workshop, so check in to see what’s new.
Flash CS3 Professional videos
Adobe Video Workshop covers a wide range of subjects for Adobe Flash® CS3 Professional, including these:
• Drawing with the Pen tool
• Creating animations using motion tweens
• Creating and animating masks
• Getting started with ActionScript 3.0
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• Using the Flash Video Encoder
Videos also show you how to use Flash CS3 with other Adobe components:
• Using symbols effectively between Illustrator® and Flash
• Understanding the Fireworks® and Flash workflow
• Designing websites with Flash and Photoshop
• Creating mobile content in Flash
To access Adobe Creative Suite 3 video tutorials, visit Adobe Video Workshop at
www.adobe.com/go/learn_videotutorials.
Extras
You have access to a wide variety of resources that will help you make the most of your Adobe software. Some of
these resources are installed on your computer during the setup process; additional helpful samples and documents
are included on the installation or content DVD. Unique extras are also offered online by the Adobe Exchange
community, at www.adobe.com/go/exchange.
Installed resources
During software installation, a number of resources are placed in your application folder. To view those files, navigate
to the application folder on your computer.
• Windows®: [startup drive]/Program files/Adobe/Adobe [application]
• Mac OS®: [startup drive]/Applications/Adobe [application]
The application folder may contain the following resources:
Plug-ins Plug-in modules are small software programs that extend or add features to your software. Once installed,
plug-in modules appear as options in the Import or Export menu; as file formats in the Open, Save As, and Export
Original dialog boxes; or as filters in the Filter submenus. For example, a number of special effects plug-ins are
automatically installed in the Plug-ins folder inside the Photoshop CS3 folder.
Presets Presets include a wide variety of useful tools, preferences, effects, and images. Product presets include
brushes, swatches, color groups, symbols, custom shapes, graphic and layer styles, patterns, textures, actions,
workspaces, and more. Preset content can be found throughout the user interface. Some presets (for example,
Photoshop Brush libraries) become available only when you select the corresponding tool. If you don’t want to create
an effect or image from scratch, go to the preset libraries for inspiration.
Templates Template files can be opened and viewed from Adobe Bridge, opened from the Welcome Screen, or
opened directly from the File menu. Depending on the product, template files range from letterheads, newsletters,
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and websites to DVD menus and video buttons. Each template file is professionally constructed and represents a
best-use example of product features. Templates can be a valuable resource when you need to jump-start a project.
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Samples Sample files include more complicated designs and are a great way to see new features in action. These files
demonstrate the range of creative possibilities available to you.
Fonts Several OpenType® fonts and font families are included with your Creative Suite product. Fonts are copied to
your computer during installation:
• Windows: [startup drive]/Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Fonts
• Mac OS X: [startup drive]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Fonts
For information about installing fonts, see the Read Me file on the installation DVD.
DVD content
The installation or content DVD included with your product contains additional resources for use with your
software. The Goodies folder contains product-specific files such as templates, images, presets, actions, plug-ins, and
effects, along with subfolders for Fonts and Stock Photography. The Documentation folder contains a PDF version
of the Help, technical information, and other documents such as specimen sheets, reference guides, and specialized
feature information.
Adobe Exchange
For more free content, visit www.adobe.com/go/exchange, an online community where users download and share
thousands of free actions, extensions, plug-ins, and other content for use with Adobe products.
Bridge Home
Bridge Home, a new destination in Adobe Bridge CS3, provides up-to-date information on all your Adobe Creative
Suite 3 software in one convenient location. Start Adobe Bridge, then click the Bridge Home icon at the top of the
Favorites panel to access the latest tips, news, and resources for your Creative Suite tools.
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Note: Bridge Home may not be available in all languages.
Adobe Design Center
Adobe Design Center offers articles, inspiration, and instruction from industry experts, top designers and Adobe
publishing partners. New content is added monthly.
You can find hundreds of tutorials for design products and learn tips and techniques through videos, HTML
tutorials, and sample book chapters.
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New ideas are the heart of Think Tank, Dialog Box, and Gallery:
• Think Tank articles consider how today’s designers engage with technology and what their experiences mean for
design, design tools, and society.
• In Dialog Box, experts share new ideas in motion graphics and digital design.
• The Gallery showcases how artists communicate design in motion.
Visit Adobe Design Center at www.adobe.com/designcenter.
Adobe Developer Center
Adobe Developer Center provides samples, tutorials, articles, and community resources for developers who build
rich Internet applications, websites, mobile content, and other projects using Adobe products. The Developer Center
also contains resources for developers who develop plug-ins for Adobe products.
In addition to sample code and tutorials, you'll find RSS feeds, online seminars, SDKs, scripting guides, and other
technical resources.
Visit Adobe Developer Center at www.adobe.com/go/developer.
Customer support
Visit the Adobe Support website, at www.adobe.com/support, to find troubleshooting information for your product
and to learn about free and paid technical support options. Follow the Training link for access to Adobe Press books,
a variety of training resources, Adobe software certification programs, and more.
Downloads
Visit www.adobe.com/go/downloads to find free updates, tryouts, and other useful software. In addition, the Adobe
Store (at www.adobe.com/go/store) provides access to thousands of plug-ins from third-party developers, helping
you to automate tasks, customize workflows, create specialized professional effects, and more.
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Adobe Labs
Adobe Labs gives you the opportunity to experience and evaluate new and emerging technologies and products from
Adobe.
At Adobe Labs, you have access to resources such as these:
• Prerelease software and technologies
• Code samples and best practices to accelerate your learning
• Early versions of product and technical documentation
• Forums, wiki-based content, and other collaborative resources to help you interact with like-minded developers
Adobe Labs fosters a collaborative software development process. In this environment, customers quickly become
productive with new products and technologies. Adobe Labs is also a forum for early feedback, which the Adobe
development teams use to create software that meets the needs and expectations of the community.
Visit Adobe Labs at www.adobe.com/go/labs.
User communities
User communities feature forums, blogs, and other avenues for users to share technologies, tools, and information.
Users can ask questions and find out how others are getting the most out of their software. User-to-user forums are
available in English, French, German, and Japanese; blogs are posted in a wide range of languages.
To participate in forums or blogs, visit www.adobe.com/communities.
What’s new
New features
The following features are new to Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional.
CS3 Interface
The Flash user interface is updated to share a common interface with other Adobe Creative Suite CS3 components.
A consistent appearance across all Adobe software helps users work more easily with multiple applications. See
“Workspace” on page 15.
Adobe Bridge and Version Cue
Organize and browse Flash and other creative assets using Adobe Bridge, an independent file-management system
that you can launch from within Flash. Through Adobe Bridge, you can automate workflows across Adobe Creative
Suite components, apply consistent color settings across Adobe software, and access version control features and
online stock photo purchase services. A Welcome screen provides centralized control of settings, as well as ongoing
access to tips and tutorials in Adobe Design Center. See “Adobe Version Cue” on page 82.
Bitmap Symbol Library Item dialog box
The Bitmap Symbol Library Item dialog box has been enlarged to provide a larger preview of the bitmap. See “Using
symbols, instances, and library assets” on page 207.
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Multicolored bounding boxes
You can change the selection color of specific types of elements to identify each element easily. See “Get information
about instances on the Stage” on page 215.
Adobe Device Central
A new way to test content created with Adobe products on emulated mobile devices, Device Central lets you select
a target device from the beginning of the development process, and gives you a clear idea of what a device’s limitations are. See “Developing applications for mobile devices” on page 431.
Active content detections
To eliminate the need to first activate Flash Player so that users can interact with Flash content, Flash publishes
HTML templates that you can use to embed Flash SWF files. Using these templates, embedded SWF files are
activated seamlessly without the need for an additional mouse click or other user activation. See “Publishing Flash
documents” on page 418.
9-slice onstage preview
Because 9-slice scaling now provides onstage preview, you can see changes and adjustments to 9-slice scaled movie
clips on stage. See “About 9-slice scaling and movie clip symbols” on page 222.
Filter copy and paste
You can now copy and paste graphic filter settings from one instance to another. See “Apply filters” on page 250.
Copy and paste motion
Copy and paste motion lets you copy a motion tween and paste (or apply) the frames, tween, and symbol information
to another object. When pasting the motion tween to another object, you can choose to paste all properties
associated with the motion tween, or choose specific properties to apply to the other object. See “Copy and paste a
motion tween” on page 232.
Copy motion as ActionScript 3.0
In addition to copying the properties of one motion tween and applying those properties to another object, you can
copy the properties that define a motion tween in the Timeline as ActionScript 3.0 and apply that motion to another
symbol, either in the Actions panel or in the source files (such as class files) for a Flash document that uses ActionScript 3.0. See “Copy motion as ActionScript” on page 233.
Pen tool enhancements
The Pen tool has been improved.
• The Pen tool now behaves similarly to the Illustrator Pen tool to provide a more consistent user experience across
Adobe software
• The cubic-to-quadratic conversion is now more efficient, resulting in better accuracy and fewer points.
See “Drawing with the Pen tool” on page 172.
Adobe Photoshop import
You can now import Adobe Photoshop PSD files directly into Flash documents. Most Photoshop data types are
supported, and several import options are provided so that you can find the best balance of image fidelity and
editability within Flash. See “Import Photoshop PSD files” on page 149.
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Adobe Illustrator import
You can now import Adobe Illustrator AI files directly into Flash documents. Most Illustrator data types are
supported, and several import options are provided so that you can find the best balance of image fidelity and
editability within Flash. See “Import Adobe Illustrator files” on page 140.
Primitive Rectangle and Oval drawing tools
New Rectangle and Oval drawing tools let you create rectangles and ovals whose properties (such as stroke or corner
radius) you can edit at any time in the Property inspector. See “Draw rectangles and ovals” on page 166.
Enhanced Quicktime video support
QuickTime export is intended for users who want to distribute Flash content, such as animation, in the QuickTime
video format. This release improves the quality of the exported QuickTime video file, which you can distribute as
streaming video or on a DVD, or import into a video-editing application such as Adobe® Premiere®. See “Exporting
QuickTime” on page 453.
Save and load cue points for Flash video
Save and load functionality has been added to the Cue Points tab to allow you to save the cue points added to one
file and apply them to another. You can generate a cue points XML file based on known time codes and import it
into the encoder before encoding, eliminating the need to manually add each cue point through the Flash Video
Encoder user interface. See Flash Video Encoder Help.
Script Assist mode for ActionScript 3.0
Script Assist mode has been updated to include support for ActionScript 3.0. See “Script Assist mode and behaviors”
on page 386.
Improvements in ActionScript
Flash has a new, improved version of ActionScript. ActionScript 3.0 offers a robust programming model familiar to
developers with a basic knowledge of object-oriented programming. ActionScript 3.0 facilitates the creation of
highly complex applications with large data sets and object-oriented, reusable code bases. While ActionScript 3.0 is
not required for content that runs in Adobe Flash Player 9, it allows performance improvements that are available
only with the new ActionScript Virtual Machine (AVM2). ActionScript 3.0 code can execute up to ten times faster
than legacy ActionScript code.
The older version of ActionScript Virtual Machine, AVM1, executes ActionScript 1.0 and ActionScript 2.0 code.
Flash Player 9 supports AVM1 for backward compatibility with existing and legacy content.
To learn about ActionScript 3.0, see Programming ActionScript 3.0.
15
Chapter 2: Workspace
The Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional workspace includes tools and panels that help you create and navigate your
documents. Understanding these tools will help you maximize the application’s capabilities.
Flash workflow and workspace
General Flash workflow
To build a Flash application, you typically perform the following basic steps:
Plan the application.
Decide which basic tasks the application will perform.
Add media elements.
Create and import media elements, such as images, video, sound, text.
Arrange the elements.
Arrange the media elements on the Stage and in the Timeline to define when and how they appear in your application.
Apply special effects.
Apply graphic filters (such as blurs, glows, and bevels), blends, and other special effects as you see fit.
Use ActionScript to control behavior.
Write ActionScript code to control how the media elements behave, including how the elements respond to user
interactions.
Test and publish your application.
Test to verify that your application is working as you intended, and find and fix any bugs you encounter. You should
test the application throughout the creation process. Publish your FLA file as a SWF file that can be displayed in a
web page and played back with Flash Player.
Depending on your project and your working style, you might use these steps in a different order.
For video tutorials about the Flash workflow, see the following:
• Flash workflow: www.adobe.com/go/vid0132
• Creating your first interactive Flash file: www.adobe.com/go/vid0118
For a text tutorial about creating an application, see Create an Application on the Flash Tutorials page at
www.adobe.com/go/learn_fl_tutorials.
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User Guide
Workspace overview
You create and manipulate your documents and files using various elements such as panels, bars, and windows. Any
arrangement of these elements is called a workspace. When you first start an Adobe Creative Suite component, you
see the default workspace, which you can customize for the tasks you perform there. For instance, you can create one
workspace for editing and another for viewing, save them, and switch between them as you work.
You can restore the default workspace at any time by choosing the default option on the Window > Workspace menu.
Although default workspaces vary across Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, and Photoshop, you manipulate the
elements much the same way in all of them. The Photoshop default workspace is typical:
• The menu bar across the top organizes commands under menus.
• The Tools panel (called the Tools palette in Photoshop) contains tools for creating and editing images, artwork,
page elements, and so on. Related tools are grouped together.
• The Control panel (called the options bar in Photoshop) displays options for the currently selected tool. (Flash has
no Control panel.)
• The Document window (called the Stage in Flash) displays the file you’re working on.
• Panels (called palettes in Photoshop) help you monitor and modify your work. Examples include the Timeline in
Flash and the Layers palette in Photoshop. Certain panels are displayed by default, but you can add any panel by
selecting it from the Window menu. Many panels have menus with panel-specific options. Panels can be grouped,
stacked, or docked.
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User Guide
A
B
C
D
E
G
F
H
Default Photoshop workspace
A. Document window B. Dock of panels collapsed to icons C. Panel title bar D. Menu bar E. Options bar F. Tools palette G. Collapse To
Icons button H. Three palette (panel) groups in vertical dock
For a video on understanding the workspace, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0187.
Hide or show all panels
• (Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, Photoshop) To hide or show all panels, including the Tools panel and options bar
or Control panel, press Tab.
• (Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, Photoshop) To hide or show all panels except the Tools panel and options bar or
Control panel, press Shift+Tab.
You can temporarily display panels hidden by these techniques by moving the pointer to the edge of the application
window (Windows) or to the edge of the monitor (Mac OS) and hovering over the strip that appears.
• (Flash) To hide or show all panels, press F4.
Display panel menu options
❖ Position the pointer on the panel menu icon
in the upper-right corner of the panel, and press the mouse
button.
(Illustrator) Adjust panel brightness
❖ In User Interface preferences, move the Brightness slider. This control affects all panels, including the Control
panel.
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User Guide
Reconfigure the Tools panel
You can display the tools in the Tools panel in a single column, or side by side in two columns.
In InDesign, you also can switch from single-column to double-column display by setting an option in Interface
preferences.
❖ Click the double arrow at the top of the Tools panel.
Customize the workspace
To create a custom workspace, move and manipulate panels (called palettes in Photoshop and in Adobe Creative
Suite 2 components).
A
B
C
Narrow blue drop zone indicates Color panel will be docked on its own above Layers panel group.
A. Title bar B. Tab C. Drop zone
You can save custom workspaces and switch among them.
In Photoshop, you can change the font size of the text in the options bar, palettes, and tool tips. Choose a size from
the UI Font Size menu in General preferences.
Note: For a video on customizing the workspace in Illustrator, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0032. For a video on customizing the workspace in InDesign, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0065.
Dock and undock panels
A dock is a collection of panels or panel groups displayed together, generally in a vertical orientation. You dock and
undock panels by moving them into and out of a dock.
Note: Docking is not the same as stacking. A stack is a collection of free-floating panels or panel groups, joined top to
bottom.
• To dock a panel, drag it by its tab into the dock, at the top, bottom, or in between other panels.
• To dock a panel group, drag it by its title bar (the solid empty bar above the tabs) into the dock.
• To remove a panel or panel group, drag it out of the dock by its tab or title bar. You can drag it into another dock
or make it free-floating.
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User Guide
Navigator panel being dragged out to new dock, indicated by blue vertical highlight
Navigator panel now in its own dock
To prevent panels from filling all space in a dock, drag the bottom edge of the dock up so it no longer meets the edge
of the workspace.
Move panels
As you move panels, you see blue highlighted drop zones, areas where you can move the panel. For example, you can
move a panel up or down in a dock by dragging it to the narrow blue drop zone above or below another panel. If you
drag to an area that is not a drop zone, the panel floats freely in the workspace.
• To move a panel, drag it by its tab.
• To move a panel group or a stack of free-floating panels, drag the title bar.
Press Ctrl (Windows) or Control (Mac OS) while moving a panel to prevent it from docking.
Add and remove docks and panels
If you remove all panels from a dock, the dock disappears. You can create new docks by moving panels to drop zones
next to existing docks or at the edges of the workspace.
• To remove a panel, click its close icon (the X at the upper-right corner of the tab), or deselect it from the Window menu.
• To add a panel, select it from the Window menu and dock it wherever you wish.
Manipulate panel groups
• To move a panel into a group, drag the panel’s tab to the highlighted drop zone at the top of the group.
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User Guide
Adding a panel to a panel group
• To rearrange panels in a group, drag a panel’s tab to a new location in the group.
• To remove a panel from a group so that it floats freely, drag the panel by its tab outside the group.
• To make a panel appear at the front of its group, click its tab.
• To move grouped panels together, drag their title bar (above the tabs).
Stack free-floating panels
When you drag a panel out of its dock but not into a drop zone, the panel floats freely, allowing you to position it
anywhere in the workspace. Panels may also float in the workspace when first selected from the Window menu. You
can stack free-floating panels or panel groups together so that they move as a unit when you drag the topmost title
bar. (Panels that are part of a dock cannot be stacked or moved as a unit in this way.)
Free-floating stacked panels
• To stack free-floating panels, drag a panel by its tab to the drop zone at the bottom of another panel.
• To change the stacking order, drag a panel up or down by its tab.
Note: Be sure to release the tab over the narrow drop zone between panels, rather than the broad drop zone in a title bar.
• To remove a panel or panel group from the stack, so that it floats by itself, drag it out by its tab or title bar.
Resize or minimize panels
• To resize a panel, drag any side of the panel or drag the size box at its lower-right corner. Some panels, such as the
Color panel in Photoshop, cannot be resized by dragging.
• To change the width of all the panels in a dock, drag the gripper
at the top left of the dock.
• To minimize a panel, panel group, or stack of panels, click the Minimize button in its title bar.
You can open a panel menu even when the panel is minimized.
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User Guide
Minimize button
Manipulate panels collapsed to icons
Collapse panels to icons to reduce clutter on the workspace. (In some cases, panels are collapsed to icons in the
default workspace.) Click a panel icon to expand the panel. You can expand only one panel or panel group at a time.
Panels collapsed to icons
Panels expanded from icons
• To collapse or expand all panels in a dock, click the double arrow at the top of the dock.
• To resize panel icons so that you see only the icons (and not the labels), drag the gripper
at the top of the dock
toward the icons until the text disappears. (To display the icon text again, drag the gripper away from the panels.)
• To expand a single panel icon, click it.
• To collapse an expanded panel back to its icon, click its tab, its icon, or the double arrow in the panel’s title bar.
If you select Auto-Collapse Icon Panels from the Interface or User Interface Options preferences, an expanded panel
icon will collapse automatically when you click away from it.
• To add a panel or panel group to an icon dock, drag it in by its tab or title bar. (Panels are automatically collapsed
to icons when added to an icon dock.)
• To move a panel icon (or panel icon group), drag the bar that appears above the icon. You can drag panel icons up
and down in the dock, into other docks (where they appear in the panel style of that dock), or outside the dock
(where they appear as free-floating, expanded panels).
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User Guide
Save, delete, and switch between workspaces
By saving the current size and position of panels as a named workspace, you can restore that workspace even if you
move or close a panel. The names of saved workspaces appear in the Window > Workspace menu.
In Photoshop, the saved workspace can include a specific keyboard shortcut set and menu set.
Save a custom workspace
1 With the workspace in the configuration you want to save, do one of the following:
• (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) Choose Window > Workspace > Save Workspace.
• (Flash) Choose Window > Workspace > Save Current, or choose Save Current from the Workspace menu in the
Edit bar.
• (Photoshop) Choose Save Workspace from the Workspace menu in the options bar.
2 Type a name for the workspace.
3 (Photoshop) Under Capture, select one or more options:
Palette Locations Saves the current palette locations.
Keyboard Shortcuts Saves the current set of keyboard shortcuts.
Menus Saves the current set of menus.
4 Click OK.
Display or switch between workspaces
Flash, Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop include preset workspaces designed to make certain tasks easier.
• Choose Window > Workspace, and select a workspace.
• (Photoshop) Select a workspace from the Workspace menu in the options bar.
• (Flash) Select a workspace from the Workspace menu in the Edit bar.
(InDesign and Photoshop) Assign keyboard shortcuts to each workspace to navigate among them quickly.
Delete a custom workspace
• (Illustrator) Choose Window > Workspace > Manage Workspaces, select the workspace, and then click the Delete icon.
• (InDesign) Choose Window > Workspace > Delete Workspace, select the workspace, and then click Delete.
• (Flash) Choose Manage from the Workspace menu in the Edit bar, select the workspace, and then click Delete.
Alternatively, choose Window > Workspace > Manage, select the workspace, and then click Delete.
• (Photoshop) Choose Delete Workspace from the Workspace menu in the options bar. Alternatively, choose
Window > Workspace > Delete Workspace, select the workspace, and then click Delete.
(Photoshop) Start with the last or default palette locations
When you start Photoshop, palettes can either appear in their original default locations, or appear as you last used them.
❖ In Interface preferences:
• To display palettes in their last locations on startup, select Remember Palette Locations.
• To display palettes in their default locations on startup, deselect Remember Palette Locations.
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User Guide
Using the Stage and Tools panel
Welcome screen overview
When Flash is running with no documents open, the Welcome screen appears. The Welcome screen contains the
following four areas:
Open a Recent Item Lets you open your most recent documents (click the Open icon).
Create New Lists Flash file types, such as Flash documents and ActionScript™ files.
Create from Template Lists the templates most commonly used to create Flash documents.
Extend Links to the Flash Exchange website, where you can download helper applications, extensions, and related
information.
The Welcome screen also offers quick access to Help resources. You can take a tour of Flash, learn about documentation resources, and find Adobe Authorized Training facilities.
• To hide the Welcome screen, select Don’t Show Again.
• To show the Welcome screen, select Edit > Preferences (Windows) or select Flash > Preferences (Macintosh), and
select Show Welcome screen in the General category.
Using the Stage
The Stage is the rectangular area where you place graphic content when creating Flash documents. The Stage in the
authoring environment represents the rectangular space in Flash Player or in a web browser window where your
document appears during playback. To change the view of the Stage as you work, zoom in and out. To help you
position items on the Stage, you can use the grid, guides, and rulers.
The Timeline and Stage with content
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User Guide
For a video tutorial about the Flash interface, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0116.
Zoom the Stage
To view the entire Stage on the screen, or to view a particular area of your drawing at high magnification, change the
magnification level. The maximum magnification depends on the resolution of your monitor and the document size.
The minimum value for zooming out on the Stage is 8%. The maximum value for zooming in on the Stage is 2000%.
• To zoom in on an element, select the Zoom tool
in the Tools panel, and click the element. To switch the Zoom
tool between zooming in or out, use the Enlarge
or Reduce
modifiers (in the options area of the Tools panel
when the Zoom tool is selected) or Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Macintosh).
• To zoom in so that a specific area of your drawing fills the window, drag a rectangular selection on the Stage with
the Zoom tool.
• To zoom in on or out of the entire Stage, select View > Zoom In or View > Zoom Out.
• To zoom in or out by a specified percentage, select View > Magnification, and select a percentage from the
submenu or select a percentage from the Zoom control at the upper-right corner of the Timeline.
• To scale the Stage so that it fits completely in the application window, select View > Magnification > Fit in
Window.
• To show the contents of the current frame, select View > Magnification > Show All, or select Show All from the
Zoom control at the upper-right side of the application window. If the scene is empty, the entire Stage appears.
• To show the entire Stage, select View > Magnification > Show Frame or select Show Frame from the Zoom control
at the upper-right corner of the Timeline.
• To show the workspace surrounding the Stage, or to view elements in a scene that are partly or completely outside
of the Stage area, select View > Pasteboard. The pasteboard appears in light gray. For example, to have a bird fly
into a frame, initially position the bird outside of the Stage in the pasteboard and animate it into the Stage area.
Move the view of the Stage
When the Stage is magnified, you may not be able to see all of it. To change the view without having to change the
magnification, use the Hand tool to move the Stage.
❖ In the Tools panel, select the Hand tool and drag the Stage. To temporarily switch between another tool and the
Hand tool, hold down the Spacebar and click the tool in the Tools panel.
Use rulers
When rulers show, they appear along the top and left sides of the document. You can change the unit of measure used
in the rulers from the default of pixels to another unit. When you move an element on the Stage with the rulers
displayed, lines indicating the element’s dimensions appear on the rulers.
• To show or hide rulers, select View > Rulers.
• To specify the rulers’ unit of measure for a document, select Modify > Document, and select a unit from the Ruler
Units menu.
See also
“Snapping” on page 180
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User Guide
Use guides
When rulers show (View > Rulers), you can drag horizontal and vertical guides from the rulers onto the Stage.
When you create nested timelines, draggable guides appear on the Stage only when the Timeline in which they were
created is active.
To create custom guides or irregular guides, use guide layers.
• To display or hide the drawing guides, select View > Guides > Show Guides.
Note: If the grid is visible and Snap to Grid is turned on when you create guides, guides snap to the grid.
• To turn snapping to guides on or off, select View > Snapping > Snap to Guides.
Note: Snapping to guides takes precedence over snapping to the grid in places where guides fall between grid lines.
• To move a guide, click anywhere on the ruler with the Selection tool and drag the guide to the desired place on the
Stage.
• To remove a guide, use the Selection tool with guides unlocked to drag the guide to the horizontal or vertical ruler.
• To lock guides, select View > Guides > Lock Guides or use the Lock Guides option in the Edit Guides (View >
Guides > Edit Guides) dialog box.
• To clear guides, select View > Guides > Clear Guides. If you are in document-editing mode, all guides in the
document are cleared. If you are in symbol-editing mode, only guides used in symbols are cleared.
See also
“Use guide layers” on page 39
Set guide preferences
1 Select View > Guides > Edit Guides and do any of the following:
• To set Color, click the triangle in the color box and select a guide line color from the palette. The default guide
color is green.
• To display or hide guides, select or deselect Show Guides.
• To turn snapping to guides on or off, select or deselect Snap To Guides.
• Select or deselect Lock Guides.
• To set Snap Accuracy, select an option from the pop-up menu.
• To remove all guides, click Clear All. Clear All removes all guides from the current scene.
• To save the current settings as the default, click Save Default.
2 Click OK.
Use the grid
The grid appears in a document as a set of lines behind the artwork in all scenes.
Display or hide the drawing grid
❖ Do one of the following:
• Select View > Grid > Show Grid.
• Press Control+'' (quote) (Windows) or Command+'' (quote) (Macintosh).
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User Guide
Turn snapping to grid lines on or off
❖ Select View > Snapping > Snap to Grid.
Set grid preferences
1 Select View > Grid > Edit Grid and select from the options.
2 To save the current settings as the default, click Save Default.
About the main toolbar and edit bar
The menu bar at the top of the application window contains menus with commands for controlling functionality.
The edit bar, at the top of the Stage, contains controls and information for editing scenes and symbols, and for
changing the magnification level of the Stage.
See also
“Using symbols, instances, and library assets” on page 207
“Working with scenes” on page 74
Tools panel overview
The tools in the Tools panel let you draw, paint, select, and modify artwork, as well as change the view of the Stage.
The Tools panel is divided into four sections:
• The tools area contains drawing, painting, and selection tools.
• The view area contains tools for zooming and panning in the application window.
• The colors area contains modifiers for stroke and fill colors.
• The options area contains modifiers for the currently selected tool. Modifiers affect the tool’s painting or editing
operations.
To specify which tools to display in the authoring environment, use the Customize Tools Panel dialog box.
See also
“Using Flash drawing and painting tools” on page 164
“Selecting objects” on page 196
Use the Tools panel
To show or hide the Tools panel, select Window > Tools.
Select tools
❖ Do one of the following:
• Click the tool in the Tools panel. Depending on the tool you select, a set of modifiers might appear in the options
area at the bottom of the Tools panel.
• Press the tool’s keyboard shortcut. To view the keyboard shortcuts, select Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts (Windows)
or Flash > Keyboard Shortcuts (Macintosh). On the Macintosh, you might need to move the mouse to see the new
pointer appear.
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User Guide
• To select a tool located in the pop-up menu for a visible tool such as the Rectangle tool, press the icon of the visible
tool and select another tool from the pop-up menu.
Customize the Tools panel
To specify which tools appear in the authoring environment, use the Customize Tools Panel dialog box to add or
remove tools from the Tools panel.
When more than one tool appears in a location, the top tool in the group (the most recently used) appears with an
arrow in the lower-right corner of its icon. This arrow indicates that additional tools are present in a pop-up menu.
The same keyboard shortcut functions for all tools in the pop-up menu. When you press and hold the mouse button
on the icon, the other tools in the group appear in a pop-up menu.
1 To show the Customize Tools Panel dialog box, do one of the following:
• (Windows) Select Edit > Customize Tools panel.
• (Macintosh) Select Flash > Customize Tools panel.
The Available Tools menu indicates the tools that are currently available. The Current Selection menu indicates the
tools currently assigned to the selected location in the Tools panel.
2 To browse through the tools to specify the location to assign to another tool, click a tool in the Tools panel image
or use the arrows.
3 To add a tool to the selected location, select the tool in the Available Tools list and click Add. You can assign a tool
to more than one location.
4 To remove a tool from the selected location, select the tool in the Current Selection scroll list and click Remove.
5 To restore the default Tools Panel layout, click Restore Default in the Customize Tools Panel dialog box.
6 Click OK to apply your changes and close the Customize Tools Panel dialog box.
Use context menus
Context menus contain commands relevant to the current selection. For example, when you select a frame in the
Timeline window, the context menu contains commands for creating, deleting, and modifying frames and
keyframes. Context menus exist for many items and controls in many locations, including on the Stage, in the
Timeline, in the Library panel, and in the Actions panel.
❖ Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) an item.
Set preferences in Flash
You can set preferences for general application operations, editing operations, and clipboard operations.
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User Guide
The General category in the Preferences dialog box
See also
“Specify drawing preferences” on page 163
“Change the display of frames in the Timeline” on page 35
“About the Timeline” on page 33
“Creating and managing documents” on page 51
“Substituting missing fonts” on page 263
“Set Pen tool preferences” on page 173
“AI File Importer preferences” on page 143
“PSD file import preferences” on page 150
Set preferences
1 Select Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Flash > Preferences (Macintosh).
2 Make a selection in the Category list and select from the respective options.
Set AutoFormat preferences for ActionScript
❖ Select any of the options. To see the effect of each selection, look in the Preview pane.
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User Guide
Set text preferences
• For Font Mapping Default, select a font to use when substituting missing fonts in documents you open in Flash.
• For Vertical Text options, select Default Text Orientation (deselected by default).
• To reverse the default text display direction, select Right To Left Text Flow (deselected by default).
• To turn off kerning for vertical text, select No Kerning (deselected by default). Turning off kerning is useful to
improve spacing for some fonts that use kerning tables.
• For Input Method, select the appropriate language.
Set warning preferences
• To receive a warning when you try to save documents with content that is specific to the Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional authoring tool as a Flash 8 file, select Warn On Save For Adobe Flash 8 Compatibility (default).
• To receive a warning when you open a Flash document that uses fonts that are not installed on your computer,
select Warn On Missing Fonts (default).
• To receive a warning if the URL for a document changed since the last time you opened and edited it, select Warn
On URL Changes In Launch And Edit.
• To place a red X over any Generator objects as a reminder that Generator objects are not supported in Flash 8,
select Warn On Reading Generator Content.
• To receive an alert when Flash inserts frames in your document to accommodate audio or video files that you
import, select Warn On Inserting Frames When Importing Content.
• To receive an alert when selecting Default Encoding could potentially lead to data loss or character corruption,
select Warn On Encoding Conflicts When Exporting .as Files. (For example, if you create a file with English,
Japanese, and Korean characters and select Default Encoding on an English system, the Japanese and Korean
characters are corrupted.)
• To receive a warning when you attempt to edit a symbol with timeline effects applied to it, select Warn On
Conversion Of Effect Graphic Objects.
• To receive a warning when you export a document to this earlier version of Flash Player, select Warn On Exporting
To Flash Player 6 r65.
• To receive a warning when you create a site in which the local root folder overlaps with another site, select Warn
On Sites With Overlapped Root Folder.
• To receive a warning when you convert a symbol with a behavior attached to a symbol of a different type—for
example, when you convert a movie clip to a button—select Warn On Behavior Symbol Conversion.
• To receive a warning when you convert a symbol to a symbol of a different type, select Warn On Symbol
Conversion.
• To receive a warning when Flash converts a graphic object drawn in Object Drawing mode to a group, select Warn
On Automatically Converting From Drawing Object To Group.
• To display warnings on controls for features not supported by the Flash Player version that the current FLA file is
targeting in its Publish settings, select Show Incompatibility Warnings On Feature Controls.
Set General preferences
On Launch Specify which document opens when you start the application.
Undo To set the number of undo or redo levels, enter a value from 2 to 300. Undo levels require memory; the more
undo levels you use, the more system memory is consumed. The default is 100.
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User Guide
Document- or Object-level undo Document-level undo maintains a single list of all your actions for the entire Flash
document. Object-level undo maintains separate lists of your actions for each object in your document. Object-level
lets you undo an action on one object without having to also undo actions on other objects that might have been
modified more recently than the target object.
Printing (Windows only) To disable PostScript output when printing to a PostScript printer, select Disable
PostScript. By default, this option is deselected. Select this option if you have problems printing to a PostScript
printer; however, this option slows down printing.
Test Movie To open a new document tab in the application window when you select Control > Test Movie, select
Open Test Movie In Tabs. The default is to open the test movie in its own window.
Selection To control how multiple elements are selected, select or deselect Shift Select. When Shift Select is off,
clicking additional elements adds them to the current selection. When Shift Select is on, clicking additional elements
deselects other elements unless you hold down Shift.
Show Tooltips Shows tooltips when the pointer pauses over a control. To hide the tooltips, deselect this option.
Contact Sensitive Select objects when any part of them is included in the marquee rectangle when dragging with the
Selection or Lasso tools. The default is that objects are only selected when the tool’s marquee rectangle completely
surrounds the object.
Timeline To use span-based selection in the Timeline, rather than the default frame-based selection, select Span
Based Selection.
Named Anchor On Scene Make the first frame of each scene in a document a named anchor. Named anchors let you
use the Forward and Back buttons in a browser to jump from scene to scene.
Highlight Color To use the current layer’s outline color, select a color from the panel, or select Use Layer Color.
Project To have all files in a project close when the project file is closed, select Close Files With Project.
Save Files On Test Or Publish Project Save each file in a project whenever the project is tested or published.
Clipboard preferences
Bitmaps (Windows only)
To specify Color Depth and Resolution parameters for bitmaps copied to the clipboard, select their respective
options.
To apply anti-aliasing, select Smooth.
To specify the amount of RAM that is used when placing a bitmap image on the Clipboard, enter a value in the Size
Limit text field. Increase this value when working with large or high-resolution bitmap images.
Gradient Quality (Windows only) To specify the quality of gradient fills placed in the Windows metafile, select an
option. Choosing a higher quality increases the time required to copy artwork. To specify gradient quality when
pasting items to a location outside of Flash, use this setting. When you are pasting in Flash, the full gradient quality
of the copied data is preserved regardless of the Gradients setting on the Clipboard.
PICT Settings (Macintosh only) •Type To preserve data copied to the Clipboard as vector artwork, select Objects. To
convert the copied artwork to a bitmap, select one of the bitmap formats.
• Resolution Enter a value.
• Include PostScript Select to include PostScript data.
• Gradients To specify gradient quality in the PICT file, select an option. Choosing a higher quality increases the
time required to copy artwork. To specify gradient quality when pasting items to a location outside of Flash, use the
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Gradients setting. When you are pasting in Flash, the full gradient quality of the copied data is preserved regardless
of the Gradient setting.
• FreeHand Text To keep text editable in a pasted FreeHand file, select Maintain Text As Blocks.
Customize keyboard shortcuts
To match the shortcuts you use in other applications, or to streamline your workflow, select keyboard shortcuts. By
default, Flash uses built-in keyboard shortcuts designed for the application. You can also select a built-in keyboard
shortcut set from one of several graphics applications.
View or print the current set of keyboard shortcuts
1 Select Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts (Windows) or Flash > Keyboard Shortcuts (Macintosh).
2 In the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box, select the shortcut set to view from the Current Set pop-up menu.
3 Click the Export Set As HTML button
.
4 Select a name and location for the exported HTML file. The default file name is the name of the selected shortcut set.
5 Click Save.
6 Find the exported file in the folder you selected and open the file in a web browser.
7 To print the file, use the browser’s Print command.
Select a keyboard shortcut set
1 Select Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts (Windows) or Flash > Keyboard Shortcuts (Macintosh).
2 In the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box, select a shortcut set from the Current Set pop-up menu.
Create a keyboard shortcut set
1 Select a keyboard shortcut set and click the Duplicate Set button.
2 Enter a name for the new shortcut set and click OK.
Rename a custom keyboard shortcut set
1 In the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box, select a shortcut set from the Current Set pop-up menu.
2 Click the Rename Set button, enter a new name, and click OK.
Add or remove a keyboard shortcut
1 Select Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts (Windows) or Flash > Keyboard Shortcuts (Macintosh) and select the set to
modify.
2 From the Commands pop-up menu, select a category to view shortcuts for the selected category.
3 In the Commands list, select the command for which you want to add or remove a shortcut. An explanation of
the selected command appears in the description area in the dialog box.
4 Do one of the following:
• To add a shortcut, click the Add Shortcut (+) button.
• To remove a shortcut, click the Remove Shortcut (-) button and proceed to step 6.
5 If you are adding a shortcut, enter the new shortcut key combination in the Press Key box.
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Note: To enter the key combination, press the keys on the keyboard. You do not need to spell out key names, such as
Control, Option, and so on.
6 Click Change.
7 Repeat this procedure to add or remove additional shortcuts, and click OK.
Delete a keyboard shortcut set
1 Select Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts (Windows) or Flash > Keyboard Shortcuts (Macintosh). In the Keyboard
Shortcuts dialog box, click Delete Set.
2 In the Delete Set dialog box, select a shortcut set and click Delete.
Note: You cannot delete the keyboard shortcut sets built into Flash.
Create custom keyboard shortcuts
You can create and modify keyboard shortcuts.
Customize keyboard shortcuts
1 Select Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts (Windows) or Flash > Keyboard Shortcuts (Macintosh).
The Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box appears.
2 Use the following options to add, delete, or edit keyboard shortcuts:
Current Set Lets you choose a set of predetermined shortcuts (listed at the top of the menu), or any custom set you’ve
defined.
Commands Lets you select a category of commands to edit (for example, menu commands). The command list
displays the commands associated with the category you selected from the Commands pop-up menu, along with the
assigned shortcuts. The Menu Commands category displays this list as a tree view that replicates the structure of the
menus. The other categories list the commands by name (such as Quit Application), in a flat list.
Shortcuts Displays all shortcuts assigned to the selected command.
Adds a new shortcut to the current command. To add a new blank line to the Shortcuts box, click this
button. To add a new keyboard shortcut for this command, enter a new key combination and click Change. Each
command can have two different keyboard shortcuts; if two shortcuts are already assigned to a command, the Add
Item button does nothing.
Add Item
Remove Item
Removes the selected shortcut from the list of shortcuts.
Press Key Displays the key combination you enter when you’re adding or changing a shortcut.
Change Adds the key combination shown in the Press Key box to the list of shortcuts, or changes the selected
shortcut to the specified key combination.
Duplicate
Duplicates the current set. Give the new set a name; the default name is the current set’s name with
the word copy appended to it.
Rename Renames the current set.
Export Set As HTML
Saves the current set in an HTML table format for easy viewing and printing. Open the
HTML file in your browser and print the shortcuts for easy reference.
Delete
Deletes a set. You cannot delete the active set.
3 Click OK.
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Remove a shortcut from a command
1 From the Commands pop-up menu, select a command category, select a command from the Commands list, and
select a shortcut.
2 Click Remove Item (-).
Add a shortcut to a command
1 From the Commands pop-up menu, select a command category and select a command.
2 Prepare to add a shortcut by doing one of the following:
• If fewer than two shortcuts are already assigned to the command, click Add Item
. A new blank line appears in
the Shortcuts box, and the insertion point moves to the Press Key box.
• If two shortcuts are already assigned to the command, select one of them to be replaced by the new shortcut, and
click in the Press Key box.
3 Press a key combination.
Note: If a problem occurs with the key combination (for example, if the key combination is already assigned to another
command), an explanatory message appears just below the Shortcuts box and you may be unable to add or edit the
shortcut.
4 Click Change.
Edit an existing shortcut
1 From the Commands pop-up menu, select a command category, select a command from the Commands list, and
select a shortcut to change.
2 Click in the Press Key box, enter a new key combination, and click Change.
Note: If a problem occurs with the key combination (for example, if the key combination is already assigned to another
command), an explanatory message appears just below the Shortcuts box and you may be unable to add or edit the
shortcut.
The Timeline
About the Timeline
The Timeline organizes and controls a document’s content over time in layers and frames. Like films, Flash
documents divide lengths of time into frames. Layers are like multiple film strips stacked on top of one another, each
containing a different image that appears on the Stage. The major components of the Timeline are layers, frames, and
the playhead.
Layers in a document are listed in a column on the left side of the Timeline. Frames contained in each layer appear
in a row to the right of the layer name. The Timeline header at the top of the Timeline indicates frame numbers. The
playhead indicates the current frame displayed on the Stage. As a document plays, the playhead moves from left to
right through the Timeline.
The Timeline status displayed at the bottom of the Timeline indicates the selected frame number, the current frame
rate, and the elapsed time to the current frame.
Note: When an animation is played, the actual frame rate is displayed; this may differ from the document’s frame rate
setting if the computer can’t calculate and display the animation quickly enough.
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A B
C
E
F
D
G
H
I
J
K
L
Parts of the Timeline
A. Playhead B. Empty keyframe C. Timeline header D. Guide layer icon E. Frame View pop-up menu F. Frame-by-frame animation
G. Tweened animation H. Scroll To Playhead button I. Onion-skinning buttons J. Current Frame indicator K. Frame Rate indicator
L. Elapsed Time indicator
The Timeline shows where animation occurs in a document, including frame-by-frame animation, tweened
animation, and motion paths.
Controls in the layers section of the Timeline let you hide, show, lock, or unlock layers, as well as display layer
contents as outlines. You can drag frames to a new location on the same layer or to a different layer.
For a video tutorial about the Timeline, keyframes, and frame rates, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0123.
See also
“Manage frames and keyframes in the Timeline” on page 69
“Creating motion” on page 228
Change the appearance of the Timeline
By default, the Timeline appears at the top of the main application window, above the Stage. To change its position,
detach the Timeline from the Stage and float it in its own window or dock it to any other panel you choose. You can
also hide the Timeline.
To change the number of layers and frames that are visible, resize the Timeline. To view additional layers when the
Timeline contains more layers than can be displayed, use the scroll bars on the right side of the Timeline.
Dragging the Timeline
• To move the Timeline when it is docked to the application window, drag the gripper (2 dotted vertical bars) at the
upper-left corner of the Timeline.
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• To dock an undocked Timeline to the application window, drag the gripper (2 dotted vertical bars) to the top of
the application window.
• To dock an undocked Timeline to other panels, drag the Timeline title bar tab to the location you choose. To
prevent the Timeline from docking to other panels, press Control while you drag. A blue bar appears to indicate
where the Timeline will dock.
• To lengthen or shorten layer name fields in the Timeline panel, drag the bar separating the layer names and the
frames portions of the Timeline.
Resize the Timeline
• If the Timeline is docked to the main application window, drag the bar separating the Timeline from the Stage
area.
• If the Timeline is not docked to the main application window, drag the lower-right corner (Windows) or the size
box in the lower-right corner (Macintosh).
Move the playhead
The playhead moves through the timeline as a document plays to indicate the current frame displayed on the Stage.
The Timeline header shows the frame numbers of the animation. To display a frame on the Stage, move the playhead
to the frame in the Timeline.
To display a specific frame when you’re working with a large number of frames that can’t all be displayed in the
Timeline at once, move the playhead along the Timeline.
• To go to a frame, click the frame’s location in the Timeline header, or drag the playhead to the desired position.
• To center the Timeline on the current frame, click the Scroll To Playhead button at the bottom of the Timeline.
Moving the playhead
Change the display of frames in the Timeline
1 To display the Frame View pop-up menu, click Frame View in the upper-right corner of the Timeline.
Frame View pop-up menu
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2 Select from the following options:
• To change the width of frame cells, select Tiny, Small, Normal, Medium, or Large. (The Large frame-width setting
is useful for viewing the details of sound waveforms.)
• To decrease the height of frame cell rows, select Short.
Short and Normal frame view options
• To turn the tinting of frame sequences on or off, select Tinted Frames.
• To display thumbnails of the content of each frame scaled to fit the Timeline frames, select Preview. This can cause
the apparent content size to vary and requires extra screen space.
• To display thumbnails of each full frame (including empty space), select Preview In Context. This is useful for
viewing the way elements move in their frames over the course of the animation, but previews are generally
smaller than with the Preview option.
About layers
Layers help you organize the artwork in your document. You can draw and edit objects on one layer without affecting
objects on another layer. In areas of the Stage with nothing on a layer, you can see through it to the layers below.
To draw, paint, or otherwise modify a layer or folder, select the layer in the Timeline to make it active. A pencil icon
next to a layer or folder name in the Timeline indicates that the layer or folder is active. Only one layer can be active
at a time (although more than one layer can be selected at a time).
When you create a Flash document, it contains only one layer. To organize the artwork, animation, and other
elements in your document, add more layers. You can also hide, lock, or rearrange layers. The number of layers you
can create is limited only by your computer’s memory, and layers do not increase the file size of your published SWF
file. Only the objects you place into layers add to the file size.
To organize and manage layers, create layer folders and place layers in them. You can expand or collapse layer folders
in the Timeline without affecting what you see on the Stage. Use separate layers or folders for sound files, ActionScript, frame labels, and frame comments. This helps you find these items quickly to edit them.
To help create sophisticated effects, use special guide layers to make drawing and editing easier, and mask layers.
Create layers and layer folders
When you create a layer or folder, it appears above the selected layer. The newly added layer becomes the active layer.
Create a layer
❖ Do one of the following:
• Click the Insert Layer button
at the bottom of the Timeline.
• Select Insert > Timeline > Layer.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) a layer name in the Timeline and select Insert Layer from the
context menu.
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Create a layer folder
❖ Do one of the following:
• Select a layer or folder in the Timeline and select Insert > Timeline > Layer Folder.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) a layer name in the Timeline and select Insert Folder from
the context menu. The new folder appears above the layer or folder you selected.
View layers and layer folders
A red X next to the name of a layer or folder in the Timeline indicates that a layer or folder is hidden. In the Publish
Settings, you can choose whether hidden layers are included when you publish a SWF file.
To distinguish which layer an object belongs to, display all objects on a layer as colored outlines.
Show or hide a layer or folder
❖ Do one of the following:
• To hide a layer or folder, click in the Eye column to the right of the layer or folder name in the Timeline. To show
the layer or folder, click in it again.
• To hide all the layers and folders in the Timeline, click the Eye icon. To show all layers and folders, click it again.
• To show or hide multiple layers or folders, drag through the Eye column.
• To hide all layers and folders other than the current layer or folder, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click
(Macintosh) in the Eye column to the right of a layer or folder name. To show all layers and folders, Alt-click or
Option-click it again.
View the contents of a layer as outlines
❖ Do one of the following:
• To display all objects on that layer as outlines, click in the Outline column to the right of the layer’s name. To turn
off outline display, click in it again.
• To display objects on all layers as outlines, click the outline icon. To turn off outline display on all layers, click it
again.
• To display objects on all layers other than the current layer as outlines, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click
(Macintosh) in the Outline column to the right of a layer’s name. To turn off the outline display for all layers,
Alt-click or Option-click in it again.
Change a layer’s outline color
1 Do one of the following:
• Double-click the layer’s icon (the icon to the left of the layer name) in the Timeline.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the layer name and select Properties from the context menu.
• Select the layer in the Timeline and select Modify > Timeline > Layer Properties.
2 In the Layer Properties dialog box, click the Outline Color box, select a new color, and click OK.
Change layer height in the Timeline
1 Do one of the following:
• Double-click the layer’s icon (the icon to the left of the layer name) in the Timeline.
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• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the layer name and select Properties from the context menu.
• Select the layer in the Timeline and select Modify > Timeline > Layer Properties.
2 In the Layer Properties dialog box, select an option for Layer Height and click OK.
Change the number of layers displayed in the Timeline
❖ Drag the bar that separates the Timeline from the Stage area.
Edit layers and layer folders
By default, new layers are named by the order in which they are created: Layer 1, Layer 2, and so on. To better reflect
their contents, rename layers.
Select a layer or folder
❖ Do one of the following:
• Click the name of a layer or folder in the Timeline.
• Click any frame in the Timeline of the layer to select.
• Select an object on the Stage that is located in the layer to select.
• To select contiguous layers or folders, Shift-click their names in the Timeline.
• To select discontiguous layers or folders, Control-click (Windows) or Command-click (Macintosh) their names
in the Timeline.
Rename a layer or folder
❖ Do one of the following:
• Double-click the name of the layer or folder in the Timeline and enter a new name.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the name of the layer or folder and select Properties from the
context menu. Enter the new name in the Name box and click OK.
• Select the layer or folder in the Timeline and select Modify > Timeline > Layer Properties. Enter the new name in
the Name box and click OK.
Lock or unlock one or more layers or folders
❖ Do one of the following:
• To lock a layer or folder, click in the Lock column to the right of the name. To unlock the layer or folder, click in
the Lock column again.
• To lock all layers and folders, click the padlock icon. To unlock all layers and folders, click it again.
• To lock or unlock multiple layers or folders, drag through the Lock column.
• To lock all other layers or folders, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Macintosh) in the Lock column to the
right of a layer or folder name. To unlock all layers or folders, Alt-click or Option-click in the Lock column again.
Copy a layer
1 To select the entire layer, click the layer name in the Timeline.
2 To create a layer, click the Insert Layer button.
3 Select Edit > Timeline > Copy Frames.
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4 Click the new layer and select Edit > Timeline > Paste Frames.
Copy the contents of a layer folder
1 Collapse the folder (click the triangle to the left of the folder name in the Timeline) and click the folder name to
select the entire folder.
2 Select Edit > Timeline > Copy Frames.
3 To create a folder, select Insert > Timeline > Layer Folder.
4 Click the new folder and select Edit > Timeline > Paste Frames.
Delete a layer or folder
1 To select the layer or folder, click its name in the Timeline or any frame in the layer.
2 Do one of the following:
• Click the Delete Layer button in the Timeline.
• Drag the layer or folder to the Delete Layer button.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the layer or folder name and select Delete Layer from the
context menu.
Note: When you delete a layer folder, all the enclosed layers and all their contents are also deleted.
Organize layers and layer folders
To organize your document, rearrange layers and folders in the Timeline.
Layer folders help organize your workflow by letting you place layers in a tree structure. To see the layers a folder
contains without affecting which layers are visible on the Stage, expand or collapse the folder. Folders can contain
both layers and other folders, allowing you to organize layers in much the same way you organize files on your
computer.
The layer controls in the Timeline affect all layers within a folder. For example, locking a layer folder locks all layers
within that folder.
• To move a layer or layer folder into a layer folder, drag the layer or layer folder name to the destination layer folder name.
• To change the order of layers or folders, drag one or more layers or folders in the Timeline to the desired position.
• To expand or collapse a folder, click the triangle to the left of the folder name.
• To expand or collapse all folders, Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) and select Expand All
Folders or Collapse All Folders.
Use guide layers
For help in aligning objects when drawing, create guide layers and align objects on other layers to the objects you
create on the guide layers. Guide layers are not exported and do not appear in a published SWF file. Any layer can
be a guide layer. Guide layers are indicated by a guide icon to the left of the layer name.
To control the movement of objects in a motion tweened animation, create a motion guide layer.
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User Guide
Note: Dragging a normal layer onto a guide layer converts the guide layer to a motion guide layer. To prevent accidentally converting a guide layer, place all guide layers at the bottom of the layer order.
❖ Select the layer and Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) and select Guide from the context menu.
To change the layer back to a normal layer, select Guide again.
See also
“Tween motion along a path” on page 244
Using Flash authoring panels
About the Property inspector
The Property inspector provides easy access to the most commonly used attributes of the current selection, either on
the Stage or in the Timeline. You can make changes to the object or document attributes in the Property inspector
without accessing the menus or panels that also control these attributes.
Depending on what is currently selected, the Property inspector displays information and settings for the current
document, text, symbol, shape, bitmap, video, group, frame, or tool. When two or more different types of objects are
selected, the Property inspector displays the total number of objects selected.
The Property inspector showing the properties for the Text tool
To display the Property inspector, Select Window > Properties > Properties, or press Control+F3 (Windows) or
Command+F3 (Macintosh).
About the Library panel
The Library panel is where you store and organize symbols created in Flash, as well as imported files, including
bitmap graphics, sound files, and video clips. The Library panel lets you organize library items in folders, see how
often an item is used in a document, and sort items by type.
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User Guide
The Library panel showing a movie clip symbol
To display the Library panel, select Window > Library, or press Control+L (Windows) or Command+L (Macintosh).
See also
“Managing media assets with the Flash document library” on page 64
About the Actions panel
The Actions panel lets you create and edit ActionScript code for an object or frame. Selecting a frame, button, or
movie clip instance makes the Actions panel active. The Actions panel title changes to Button Actions, Movie Clip
Actions, or Frame Actions, depending on what is selected.
The Actions panel showing a stop() action in a frame
To display the Actions panel, select Window > Actions or press F9.
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User Guide
See also
“Actions panel overview” on page 382
“Script window overview” on page 383
Use the Movie Explorer
The Movie Explorer lets you view and organize the contents of a document and select elements in the document for
modification. It contains a display list of currently used elements, arranged in a navigable hierarchical tree.
Use the Movie Explorer to perform the following actions:
• Filter which categories of items in the document appear in the Movie Explorer.
• Display the selected categories as scenes, symbol definitions, or both.
• Expand and collapse the navigation tree.
• Search for an element in a document by name.
• Familiarize yourself with the structure of a Flash document that another developer created.
• Find all the instances of a particular symbol or action.
• Print the navigable display list that appears in the Movie Explorer.
The Movie Explorer has a Panel menu and a context menu with options for performing operations on selected items
or modifying the Movie Explorer display. A check mark with a triangle below it in the Movie Explorer panel indicates
the Panel menu.
Note: The Movie Explorer has slightly different functionality when you are working with screens.
See also
“Working with screens” on page 366
View the Movie Explorer
❖ Select Window > Movie Explorer.
Filter the categories of items that appear in the Movie Explorer
• To show text, symbols, ActionScript, imported files, or frames and layers, click one or more of the filtering buttons
to the right of the Show option. To customize which items to show, click the Customize button. Select options in
the Show area of the Movie Explorer Settings dialog box to view those elements.
• To show items in scenes, select Show Movie Elements from the Movie Explorer Panel menu.
• To show information about symbols, select Show Symbol Definitions from the Movie Explorer Panel menu.
Note: The Movie Elements option and the Symbol Definitions option can be active at the same time.
Search for an item using the Find box
❖ In the Find box, enter the item name, font name, ActionScript string, or frame number. The Find feature searches
all items that appear in the Movie Explorer.
Select an item in the Movie Explorer
❖ Click the item in the navigation tree. Shift-click to select more than one item.
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User Guide
The full path for the selected item appears at the bottom of the Movie Explorer. Selecting a scene in the Movie
Explorer shows the first frame of that scene on the Stage. Selecting an element in the Movie Explorer selects that
element on the Stage if the layer containing the element is not locked.
Use the Movie Explorer Panel menu or context menu commands
1 Do one of the following:
• To view the Panel menu, click the Panel menu control in the Movie Explorer panel.
• To view the context menu, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) an item in the Movie Explorer
navigation tree.
2 Select an option from the menu:
Go To Location Jumps to the selected layer, scene, or frame in the document.
Go To Symbol Definition Jumps to the symbol definition for a symbol that is selected in the Movie Elements area of
the Movie Explorer. The symbol definition lists all the files associated with the symbol. (The Show Symbol Definitions option must be selected. See its definition in this list.)
Select Symbol Instances Jumps to the scene containing instances of a symbol that is selected in the Symbol Definitions area of the Movie Explorer. (The Show Movie Elements option must be selected.)
Find In Library Highlights the selected symbol in the document’s library. (Flash opens the Library panel if it is not
already visible.)
Rename Lets you enter a new name for a selected element.
Edit In Place Lets you edit a selected symbol on the Stage.
Edit In New Window Lets you edit a selected symbol in a new window.
Show Movie Elements Shows the elements in your document organized into scenes.
Show Symbol Definitions Shows all the elements associated with a symbol.
Copy All Text To Clipboard Copies selected text to the clipboard. For spell checking or other editing, paste the text
into an external text editor.
Cut, Copy, Paste, And Clear Performs these common functions on a selected element. Modifying an item in the
display list modifies the corresponding item in the document.
Expand Branch Expands the navigation tree at the selected element.
Collapse Branch Collapses the navigation tree at the selected element.
Collapse Others Collapses the branches in the navigation tree that do not contain the selected element.
Print Prints the hierarchical display list that appears in the Movie Explorer.
About the Web Services panel
You can view a list of web services, refresh web services, and add or remove web services in the Web Services panel
(Window > Other Panels > Web Services). When you add a web service to the Web Services panel, the web service
is then available to any application you create.
You can use the Web Services panel to refresh all your web services at once by clicking the Refresh Web Services
button. If you are not using the Stage but instead are writing ActionScript code for the connectivity layer of your
application, you can use the Web Services panel to manage your web services.
For detailed information about using the web services panel, see www.adobe.com/go/learn_fl_web_services.
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User Guide
Accessibility in the Flash workspace
About accessibility support
Accessibility support in the authoring environment provides keyboard shortcuts for navigating and using interface
controls, including panels, the Property inspector, dialog boxes, the Stage, and objects on the Stage, so that you can
work with these interface elements without using the mouse.
Note: Certain keyboard controls and authoring environment accessibility features are available only in Windows.
To customize the keyboard shortcuts for accessibility in the authoring environment, use the Workspace Accessibility
Commands section of the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box.
See also
“Customize keyboard shortcuts” on page 31
About Flash authoring accessibility on the Macintosh
Accessibility for the authoring environment on the Macintosh has the following limitations:
• The Panel Focus keyboard shortcut (Command+Option+Tab) is not supported for the Property inspector.
• The Panel Control Focus keyboard shortcut (Tab) is supported only for the Timeline, not for other panels or the
Property inspector.
Select panels or the Property inspector with keyboard shortcuts
To select a panel or the Property inspector (also referred to as applying focus to the panel or Property inspector), use
the keyboard shortcut Control+F6 (Windows) or Command+F6 (Macintosh).
Apply focus to a panel or the Property inspector only when the panel or Property inspector is visible in the application window. The panel can be expanded or collapsed.
When you use the keyboard shortcut to select panels, focus is applied to panels using the following criteria:
• Docked panels are given focus first.
• If the Timeline is showing and docked, the Timeline is given focus the first time you press Control+F6 (Windows)
or Command+F6 (Macintosh).
• If the Timeline is not showing and docked, or if you press the keyboard shortcut again, focus moves to the
rightmost and highest docked panel. Pressing the keyboard shortcut repeatedly then moves the focus through the
other docked panels, from right to left and from top to bottom of the workspace.
• If you move the focus through all the docked panels, or if no docked panels are showing, focus moves to the
rightmost and highest floating panel. Pressing the keyboard shortcut repeatedly then moves the focus through the
other floating panels, from right to left and from top to bottom of the workspace.
Use keyboard shortcuts to select or deselect, expand, or collapse panels or the Property inspector
• To move the focus through the panels currently displayed in the workspace, press Control+F6 (Windows) or
Command+F6 (Macintosh). A dotted line appears around the title of the currently focused panel.
• To move the focus to the previously selected panel, press Control+Shift+F6 (Windows) or Command+Shift+F6
(Macintosh).
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• To deselect a panel, press Escape, or move, dock, or undock the panel.
• To move the focus to the panel above or below the current panel in a panel group, press Up Arrow or Down Arrow.
• To hide all panels and the Property inspector, press F4. To display all panels and the Property inspector, press F4
again.
Use keyboard shortcuts to expand or collapse panels or the Property inspector
1 Press Control+F6 (Windows) or Command+F6 (Macintosh) until the panel to expand or collapse has focus. A
dotted line appears around the title of the currently focused panel.
2 To expand or collapse the currently selected panel, press the Spacebar.
Select controls in a panel or the Property inspector using keyboard shortcuts
To move the focus through the panel controls when a panel or the Property inspector has the current focus, use the
Tab key. To activate the control that has the current focus, use the Spacebar (that is, pressing Spacebar is equivalent
to clicking a control in the panel).
When you use the keyboard shortcut for panel controls, focus is applied to a control and the control is activated using
the following criteria:
• To select a control in the panel with the Tab key, the panel with the current focus must be expanded. If the panel
is collapsed, pressing Tab has no effect.
• When the panel with the current focus is expanded, pressing Tab the first time moves the focus to the panel’s Panel
menu.
• To move the focus between the Panel menu and the panel title bar, use Right Arrow and Left Arrow.
• If the focus is on the Panel menu, press Tab again to move the focus through the other controls in the panel.
Pressing Tab again does not return the focus to the Panel menu.
• To display the Panel menu items when the Panel menu has the focus, press Enter (Windows only).
• To move the focus between the Panel menus of the panels in the group in panels that are grouped, use Up Arrow
and Down Arrow.
• You can move the focus to a panel control only if the control is active. If a control is dimmed (inactive), you cannot
apply focus to the control.
Move the focus from a panel title bar to a panel options menu
❖ Do one of the following:
• Press Tab.
• Press Right Arrow. To return the focus to the panel title bar, press Left Arrow or Shift+Tab.
• To move the focus to the Panel menu of the panel immediately above the panel with the current focus if the panel
is in a group, press Up Arrow. To move the focus to the Panel menu of the panel immediately below the panel with
the current focus, press Down Arrow.
Move the focus through the items in the Panel menu of a panel
1 To display the Panel menu items with the focus currently applied to the Panel menu, press the Spacebar.
2 To move through the items in the Panel menu, press Down Arrow.
3 To activate the currently selected Panel menu item, press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh).
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Move the focus through the controls in a panel
1 Press Tab when the focus is currently applied to the Panel menu. To move the focus through the controls in the
panel, press Tab repeatedly.
2 To activate the currently selected panel control, press Enter (Windows only).
Navigate dialog box controls using keyboard shortcuts (Windows only)
• To move through the controls in the dialog box, press Tab.
• To move through the controls within one section of a dialog box, press Up Arrow and Down Arrow.
• To activate the button (equivalent to clicking the button), when the focus is applied to a dialog box control button,
press Enter.
• To apply the current settings and close the dialog box (equivalent to clicking OK), when the focus is not applied
to any dialog box control button, press Enter.
• To close the dialog box without applying the changes (equivalent to clicking Cancel), press Escape.
• To view the Help content for the dialog box (equivalent to clicking Help), when the focus is applied to the Help
button, press Enter or Spacebar.
Select the Stage or objects on the Stage using keyboard shortcuts
Selecting the Stage with a keyboard shortcut is equivalent to clicking on the Stage. Any other element currently
selected becomes deselected when the Stage is selected.
After the Stage is selected, use the Tab key to navigate through all objects on all layers, one at a time. You can select
instances (including graphic symbols, buttons, movie clips, bitmaps, videos, or sounds), groups, or boxes. You cannot
select shapes (such as rectangles) unless those shapes are instances of symbols. You cannot select more than one
object at a time using keyboard shortcuts.
To select Objects on the Stage, use the following criteria:
• To select the previous object when an object is currently selected, press Shift+Tab.
• To select the first object that was created on the active frame in the active layer, press Tab. When the last object on
the top layer is selected, press Tab to move to the next layer beneath it and select the first object there, and so on.
• When the last object on the last layer is selected, press Tab to move to the next frame and select the first object on
the top layer there.
• Objects on layers that are hidden or locked cannot be selected with the Tab key.
• To select the Stage, press Control+Alt+Home (Windows) or Command+Option+Home (Macintosh).
• To select an object on the Stage, with the Stage selected, press Tab.
Note: If you are currently typing text in a box, you cannot select an object using the keyboard focus. You must first change
the focus to the Stage and then select an object.
Navigate tree structures using keyboard shortcuts
To navigate tree structures, the hierarchical displays of file structures in certain Flash panels, use keyboard shortcuts.
• To expand a collapsed folder, select the folder and press Right Arrow.
• To collapse an expanded folder, select the folder and press Left Arrow.
• To move to the parent folder of an expanded folder, press Left Arrow.
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• To move to the child folder of an expanded folder, press Right Arrow.
Work with library items using keyboard shortcuts
1 To copy or paste a selected library item, press Control+X (Windows) or Command+X (Macintosh) to cut the item,
or press Control+C (Windows) or Command+C (Macintosh) to copy the item.
2 To paste a cut or copied item, click the Stage or in another library to set the insertion point, and press Control+V
(Windows) or Command+V (Macintosh) to paste in the center of the Stage; or press Control+Shift+C (Windows)
or Command+Shift+C (Macintosh) to paste in place (in the same location as the original).
To cut, copy, and paste items, use the following criteria:
• Cut or copy one item or multiple items.
• Cut or copy an item from the Library panel and paste it onto the Stage or into another library, or paste a folder
into another library.
• You cannot paste a shape from the Stage into the library.
• You cannot paste a library item into a common library, because common libraries cannot be modified. However,
you can create a common library.
• When you paste a library item onto the Stage, the item is centered.
• If you paste a folder, each item in the folder is included.
• To paste a library item into a folder in the destination library, click the folder before pasting.
• You can paste a library item into a different location in the same library where it originated.
• If you attempt to paste a library item into a location containing another item by the same name, select whether to
replace the existing item.
See also
“Work with common libraries” on page 68
Undo, redo, and history
Undo, Redo, and Repeat commands
To undo or redo actions on individual objects, or all objects within the current document, specify either object-level
or document-level Undo and Redo commands (Edit > Undo or Edit Redo). The default behavior is document-level
Undo and Redo.
You cannot undo some actions when using object-level Undo. Among these are entering and exiting Edit mode;
selecting, editing, and moving library items; and creating, deleting, and moving scenes.
To remove deleted items from a document after using the Undo command, use the Save And Compact command.
To reapply a step to the same object or to a different object, use the Repeat command. For example, if you move a
shape named shape_A, select Edit > Repeat to move the shape again, or select another shape, shape_B, and select
Edit > Repeat to move the second shape by the same amount.
By default, Flash supports 100 levels of undo for the Undo menu command. Select the number of undo and redo
levels, from 2 to 9999, in Flash Preferences.
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See also
“Set preferences in Flash” on page 27
“Automating tasks with the Commands menu” on page 49
Permanently remove items deleted with Undo
By default, when you undo a step using Edit > Undo or the History panel, the file size of the document does not
change, even if you delete an item in the document. For example, if you import a video file into a document, and
undo the import, the file size of the document still includes the size of the video file. Any items that you delete from
a document when performing an Undo command are preserved to restore the items with a Redo command. To
permanently remove the deleted items from the document, and reduce the document file size, select File > Save And
Compact.
Using the History panel
The History panel (Window > Other Panels > History) shows a list of the steps you’ve performed in the active
document since you created or opened that document, up to a specified maximum number of steps. (The History
panel doesn’t show steps you’ve performed in other documents.) The slider in the History panel initially points to
the last step that you performed.
To undo or redo individual steps or multiple steps at once, use the History panel. Apply steps from the History panel
to the same object or to a different object in the document. However, you cannot rearrange the order of steps in the
History panel. The History panel is a record of steps in the order in which they are performed.
Note: If you undo a step or a series of steps and then do something new in the document, you can no longer redo the steps
in the History panel; they disappear from the panel.
To remove deleted items from a document after you undo a step in the History panel, use the Save And Compact
command.
By default, Flash supports 100 levels of undo for the History panel. Select the number of undo and redo levels, from
2 to 9999, in Flash Preferences.
To erase the history list for the current document, clear the History panel. After clearing the history list, you cannot
undo the steps that are cleared. Clearing the history list does not undo steps; it removes the record of those steps from
the current document’s memory.
Closing a document clears its history. To use steps from a document after that document is closed, copy the steps
with the Copy Steps command or save the steps as a command.
See also
“Set preferences in Flash” on page 27
“Automating tasks with the Commands menu” on page 49
Undo steps with the History panel
When you undo a step, the step is dimmed in the History panel.
• To undo the last step performed, drag the History panel slider up one step in the list.
• To undo multiple steps at once, drag the slider to point to any step, or click to the left of a step along the path of
the slider. The slider scrolls automatically to that step, undoing all subsequent steps as it scrolls.
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Note: Scrolling to a step (and selecting the subsequent steps) is different from selecting an individual step. To scroll to a
step, click to the left of the step.
Replay steps with the History panel
When you replay steps with the History panel, the steps that play are the steps that are selected (highlighted) in the
History panel, not necessarily the step currently indicated by the slider.
Apply steps in the History panel to any selected object in the document.
Replay one step
❖ In the History panel, select a step and click the Replay button.
Replay a series of adjacent steps
1 Select steps in the History panel by doing one of the following:
• Drag from one step to another. (Don’t drag the slider; drag from the text label of one step to the text label of
another step.)
• Select the first step, then Shift-click the last step; or select the last step and Shift-click the first step.
2 Click Replay. The steps replay in order, and a new step, labeled Replay Steps, appears in the History panel.
Replay nonadjacent steps
1 Select a step in the History panel, and Control-click (Windows) or Command-click (Macintosh) other steps. To
deselect a selected step, Control-click or Command-click.
2 Click Replay.
Copy and paste steps between documents
Each open document has its own history of steps. To copy steps from one document and paste them into another,
use the Copy Steps command in the History panel options menu. If you copy steps into a text editor, the steps are
pasted as JavaScript code.
1 In the document containing the steps to reuse, select the steps in the History panel.
2 In the History panel options menu, select Copy Steps.
3 Open the document to paste the steps into.
4 Select an object to apply the steps to.
5 Select Edit > Paste to paste the steps. The steps play back as they’re pasted into the document’s History panel. The
History panel shows them as only one step, called Paste Steps.
Automating tasks with the Commands menu
Create and manage commands
To repeat the same task, create a command in the Commands menu from steps in the History panel and reuse the
command. Steps replay exactly as they were originally performed. You can’t modify the steps as you replay them.
To use steps the next time you start Flash, create and save a command. Saved commands are retained permanently,
unless you delete them. Steps that you copy using the History panel Copy Steps command are discarded when you
copy something else.
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Create a command from selected steps in the History panel. Rename or delete commands in the Manage Saved
Commands dialog box.
See also
“Copy and paste steps between documents” on page 49
Create a command
1 Select a step or set of steps in the History panel.
2 Select Save As Command from the History panel options menu.
3 Enter a name for the command and click OK. The command appears in the Commands menu.
Note: The command is saved as a JavaScript file (with the extension .jsfl) in your Commands folder. This folder is in the
following locations: Windows 2000 or Windows XP: boot drive\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application Data\Adobe\Flash CS3\\Configuration\Commands; Mac OS X: Macintosh
HD/Users//Library/Application Support/Adobe/Flash CS3//Configuration/Commands.
Edit the names of commands in the Commands menu
1 Select Commands > Manage Saved Commands.
2 Select a command to rename. enter a new name for it, and click Close.
Delete a name from the Commands menu
1 Select Commands > Manage Saved Commands, and select a command.
2 Click Delete, and click Close.
Run commands
• To use a saved command, select the command from the Commands menu.
• To run a JavaScript or Flash JavaScript command, select Commands > Run Command, navigate to the script to
run, and click Open.
Get more commands
Use the Get More Commands option in the Commands menu to link to the Flash Exchange website at
www.adobe.com/go/flash_exchange and download commands that other Flash users have posted. For more information on the commands posted there, see the Flash Exchange website.
1 Make sure you are connected to the Internet.
2 Select Commands > Get More Commands.
Steps that can’t be used in commands
Some tasks can’t be saved as commands or repeated using the Edit > Repeat menu item. These commands can be
undone and redone, but they cannot be repeated.
Examples of actions that can’t be saved as commands or repeated include selecting a frame or modifying a document
size. If you attempt to save an unrepeatable action as a command, the command is not saved.
51
Chapter 3: Creating and managing
documents
When you create and save Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional documents within the Flash authoring environment, the
documents are in FLA file format. To display a document in Adobe® Flash® Player, you must publish or export the
document as a SWF file.
You can add media assets to a Flash document and manage the assets in the library, and you can use the Movie
Explorer to view and organize all the elements in a Flash document. The Undo and Redo commands, the History
panel, and the Commands menu let you automate tasks in a document.
Working with Flash documents
About Flash files
In Flash you can work with a variety of file types, each of which has a separate purpose:
• FLA files, the primary files you work with in Flash, contain the basic media, timeline, and script information for
a Flash document. Media objects are the graphic, text, sound, and video objects that comprise the content of your
Flash document. The Timeline is where you tell Flash when specific media objects should appear on the Stage. You
can add ActionScript™ code to Flash documents to more finely control their behavior and to make them respond
to user interactions.
• SWF files, the compiled versions of FLA files, are the files you display in a web page. When you publish your FLA
file, Flash creates a SWF file.
• AS files are ActionScript files—you can use these to keep some or all of your ActionScript code outside of your
FLA files, which is helpful for code organization and for projects that have multiple people working on different
parts of the Flash content.
• SWC files contain the reusable Flash components. Each SWC file contains a compiled movie clip, ActionScript
code, and any other assets that the component requires.
• ASC files are files used to store ActionScript that will be executed on a computer running Flash Media Server.
These files provide the ability to implement server-side logic that works in conjunction with ActionScript in a
SWF file.
• JSFL files are JavaScript files that you can use to add new functionality to the Flash authoring tool.
• FLP files are Flash project files. You can use Flash projects to manage multiple document files in a single project.
Flash projects allow you to group multiple, related files together to create complex applications.
For video tutorials about working with Flash files, see the following:
• www.adobe.com/go/vid0117
• www.adobe.com/go/vid0118
See also
“About the Timeline” on page 33
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Create or open a document and set its properties
You can create a new document or open a previously saved document in Flash, and you can open a new window as
you work. You can set properties for new or existing documents.
For a text tutorial about creating your first Flash file, see Create your First File on the Flash Tutorials page at
www.adobe.com/go/learn_fl_tutorials.
For video tutorials, see:
• Working with Flash files: www.adobe.com/go/vid0117
See also
“Set preferences in Flash” on page 27
“Publishing Flash content” on page 418
Create a new document
1 Select File > New.
2 On the General tab, select Flash Document.
Create a new document of the same type as the last document created (Windows only)
❖ Click the New File button in the main toolbar.
Create a new document from a template
1 Select File > New.
2 Click the Templates tab.
3 Select a category from the Category list, select a document from the Category Items list, and click OK. You can
select standard templates that come with Flash or a template you have already saved.
Open an existing document
1 Select File > Open.
2 In the Open dialog box, navigate to the file or enter the path to the file in the Go To box.
3 Click Open.
Open a new window in the current document
❖ Select Window > Duplicate Window.
Set properties for a new or existing document
1 With the document open, select Modify > Document.
The Document Properties dialog box appears.
2 To embed metadata within your SWF files, enter a descriptive title in the Title box, and enter a description in the
Description box.
Embedding metadata improves the ability of web-based search engines to return meaningful search results for Flash
content. Descriptions can author and copyright information, and short descriptions about the content and its
purpose. The search metadata is based on the RDF (Resource Description Framework) and XMP (Extensible
Metadata Platform) specifications and is stored in Flash in a W3C-compliant format.
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The title and description you enter is a human readable title and a human readable description. These fields are not
intended for keywords to provide greater search results. Instead, these fields are made available to search engines that
index SWF files, and display the contents of the title and description field in their search results. Search metadata
can be exported to any version of Flash. While it was introduced in Flash 8, Flash Player ignores tags it does not
understand, thus Flash 8 exports it to all versions.
Note: Flash lets you make the settings you specify in the Document Properties dialog box the default settings for any
Flash document that you create. The exception to this is the Title and Description, which you need to specify for each
Flash document that you create.
3 For Frame Rate, enter the number of animation frames to appear every second.
For most computer-displayed animations, especially those playing from a website, 8 frames per second (fps) to 12
fps (the default) is sufficient.
4 For Dimensions, set the Stage size:
• To specify the Stage size in pixels, enter values in the Width and Height boxes. The minimum size is 1 x 1 pixels;
the maximum is 2880 x 2880 pixels.
• To set the Stage size so that there is equal space around the content on all sides, click the Contents button to the
right of Match. To minimize document size, align all elements to the upper-left corner of the Stage, and then click
Contents.
• To set the Stage size to the maximum available print area, click Printer. This area is determined by the paper size
minus the current margin selected in the Margins area of the Page Setup dialog box (Windows) or the Print
Margins dialog box (Macintosh).
• To set the Stage size to the default size, 550 x 400 pixels, click Default.
5 To set the background color of your document, click the triangle in the Background Color control and select a
color from the palette.
6 To specify the unit of measure for rulers that you can display along the top and side of the application window,
select an option from the pop-up menu in the upper right. (This setting also determines the units used in the Info
panel.)
7 Do one of the following:
• To make the new settings the default properties for the current document only, click OK.
• To make the new settings the default properties for all new documents, click Make Default.
Change document properties using the Property inspector
1 Deselect all assets, then select the Selection tool.
2 In the Property inspector (Window > Properties > Properties), click the Size control to display the Document
Properties dialog box.
3 To select a background color, click the triangle in the Background color control and select a color from the palette.
4 For Frame Rate, enter the number of animation frames to appear every second.
5 For Publish, click the Settings button to display the Publish Settings dialog box with the Flash tab selected. For
more information, see “Publishing Flash documents” on page 418.
6 If you are developing content for mobile devices such as cell phones, click the Settings button to display the Device
Settings dialog box, which lets you choose devices to test mobile content and provides information on ActionScript
support for each device you select.
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Note: The Device Settings button can be used only if your publish settings are set to a supported version of Flash Lite.
View a document when multiple documents are open
When you open multiple documents, tabs at the top of the Document window identify the open documents and let
you easily navigate among them. Tabs appear only when documents are maximized in the Document window.
❖ Click the tab of the document you want to view.
By default, tabs appear in the order in which the documents were created. You can drag the document tabs to change
their order.
Save Flash documents
You can save a Flash FLA document using its current name and location or using a different name or location.
When a document contains unsaved changes, an asterisk (*) appears after the document name in the document title
bar, the application title bar, and the document tab. When you save the document, the asterisk is removed.
Save a Flash document
1 Do one of the following:
• To overwrite the current version on the disk, select File > Save.
• To save the document in a different location and/or with a different name, or to compress the document, select
File > Save As.
2 If you selected Save As, or if the document has never been saved before, enter the filename and location.
3 Click Save.
Revert to the last saved version of a document
❖ Select File > Revert.
Save a document as a template
1 Select File > Save As Template.
2 In the Save As Template dialog box, enter a name for the template in the Name box.
3 Select a category from the Category pop-up menu, or enter a name to create a new category.
4 Enter a description of the template in the Description box (up to 255 characters), and click OK.
The description appears when the template is selected in the New Document dialog box.
Save a document as a Flash 8 document
1 Select File > Save As.
2 Enter the filename and location.
3 Select Flash 8 Document from the Format pop-up menu, and click Save.
Important: If an alert message indicates that content will be deleted if you save in Flash 8 format, click Save As Flash 8
to continue. This might happen if your document contains features, such as graphic effects or behaviors, that are
available only in Flash 9. Flash does not preserve these features when you save the document in Flash 8 format.
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Save documents when quitting Flash
1 Select File > Exit (Windows) or Flash > Quit Flash (Macintosh).
2 If you have documents open with unsaved changes, Flash prompts you to save or discard the changes for each
document.
• Click Yes to save the changes and close the document.
• Click No to close the document without saving the changes.
Working with other Adobe applications
Flash is designed to work with other Adobe applications to enable a broad range of creative workflows. You can
import Illustrator and Photoshop files directly into Flash. You can also create video from Flash and edit it in Premier
Pro or After Effects, or import video from either of those applications into Flash. When publishing your Flash
content, you can use Dreamweaver to embed the content in your web pages, and launch Flash directly from within
Dreamweaver to edit the content.
See also
“Working with Illustrator and Flash” on page 134
“Working with Photoshop and Flash” on page 147
“Working with Premier Pro and After Effects” on page 316
“Edit a SWF file from Dreamweaver in Flash” on page 419
Creating and previewing mobile content with Adobe
Device Central
Access Adobe components from Adobe Device Central
1 Start Device Central.
2 Select File > New Document In > Flash, Illustrator, or Photoshop.
In Device Central, the New Document panel appears with the correct options to create a new mobile document in
the selected application.
3 Make any necessary changes, such a selecting a new Player Version, ActionScript Version, or Content type.
4 Do one of the following:
• Select the Custom Size for All Selected Devices option and add a width and height (in pixels).
• Select a device or multiple devices from the Device Sets list or Available Devices list.
5 If you selected multiple devices, Device Central selects a size for you. If you want to select a different size, click on
a different device or set of devices.
6 Click Create.
The selected application opens with a new mobile document ready to edit.
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Create mobile content with Adobe Device Central and Flash CS3
1 Start Flash.
2 On the main Flash screen, select Create New > Flash File (Mobile).
Flash opens Device Central and displays the New Document tab.
3 In Device Central, select a Player version and ActionScript version.
The Available Devices list on the left is updated. Devices that do not support the selected Player version and ActionScript version are dimmed.
4 Select a content type.
The Available Devices list on the left is updated and shows the devices that support the content type (as well as the
Player version and ActionScript version) selected.
5 In the Available Devices list, select a single target device or multiple devices (or select a set or individual device in
the Device Sets list).
Device Central lists proposed document sizes based on the device or devices you selected (if the devices have
different display sizes). Depending on the design or content you are developing, you can create a separate mobile
document for each display size or try to find one size appropriate for all devices. When choosing the second
approach, you may want to use the smallest or largest suggested document size as a common denominator. You can
even specify a custom size at the bottom of the tab.
6 Click Create.
Flash starts up and creates a document with preset publish settings from Device Central, including the correct size
for the device (or group of devices) specified.
7 Add content to the new Flash document.
8 To test the document, select Control > Test Movie.
The new document is displayed in the Device Central Emulator tab. If one or more devices were selected in the
Available Devices list in step 5, a new device set is created (named according to the FLA file) and listed in the Device
Sets panel. The device shown in the Emulator tab is listed in the Device Sets panel with a special icon . To test the
new Flash document on another device, double-click the name of a different device in the Device Sets or Available
Devices lists.
For tutorials about creating content using Flash and Device Central, see http://www.adobe.com/go/vid0186 and
http://www.adobe.com/go/vid0206.
Create mobile content with Adobe Device Central and Photoshop
1 Start Photoshop.
2 Select File > New.
3 Click Device Central to close the dialog box in Photoshop and open Device Central.
4 Select a content type.
The available Devices list on the left is updated and shows the devices that support the content type selected.
5 In the Available Devices list, select a single target device or multiple devices (or select a set or individual device in
the Device Sets list).
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Device Central lists proposed document sizes based on the device or devices you selected (if the devices have
different display sizes). Depending on the design or content you are developing, you can create a separate mobile
document for each display size or try to find one size appropriate for all devices. When choosing the second
approach, you may want to use the smallest or largest suggested document size as a common denominator. You can
even specify a custom size at the bottom of the tab.
6 Click Create.
A blank PSD file with the specified size opens in Photoshop. The new file has the following parameters set by default:
• Color Mode: RGB/8bit
• Resolution: 72 ppi
• Color Profile: SRGB IEC61966-2.1
7 Fill the blank PSD file with content in Photoshop.
8 When you finish, select File > Save For Web & Devices.
9 In the Save For Web & Devices dialog box, select the desired format and change other export settings as desired.
10 Click Device Central.
A temporary file with the export settings specified is displayed in the Device Central Emulator tab. To continue
testing, double-click the name of a different device in the Device Sets or Available Devices lists.
11 If, after previewing the file in Device Central, you need to make changes to the file, go back to Photoshop.
12 In the Photoshop Save For Web & Devices dialog box, make adjustments, such as selecting a different format or
quality for export.
13 To test the file again with the new export settings, click the Device Central button.
14 When you are satisfied with the results, click Save in the Photoshop Save For Web & Devices dialog box.
Note: To simply open Device Central from Photoshop (instead of creating and testing a file), select File > Device Central.
For a tutorial about creating content using Photoshop and Device Central, see http://www.adobe.com/go/vid0185.
Create mobile content with Adobe Device Central and Illustrator
1 Start Illustrator.
2 Select File > New.
3 In New Document Profile, select Mobile and Devices.
4 Click Device Central to close the dialog box in Illustrator and open Device Central.
5 Select a content type.
The available Devices list on the left is updated and shows the devices that support the content type selected.
6 In Device Central, select a device, several devices, or a device set.
Based on the device(s) selected and content type, Device Central suggests one or multiple artboard sizes to be
created. To create one document at a time, select a suggested document size (or select the Custom Size for all selected
Devices option and enter custom values for Width and Height).
7 Click Create.
A blank AI file of the specified size opens in Illustrator. The new file has the following parameters set by default:
• Color Mode: RGB
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• Raster Resolution: 72 ppi
8 Fill the blank AI file with content in Illustrator.
9 When you finish, select File > Save For Web & Devices.
10 In the Save for Web & Devices dialog, select the desired format and change other export settings as desired.
11 Click Device Central.
A temporary file with the export settings specified is displayed in the Device Central Emulator tab. To continue
testing, double-click the name of a different device in the Device Sets or Available Devices lists.
12 If, after previewing the file in Device Central, you need to make changes to the file, go back to Illustrator.
13 On the Illustrator Save for Web & Devices dialog, make adjustments such as selecting a different format or
quality for export.
14 To test the file again with the new export settings, click the Device Central button.
15 When you are satisfied with the results, click Save in the Illustrator Save for Web & Devices dialog.
Note: To simply open Device Central from Illustrator (instead of creating and testing a file), select File > Device Central.
For a tutorial about creating content with Illustrator and Device Central, see http://www.adobe.com/go/vid0207.
Preview a movie on a virtual mobile device using Adobe Premiere Pro
Using Adobe Device Central, you can preview movies formatted for mobile devices in emulations of those devices.
This option is available for most of the H.264 formats listed in the Adobe Media Encoder.
1 On Windows computers, make sure QuickTime is installed.
2 Start Adobe Premiere Pro.
3 Open the file to preview.
4 Select the file in the project area or Timeline.
5 Choose File > Export > Adobe Media Encoder.
6 In the Export Settings area of the Export Settings Window, select H.264 from the Format drop-down menu.
7 Select a mobile preset (e.g., 3GPP).
Open in Device Central should be checked by default.
8 Click OK.
9 Name and save the file.
The file is rendered.
10 A temporary file is displayed in the Device Central Emulator tab. To continue testing, double-click the name of
a different device in the Device Sets or Available Devices lists.
Preview a movie on a virtual mobile device using After Effects
Using Adobe Device Central, you can preview movies formatted for mobile devices in emulations of those devices.
This option is available for most of the H.264 formats listed in the Adobe Media Encoder.
1 Start After Effects.
2 In the Project panel, select the composition to preview.
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3 Choose Composition > Add to Render Queue.
4 In the Render Queue panel, click the underlined text to the right of Output Module, or select Custom from the
Output Module menu.
5 In the Output Modules Settings dialog box, choose H.264 from the Format menu.
6 In the Export Settings section of the H.264 dialog box, select Open in Device Central.
7 Modify other settings as desired and click OK.
8 Click OK to close the Output Module Settings dialog box.
9 In the Render Queue panel, click Render.
Rendering may take a few minutes, depending on the size of the file. When rendering is complete, a temporary file
is displayed in the Adobe Device Central Emulator tab. To continue testing, double-click the name of a different
device in the Device Sets or Available Devices lists.
Preview mobile content with Adobe Device Central and Dreamweaver
To preview pages created in Dreamweaver on various mobile devices, use Device Central with its built-in Opera
Small-Screen Rendering feature. Different devices have different browsers installed, but the preview can give a good
impression of how content will look and behave on a selected device.
1 Start Dreamweaver.
2 Open a file.
3 Do one of the following:
• Select File > Preview in Browser > Device Central.
• On the document window toolbar, click and hold the Preview/Debug In browser button
and select Preview In
Device Central.
The file is displayed in the Device Central Emulator tab. To continue testing, double-click the name of a different
device in the Device Sets or Available Devices lists.
Access Adobe Device Central from Adobe Bridge
To access Device Central from Adobe Bridge, select an individual file. The supported formats are: SWF, JPG, JPEG,
PNG, GIF, WBM, MOV, 3GP, M4V, MP4, MPG, MPEG, AVI, HTM, HTML, XHTML, CHTML, URL, and
WEBLOC.
1 Start Adobe Bridge.
2 Do one of the following:
• Select a file and click File > Test in Device Central.
• Right-click a file and select Test in Device Central.
The file is displayed in the Device Central Emulator tab. To continue testing, double-click the name of a different
device in the Device Sets or Available Devices lists.
Note: To browse device profiles or to create mobile documents, select Tools > Device Central. Device Central opens with
the Devices Profiles tab shown.
For a tutorial about using Adobe Bridge and Device Central, see http://www.adobe.com/go/vid0208.
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Working with projects
About projects
You can use Flash projects (FLP files) to manage multiple document files in a single project. Flash projects allow you
to group multiple, related files together to create complex applications.
You can use version-control features with projects to ensure that the correct file versions are used during editing, and
to prevent accidental overwriting.
Flash projects include the following features:
• A Flash project can contain any Flash or other file type, including previous versions of FLA and SWF files.
• You can add an existing file to a Flash project. Each file can be added to a particular Flash project only once. Files
can be organized in nested folders.
• A Flash project is an XML file with the file extension .flp—for example, myProject.flp. The XML file references all
the document files contained in the Flash project.
• A Flash project can contain another Flash project (FLP file).
• Changes that you make to a project are updated to the FLP file immediately, so the file is always current; you do
not need to do save the file.
• You can create a Flash project in the Flash authoring environment, or you can create the XML file for a Flash
project in an external application.
• Flash projects use UTF-8 text encoding. All filenames and folder names in a Flash project must be UTF-8
compatible.
Create and manage projects
You use the Project panel (Window > Project) to create and manage projects. The panel displays the contents of a
Flash project in a collapsible tree structure. The panel title bar displays the project name.
If a project file is missing (not in its specified location), a Missing File icon appears next to the filename. You can
search for the missing file or delete the file from the project.
When you publish a project, each FLA file in the project is published with the publish profile specified for that file.
Only one project can be open at one time. If a project is open and you open or create another project, Flash automatically saves and closes the first file.
See also
“Using publish profiles” on page 434
View the Project pop-up menu
❖ When a project is open, click the Project button at the upper-left corner of the Project panel.
Create a new project
1 Do one of the following:
• Select File > New. On the General tab, select Flash Project.
• Select New Project from the Project pop-up menu in the Project panel (visible only if a project is open).
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• If no other project is open, open the Project panel and select Create A New Project in the panel window.
• If no project is currently open, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) in the Document window of
a saved Flash document or ActionScript file and select Add To New Project from the context menu.
2 In the New Project dialog box, enter a name for the project and click Save.
Open an existing project
❖ Do one of the following:
• Select Open Project from the Project pop-up menu in the Project panel. Navigate to the project and click Open.
• Double-click the filename.
• If no other project is open, open the Project panel and select Open An Existing Project in the panel window.
Navigate to the project and click Open.
• Select File > Open. Navigate to the project and click Open.
Add a file to a project
❖ Do one of the following:
• Click the Add Files (+) button at the lower-right corner of the Project panel. Select one or more files and click Add.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) in the Document window of an open FLA or AS file and
select Add To Project from the context menu.
Note: A file must be saved before you can add it to a project. You can add a file to a given project only once. If you attempt
to add a file to the same project more than once, an error message appears.
Create a folder
1 Click the Folder button at the lower-right corner of the Project panel.
2 Enter a name for the folder and click OK.
Note: Folders at the same level on the same branch of the project tree structure must have unique names. If there is a
folder name conflict, an error message appears.
Move a file or folder
❖ Drag the file or folder to a new location in the project tree structure. When you move a folder, all of its contents
are moved.
Note: If you drag a folder to a location with another folder of the same name, Flash merges the contents of the two folders
in the new location.
Delete a file or folder
1 Select the item in the Project panel.
2 Do one of the following:
• Click the Remove button at the lower-right corner of the Project panel.
• Press the Delete key.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the file or folder and select Remove from the context menu.
Open a file from the Project panel in Flash
❖ Double-click the filename in the Project panel.
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If the file is of a native file type (a type supported by the Flash authoring tool), the file opens in Flash. If the file is a
nonnative file type, the file opens in the application used to create it.
Test a project
1 Click Test Project in the Project panel.
2 If the project contains no FLA, HTML, or HTM file, an error message appears. Click OK and add a file of the
appropriate type.
3 If no FLA, HTML, or HTM file is designated as the default document, an error message appears. Click OK. In the
Select Default Document dialog box, select a document and click OK.
When a default document is present, the Test Project feature publishes all FLA files in the document. If the default
document is a FLA file, the Test Movie command is executed. If it is an HTML file, a browser is opened.
Specify a publish profile for a FLA file in a project
1 Select the file in the Project panel and do one of the following:
• Select Settings from the Project pop-up menu.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) and select Settings from the context menu.
2 In the Project Settings dialog box, select the FLA file in the tree structure.
3 Select a publish profile from the Profile menu.
Publish a project
❖ Select Publish Project from the Project pop-up menu.
Note: Flash uses default publish profiles to publish FLA files in the project, unless you select other profiles.
Save files in a project when testing or publishing
1 Select Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Flash > Preferences (Macintosh) and click General in the Category list.
2 Under Project Preferences, click Save Files On Test or Publish Project.
When this option is selected, Flash saves all open files in the current project before executing the Test Project or
Publish Project operation.
Close a project
❖ Select Close Project from the Project pop-up menu.
Set preferences to close all files or not close all files when you close a project
1 Select Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Flash > Preferences (Macintosh) and click General in the Category list.
2 Under Project Preferences, select or deselect Close Files with Project. When this option is selected, by default,
Flash closes all files in a project when you close the project.
Rename a project or a folder
1 Select the project name or folder name in the Project panel and do one of the following:
• Select Rename from the Project pop-up menu.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the item and select Rename from the context menu.
2 Enter a new name and click OK.
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Note: By default, a project is given the same name as the first file added to the project. To rename a project, you must
use the Rename menu item. Renaming the FLP file for a project does not rename the project.
Find a missing file in a project
A file that is part of a project can appear to be missing if it is moved from its original location relative to the other
files in the project.
1 Select the filename (designated by a Missing File icon) in the Project panel.
2 Select Find Missing File from the Project pop-up menu, or right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh)
and select Find Missing File from the context menu.
3 Navigate to the file and click OK.
Use version control with projects
Version control lets you ensure that each author working in a project file is always using the latest version of a file,
and that multiple authors do not overwrite each other’s work.
To use version-control features, you must define a site for the project. You can specify a local, network, or FTP
connection, or you can specify custom plug-ins for version-control systems.
On Windows, you can use Flash projects with SourceSafe.
Define a site for version control
1 Create a new project and add files.
2 Select File > Edit Sites.
3 In the Edit Sites dialog box, click New.
4 In the Site Definition dialog box, enter the site name, the local root path, and the e-mail address and name of the user.
5 To specify a local, network, or FTP connection, select Local/Network or FTP from the Connection menu. Enter
the location information for the Local/Network path or for the FTP connection and skip the next step.
6 (Windows only) To specify a Visual SourceSafe database, select SourceSafe Database from the Connection menu.
a In the Database Path box, click Browse to browse for the VSS database you want, or enter the full file path. The
file you select becomes the srcsafe.ini file used to initialize SourceSafe.
b In the Project box, enter the project within the VSS database that you want to use as the remote site’s root directory.
c In the Username and Password boxes, enter your login user name and password for the selected database. If you
don’t know your user name and password, check with your system administrator.
d Click OK to return to the Site Definition dialog box.
Note: You must have Microsoft Visual SourceSafe Client version 6 installed.
7 In the Project panel (Window > Project), select Settings from the Project pop-up menu or context menu.
8 In the Project Settings dialog box, select the site definition from the Site menu in the Version Control section.
Click OK.
9 In the Project pop-up menu, select Check In. Flash checks all files in the current project into the site.
Edit a file with version control applied
1 Open the project that contains the file.
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2 Select the file in the tree structure in the project panel and select Check Out from the project context menu.
The icon next to the filename indicates that the file is checked out.
3 To check a file back in, select the file in the project panel and select Check In from the project context menu.
The icon next to the filename indicates that the file is checked in.
Open a file from a version-control site
1 Select File > Open from Site.
2 In the Open From Site dialog box, select the site from the Site menu.
3 Select the file in the site.
4 If the file exists on your local system, a message appears indicating whether the file is checked out and, if so, asking
whether you want to overwrite it. Click Yes to overwrite the local version with the version from the remote site.
Troubleshooting remote folder setup for Flash projects
A web server can be configured in many ways. The following information can help you resolve some common issues
in setting up a remote folder for version control:
• The Flash FTP implementation may not work properly with certain proxy servers, multilevel firewalls, and other
forms of indirect server access. If you have problems with FTP access, ask your local system administrator for help.
• In some applications, you can connect to any remote directory, then navigate through the remote file system to
find the directory you want. However, for the Flash FTP implementation, you must connect to the remote system’s
root folder. Be sure to indicate the remote system’s root folder as the host directory.
• If you have problems connecting, and you’ve specified the host directory using a single slash (/), you might need
to specify a relative path between the directory you are connecting to and the remote root folder. For example, if
the remote root folder is a higher-level directory, you may need to specify a ../../ for the host directory.
• Filenames and folder names that contain spaces and special characters often cause problems when transferred to
a remote site. Use underscores in place of spaces, and avoid special characters wherever possible, especially colons,
slashes, periods, and apostrophes.
• If problems persist, try uploading with an external FTP program to determine if the problem is specific to using
FTP in Flash.
Adding media to the library
Managing media assets with the Flash document library
The library in a Flash document stores media assets that you create in the Flash authoring environment or import to
use in the document. You can create vector artwork or text directly in Flash; import vector artwork, bitmaps, video,
and sound; and create symbols. A symbol is a graphic, a button, a movie clip, or text that you create once and can
reuse multiple times. You can also use ActionScript to add media content to a document dynamically.
The library also contains any components that you have added to your document. Components appear in the library
as compiled clips.
You can open the library of any Flash document while you are working in Flash, to make the library items from that
file available for the current document.
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You can create permanent libraries in your Flash application that are available whenever you start Flash. Flash also
includes several sample libraries containing buttons, graphics, movie clips, and sounds.
You can export library assets as a SWF file to a URL to create a runtime-shared library. This lets you link to the library
assets from Flash documents that import symbols using runtime sharing.
See also
“Working with text” on page 260
“Using imported artwork” on page 132
“Working with sound” on page 291
“Working with video” on page 300
“Using symbols, instances, and library assets” on page 207
Work with libraries
The Library panel (Window > Library) displays a scroll list with the names of all items in the library, which lets you
view and organize these elements as you work. An icon next to an item’s name in the Library panel indicates the item’s
file type.
Open a library in another Flash file
1 From the current document, select File > Import > Open External Library.
2 Navigate to the Flash file whose library you want to open and click Open.
The selected file’s library opens in the current document, with the filename at the top of the Library panel. To use
items from the selected file’s library in the current document, drag the items to the current document’s Library panel
or to the Stage.
Resize the Library panel
❖ Do one of the following:
• Drag the lower-right corner of the panel.
• Click the Wide State button to enlarge the Library panel so it shows all the columns.
• Click the Narrow State button to reduce the width of the Library panel.
Change the width of columns
❖ Position the pointer between column headers and drag to resize.
You cannot change the order of columns.
Access the Panel menu for the Library panel
❖ Click the Panel menu button in the Library panel’s title bar.
Work with library items
When you select an item in the Library panel, a thumbnail preview of the item appears at the top of the Library panel.
If the selected item is animated or is a sound file, you can use the Play button in the library preview window or the
Controller to preview the item.
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Use a library item in the current document
❖ Drag the item from the Library panel onto the Stage.
The item is added to the current layer.
Convert an object on the Stage to a symbol in the library
❖ Drag the item from the Stage onto the current Library panel.
Use a library item from the current document in another document
❖ Drag the item from the Library panel or Stage into the Library panel or Stage of another document.
Copy library items from a different document
1 Select the document that contains the library items.
2 Select the library items in the Library panel.
3 Select Edit > Copy.
4 Select the document that you want to copy the library items to.
5 Select that document’s Library panel.
6 Select Edit > Paste.
Work with folders in the Library panel
You can organize items in the Library panel using folders. When you create a new symbol, it is stored in the selected
folder. If no folder is selected, the symbol is stored at the root of the library.
Create a new folder
❖ Click the New Folder button
at the bottom of the Library panel.
Open or close a folder
❖ Double-click the folder, or Select the folder and select Expand Folder or Collapse Folder from the Panel menu for
the Library panel.
Open or close all folders
❖ Select Expand All Folders or Collapse All Folders from the Panel menu for the Library panel.
Move an item between folders
❖ Drag the item from one folder to another.
If an item with the same name exists in the new location, Flash prompts you to replace it with the item you are
moving.
Sort items in the Library panel
Columns in the Library panel list the name of an item, its type, the number of times it’s used in the file, its linkage
status and identifier (if the item is associated with a shared library or is exported for ActionScript), and the date on
which it was last modified.
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You can sort items in the Library panel alphanumerically by any column. Items are sorted within folders.
❖ Click the column header to sort by that column. Click the triangle button to the right of the column headers to
reverse the sort order.
Edit a library item
1 Select the item in the Library panel.
2 Select one of the following from the Panel menu for the Library panel:
• To edit an item in Flash, select Edit.
• To edit an item in another application, select Edit With and then select an external application.
Note: When starting a supported external editor, Flash opens the original imported document.
Rename a library item
Changing the library item name of an imported file does not change the filename.
1 Do one of the following:
• Double-click the item’s name.
• Select the item and select Rename from the Panel menu for the Library panel.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the item and select Rename from the context menu.
2 Enter the new name in the box.
Delete a library item
When you delete an item from the library, all instances or occurrences of that item in the document are also deleted
unless you specify that they not be.
1 Select the item and click the trash can icon at the bottom of the Library panel.
2 In the warning box that appears, select Delete Symbol Instances (the default) to delete the library item and all its
instances. Deselect the option to delete only the symbol, which leaves the instances on the Stage.
3 Click Delete.
Find unused library items
To organize your document, you can find unused library items and delete them.
Note: It is not necessary to delete unused library items to reduce a Flash document’s file size, because unused library
items are not included in the SWF file. However, items linked for export are included in the SWF file.
❖ Do one of the following:
• Select Unused Items from the Panel menu for the Library panel.
• Sort library items by the Use Count column, which indicates whether an item is in use.
See also
“Using shared library assets” on page 218
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Update imported files in the library
If you use an external editor to modify files that you have imported into Flash, such as bitmaps or sound files, you
can update the files in Flash without reimporting them. You can also update symbols that you have imported from
external Flash documents. Updating an imported file replaces its contents with the contents of the external file.
1 Select the imported file in the Library panel.
2 Select Update from the Panel menu for the Library panel.
Work with common libraries
You can use the sample common libraries included with Flash to add buttons or sounds to your documents. You can
also create custom common libraries, which you can then use with any documents that you create.
See also
“Configuration folders installed with Flash” on page 416
Use an item from a common library in a document
1 Select Window > Common Libraries, and select a library from the submenu.
2 Drag an item from the common library into the library for the current document.
Create a common library for your Flash application
1 Create a Flash file with a library containing the symbols that you want to include in the common library.
2 Place the Flash file in the user-level Libraries folder on your hard disk.
• On Windows, the path is C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Adobe\Flash
CS3\language\Configuration\Libraries\.
• On Mac OS, the path is Hard Disk/Users/username/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Flash
CS3/language/Configuration/Libraries/.
Working with timelines
About frames and keyframes
Like films, Flash documents divide lengths of time into frames. In the Timeline, you work with these frames to
organize and control your document’s content. You place frames in the Timeline in the order you want the objects
in the frames to appear in your finished content.
A keyframe is a frame in which you define a change to an object’s properties for an animation or include ActionScript
code to control some aspect of your document. You can also arrange keyframes in the Timeline to edit the sequence
of events in an animation. Flash can tween, or automatically fill in, the frames between keyframes in order to produce
fluid animations. Because keyframes let you produce animation without drawing each individual frame, they make
creating animation easier.
For a video tutorial about the Timeline, keyframes, and frame rates, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0123.
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See also
“Creating animation” on page 228
“The Timeline” on page 33
Manage frames and keyframes in the Timeline
You can perform the following modifications on frames or keyframes:
• Insert, select, delete, and move frames or keyframes.
• Drag frames and keyframes to a new location on the same layer or on a different layer.
• Copy and paste frames and keyframes.
• Convert keyframes to frames.
• Drag an item from the Library panel onto the Stage to add the item to the current keyframe.
Flash offers two different methods for selecting frames in the Timeline. In frame-based selection (the default) you
select individual frames in the Timeline. In span-based selection, the entire frame sequence, from one keyframe to
the next, is selected when you click any frame in the sequence. You can specify span-based selection in Flash preferences.
Specify span-based frame selection
1 Select Edit > Preferences.
2 Select the General category.
3 In the Timeline section, select Span Based Selection.
4 Click OK.
Insert frames in the Timeline
• To insert a new frame, select Insert > Frame.
• To create a new keyframe, select Insert > Keyframe, or right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the
frame where you want to place a keyframe, and select Insert Keyframe from the context menu.
• To create a new blank keyframe, select Insert > Blank Keyframe, or right-click (Windows) or Control-click
(Macintosh) the frame where you want to place the keyframe, and select Insert Blank Keyframe from the context menu.
Select one or more frames in the Timeline
• To select one frame, click the frame. If you have Span Based Selection enabled, clicking one frame selects the entire
frame sequence between two keyframes.
• To select multiple contiguous frames, Shift-click additional frames.
• To select multiple discontiguous frames, Control-click (Windows) or Command-click (Macintosh) additional
frames.
• To select all frames in the Timeline, select Edit > Timeline > Select All Frames.
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Copy or paste a frame or frame sequence
❖ Do one of the following:
• Select the frame or sequence and select Edit > Timeline > Copy Frames. Select the frame or sequence that you
want to replace, and select Edit > Timeline > Paste Frames.
• Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Macintosh) and drag the keyframe to the location where you want to paste it.
Delete a frame or frame sequence
❖ Select the frame or sequence and select Edit > Timeline > Remove Frame, or right-click (Windows) or
Control-click (Macintosh) the frame or sequence and select Remove Frame from the context menu.
Surrounding frames remain unchanged.
Move a keyframe or frame sequence and its contents
❖ Drag the keyframe or sequence to the desired location.
Change the length of a tweened sequence
❖ Drag the beginning or ending keyframe left or right. To change the length of a frame-by-frame animation
sequence, see “Create frame-by-frame animations” on page 230.
Extend the duration of a keyframe animation
❖ Press Alt (Windows) or Option (Macintosh) and drag the keyframe to the frame that you want to be the final
frame of the sequence.
Convert a keyframe to a frame
❖ Select the keyframe and select Edit > Timeline > Clear Keyframe, or right-click (Windows) or Control-click
(Macintosh) the keyframe and select Clear Keyframe from the context menu.
The Stage contents of the cleared keyframe and all frames up to the subsequent keyframe are replaced with the Stage
contents of the frame preceding the cleared keyframe.
Add an item from the library to the current keyframe
❖ Drag the item from the Library panel onto the Stage.
About multiple timelines and levels
Flash Player has a stacking order of levels. Every Flash document has a main Timeline located at level 0 in Flash
Player. You can use the loadMovie action to load other Flash documents (SWF files) into Flash Player at different
levels.
If you load documents into levels above level 0, the documents stack on top of one another like drawings on transparent paper; when there is no content on the Stage, you can see through to the content on lower levels. If you load
a document into level 0, it replaces the main Timeline. Each document loaded into a level of Flash Player has its own
Timeline.
Timelines can send messages to each other with ActionScript. For example, an action on the last frame of one movie
clip can tell another movie clip to play. To use ActionScript to control a Timeline, you must use a target path to
specify the location of the Timeline.
For a video tutorial about using multiple timelines, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0128.
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About nested movie clips and parent-child hierarchy
When you create a movie clip instance in a Flash document, the movie clip’s Timeline is nested inside the main
Timeline of the document. Each movie clip symbol has its own Timeline. You can also nest a movie clip instance
inside another movie clip symbol.
When a movie clip is nested inside another movie clip, or inside a document, it becomes a child of that movie clip or
document, which becomes the parent. Relationships between nested movie clips are hierarchical: modifications
made to the parent affect the child. The root Timeline for each level is the parent of all the movie clips on its level,
and because it is the topmost Timeline, it has no parent. In the Movie Explorer, you can view the hierarchy of nested
movie clips in a document.
To understand movie clip hierarchy, consider the hierarchy on a computer: the hard disk has a root directory (or
folder) and subdirectories. The root directory is analogous to the main (or root) Timeline of a Flash document: it is
the parent of everything else. The subdirectories are analogous to movie clips.
You can use the movie clip hierarchy in Flash to organize related objects. For example, you could create a Flash
document containing a car that moves across the Stage. You can use a movie clip symbol to represent the car and set
up a motion tween to move it across the Stage.
To add wheels that rotate, you can create a movie clip for a car wheel, and create two instances of this movie clip,
named frontWheel and backWheel. Then you can place the wheels on the car movie clip’s Timeline—not on the
main Timeline. As children of car, frontWheel and backWheel are affected by any changes made to car; they move
with the car as it tweens across the Stage.
To make both wheel instances spin, you can set up a motion tween that rotates the wheel symbol. Even after you
change frontWheel and backWheel, they continue to be affected by the tween on their parent movie clip, car; the
wheels spin, but they also move with the parent movie clip car across the Stage.
For a video tutorial about using multiple timelines, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0128.
See also
“Using symbols, instances, and library assets” on page 207
About absolute paths
An absolute path starts with the name of the level into which the document is loaded and continues through the
display list until it reaches the target instance. You can also use the alias _root to refer to the topmost Timeline of
the current level. For example, an action in the movie clip california that refers to the movie clip oregon could
use the absolute path _root.westCoast.oregon.
The first document to open in Flash Player is loaded at level 0. You must assign each additional loaded document a
level number. When you use an absolute reference in ActionScript to reference a loaded document, use the form
_levelX, where X is the level number into which the document is loaded. For example, the first document that opens
in Flash Player is called _level0; a document loaded into level 3 is called _level3.
To communicate between documents on different levels, you must use the level name in the target path. The
following example shows how the portland instance would address the atlanta instance located in a movie clip
called georgia (georgia is at the same level as oregon):
_level5.georgia.atlanta
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You can use the _root alias to refer to the main Timeline of the current level. For the main Timeline, the _root alias
stands for _level0 when targeted by a movie clip also on _level0. For a document loaded into _level5, _root is
equal to _level5 when targeted by a movie clip also on level 5. For example, if the movie clips southcarolina and
florida are both loaded into the same level, an action called from the instance southcarolina could use the
following absolute path to target the instance florida:
_root.eastCoast.florida
About relative paths
A relative path depends on the relationship between the controlling Timeline and the target Timeline. Relative paths
can address targets only within their own level of Flash Player. For example, you can’t use a relative path in an action
on _level0 that targets a Timeline on _level5.
In a relative path, use the keyword this to refer to the current Timeline in the current level; use the _parent alias
to indicate the parent Timeline of the current Timeline. You can use the _parent alias repeatedly to go up one level
in the movie clip hierarchy within the same level of Flash Player. For example, _parent._parent controls a movie
clip up two levels in the hierarchy. The topmost Timeline at any level in Flash Player is the only Timeline with a
_parent value that is undefined.
An action in the Timeline of the instance charleston, located one level below southcarolina, could use the
following target path to target the instance southcarolina:
_parent
To target the instance eastCoast (one level up) from an action in charleston, you could use the following relative path:
_parent._parent
To target the instance atlanta from an action in the Timeline of charleston, you could use the following relative path:
_parent._parent.georgia.atlanta
Relative paths are useful for reusing scripts. For example, you could attach the following script to a movie clip that
magnifies its parent by 150%:
onClipEvent (load) {_parent._xscale = 150;_parent._yscale = 150;
}
You can reuse this script by attaching it to any movie clip instance.
Note: Flash Lite 1.0 and 1.1 support attaching scripts only to buttons. Attaching scripts to movie clips is not supported.
Whether you use an absolute or a relative path, you identify a variable in a Timeline or a property of an object with
a dot (.) followed by the name of the variable or property. For example, the following statement sets the variable name
in the instance form to the value "Gilbert":
_root.form.name = "Gilbert";
Using absolute and relative target paths
You can use ActionScript to send messages from one timeline to another. The timeline that contains the action is
called the controlling timeline, and the timeline that receives the action is called the target timeline. For example, there
could be an action on the last frame of one timeline that tells another timeline to play. To refer to a target timeline,
you must use a target path, which indicates the location of a movie clip in the display list.
The following example shows the hierarchy of a document named westCoast on level 0, which contains three movie
clips: california, oregon, and washington. Each of these movie clips in turn contains two movie clips.
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_level0
westCoast
california
sanfrancisco
bakersfield
oregon
portland
ashland
washington
olympia
ellensburg
As on a web server, each timeline in Flash can be addressed in two ways: with an absolute path or with a relative path.
The absolute path of an instance is always a full path from a level name, regardless of which timeline calls the action;
for example, the absolute path to the instance california is _level0.westCoast.california. A relative path is
different when called from different locations; for example, the relative path to california from sanfrancisco is
_parent, but from portland, it’s _parent._parent.california.
See also
“Structuring FLA files” on page 464
“Organizing ActionScript in an application” on page 466
Specify target paths
To control a movie clip, loaded SWF file, or button, you must specify a target path. You can specify it manually, or
by using the Insert Target Path dialog box, or by creating an expression that evaluates to a target path. To specify a
target path for a movie clip or button, you must assign an instance name to the movie clip or button. A loaded
document doesn’t require an instance name, because you use its level number as an instance name (for example,
_level5).
Assign an instance name to a movie clip or button
1 Select a movie clip or button on the Stage.
2 Enter an instance name in the Property inspector.
Specify a target path using the Insert Target Path dialog box
1 Select the movie clip, frame, or button instance to which you want to assign the action.
This becomes the controlling Timeline.
2 In the Actions panel (Window > Actions), go to the Actions toolbox on the left, and select an action or method
that requires a target path.
3 Click the parameter box or location in the script where you want to insert the target path.
4 Click the Insert Target Path button
above the Script pane.
5 Select Absolute or Relative for the target path mode.
6 Select a movie clip in the Insert Target Path display list, and click OK.
Specify a target path manually
1 Select the movie clip, frame, or button instance to which you want to assign the action.
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This becomes the controlling Timeline.
2 In the Actions panel (Window > Actions), go to the Actions toolbox on the left, and select an action or method
that requires a target path.
3 Click the parameter box or location in the script where you want to insert the target path.
4 Enter an absolute or relative target path in the Actions panel.
Use an expression as a target path
1 Select the movie clip, frame, or button instance to which you want to assign the action.
This becomes the controlling Timeline.
2 In the Actions panel (Window > Actions), go to the Actions toolbox on the left, and select an action or method
that requires a target path.
3 Do one of the following:
• Enter an expression that evaluates to a target path in a parameter box.
• Click to place the insertion point in the script. Then, in the Functions category of the Actions toolbox, doubleclick the targetPath function. The targetPath function converts a reference to a movie clip into a string.
• Click to place the insertion point in the script. Then, in the Functions category of the Actions toolbox, select the
eval function. The eval function converts a string to a movie clip reference that can be used to call methods such
as play.
The following script assigns the value 1 to the variable i. It then uses the eval function to create a reference to a
movie clip instance and assigns it to the variable x. The variable x is now a reference to a movie clip instance and can
call the MovieClip object methods.
0i = 1;
0x = eval("mc"+i);
0x.play();
0// this is equivalent to mc1.play();
You can also use the eval function to call methods directly, as shown in the following example:
0eval("mc" + i).play();
Working with scenes
About scenes
To organize a document thematically, you can use scenes. For example, you might use separate scenes for an introduction, a loading message, and credits. Though using scenes has some disadvantages, there are some situations in
which few of these disadvantages apply, such as when you create lengthy animations. When you use scenes, you avoid
having to manage a large number of FLA files.
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Using scenes is similar to using several SWF files together to create a larger presentation. Each scene has a Timeline.
When the playhead reaches the final frame of a scene, the playhead progresses to the next scene. When you publish
a SWF file, the Timeline of each scene combines into a single Timeline in the SWF file. After the SWF file compiles,
it behaves as if you created the FLA file using one scene. Because of this behavior, scenes have some disadvantages:
• Scenes can make documents confusing to edit, particularly in multiauthor environments. Anyone using the FLA
document might have to search several scenes within a FLA file to locate code and assets. Consider loading
content or using movie clips instead.
• Scenes often result in large SWF files. Using scenes encourages you to place more content in a single FLA file,
which results in larger FLA files and SWF files.
• Scenes force users to progressively download the entire SWF file, even if they do not plan or want to watch all of
it. If you avoid scenes, users can control what content they download as they progress through your SWF file.
• Scenes combined with ActionScript might produce unexpected results. Because each scene Timeline is
compressed onto a single Timeline, you might encounter errors involving your ActionScript and scenes, which
typically requires extra, complicated debugging.
Use scenes
When you publish a Flash document that contains more than one scene, the scenes in the document play back in the
order they are listed in the Scene panel. Frames in the document are numbered consecutively through scenes. For
example, if a document contains two scenes with ten frames each, the frames in Scene 2 are numbered 11–20.
To stop or pause a document after each scene, or to let users navigate the document in a nonlinear fashion, you use
actions.
Display the Scene panel
❖ Select Window > Other Panels > Scene.
View a particular scene
❖ Select View > Go To, and then select the name of the scene from the submenu.
Add a scene
❖ Select Insert > Scene, or click the Add Scene button
in the Scene panel.
Delete a scene
❖ Click the Delete Scene button
in the Scene panel.
Change the name of a scene
❖ Double-click the scene name in the Scene panel and enter the new name.
Duplicate a scene
❖ Click the Duplicate Scene button
in the Scene panel.
Change the order of a scene in the document
❖ Drag the scene name to a different location in the Scene panel.
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Find and Replace
About Find and Replace
The Find and Replace feature lets you do the following:
• Search for a text string, a font, a color, a symbol, a sound file, a video file, or an imported bitmap file.
• Replace the specified element with another element of the same type. Different options are available in the Find
and Replace dialog box depending on the type of specified element.
• Find and replace elements in the current document or the current scene.
• Search for the next occurrence or all occurrences of an element, and replace the current occurrence or all occurrences.
Note: In a screen-based document, you can find and replace elements in the current document or the current screen, but
you can’t use scenes.
The Live Edit option lets you edit the specified element directly on the Stage. If you use Live Edit when searching for
a symbol, Flash opens the symbol in edit-in-place mode.
The Find and Replace Log at the bottom of the Find and Replace dialog box shows the location, name, and type of
the elements for which you are searching.
See also
“Working with screens” on page 366
Find and replace text
1 Select Edit > Find and Replace.
2 Select Text from the For pop-up menu.
3 In the Text box, enter the text to find.
4 In the Replace With Text box, enter the text to replace the existing text.
5 Select options for searching text:
Whole Word Searches for the specified text string as a whole word only, bounded on both sides by spaces, quotes, or
similar markers. When Whole Word is deselected, the specified text can be searched as part of a larger word. For
example, when Whole Word is deselected, a search for place will yield the words replace, placement, and so on.
Match Case Searches for text that exactly matches the case (uppercase and lowercase character formatting) of the
specified text when finding and replacing.
Regular Expressions Searches for text in regular expressions in ActionScript. An expression is any statement that
Flash can evaluate that returns a value.
Text Field Contents Searches the contents of a text field.
Frames/Layers/Parameters Searches frame labels, layer names, scene names, and component parameters.
Strings in ActionScript Searches strings in ActionScript in the document or scene (external ActionScript files are not
searched).
6 To select the next occurrence of the specified text on the Stage and edit it in place, select Live Edit.
Note: Only the next occurrence is selected for live editing, even if you select Find All in step 7.
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7 To find text, do one of the following:
• To find the next occurrence of the specified text, click Find Next.
• To find all occurrences of the specified text, click Find All.
8 To replace text, do one of the following:
• To replace the currently selected occurrence of the specified text, click Replace.
• To replace all occurrences of the specified text, click Replace All.
Find and replace fonts
1 Select Edit > Find And Replace.
2 Select Font from the For pop-up menu, then select from the following options:
• To search by font name, select Font Name and select a font from the pop-up menu or enter a font name in the box.
When Font Name is deselected, all fonts in the scene or document are searched.
• To search by font style, select Font Style and select a font style from the pop-up menu. When Font Style is
deselected, all font styles in the scene or document are searched.
• To search by font size, select Font Size and enter a value for minimum and maximum font size to specify the range
of font sizes to be searched. When Font Size is deselected, all font sizes in the scene or document are searched.
• To replace the specified font with a different font name, select Font Name under Replace With and select a font
name from the pop-up menu or enter a name in the box. When Font Name is deselected under Replace with, the
current font name remains unchanged.
• To replace the specified font with a different font style, select Font Style under Replace With and select a font style
from the pop-up menu. When Font Style is deselected under Replace with, the current style of the specified font
remains unchanged.
• To replace the specified font with a different font size, select Font Size under Replace With and enter values for
minimum and maximum font size. When Font Size is deselected under Replace With, the current size of the
specified font remains unchanged.
3 To select the next occurrence of the specified font on the Stage and edit it in place, select Live Edit.
Note: Only the next occurrence is selected for live editing, even if you select Find All in step 4.
4 To find a font, do one of the following:
• To find the next occurrence of the specified font, click Find Next.
• To find all occurrences of the specified font, click Find All.
5 To replace a font, do one of the following:
• To replace the currently selected occurrence of the specified font, click Replace.
• To replace all occurrences of the specified font, click Replace All.
Find and replace colors
You cannot find and replace colors in grouped objects.
Note: To find and replace colors in a GIF or JPEG file in a Flash document, edit the file in an image-editing application.
1 Select Edit > Find And Replace.
2 Select Color from the For pop-up menu.
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3 To search for a color, click the Color control and do one of the following:
• Select a color swatch from the color pop-up window.
• Enter a hexadecimal color value in the Hex Edit box in the color pop-up window.
• Click the System Color Picker button and select a color from the system color picker.
• To make the eyedropper tool appear, drag from the Color control. Select any color on your screen.
4 To select a color to replace the specified color, click the Color control under Replace With and do one of the
following:
• Select a color swatch from the color pop-up window.
• Enter a hexadecimal color value in the Hex Edit box in the color pop-up window.
• Click the System Color Picker button and select a color from the system color picker.
• To make the eyedropper tool appear, drag from the Color control. Select any color on your screen.
5 To specify which occurrence of the color to find and replace, select the Fills, Strokes, or Text option or any combination of those options.
6 To select the next occurrence of the specified color on the Stage and edit it in place, select Live Edit.
Note: Only the next occurrence is selected for live editing, even if you select Find All in the next step.
7 To find a color, do one of the following:
• To find the next occurrence of the specified color, click Find Next.
• To find all occurrences of the specified color, Click Find All.
8 To replace a color, do one of the following:
• To replace the currently selected occurrence of the specified color, click Replace.
• To replace all occurrences of the specified color, click Replace All.
Find and replace symbols
When you find and replace symbols, search for a symbol by name. Replace a symbol with another symbol of any
type—movie clip, button, or graphic.
1 Select Edit > Find And Replace.
2 Select Symbol from the For pop-up menu.
3 For Name, select a name from the pop-up menu.
4 Under Replace With, for Name select a name from the pop-up menu.
5 To select the next occurrence of the specified symbol on the Stage and edit it in place, select Live Edit.
Note: Only the next occurrence is selected for editing, even if you select Find All in the next step.
6 To find a symbol, do one of the following:
• To find the next occurrence of the specified symbol, click Find Next.
• To find all occurrences of the specified symbol, click Find All.
7 To replace a symbol, do one of the following:
• To replace the currently selected occurrence of the specified symbol, click Replace.
• To replace all occurrences of the specified symbol, click Replace All.
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Find and replace sound, video, or bitmap files
1 Select Edit > Find and Replace.
2 Select Sound, Video, or Bitmap from the For pop-up menu.
3 For Name, enter a sound, video, or bitmap filename or select a name from the pop-up menu.
4 Under Replace With, for Name enter a sound, video, or bitmap filename or select a name from the pop-up menu.
5 To select the next occurrence of the specified sound, video, or bitmap on the Stage and edit it in place, select Live
Edit.
Note: Only the next occurrence is selected for editing, even if you select Find All in the next step.
6 To find a sound, video, or bitmap, do one of the following:
• To find the next occurrence of the specified sound, video, or bitmap, click Find Next.
• To find all occurrences of the specified sound, video, or bitmap, click Find All.
7 To replace a sound, video, or bitmap, do one of the following:
• To replace the currently selected occurrence of the specified sound, video, or bitmap, Click Replace.
• To replace all occurrences of the specified sound, video, or bitmap, click Replace All.
Templates
About templates
The Flash templates provide you with easy-to-use starting points for a range of common projects. There are
templates for projects such as photo slideshows, quizzes, mobile content, and more.
Mobile device templates
Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional content is viewable across multiple browsers, platforms, and mobile phones. You can
author the following:
• High-quality animations
• Games
• Rich-media custom user interfaces for devices and desktop systems
• E-commerce and business solutions
Flash files are compact, which makes them suitable for wireless carrier networks, where transfer rates vary between
9.6 and 60 kilobytes per second (Kbps). Mobile devices have limited storage capability, so the small memory
requirement of Flash is ideal.
Mobile device templates let you create content for many mobile devices. Use the device skins in the templates to
preview content as it will look on the device.
Note: The skins are on guide layers and won’t export with your content or appear at runtime.
For more information on authoring Flash files for mobile devices, see the Adobe Mobile Devices site at
www.adobe.com/go/devnet_devices.
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Quiz templates
Use the quiz templates to create self-scoring quizzes with several interaction types.
Advertising templates
Advertising templates facilitate the creation of standard rich media types and sizes defined by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and accepted by the industry. For more information on IAB-endorsed ad types, see the IAB site
at IAB.net.
Test ads for stability in a variety of browser and platform combinations. Your application is considered stable if it
doesn’t cause error messages, browser crashes, or system crashes.
Work with webmasters and network administrators to create detailed testing plans that include tasks relevant to your
users. Make these plans publicly available and update them regularly. Vendors should publish detailed plans
indicating the browser and platform combinations in which their technologies are stable. Examples are available at
the IAB Rich Media testing section of IAB.net. Size and file format requirements of ads might vary by vendor and
site. Check with your vendor, ISP, or the IAB to learn about these requirements that can affect the ad’s design.
Photo slideshow templates
Use the photo slideshow template to exhibit your photos with text captions and playback controls.
To use templates
1 Select File > New.
2 Click the Templates tab.
3 Select a template and click OK.
4 Add content to the FLA file.
5 Save and publish the file.
Use the Photo Slideshow template
Photos must be in a suitable format for use in the Photo Slideshow template. You can import images in a variety of
formats, but JPEGs typically work best for photographs. For best results, save photos as JPEGs using an image-editing
program. Images should be 640 x 480 pixels and should be named in a numbered sequence, for example, photo1.jpg,
photo2.jpg, and photo3.jpg.
Import photos to a SWF file
1 Select the layer of photos included in the example called “picture layer,” and click the trash can icon to delete it.
2 Create a layer by clicking the Insert Layer button, and name this new layer My Photos.
Make sure that this new layer is the bottom layer.
3 Select the first blank keyframe in the My Photos layer, select File > Import > Import to Stage, and locate your
photo sequence.
4 Select the first image in the series, click Open (Windows) or Import (Macintosh), and click Import.
5 Flash recognizes that your image is part of a series and asks you to import all files in the series. Click Yes.
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Add finishing touches
Flash places each image on separate keyframes. If you have more than four images, all of the other layers must have
an equal number of frames. Your images appear in the Library panel.
1 Delete the old images that were included in this document from the library.
2 Change the title, date, and caption at the top for each image. Replace text as desired.
The template automatically determines how many images are in your document and indicates which photo you are
currently using.
Use autoplay mode
The Photo Slideshow template also has a built-in autoplay mode that automatically changes the photo after a set
delay. The template is set to a default delay time of 4 seconds, but you can change this setting.
1 Select the controller component on the Stage. It is an instance “mc, controller” component.
2 Open the Component inspector (Window > Component Inspector).
The Parameters tab is selected by default.
3 Select the delay, and change this value to a new delay value, in seconds.
4 Save and publish your document.
82
Chapter 4: Adobe Version Cue
Adobe Version Cue® CS3 is a file-version manager included with Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium and
Standard, Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium and Standard, and Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection.
Version Cue enables versioning and asset management in Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite components,
including Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Flash, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Bridge, and
Adobe InCopy.
Working with Adobe Version Cue
About Version Cue
Version Cue is a file-version manager included with Creative Suite 3 Design, Web, and Master Collection editions
that consists of two pieces: the Version Cue Server and Version Cue connectivity. The Version Cue Server can be
installed locally or on a dedicated computer and hosts Version Cue projects and PDF reviews. Version Cue connectivity, included with all Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite components (Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InDesign,
InCopy, Photoshop, and Bridge) enables you to connect to Version Cue Servers.
Use Version Cue to track versions of a file as you work and to enable workgroup collaboration such as file sharing,
version control, backups, online reviews, and the ability to check files in and out. You can organize Version Cuemanaged files into private or shared projects.
Version Cue is integrated with Adobe Bridge: use Bridge as a file browser for Version Cue projects. With Bridge, you
can access Version Cue Servers, projects, and files, and view, search for, and compare information about
Version Cue-managed assets.
Use Version Cue Server Administration to create and manage user access, projects, and PDF reviews; administer
backups; export content; and to specify advanced Version Cue Server information.
For a video on using Version Cue, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0112.
See also
“Version Cue Server Administration” on page 113
“Version Cue PDF reviews” on page 124
What’s new
Initial server configuration When you first start the Version Cue Server (which is turned off by default), the Initial
Configuration window in Version Cue Server Administration enables you specify initial server configuration
settings.
Improved integration with Adobe Bridge Use the Inspector in Bridge to display and act on context-sensitive infor-
mation about Version Cue Servers, projects, and assets. Version Cue options in the Content panel in Bridge let you
connect to Version Cue Servers, create Version Cue projects, and work with Version Cue-managed assets.
Faster upload/download and more efficient server storage Version Cue transfers and stores only the differences
between local files and their counterparts on the Version Cue Server.
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Welcome Screen and updated terminology A Welcome screen in Bridge enables you to quickly access Version Cue
Servers and projects. Updated terminology makes it easier to work with Version Cue.
New users and groups interface A new interface for managing user access to Version Cue includes the ability to
assign permissions based on group membership.
LDAP If your workgroup uses LDAP directories for user account management, you can set up Version Cue to search
and add users from these directories. Users can then log in to Version Cue using their LDAP credentials.
SSL Enabling SSL (Secure Sockets Layer, a security protocol), in Version Cue Server Administration allows for
secure communication between the Version Cue Server and Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite components.
Version Cue SDK Java developers can use the Version Cue CS3 SDK to create plug-ins that customize workflows or
create connections to a DAM (Digital Asset Management) system. The API enables developers to deploy a serverside plug-in to integrate custom solutions into Creative Suite 3 components and Bridge. For more information, see
www.adobe.com/go/developer.
See also
“Create projects” on page 95
“Editing and synchronizing offline files” on page 111
“Create and manage users” on page 115
Version Cue basics
Version Cue Server
When you perform the default installation of Creative Suite 3 Design, Web, and Master Collection editions, a
Version Cue Server is installed on your computer, but is not turned on. Version Cue Servers store Version Cue
projects and their related assets. You access the Version Cue Server by using Adobe Bridge or the Adobe dialog box
in Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite components. You can start the Version Cue Server on your computer, or,
optimally, install and run the Version Cue Server on a dedicated computer accessible to others on your network.
When you first turn on the Version Cue Server, you’ll be prompted to specify initial server settings, including a
system administrator password, server name and visibility settings, and user account creation settings.
Version Cue Server Administration
Once you’ve installed and turned on the Version Cue Server, use Version Cue Server Administration to set up users,
create projects and edit their properties, create and administer PDF reviews, and configure the Version Cue Server.
Version Cue projects
Version Cue uses projects to store related files and folders. Projects are stored on Version Cue Servers. Projects store
the master copies of files added to the project, as well as file metadata such as version information and comments.
Local project files and server versions
Local project files are created on your hard drive when you open and edit a file from a Version Cue project
(Version Cue marks the file as checked out by you). As you work with the local project file, you save changes to it by
choosing File > Save. This updates the local file on your hard drive, but not the file on the Version Cue Server.
When you’re ready to check in the local project file changes back to the Version Cue Server, you create a version by
using the Check In command. Versions represent a snapshot of the file at a given time.
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The Version Cue Server stores all versions of a file so you can view earlier versions, promote earlier versions to be
the current version, or delete unnecessary or obsolete versions.
Version control
Version Cue allows multi-user access to files on the Version Cue Server. If two users try to edit a file on the
Version Cue Server, Version Cue institutes version control by notifying the second user that the file is checked out.
Version Cue then lets you decide how to proceed.
See also
“Version Cue Server Administration” on page 113
“Working with Version Cue projects” on page 94
“Version Cue Server Administration” on page 113
“Version Cue versions” on page 108
“Edit files checked out by another user” on page 103
Version Cue workflow
Before you begin using Version Cue features, you’ll need to install and configure the Version Cue Server, create a
project, and assign users to it.
1. Install and configure the Version Cue Server
When you install Creative Suite 3 Design, Web, and Master Collection editions, a Version Cue Server is installed on
your computer, but is not turned on. You can turn on the server to enable simple file sharing; however, if you want
to share Version Cue-managed assets with a workgroup, you should install it on a dedicated computer accessible to
others on your network.
When you start the server for the first time, you’ll be prompted to specify initial server settings, including a system
administrator password, server name and visibility settings, and default user access rights. See “About Version Cue
Server Administration” on page 113
Configure the server further by specifying settings in Version Cue Server preferences and in Version Cue Server
Administration. See “Version Cue Server Administration” on page 113 and “Advanced Version Cue Server Administration tasks” on page 122.
2. Create a project and assign users
After you’ve set up and configured the Version Cue Server, you can create projects and assign users to them. By
default, projects you create in Version Cue are private. You change a project’s shared status at any time, and restrict
access to the project, by specifying that users log in when they access the project.
Create projects by using Bridge, the Adobe dialog box, or Version Cue Server Administration. To specify advanced
project properties, such as requiring user login and assigning user access permissions, you must use Version Cue
Server Administration. See “Create projects” on page 95 and “Create and manage projects in Version Cue Server
Administration” on page 118.
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3. Add files to a project
Once you’ve created a project, add files to the project so users can check them out, make changes, and check them
back in. You can add multiple Adobe or non-Adobe files by using Bridge, or add files one at a time from within a
Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite component by using the Adobe dialog box. See “Add files and folders to a
project” on page 98
Accessing Version Cue features
Access to Version Cue features, by way of the Adobe dialog box or Bridge, varies depending on whether or not you
use Version Cue-enabled software and whether or not you use one of the Adobe Creative Suite products (for
example, Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium).
For instance, you have access to the full feature set, either through the Adobe dialog box or Bridge, when you use
Photoshop as part of a suite product. By contrast, if you use Photoshop as standalone software, you must be granted
access to a shared project in order to use the full Version Cue feature set. In Dreamweaver, Contribute, and
Fireworks, you have access to Version Cue features only through Bridge. The following table explains the scenarios
in which you have access to Version Cue features, and how you access those features.
Software component
Access via the Adobe dialog box
Acrobat, Bridge, Illustrator, InCopy,
InDesign, Photoshop, Flash
When used as part of a Creative Suite When used as part of a Creative Suite
product: Yes
product: Yes
When used as standalone software:
Only if granted access to a shared
project
Dreamweaver, Contribute, Fireworks, No
Access via Bridge
When used as standalone software:
Only if granted access to a shared
project
When used as part of a Creative Suite
product: Yes
When used as standalone software:
Only if granted access to a shared
project
Adobe recommends managing non-Adobe files with Bridge. However, if you’re collaborating with other users who
don’t have access to Bridge, you can use the Version Cue WebDAV Server URL to access projects on a Version Cue
Server.
IT administrators can use the Adobe Version Cue Access Utility, available for download from the Adobe website, to
access and extract current versions of files stored in a Version Cue project. For more information, visit the Adobe
website.
Using Creative Suite 2 components and Acrobat 8 with Version Cue CS3
You can use Adobe Creative Suite 2 components and Acrobat 8 with the Version Cue CS3 Server; however, there are
some differences to keep in mind.
• If you’re using Acrobat 8 or an Adobe Creative Suite 2 component to access Version Cue CS3-managed files, the
files must be part of a Version Cue CS2-compatible project. You can specify that a Version Cue CS3 project is
Version Cue CS2-compatible when you create it. (You cannot specify that a project is Version Cue CS2-compatible
after you create it.)
Note: Projects migrated from Version Cue CS2 to Version Cue CS3 remain compatible with Acrobat 8 and Adobe
Creative Suite 2 components.
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• Acrobat 8 and Adobe Creative Suite 2 components can’t connect to a Version Cue CS3 Server if you enable SSL in
Version Cue Server Administration.
• Adobe Creative Suite 2 components can’t work with Version Cue CS3 servers that are installed on the same
computer. Adobe Creative Suite 2 components can, however, connect to Version Cue CS3 Servers that reside on
the network.
• The Version Cue CS2 Workspace and the Version Cue CS3 Server can be installed and function on the same
computer simultaneously (and must be installed on the same computer if you want to migrate projects from
Version Cue CS2 to Version Cue CS3).
• If a Version Cue CS2 Workspace and a Version Cue CS3 Server are installed on the same computer, Adobe
Creative Suite 2 components work only with the Version Cue CS2 Workspace, because they can communicate
only with the port that the Version Cue CS2 Workspace uses.
• Version Cue CS3 doesn’t support alternates; however, Adobe Creative Suite 2 components can work with alternates in Version Cue CS2-compatible projects on a Version Cue CS3 Server. Adobe Creative Suite 3 components
cannot access alternates in a Version Cue CS2-compatible project on a Version Cue CS3 Server.
For help using Acrobat 8 with Version Cue CS2, see “Using Version Cue” in Acrobat 8 Help. For help using Adobe
Creative Suite 2 components with Version Cue CS2, see Version Cue CS2 Help.
See also
“Create and manage projects in Version Cue Server Administration” on page 118
Use the Adobe dialog box
In Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite components, you can use the Adobe dialog box when you choose the Open,
Import, Export, Place, Save, or Save As commands. The Adobe dialog box gives you access to Version Cue
commands and controls, and displays thumbnails and other information that makes it easy to identify files.
To use the Adobe dialog box, click Use Adobe Dialog in the Open, Import, Export, Place, Save, or Save As dialog
boxes.
If the Use Adobe Dialog button doesn’t appear in the Open, Import, Export, Place, Save, or Save As dialog box, make
sure that you have enabled Version Cue file management in Bridge or in the Creative Suite component you’re using.
Use the View menu options to customize the display. You can change back to the OS dialog box at any time by
clicking Use OS Dialog.
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A
B C
D
E
The Adobe dialog box
A. Favorites panel B. Look In menu C. Toggle metadata D. Tools menu E. View menu
Version Cue Server and project icons
Bridge and the Adobe dialog box display status icons for Version Cue Servers and projects to let you know whether
they’re online (available), offline, local, or remote.
Shared Project
Indicates a project that’s available and shared with other users.
Private Project
Indicates a project that’s available and not shared with other users.
Offline Project
Indicates a project that’s not available.
VC2 Compatible Project
Indicates a project that is compatible with Adobe Creative Suite 2 components and
Adobe Acrobat 8.
Indicates an offline Version Cue Server.
Offline Server
My Server
Indicates a Version Cue Server that is local to your computer.
Network Server
Indicates a remote Version Cue Server that’s available.
Enable Version Cue file management
Version Cue file management, which provides access to Version Cue projects, is enabled by default in Bridge CS3 and
all Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite components, except for Acrobat 8. (You must always enable or disable
Version Cue file management manually in Acrobat 8.)
If you disable Version Cue file management in one Creative Suite component, you disable it in all other Version Cueenabled Creative Suite components, except Acrobat and Bridge. If you disable Version Cue file management in
Bridge, you disable it in all Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite components, except Acrobat.
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Disabling Version Cue file management means that you disable access to all Version Cue projects on all Version Cue
Servers.
• In the Startup Scripts preferences in Bridge, select Version Cue, and click OK.
• In File Handling & Clipboard preferences in Illustrator, select Enable Version Cue, and click OK.
• In File Handling preferences in InDesign, select Enable Version Cue, and click OK.
• In File Handling preferences in Photoshop, select Enable Version Cue, and click OK.
• In General preferences in Flash, select Enable Version Cue, and click OK.
• In Documents preferences in Acrobat, select Enable Version Cue File Version Manager, and click OK.
• In File Handling preferences in InCopy, select Enable Version Cue, and click OK.
View Version Cue information
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
You can view information about Version Cue Servers, projects, and assets in the Adobe dialog box or by using the
Inspector in Bridge. For help on viewing information in Bridge, see “Inspect Version Cue files” in Bridge Help.
If you’ve already opened a Version Cue-managed file in a Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite component, you can
view information about it in the status bar at the lower-left of the document window (in Acrobat, this information
appears in the lower-left of the navigation pane).
Status bar
1 In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, choose File > Open.
2 Click Use Adobe Dialog. (If you see Use OS Dialog instead, you are already using the Adobe dialog box.)
3 Click Version Cue in the Favorites panel.
4 To change the display of Version Cue Servers, projects, or files in the dialog box, choose a display option from
View menu
.
Note: If a Version Cue Server for which you want to view information is outside your subnet, use the Connect To Server
command from the Tools menu (or Connect To from the Project Tools menu in Acrobat) to access it.
5 To display information about a Version Cue Server, project, or file, do one of the following:
• Click the toggle
to display the Properties panel and view the properties of a file.
• Place the pointer over the item. Information appears in a tool tip.
• Select the file and choose Versions from the Tools or Project Tools (Acrobat) menu to display information about
a file’s versions.
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See also
“File statuses” on page 101
Working with the Version Cue Server
About Version Cue Server installation
Version Cue Servers store Version Cue projects and their related assets. When you perform a default installation of
Creative Suite 3 Design, Web, or Master Collection editions, Version Cue installs the Version Cue Server on your
computer, but does not turn it on. When the Version Cue Server is installed on your computer, the server is available
only if your computer is turned on and networked to the other users in your group. This scenario is adequate for
personal use or for file sharing between individuals.
Alternatively, you can install the Version Cue Server on a dedicated computer accessible to others on your network,
so that Version Cue-managed assets are always available to a workgroup.
For a video on using Version Cue in a workgroup, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0113.
INDIVIDUAL
USER-BASED CONFIGURATION
SERVER-BASED CONFIGURATION
Individuals
Workgroups
Workgroups
`
`
`
Local or server-based file sharing: Version Cue can be set up to operate in a user- or server-based environment. In a user-based implementation,
files and projects are shared from an individual’s own hard drive. In a server-based environment, the Version Cue Server resides on a separate,
dedicated computer.
The Version Cue Server is installed in the Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Adobe Version Cue CS3/Server
folder (Windows) or in the Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Version Cue CS3/Server folder (Mac OS).
You cannot change this location.
To install the Version Cue Server on a dedicated computer, run the Creative Suite 3 Design, Web, or Master
Collection edition installer on the dedicated computer, following the on-screen prompts to install only the
Version Cue Server.
Note: Consult the End-User License Agreement (EULA) for your copy of Adobe Creative Suite before installing the
Version Cue Server on a dedicated computer.
Turn on and configure the Version Cue Server
To use a Version Cue Server, you’ll need to turn it on and configure initial settings. Once you’ve configured initial
settings, you can configure additional Version Cue Server settings in the Version Cue preferences and specify
advanced server settings (such as enabling SSL) in Version Cue Server Administration.
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For a video on setting up the Version Cue server, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0114.
1 Do either of the following:
• Click Start My Server in the Adobe dialog box or in Adobe Bridge.
• Open the Control Panel and double-click Adobe Version Cue CS3 (Windows) or click Adobe Version Cue CS3 in
System Preferences (Mac OS), and then click Start.
Version Cue starts Version Cue Server Administration and displays the Initial Configuration window.
2 In the Initial Configuration window, specify a system administrator password in the Password box.
Note: Be sure to note the password you specify. If you forget the system administrator password, you’ll need to reinstall
the Version Cue Server.
3 Specify a name for the server in the Server Name box.
4 Choose an option from the Server Visibility menu:
• To prevent other users in your network from seeing the server, choose Private. Private Version Cue Servers can be
accessed only from your local computer.
• To make the server visible to other users in your network, choose Visible To Others. (You must configure the
server to be visible to grant others access to projects on the server.)
Note: If Version Cue is installed on a Windows computer that uses a firewall and you want to share the server with
others, make sure that TCP ports 3703 and 5353 are left open. If you've enabled SSL for the Version Cue Server, also
leave port 3704 open. If Version Cue CS2 is installed on the same computer, also leave port 50900 open (and 50901 if
you’ve enabled SSL). For instructions, see Windows Help.
5 Choose an option from the User Accounts menu: I
• To enable users to access the server without an existing user account, choose Automatic User Creation. If you
select this option, Version Cue creates a new user account without a password when a new user accesses the server.
If you enable Automatic User Account Creation and then subsequently enable LDAP support, LDAP users are
automatically imported when they access the server with their LDAP account name. Users imported in this fashion
are added to the Everyone group, given a user access level of None, and are not able to log into Version Cue Server
Administration. Use this technique to automatically assign LDAP users default access rights to projects on a Version Cue
server without having to explicitly import users.
• To specify that only named users, defined in Version Cue Server Administration, can access the server, choose
Manual User Creation.
6 Click Save & Continue to log in to Version Cue Server Administration and specify advanced server settings.
See also
“Version Cue Server Administration” on page 113
“Use the Adobe dialog box” on page 86
“Create and manage users” on page 115
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Set Version Cue Server preferences
You can configure many Version Cue Server settings in Version Cue preferences, such as the amount of RAM
available to Version Cue and the location of the Data folder. To configure advanced settings, such as enabling SSL,
changing the name of the Version Cue Server, specifying server log options, resetting user locks, or backing up the
server, you must use Version Cue Server Administration.
See also
“Advanced Version Cue Server Administration tasks” on page 122
Access Version Cue Server preferences
1 Do one of the following to access Version Cue preferences:
• In Windows, double-click the Version Cue icon
• In Mac OS, click the Version Cue icon
in the system tray at the lower-right of the screen.
in the menu bar at the top of the screen, and choose Version Cue CS3
Preferences from the menu.
• Open the Control Panel and double-click Adobe Version Cue CS3 (Windows) or click Adobe Version Cue CS3 in
System Preferences (Mac OS).
2 Click the Settings tab in the Adobe Version Cue CS3 dialog box.
Make the Version Cue Server visible
1 To grant others access to shared Version Cue projects on the server, choose This Server Is Visible To Others from
the Server Visibility menu. To hide the Version Cue Server from other users, choose This Server Is Private.
Note: If Version Cue is installed on a Windows computer that uses a firewall and you want to share the server with
others, make sure that TCP ports 3703 and 5353 are left open. If you've enabled SSL for the Version Cue Server, also
leave port 3704 open. If Version Cue CS2 is installed on the same computer, also leave port 50900 open (and 50901 if
you’ve enabled SSL). For instructions, see Windows Help.
2 Click Apply.
Specify a workgroup size
1 From the Workgroup Size menu, choose the number of people who use the Version Cue Server on a typical day.
This setting controls how the Version Cue Server handles the potential load.
2 Click Apply.
Specify RAM
The default amount of allocated RAM (128 MB) is sufficient for workgroups of fewer than 10 people and projects
with fewer than 1000 assets. Allocate at least 256 MB of RAM for larger workgroups and projects with up to 1000
assets. Allocate at least 512 MB of RAM if you work with more than 1000 assets per project or more than 50 projects,
regardless of workgroup size.
1 In the Memory Usage box, enter the amount of RAM that you want to make available to Version Cue (the default
is 128 MB).
2 Click Apply.
Keep the Version Cue icon visible
1 Select Show Version Cue CS3 Tray Icon (Windows) or Show Version Cue CS3 Status in Menu Bar (Mac OS) to
keep the Version Cue icon visible.
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2 Click Apply.
Turn Version Cue on when the computer starts
1 Select Turn Version Cue CS3 On When The Computer Starts.
2 Click Apply.
Change the location of the Data folder
The Data folder contains files that maintain the integrity of Version Cue projects, file versions, and metadata. You
can change the location of the Data folder; however, you cannot move it to a network volume. If you move the Data
folder to an external disk in Mac OS, make sure to deselect Ignore File Permissions in the disk’s Get Info dialog box.
Important: Shut down the Version Cue Server before you change the folder location. Do not attempt to move this folder
manually or edit any of the files in the Version Cue Data folder.
1 Do one of the following to access Version Cue preferences:
• In Windows, double-click the Version Cue icon
• In Mac OS, click the Version Cue icon
in the system tray at the lower-right of the screen.
in the menu bar at the top of the screen, and choose Version Cue CS3
Preferences from the menu.
• Open the Control Panel and double-click Adobe Version Cue CS3 (Windows) or click Adobe Version Cue CS3 in
System Preferences (Mac OS).
2 Click the Locations tab in the Adobe Version Cue CS3 dialog box.
3 Click the Choose button next to the current Data folder location, and select a new location for the folder. You must
choose a location on the computer (including external disks) where the Version Cue Server is installed.
4 Click OK.
5 Click Apply. If prompted, click Yes (Windows) or Restart (Mac OS) to restart the Version Cue Server.
See also
“Shut down or restart the Version Cue Server” on page 94
Connect to remote servers
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
When you need to work on Version Cue projects that are located on a different subnet, you can use the IP address of
the computer to access the remote Version Cue Server, as long as it is configured to be visible to other users.
Version Cue Servers within your subnet that are configured to be visible are visible automatically.
1 Do one of the following:
• In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, choose File > Open. If you’re using the OS Dialog
box, click Use Adobe Dialog. Click Version Cue in the Favorites panel, and choose Connect To Server from the
Tools menu or Connect To from the Project Tools (Acrobat) menu
.
• In Bridge, choose Tools > Version Cue > Connect To Server.
2 In the Connect To Server dialog box, type the IP or DNS address and port of the Version Cue Server, for example,
http://153.32.235.230. If you’re connecting to a server that is on the same system as a Version Cue CS2 workspace,
append the port number 50900 to the end of the Version Cue URL, for example, http://153.32.235.230:50900.
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Display the Version Cue Server Administration login page to identify the Version Cue URLs that remote users and
WebDAV applications need to access the server. Alternatively, view the URLs in the Inspector in Bridge.
3 Click OK.
A shortcut to the remote server is automatically included in your list of available Version Cue Servers.
Connect to a Version Cue Server using WebDAV
Adobe recommends managing non-Adobe files with Adobe Bridge. However, if you’re collaborating with other users
who don’t have access to Adobe Bridge, you can use the Version Cue WebDAV Server URL to access projects on a
Version Cue Server.
You can access a Version Cue Server by using a WebDAV-enabled application, such as a Microsoft Office application.
In Windows, specify a project on a Version Cue Server as a network place by specifying the project’s WebDAV URL.
In Mac OS, specify the project’s WebDAV URL by using the Connect To Server Command from the Finder. Before
attempting to connect, refer to your application’s documentation on using its WebDAV features.
❖ Enter the Version Cue WebDAV URL, the port number (3703, or 50900 if you’re connecting to a server that is
running on the same system as a Version Cue CS2 workspace), “webdav,” and the project name. For example:
http://153.32.235.230:3703/webdav/project_name
Migrate projects to the Version Cue 3.0 Server
If you currently use Version Cue CS2, you need to migrate your projects to Version Cue CS3. When you migrate
Version Cue CS2 projects to Version Cue CS3, users assigned to those projects are also migrated.
You cannot migrate Version Cue CS2 projects to Version Cue CS3 on Intel-based Macintosh computers.
Before migrating projects, ask all users to synchronize their assets so project data is up to date.
1 Locate the folder “com.adobe.versioncue.migration_2.0.0” on the computer on which Version Cue CS3 is
installed and copy it to the Version Cue CS2 Plugins folder.
2 Restart Version Cue CS2.
3 Log in to Version Cue CS3 Server Administration.
4 Click the Advanced tab, and then click Import Version Cue CS2 Data.
5 Enter a Version Cue CS2 administrator login and password, and click Log In.
6 Select the project you want to migrate, and click Migrate.
Note: If the Version Cue CS2 project has the same name as a project that exists on the Version Cue CS3 Server,
Version Cue will append a number to the end of the Version Cue CS2 project name (for example, Test Project (2)). If a
Version Cue CS2 user has the same user name as an existing user on the Version Cue CS3 Server, Version Cue will use
the existing Version Cue CS3 user account.
7 When Version Cue Server Administration displays the confirmation page, click End.
8 Stop the Version Cue CS2 workspace.
9 Uninstall Version Cue CS2.
10 Restart the Version Cue CS3 Server. This resets the port to allow access from both Adobe Creative Suite 2 and
Adobe Creative Suite 3 components.
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See also
“Log in to Version Cue Server Administration” on page 114
Shut down or restart the Version Cue Server
When you shut down the Version Cue Server, you disable access to the Version Cue projects hosted on that server.
Each time you restart the Version Cue Server, it performs an integrity check and makes repairs, if necessary. To
ensure best performance, restart the Version Cue Server weekly so that it can perform the integrity check and make
repairs.
1 Do one of the following to access Version Cue preferences:
• In Windows, double-click the Version Cue icon
• In Mac OS, click the Version Cue icon
in the system tray at the lower-right of the screen.
in the menu bar at the top of the screen, and choose Version Cue CS3
Preferences.
• Open the Control Panel and double-click Adobe Version Cue CS3 (Windows) or click Adobe Version Cue CS3 in
System Preferences (Mac OS).
2 Click the Settings tab in the Adobe Version Cue CS3 dialog box.
• To shut down the Version Cue Server, click Stop. When prompted, click Yes (Windows) or Shut Down (Mac OS).
• To restart the Version Cue Server, click Stop, and then click Start.
• To automatically turn on Version Cue when the computer starts, select Turn Version Cue CS3 On When The
Computer Starts.
3 Click OK (Windows) or Apply Now (Mac OS).
You can also restart the Version Cue Server by clicking Restart Server in the Advanced tab of Version Cue Server
Administration.
See also
“Advanced Version Cue Server Administration tasks” on page 122
Working with Version Cue projects
About Version Cue projects
Version Cue projects are stored on Version Cue Servers. Projects store the master copies of files added to the project,
as well as file versions and other file data, such as comments and version dates. When the Version Cue Server is
specified to be visible and projects are shared, multiple users can access projects, which can contain both Adobe and
non-Adobe files.
When you first open a Version Cue project, Version Cue creates a folder named “Version Cue” in your My
Documents (Windows) or Documents (Mac OS) folder, and adds a project folder to the Version Cue folder.
Version Cue also creates a shortcut to the project that appears in Bridge and in the Adobe dialog box after you click
the Version Cue favorite icon.
You can create and administer projects only if you’ve been assigned appropriate permissions in Version Cue Server
Administration.
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Note: If you use an Adobe Creative Suite 2 component or Acrobat 8, you won’t be able to see Version Cue CS3 projects
in the Adobe dialog box or in Bridge unless the project is specified to be backward compatible with Adobe Creative Suite 2
and Acrobat 8. In addition, Creative Suite 2 components and Acrobat 8 can’t connect to a Version Cue CS3 Server that
uses SSL.
See also
“About local project files” on page 100
“About versions” on page 108
“Create and manage users” on page 115
Create projects
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
You can create projects by using Bridge, any Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite component, or Version Cue Server
Administration, which provides options for specifying advanced project properties.
You must have Project Administration permissions to be able to create projects in Version Cue.
See also
“Create and manage users” on page 115
Create a project
1 In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, choose File > Open. Click Use Adobe Dialog if
you’re using the OS dialog box.
2 Click Version Cue in the Favorites panel.
3 Choose New Project from the Tools or Project Tools (Acrobat) menu
.
4 Choose a Version Cue Server to host the project from the Location menu.
5 Enter a name for the project in the Project Name box and a description in the Project Info box.
6 To make this project and its files available to others, select Share This Project With Others.
7 To create a project that Creative Suite 2 or Acrobat 8 users can access, select Maximize Compatibility With CS2
Applications And Acrobat 8.
8 Click OK.
Create a project in Bridge
1 Choose Tools > Version Cue > New Project.
2 In the New Project dialog box, choose a Version Cue Server to host the project from the Location menu.
3 Enter a name for the project in the Project Name box and a description in the Project Info box.
4 To make this project and its files available to others, select Share This Project With Others.
5 To create a project that Creative Suite 2 or Acrobat 8 users can access, select Maximize Compatibility With CS2
Applications And Acrobat 8.
6 Click OK.
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Open a project
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
You can open projects that are stored on a local Version Cue Server or open shared projects on a remote server that
is configured to be visible to others.
See also
“Use the Adobe dialog box” on page 86
Open a project
1 In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, choose File > Open. Click Use Adobe Dialog if
you’re using the OS dialog box.
2 Click Version Cue in the Favorites panel.
3 Do one of the following:
• Double-click your local server to view its projects.
• Double-click Recent Projects to open a recently opened project.
• Double-click Browse Servers to locate the Version Cue Server that hosts the project. When you locate the server,
double-click it to view its projects.
Note: If the server that hosts the project is outside your network, choose Connect To Server from the Tools menu or
Connect To from the Project Tools menu (Acrobat), enter the IP or DNS address of the server, and click Connect.
4 Double-click the project to open it.
Open a project in Bridge
1 Click Version Cue in the Favorites panel.
2 Do one of the following:
• Double-click your local server to view its projects.
• Double-click Recent Projects to open a recently opened project.
• Double-click Browse Servers to locate the Version Cue Server that hosts the project. When you locate the server,
double-click it to view its projects.
Note: If the server that hosts the project is outside your subnet, choose Tools > Version Cue > Connect To Server, enter
the IP or DNS address of the server, and click Connect.
3 Double-click the project to open it.
Edit project properties
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
You can edit most of the properties of a project, including the project name, description, and shared status; the
location of local project files; and the location of project backups in Bridge or in the Adobe dialog box. However, if
you want to enable lock protection, edit or assign users, or require users to log in to the project, use Version Cue
Server Administration instead.
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See also
“Use the Adobe dialog box” on page 86
“Open a project” on page 96
“About local project files” on page 100
“Create and manage projects in Version Cue Server Administration” on page 118
Access project properties
• In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, select the project in the Adobe dialog box, and then
choose Edit Properties from the Tools or Project Tools (Acrobat) menu.
• In Bridge, select the project, choose View > Inspector Panel, and click Edit Properties in the Tasks area of the
Inspector panel.
• In Bridge, select the project and then choose Tools > Version Cue > Edit Properties.
Note: To edit advanced project properties in Version Cue Server Administration, click Server Administration in the Edit
Properties dialog box.
Change the project name or description
1 In the Edit Properties dialog box, enter a name in the Project Name box. The new name will not be reflected in
your (or your workgroup’s) local project folder until you disconnect from and reconnect to the project. To change
the description of the project, enter text in the Project Info box.
2 Click Save.
Change the location of local project files
1 In the Edit Properties dialog box, expand Local Project Files to view the location of local project files on your
computer.
2 Click Change Location and choose the new location for local project files on your computer.
Note: Do not move the project folder manually in the file system to change the location of local project files.
3 Click Save.
Change a project’s shared status
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
By default, Version Cue CS3 projects are private; however, you can change a project’s shared status at any time.
You can use Version Cue Server Administration to require login for shared projects, thus restricting access to specific
users.
See also
“Use the Adobe dialog box” on page 86
“Open a project” on page 96
“Create and manage projects in Version Cue Server Administration” on page 118
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Share or unshare a project
1 In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, select the project in the Adobe dialog box, and
then choose Edit Properties from the Tools or Project Tools (Acrobat) menu.
2 Select or deselect Share This Project With Others, and click Save.
Share or unshare a project from Bridge
1 Click Version Cue in the Favorites panel.
2 Select the project, and do one of the following:
• Choose View > Inspector Panel, and click Edit Properties in the Tasks area of the Inspector panel.
• Choose Tools > Version Cue > Edit Properties.
3 Select or deselect Share This Project With Others, and click Save.
Change the location of project backups
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
You must shut down the Version Cue Server before you change the backup folder location. Do not move this folder
manually.
1 Shut down the Version Cue Server (see “Version Cue Server Administration” on page 113.
2 Do one of the following to access Version Cue preferences:
• In Windows, double-click the Version Cue icon
• In Mac OS, click the Version Cue icon
in the system tray at the lower-right of the screen.
in the menu bar at the top of the screen, and choose Version Cue CS3
Preferences from the menu.
• Open the Control Panel and double-click Adobe Version Cue CS3 (Windows) or click Adobe Version Cue CS3 in
System Preferences (Mac OS).
3 Click the Locations tab in the Adobe Version Cue CS3 dialog box.
4 Click the Choose button next to the Backup Folder location, and select a new location for the folder. You must
choose a location on the computer on which the Version Cue Server is installed.
5 Click OK.
6 Click OK (Windows) or Apply Now (Mac OS). If prompted, click Yes (Windows) or Restart (Mac OS) to restart
the Version Cue Server.
Add files and folders to a project
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
To save versions of a file, share the file with your workgroup, and take advantage of Version Cue file management,
you must add the file to a Version Cue project. You can add both Adobe and non-Adobe files to Version Cue projects.
Add files one at a time from within a Version Cue-enabled Adobe Creative Suite component by using the Adobe
dialog box, or add groups of files by using the Add Files command in Bridge.
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See also
“Use the Adobe dialog box” on page 86
“Open a project” on page 96
Add a file to a project
1 Open the file in Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop.
2 Choose File > Save As. Click Use Adobe Dialog if you’re using the OS dialog box.
3 Click Version Cue in the Favorites panel, open the project to which you want to add the file, and click Save As.
4 Enter a version comment in the Check In or Save A Version (Acrobat) dialog box and click OK.
Add a file or folder to a project in Bridge
1 Click Version Cue in the Favorites panel and open the project to which you want to add files.
2 Do one of the following:
• Drag files or folders from Explorer (Windows) or the Finder (Mac OS) to the project in Bridge. (You cannot drag
empty folders to a Version Cue project in Bridge.)
• Choose Tools > Version Cue > Add Files. In the Open dialog box, select one or more files and click Open.
3 Enter a version comment in the Check In dialog box and click OK.
Delete projects
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
You can delete a Version Cue project in Bridge or any Version Cue-enabled Adobe Creative Suite component, or by
using Version Cue Server Administration. You can’t delete a project if any user has files that are marked as Checked
Out or In Use (Acrobat).
Note: Remove file locks to remove the Checked Out or In Use (Acrobat) status of files designated as such. See “Advanced
Version Cue Server Administration tasks” on page 122.
Deleting a project permanently erases all of its files (including versions) and folders from the Version Cue Server,
and erases shortcuts to the project and the local project files on your computer. (The local project files created on
other users’ computers are not deleted until they disconnect from the deleted project.)
See also
“Use the Adobe dialog box” on page 86
“Open a project” on page 96
“Create and manage projects in Version Cue Server Administration” on page 118
Delete a project
❖ In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, select the project you want to delete in the Adobe
dialog box, and then click the Delete icon
Delete a project in Bridge
1 Click Version Cue in the Favorites panel.
.
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2 Select the project you want to delete, and then click the Delete Item icon
.
Disconnect from projects
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
Disconnecting from a project erases the local project files on your computer, while leaving the master copies on the
Version Cue Server intact. Disconnecting also removes shortcuts to the project from Bridge and the Adobe dialog
box. You may want to disconnect to free up more space on your hard drive (new local project files are created the
next time you open, download, edit, or synchronize a file). You may also disconnect from a project to erase your local
project files from a project deleted by someone else in your workgroup.
If an administrator deletes a project in which you have local project files with Checked Out or In Use (Acrobat) status,
you must manually delete the local project files folder from your hard drive. You can then disconnect from the
project.
See also
“Use the Adobe dialog box” on page 86
“Open a project” on page 96
Disconnect from a project
1 In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, click Version Cue in the Favorites panel of the
Adobe dialog box.
2 Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the project from which you want to disconnect, and then
choose Disconnect.
Disconnect from a project in Bridge
1 Click Version Cue in the Favorites panel.
2 Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the project from which you want to disconnect, and then
choose Disconnect.
Working with files in Version Cue
About local project files
When you work in files from a Version Cue project, you’re editing a local copy of the file in the project folder on your
hard drive, not the master file on the Version Cue Server, which remains protected and untouched. Local project files
also allow you to work on a file simultaneously with others.
Important: To relocate local project files on your hard drive, use the Change Location feature (don’t move the project
folder manually in the file system). For instructions, see “Edit project properties” on page 96.
As you work, use the Save command to save changes periodically and update your local project file. A new version
is added to the master file on the Version Cue Server when you choose the Check In or Save A Version (Acrobat)
command, or when you synchronize your files with the Version Cue Server.
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See also
“Accessing Version Cue features” on page 85
“About Version Cue projects” on page 94
“About versions” on page 108
“Synchronize files” on page 112
File statuses
Files that are managed by Version Cue are marked with a status icon that describes the state of the file on the
Version Cue Server. You can view a file’s status while browsing the files in a Version Cue project, in Bridge, and also
in the document window’s status area after opening a file in a Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite component (in
Acrobat, the status is displayed in the lower-left corner of the navigation pane).
If you don’t see the Version Cue status in the document window’s status area, click the status bar and choose Show >
Version Cue Status.
A file can have more than one status at the same time.
Open
The file is open on your computer. The Open status is indicated only for files on your computer.
You are editing the file. Version Cue assigns this status when you make an edit that changes
the file’s content. You can mark a file as checked out before you edit it to alert other users that you intend to make
changes to the content.
Checked Out By Me
Checked Out By
Another user is editing the file and has not yet saved a new version.
To quickly view all files checked out in a particular project, open the project and click Checked Out Files beneath the
Version Cue entry in the Favorites panel of the Adobe dialog box.
Synchronized
The latest known version of the file is available for editing and you have a local copy of it on your
computer. Version Cue assigns this status when you check in a version of the file you’re editing, or when you
synchronize a project.
Conflicting
There is a version conflict, or both you and another user are editing the file.
The file in the local project folder is the only copy known to Version Cue and has not been synchronized with the Version Cue Server. This status may be applied, for instance, if a file is saved in an existing project for
the first time while the Version Cue Server is offline. You can edit the file, but it’s important to check in or
synchronize the file after you save your changes.
New File
A A local project file exists, but there is a newer version of the file on the Version Cue
Server. This status indicates that it will take a few moments to download an up-to-date local project file before you
can edit the file.
Newer Version On Server
There is a local project file, but the Version Cue Server is offline, or you are offline and not able
to access the server. There is no way of checking whether the local project file is synchronized with the latest version
on the Version Cue Server. You can edit an offline copy and save these changes; however, you must check in a version
or synchronize the file when the Version Cue Server comes back online.
Server Offline
Deleted
The file or folder has been deleted from the project, but not yet permanently erased. (You can restore a
deleted file or folder.)
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See also
“Accessing Version Cue features” on page 85
“Editing and synchronizing offline files” on page 111
“Delete files or folders from a project” on page 107
“Edit files checked out by another user” on page 103
Open a file in a project
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
You can open files only from projects that are stored on a local Version Cue Server or from shared projects on a
remote server that is configured to be visible to others.
See also
“Open a project” on page 96
“Use the Adobe dialog box” on page 86
Open a project file
1 In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, choose File > Open and click Version Cue in the
Favorites panel of the Adobe dialog box.
2 Double-click the project that contains the file you want to open.
3 Select the file, and click Open.
Note: To reveal a file in Bridge, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the file in the Adobe dialog box, and
choose Reveal In Bridge.
Open a project file from Bridge
1 Click Version Cue in the Favorites panel.
2 Double-click the project that contains the file you want to open, and then double-click the file. The file opens in
its native application.
Save changes to a local project file
If you want to save changes, but aren't ready to save a new version as you edit a file you have opened from a
Version Cue project, you can use the File > Save command to save your changes to the local project file on your
computer. Until you save a new version to the shared Version Cue Server, these changes won’t be available to any
other user. You can also close the file once you save changes, and then reopen the file and check in a version later.
❖ To save changes to your local project file, choose File > Save.
See also
“Accessing Version Cue features” on page 85
“Check in versions” on page 108
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Remove local project files
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
You can remove files that are not checked out by you from your local project folder if you want to free up more space
on your hard drive, for example. Removing local project files does not affect checked in files that are stored on the
Version Cue Server. Version Cue creates new local project files the next time you synchronize the project.
Disconnecting from a project also removes local project files; however, the Disconnect command also removes
shortcuts to the project from Bridge and the Adobe dialog box.
• In Bridge, select a Version Cue project or project file, and choose Tools > Version Cue > Clear Local Files.
• In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, select a Version Cue project or project file, and
choose Clear Local Files from the Tools or Project Tools (Acrobat) menu.
See also
“Disconnect from projects” on page 100
Edit files checked out by another user
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
If someone is editing a local copy of a master file, Version Cue changes the file’s status to Checked Out or In Use
(Acrobat), informs you that the file is already checked out when you try to edit your local project file, and allows you
to decide whether or not to continue working with the file.
When finished with the file, both users can save a new version of the file to the Version Cue Server. Version Cue
alerts all current users of the file about the presence of a new version in the Version Cue Server and gives them the
option of downloading the latest version or continuing their edits.
Use Version Cue Server Administration to assign lock protection to a Version Cue project. Only the first user to edit
an available file in a lock-protected project can check in a version of that file to the Version Cue project. For more
information, see “Create and manage projects in Version Cue Server Administration” on page 118.
Edit a file checked out by another user
1 Open the file, and choose one of the following options when the Checked Out By or In Use By (Acrobat) alert
appears:
Discard Changes Displays the most recent version of the file from the Version Cue Server and discards your changes
to the local project file.
Continue Editing Lets you edit the local project file without overwriting the changes made in another user’s local
copy of the same file (Version Cue will prompt each user to save a new version of the file).
2 If you continue working with the document and make a change to the content, Version Cue displays an alert to
remind you that there is the possibility of creating conflicting copies. Choose one of the following:
No, Close Document Closes the file without any alterations.
Yes, Keep Open Keeps the file open so that you can work on the document.
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3 If the project doesn’t have lock protection applied to it, you can save a new version of your edits. Version Cue
displays an alert, warning you that conflicting edits will occur if you continue. Choose one of the following:
Cancel Returns you to the open document without checking in a version.
Check In Updates the master file in the Version Cue Server with the new version. (Version Cue displays an alert to
the other user to note that a newer version of the file has been created.)
At any point, you can close the document and discard any changes you made.
Update a file with the most recent version
If another user creates a new version of a file that you have open or that is still marked as Checked Out or In Use
(Acrobat), Version Cue prompts you to update your document with the latest version when you open it or attempt
to make changes to it, or when you bring the document window frontmost in a group of documents.
❖ When the prompt appears, choose one of the following:
Discard Changes Updates the document with the most recent version from the Version Cue project. You can
continue editing the file after it is updated. You lose any changes you made even if you have already used the Save
command to save those changes to the local project file.
Continue Editing Leaves the document as is. You can continue editing the file without overwriting the changes in
the more recent version. Instead, you’re prompted either to save a new version of the file when you close it or to
discard your changes.
Move and copy Version Cue files
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
Use the Move To or Copy To commands in Bridge to move or copy Version Cue files within a project, among
projects, or from a project to a desktop folder. When you copy or move a file, Version Cue copies or moves only the
most current version.
See also
“Open a project” on page 96
“Use the Adobe dialog box” on page 86
Copy Version Cue files
❖ Do any of the following:
• Select the file in Bridge and choose Edit > Copy.
• Right-click the file in Bridge, choose Copy To, and choose a project or folder from the context menu (to specify a
folder not listed, choose Folder, select a desktop or project folder, and click OK).
• Ctrl-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the files to a different location.
• Drag the files from one project to another (if you drag the files to a different location in the same project, they are
moved).
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Move Version Cue files
❖ Do any of the following:
• Right-click the file in Bridge, choose Move To, and choose a project or project folder from the context menu (to
specify a folder not listed, choose Folder, select a folder, and click OK).
Note: Bridge moves files if you use the Move To command within the same Version Cue project. If you use the Move To
command to move files from one Version Cue project to another or from a Version Cue project to a desktop folder, Bridge
copies the files.
• Drag a file to a different location in the same project (if you drag the files from one project to another, they are
copied).
Search for Version Cue files
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
You can locate files in a Version Cue project by searching for specific metadata such as titles, authors, copyright data,
keywords, dates, and locations. Metadata is added to Version Cue project files as you work with them. In addition,
you can add other metadata to files in Adobe Creative Suite components through the File Info dialog box. Adobe
Creative Suite components can contain specific metadata fields; for example, fonts and colors in InDesign files and
colors in Illustrator files.
You can search for files deleted from projects as well as existing files. In Bridge, you can search for Version Cue
project files by version comment and past versions. (For instructions on searching in Bridge, see “Search for files and
folders” in Bridge Help.)
Note: Bridge doesn’t search metadata for Version Cue version comments unless you choose Checkin Comment from the
Criteria menu in the Find dialog box.
1 In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, click Version Cue in the Favorites panel of the
Adobe dialog box and double-click the project you want to search.
2 Click Project Search
.
3 Choose an option from the Search Category menu and enter criteria in the adjacent box.
4 Click Search.
See also
“Accessing Version Cue features” on page 85
“Open a project” on page 96
“View, promote, and delete versions” on page 109
Placing Version Cue files
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
While you’re working with a Version Cue project in Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, you can add a
Version Cue file to a document just as you would place a non-Version Cue file—by using the Place command. You
can also drag a file from a Version Cue project in Bridge to an open Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or
Photoshop file.
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Always add assets to a Version Cue project before placing them in a Version Cue-managed file. When you place a
file that is not managed by Version Cue into a file that is, you cannot keep track of the placed asset's versions or
status.
The Links panel (in Illustrator, InCopy, and InDesign) displays additional information about placed files from
Version Cue projects, identifying whether a linked file is being edited and which user is doing the editing. You can
also use the Links panel to determine whether the linked file needs to be updated to a newer version from the
Version Cue Server.
For complete information on placing files into documents, see the specific application’s Help.
Replace a placed file with a previous version
You may find yourself working with multiple versions of a document that includes a link to a file with multiple
versions. If you decide to promote an earlier version of the document that includes a link to an earlier version of the
file, Version Cue links to the current version of the file in the promoted document.
For example, suppose you create an InDesign document, place a Photoshop file in the document, and create multiple
versions of both the InDesign document and the Photoshop file. If you then decide to promote an earlier version of
the InDesign document, the link to the placed Photoshop file points to the current version of the file—not the
version of the file to which you originally linked in the promoted InDesign document.To resolve this, replace the
linked file with a previous version.
Note: Illustrator, InCopy, or InDesign may display a thumbnail of the version of the file to which you originally linked
in the promoted document, but the link actually points to the most current version of the file. For example, when you
package an InDesign document that displays a thumbnail of the correct version, InDesign replaces the thumbnail of the
file with the most current (but incorrect) version.
1 In Illustrator, InCopy, or InDesign, select the file in the Links panel.
2 Choose Versions from the Links panel menu.
3 Select a version and click Promote To Current. Enter a version comment if desired, and click Save.
View files and versions in the Links panel
When Version Cue is enabled in Illustrator, InCopy, or InDesign, the Links panel identifies who is editing a linked
file from a Version Cue project.
The Links panel functions the same with files that are managed with Version Cue as with files that are not. For
appears; if a
example, if a newer version of a linked file is on the Version Cue Server, the Modified Artwork icon
file is missing, the Missing Artwork icon
appears. To update a linked file from a Version Cue project, you use the
same procedures used for files that aren’t managed by Version Cue.
The Links panel also displays a Version Cue status icon that describes the state of the file on the Version Cue Server
(see “File statuses” on page 101), and displays a linked file’s versions so you can promote and use previous versions.
You can even create versions of linked non-Adobe files.
❖ Do one of the following:
• To view versions of a placed file, choose Versions from the Links panel menu.
• To view a tool tip that displays the versions of a placed file, place the pointer over the name of the file in the Links
panel.
See Illustrator Help, InCopy Help, or InDesign Help for more information about working with the Links panel and
placed files.
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Delete files or folders from a project
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
You can delete files or folders in Bridge or any Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite component. Deleting a file or
folder from Version Cue is a two-step process that safeguards against accidental deletions.
The first step is deleting the file or folder and giving it Deleted status. Deleting hides the file or folder from normal
view but does not erase it. The second step is permanently deleting and erasing the file or folder and its previous
versions.
Note: Any user with appropriate privileges can delete files and folders unless the files or folders are marked as Checked
Out or In Use (Acrobat). If you’re in a workgroup and a user is editing a file that you need to delete, you can reset the
file’s lock by using Version Cue Server Administration.
In Bridge and Version Cue-enabled components of Adobe Creative Suite, you can view project files with Deleted
status in Project Trash view. You can restore files or folders that have Deleted status to reinstate Version Cue
management. Restored files and folders appear in their previous location in the project folder hierarchy.
See also
“Use the Adobe dialog box” on page 86
“Open a project” on page 96
“About local project files” on page 100
“Delete projects” on page 99
“Advanced Version Cue Server Administration tasks” on page 122
Delete files or folders
1 In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, click Version Cue in the Favorites panel in the
Adobe dialog box, and open the project that contains the files or folders you want to delete.
2 Select the file or folder you want to delete and click the Delete
icon in the toolbar.
Delete files or folders in Bridge
1 In Bridge, click Version Cue in the Favorites panel and open the project that contains the files you want to delete.
2 Select the file and click the Delete
icon in the toolbar.
Restore a deleted file or folder
1 In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, open the project containing the file or folder that
you want to restore in the Adobe dialog box.
2 Click Project Trash in the Favorites panel, right-click the file you want to restore, and choose Restore.
3 Choose Refresh from the Tools or Project Tools (Acrobat) menu to update the dialog box.
The file or folder is restored to its original location in the Version Cue project.
Note: To restore a file in a previously deleted folder, you must first restore the folder. Doing so restores the folder and all
its contents.
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Restore a deleted file or folder in Bridge
1 Click Version Cue in the Favorites panel and open the project that contains the files you want to restore.
2 Choose Tools > Version Cue > View Project Trash.
3 Select the file you want to restore, and choose Tools > Version Cue > Restore.
The file or folder is restored to its original location in the Version Cue project.
Delete a file or folder permanently
1 In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, open the project containing the file or folder that
you want to delete permanently in the Adobe dialog box.
2 Click Project Trash in the Favorites panel, right-click the file you want to delete permanently, and choose Delete
Permanent.
3 Click OK.
Delete a file permanently in Bridge
1 Click Version Cue in the Favorites panel and open the project that contains the files you want to delete perma-
nently.
2 Choose Tools > Version Cue > View Project Trash.
3 Right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac OS) the file you want to permanently delete, and click Delete
Permanent.
Version Cue versions
About versions
Versions track changes to a file: each version is a snapshot of the file at a particular point in time. When you edit a
file from the Version Cue Server, you’re editing the last version saved to the Version Cue Server. When you’re ready
to save changes to the Version Cue Server, you check in a version. You don’t have to check in a version every time
you save your changes: check in a version only when you want to create a snapshot of the file.
You can save comments with versions to help you track changes. You can also promote a previous version to be the
current version, letting you recover from unwanted changes.
You can compare multiple versions of the same file, and delete versions as they become obsolete or to save disk space.
For a video on managing versions, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0115.
See also
“Accessing Version Cue features” on page 85
“About local project files” on page 100
“Save changes to a local project file” on page 102
Check in versions
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
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To check in a new version of a file, use the Check In or Save A Version (Acrobat) command, which saves your changes
to the Version Cue Server and removes the Checked Out or In Use By (Acrobat) status from the file.
When you check in a version, Version Cue transfers and saves only the changes you’ve made to the file.
You can check in versions of non-Adobe files only if the files are in a Version Cue project and the files have been
opened through Bridge. After you check in versions of non-Adobe files, you can access them from the Versions
dialog box in Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite components and from the Inspector or Content panel in Bridge.
Note: You can save versions of nonembedded graphics, image, and text files in InCopy, InDesign, and Illustrator by using
the Edit Original command in the Links panel. After editing the file, save it in its native application. Then, in the Links
panel, select the file and use the Save Link Version command to check in a version in the Version Cue project. For more
information, see InCopy Help, InDesign Help, or Illustrator Help.
See also
“Open a project” on page 96
Check in a version
1 Do one of the following:
• In Flash, InCopy, Illustrator, InDesign, or Photoshop, choose File > Check In.
• In Acrobat, choose File > Save A Version.
• In Bridge, select the file or files you want to check in and click the Check In button.
2 In the Check In dialog box, enter comments that you want to associate with the version, and then click OK.
Check in a non-Adobe file
1 Start Bridge.
2 In Bridge, click Version Cue in the Favorites panel and then open the project containing the file that you want to
check out.
3 Double-click the file to check it out and open it.
4 When the file opens in its native application, make your changes, and save and close the file.
5 In Bridge, click the Check In button.
6 In the Check In dialog box, enter comments that you want to associate with the version, and then click OK.
View, promote, and delete versions
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
Versions are treated as separate files, which you can access through the Versions dialog box in all Version Cueenabled Creative Suite components or through the Content panel in Bridge. The Versions dialog box and Bridge
display thumbnails of all file versions (numbered sequentially) with comments, dates, and the login name of the user
who created the version.
If you want to compare versions in detail, you can choose to view each version in its native application.
If you want both a previous version and the current version to be available for simultaneous use in a project, save
the previous version as a separate asset.
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Viewing versions in the Adobe dialog box
See also
“Use the Adobe dialog box” on page 86
“Open a project” on page 96
“Advanced Version Cue Server Administration tasks” on page 122
View versions
1 In Acrobat, Flash, InCopy, Illustrator, InDesign, or Photoshop, click Version Cue in the Favorites panel of the
Adobe dialog box and open the project that contains the file whose versions you want to view.
2 Select the file whose versions you want to view.
3 Choose Versions from the Tools or Project Tools (Acrobat) menu
.
Versions appear in the Versions dialog box.
You can view versions of a file while it’s open in a Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite component: Choose Versions
from the status menu at the bottom of the document window.
View versions in Bridge
1 Click Version Cue in the Favorites panel.
2 Open the project containing the file for which you want to view versions, and select the file.
3 Choose Tools > Version Cue > Versions, or click the Versions button in the Content panel. Versions appear in the
Content panel.
View a previous version in its native application
If you view a previous version in its native application, changes you make won’t be reflected in the current version
(unless you promote the previous version to be the current version). You can, however, save edits to a previous
version as a new asset.
❖ Do one of the following:
• In the Versions dialog box, click the version that you want to open and click View.
• In Bridge, double-click the version you want to open.
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Version Cue opens the previous version in its native application. The version number appears in the file’s title bar to
remind you that it is not the current version. The file status is Never Saved, because the previous version is only a
snapshot of a previous stage of the file.
Promote a version
Promoting a previous version saves a copy of the previous version as the current version. This process keeps the
previous version intact, should you decide to return to it again in the future. Any changes made between its creation
and promotion don’t appear in the new current version.
1 Do one of the following:
• In the Versions dialog box, select the version you want to promote, and click Promote To Current Version.
• In Bridge, select the version you want to promote, and click Promote.
2 Type a version comment in the Check In dialog box and click Continue.
Delete a version
❖ Do one of the following:
• In the Versions dialog box, select the version you want to delete and click Delete.
• In Bridge, select the version you want to delete, and click Delete This Version.
Note that the remaining versions are not renumbered.
Using Version Cue Server Administration, you can delete multiple previous versions of all files in a project simultaneously. By using this method, you can retain past versions by date or by number of versions to keep. See “Advanced
Version Cue Server Administration tasks” on page 122.
Editing and synchronizing offline files
About offline files
When you need to work on files from a Version Cue project while the Version Cue Server is unavailable, you can edit
local project files on your computer. When the Version Cue Server is available again, you must synchronize your files
with the Version Cue Server to save your latest version to the Version Cue Server. You can synchronize an entire
project, or just a folder or a file in the project.
To prepare to work with offline files, it’s best to first synchronize the entire Version Cue project while the server is
still online to ensure that you have local project files. You can then edit the offline files and synchronize them once
the server is back online.
Edit offline files
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
You can edit offline files from an unavailable Version Cue Server by opening offline copies. If you know that you’ll
be working with an offline file, you should first check the file out before going offline (see “Manually check out a file,”
below).
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See also
“Use the Adobe dialog box” on page 86
“Open a project” on page 96
Edit local project files from an offline project
1 In Acrobat, Flash, InCopy, Illustrator, InDesign, or Photoshop, click Version Cue in the Favorites panel of the
Adobe dialog box and open the project that contains the file you want to edit. It may take Version Cue a few seconds
to verify that the Version Cue Server is unavailable.
2 Double-click the file to open it (the Offline Copy status allows you to open the file).
3 When you finish editing the file, choose File > Save to save the changes to the local project file. When the
Version Cue Server becomes available again, synchronize your files. If the Version Cue Server becomes available
while you’re editing an offline file in an Adobe application, Version Cue will automatically mark the file as Checked
Out or In Use (Acrobat).
Manually check out a file
If you intend to work on a file from an offline Version Cue Server, you should first manually mark the file as Checked
Out before the server goes offline. When you mark a file as Checked Out, Version Cue creates a local project file for
you and protects the file from editing by other users.
❖ Do one of the following:
• In Bridge, click Version Cue in the Favorites panel, navigate to the file, and click the Check Out button.
• In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, click Version Cue in the Favorites panel of the
Adobe dialog box and open the project that contains the file. Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS)
the file, and then choose Check Out or Mark In Use (Acrobat). Click Cancel to close the Adobe dialog box.
Synchronize files
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
If you’ve worked with offline files, you must synchronize your files with the Version Cue Server to save your latest
version to the Version Cue Server. You may also want to synchronize if another user has saved a newer version of a
file to the Version Cue Server.
See also
“Use the Adobe dialog box” on page 86
“Open a project” on page 96
Synchronize files
1 In Acrobat, Flash, Illustrator, InCopy, InDesign, or Photoshop, click Version Cue in the Favorites panel of the
Adobe dialog box and select the project, folder, or file you want to synchronize. Do one of the following:
• To download assets from the Version Cue Server for which you have no corresponding local project files, choose
Download from the Tools or Project Tools (Acrobat) menu
synchronized).
(if Download is not available, the assets are already
• To both upload and download assets to and from the Version Cue Server, choose Synchronize from the Tools or
Project Tools (Acrobat) menu
.
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2 If prompted, choose an option in the File Conflict dialog box.
Synchronize files in Bridge
1 In Bridge, click Version Cue in the Favorites panel.
2 Select a project, folder, or file, and do one of the following:
• To download assets from the Version Cue Server for which you have no corresponding local project files, choose
Tools > Version Cue > Download (if Download is not available, the assets are already synchronized).
• To both upload and download assets to and from the Version Cue Server, choose Tools > Version Cue >
Synchronize (or click the Synchronize button in the toolbar).
3 If prompted, choose an option in the File Conflict dialog box.
File conflict options
If the master file on the Version Cue Server is newer than your local project file and you’ve made changes to the local
project file, a File Conflict dialog box appears with the following options:
Apply The Following Action To All Subsequent Conflicts Automatically applies the selected option every time there
is a file conflict.
Check In Saves your local project file as a new version to the Version Cue Server.
Skip This File Prevents the most recent version from the Version Cue Server from being downloaded. (This option
also prevents a version of your local project file from being saved to the server.) Choose this option only if you want
to keep your edits and disregard the other changes in the master file.
Version Cue Server Administration
About Version Cue Server Administration
Use Version Cue Server Administration to create, edit, and delete projects; manage user and group access; view logs
and reports; initiate and manage web-based PDF reviews; and perform advanced server administration tasks such
as deleting file versions, removing file locks, configuring plug-ins, and backing up the Version Cue Server.
The Version Cue Server Administration web page is divided into four tabs. Each tab contains controls that enable
you to configure Version Cue. You can access Version Cue Server Administration from the Version Cue icon, from
a web browser, or from any Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite component.
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A
B
Users/Groups and Projects tabs of Version Cue Server Administration
A. Tabs B. Controls
Version Cue Server Administration software requirements
Version Cue Server Administration for Windows requires the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.5 or later to
import projects from folders. You can download the Java Runtime Environment from the Sun Microsystems Java
website at www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp.
Version Cue Server Administration for both Windows and Mac OS requires Adobe Flash Player 9 for user and group
administration. When you first create users and groups, Version Cue will prompt you to install Flash Player.
Log in to Version Cue Server Administration
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
When you turn on the Version Cue Server for the first time, Version Cue automatically creates a default login name
(system) with administrator privileges and asks you to specify a password. This login name and password let you log
in to Version Cue Server Administration.
Other users with administrator privileges can also log in to Version Cue Server Administration.
Log in from the Version Cue icon
1 Do one of the following:
• (Windows) Right-click the Version Cue icon in the system tray and choose Server Administration.
On Windows, right-click the Version Cue icon.
• (Mac OS) Click the Version Cue icon at the top of the screen, and then click Server Administration.
2 Type your Version Cue login name and password in the boxes, and click Log In.
Log in from a Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite component
You can also log in to Version Cue Server Administration from Acrobat, Flash, InCopy, InDesign, Illustrator, and
Photoshop.
1 Choose File > Open, and click Use Adobe Dialog.
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2 Choose Connect To Server from the Tools menu or Connect To from the Project Tools menu (Acrobat), type the
IP or DNS address and port of the Version Cue Server you want to administer, and click OK. The default port
number is 3703 (50900 if you’re connecting to a Version Cue CS3 server that’s installed on the same system as a
Version Cue CS2 workspace).
3 Choose Edit Properties from the Tools or Project Tools (Acrobat) menu
.
4 Click Server Administration in the Edit Properties dialog box.
5 Type your Version Cue login name and password in the boxes, and click Log In.
Log in from a web browser
1 In a web browser, type the IP or DNS address of the computer on which the Version Cue Server is installed.
Precede the address with http:// and follow it with a colon and the default port number, for example,
http://153.32.235.230:3703 (IP) or http://myserver.mycompany.com:3703 (DNS). The default port number is 3703
(50900 if you’re connecting to a Version Cue CS3 server that’s installed on the same system as a Version Cue CS2
workspace).
Note: If the server is installed locally, type http://localhost:3703.
2 A browser window displays the Adobe Version Cue Server Administration login page. Type your Version Cue
login name and password in the boxes, and click Log In.
Create and manage users
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
Only users who have been granted System Administrator access privileges can create, import, export, and edit
Version Cue users.
If you didn’t enable automatic user account creation when you turned on the Version Cue Server, you need to create
Version Cue user names to let other users access projects on the Version Cue Server. To restrict the Version Cue
projects that a user can access, you can require login for the project and assign user names and permissions to that
project.
Adobe Flash Player 9 is required to create and manage users in Version Cue Server Administration. When you first
create users, Version Cue will prompt you to install Adobe Flash Player 9.
See also
“Create and manage projects in Version Cue Server Administration” on page 118
Create, edit, or delete users
Create users to let them access projects on the Version Cue Server.
1 Click the Users/Groups tab in Version Cue Server Administration, and then click New in the Users area.
2 In the New User dialog box, enter a user name, login, password, and choose the level of access to give the user
from the Admin Access Level menu:
• None denies the user access to Version Cue Server Administration.
• User grants standard access to Version Cue Server Administration. Users with standard access can create new
projects (if also granted project creation permissions) and modify projects they have created.
• System Administrator grants full access to all tasks in Version Cue Server Administration.
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3 Select Project Creation to enable the user to create new Version Cue projects.
4 (Optional) Type a phone number, an e-mail address, and comments in the remaining boxes. Make sure to enter
an e-mail address if the user will participate in Version Cue PDF reviews.
5 Click Save.
To edit a user, select the user, click Edit, change settings in the Edit [User Name] dialog box, and click Save. To delete
a user, select the user, and click Delete.
Create, edit, or delete a user group
Create user groups to group users with similar permissions. For example, create a user group named “Designers” to
group all users who are contributing artwork to a design project. The default group “Everyone” contains all users in
the system.
1 Click the Users/Groups tab in Version Cue Server Administration.
2 Click New in the Groups area.
3 In the New Group dialog box, enter a name for the group. Optionally, enter a comment, and then click Save.
4 Add users to the group by dragging them from the Users area to the new group.
To change the name of a group, select it, click Edit, and enter a new name in the Groupname box. To delete a group,
select it, and click Delete.
Assign permissions to users and groups
You can assign permissions to individual users, or to a group of users. Permissions are different from access levels:
Access levels control access to Version Cue Server Administration, while permissions control access to the
Version Cue Server, projects, and Version Cue PDF reviews. Note that permissions you assign to users or groups may
be overwritten by permissions you assign to users for specific projects.
1 Do either of the following:
• To assign permissions to a user, select the user in the Users/Groups tab of Version Cue Server Administration.
• To assign permissions to all users in a group, select the group in the Users/Groups tab of Version Cue Server
Administration.
2 Select Allow or Deny for each permissions category in the Global Permissions section:
To allow or deny all permissions, choose Allow or Deny from the Presets menu. To display the default permissions
assigned to a user or group, select the user or group and click Effective Permissions.
• Read allows viewing projects and the files, versions, and file information within them.
• Write allows adding files to a project and saving versions and file information.
• Delete allows deleting projects or the files within them.
• Review Initiator allows initiating PDF reviews in Version Cue Server Administration (see “Start a Version Cue
PDF review” on page 125).
• Project Administration allows administering projects (for example, duplicating, backing up, exporting, and
deleting projects).
3 Click Save Permissions.
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Import users from an LDAP directory
LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is a method of querying directory systems that contain information,
such as user names and passwords, about users. You can import users from an LDAP server and map their user
attributes (such as user name and password) to Version Cue user attributes. Users that you import from an LDAP
that is different from the typical user icon .
server appear with a user icon
Note: If you enabled Automatic User Account Creation when you configured the Version Cue Server and then subsequently enable LDAP support, LDAP users are automatically imported when they access the server with their LDAP
account name. Users imported in this fashion are added to the Everyone group, given a user access level of None, and
are not able to log into Version Cue Server Administration. Use this technique to automatically assign LDAP users
default access rights to projects on a Version Cue server without having to explicitly import users.
1 Click the Advanced tab in Version Cue Server Administration.
2 Click LDAP Preferences.
3 Click Enable LDAP Support, and then enter information about the LDAP server:
• Enter the server name in the LDAP Server box.
• Enter the server port in the Server Port box.
• Enter the starting point in the LDAP hierarchy for the directory on the LDAP server in the Searchbase box.
• If the LDAP server requires authentication, enter a user name and password in the Username and Password boxes.
• Select Use LDAP with SSL if you want to connect via SSL to an SSL-enabled LDAP server.
• Enter LDAP attributes in the User-Id, Displayname, E-Mail, Info, and Phone boxes. Version Cue maps these to the
corresponding Version Cue Server attributes.
• To specify that the Version Cue Server periodically synchronizes with the LDAP server, select Enable Automatic
Synchronization and specify a synchronization period.
4 Click Save.
5 In the Users/Groups tab of Version Cue Server Administration, click Click To Maximize in the Users area.
6 Click Import External Users.
7 Type the first few letters of the LDAP user name or names you want to import in the External User dialog box.
(Version Cue auto-completes the entry.)
8 Select the name or names, and click Add.
9 Repeat steps 7 and 8 until you’ve added all desired LDAP users, and then click Import User.
Export a list of users
To add a set of users to another Version Cue Server, export a list of users and then copy it to the UsersExport folder
in the Version Cue application folder of the other computer with a Version Cue Server. You can then use the export
list to import users.
1 Click the Users/Groups tab in Version Cue Server Administration.
2 Click To Maximize in the Users area.
3 Click Export Users.
4 Select the users you want to export (Shift-click to select contiguous users, Ctrl-click to select noncontiguous
users).
5 Type a name for the list in the filename box. Optionally, type remarks in the Comments box.
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6 Click Export.
The location of the user list appears under the Export Users heading. To import this list into another Version Cue
Server, copy this file into the destination server’s Data/UsersExport folder in the Version Cue application folder.
Import users from a list
1 Click the Users/Groups tab in Version Cue Server Administration and then click Import Users.
2 Click the user list that you want to import.
3 Select the check box next to each user name that you want to import, or select the check box next to the User Name
column label to select all user names.
4 Click Next.
Create and manage projects in Version Cue Server Administration
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
You can create a new blank Version Cue project, a project from files in a folder on the computer where the
Version Cue Server is installed, or a project from a WebDAV or FTP server. Once you’ve created a project, you can
edit its properties in the Projects tab at any time.
Create a new Version Cue project
1 Click the Projects tab in Version Cue Server Administration, and then click New:
• Click Blank Project to create an empty Version Cue project.
• Click Import From Folder to create a project that contains files from a folder of files on the hard drive.
• Click Import From FTP Server or Import From WebDAV Server to import a website or to import files from a
folder on an FTP or WebDAV server.
2 Type a project name in the New Project Name box.
3 Specify Version Cue project properties (see “Version Cue project properties” below).
4 Click Create (if you’ve created a new blank project) or Next (if you’ve created a project from a folder of files on an
FTP or WebDAV server or on your hard drive).
5 If you chose to import a project from a folder, do the following, and then click Import:
• If the content you’re importing is a website, select Import Folder As A Website.
• To specify the folder to import from, click Browse and select a folder.
Note: Don’t navigate away from Version Cue Server Administration after you click Import. If you navigate away before
all files have been imported into the project, Version Cue will create the project, but the project won’t contain all files.
6 If you chose to import a project from an FTP or WebDAV server, do the following, and then click Import:
• If the content you’re importing is a website, select Import FTP Directory As A Website or Import WebDAV
Directory As A Website.
• In the FTP Server or WebDAV Server box, specify the server from which to import files, and type the port number
in the Port box.
• To specify a folder, click Browse and select a folder.
• If a user name and password are required to access the server, type them in the User Name and Password boxes.
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• To use a proxy server to connect to the server, select Use Proxy.
• To use passive mode to connect to the server, select Use Passive Mode.
7 If you chose to require login for the project, click Assign Permissions and assign permissions to users (see “Assign
user permissions,” below).
Version Cue project properties
Specify these options when creating or editing Version Cue projects in Version Cue Server Administration:
Share This Project With Others Users can be on your subnet, or they can be given the Version Cue Server IP or DNS
address and port number to gain access to the Version Cue Server.
Require Login For This Project Ensures that only users with a Version Cue login ID and password have access to the
project.
Note: If you select this option after other users have already accessed the project without being authenticated, those users
can still access the project without logging in to it. Make sure that you change their privileges as needed in the project’s
list of assigned users.
Enable Lock Protection For This Project Restricts file versioning to sequential versions. Only the first user to edit an
available file in a lock-protected project can check in a version of that file to the Version Cue project. Other users
can’t check in a version until the first user saves a version and closes the file or reverts to the project version of the
file and closes it—other users must save their changes as completely new files with their own version thread.
Maximize Compatibility With CS2 Applications And Acrobat 8 Creates a project that uses the Version Cue CS2
project structure so that Adobe Creative Suite 2 or Acrobat 8 users can work with Version Cue CS3 projects.
Comments Stores any remarks you type about the project.
Assign user permissions
If you chose to require login when creating a project, you need to assign permissions to users to define their access
to the project.
1 In the Assign Permissions area of Version Cue Server Administration, select the user or the group that contains
the users for which you want to assign permissions.
2 Select Allow or Deny for each permissions category in the Permissions for [user name] section:
To allow or deny all permissions, choose Allow or Deny from the Presets menu. To display the effective global and
project permissions assigned to a user or group, select the user or group and click Effective Permissions.
• Read lets the user see files, versions, and file information in the project.
• Write lets the user create files, versions, and file information in the project.
• Delete lets the user delete files from the project.
• Review Initiator lets the user initiate PDF reviews in Version Cue Server Administration (see “Start a Version Cue
PDF review” on page 125).
• Project Administration lets the user administer projects (for example, duplicating, backing up, exporting, and
deleting projects).
3 Click Set Permissions.
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Duplicate a Version Cue project
Duplicate a project to start a new project with the same users and privileges. Version Cue duplicates the folder
hierarchy within the project structure.
1 Click the Projects tab in Version Cue Server Administration.
2 Select the check box next to the project you want to duplicate, and click Duplicate.
3 In the Duplicate Project page, type a unique name for the project.
4 Edit project properties, and click Duplicate.
Delete a Version Cue project
1 Click the Projects tab in Version Cue Server Administration, and do one of the following:
• To delete one or more projects, select the check box next to each project you want to delete.
• To delete all listed projects, select the check box next to the Project Name column label.
2 Click Delete. The Delete Project page appears.
3 Select User Locks Will Be Ignored to delete the project even if a user has files checked out.
4 Click Delete.
Export a Version Cue project to your computer or to an FTP or WebDAV server
You can export the most recent version of all project files from the Version Cue Server. Export if you want to move
files from one host computer (or server) to another, create a package of the most recent files for output, or simply
create an archive of the final versions. Version Cue still manages projects moved between computers.
Note: If you want to move a project, first decide whether to back it up (so that all past versions are also moved) or to
export it (so that only the current versions of project files are moved).
1 Click the Projects tab in Version Cue Server Administration. Select the check box next to the project you want to
export, and click Export.
2 In the Export Project page, choose a protocol by which to export the project.
3 Do one of the following:
• If you chose Export Project To Folder in step 2, specify the folder to which you want to export the project.
• If you chose Export Project To FTP Server or Export Project To WebDAV Server in step 2, specify the server
address in the Server Address box, specify a folder in the Directory box, and enter a user name and password (if
required). To use a proxy server to connect, select Use Proxy. If you are connecting to the server through a firewall,
or if you specified a port other than 21, select Use Passive Mode. (This is an option only if you choose FTP in the
Protocol menu.)
4 Click Export.
Back up and restore projects
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
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When you back up a Version Cue project, Version Cue Server Administration creates backups of all the information
in a Version Cue project, including all versions of all files in the project. Use a project backup to move a project from
one Version Cue Server to another while retaining all the versions of that project. You can restore a backup copy that
represents a Version Cue project as it was on a specific date. Restored project backups do not replace the original
Version Cue project.
You can customize a backup configuration for your projects in the Version Cue project preferences. You can back up
a project using a new configuration or an existing configuration. A backup configuration includes the ability to
schedule a recurring backup for the project.
By default, project backups are stored in the Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Adobe Version Cue
CS3/Server/Backups folder (Windows) or the Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Version Cue
CS3/Server/Backups folder (Mac OS).
Back up a Version Cue project
1 Click the Projects tab in Version Cue Server Administration.
2 Click the check box next to the project name, and then click Back Up.
3 In the Backup Name box, accept the backup name, or type a new name.
4 Choose the project components that you want to back up: Project Content (which is always selected) to back up
files, Project File Versions to back up all versions of the files, Project Metadata to back up embedded information
entered in Adobe Creative Suite components, and Users/User Assignments to back up information about the users
and their project privileges.
5 Click Back Up.
Restore a Version Cue project backup copy
1 Click the Projects tab in Version Cue Server Administration.
2 Click Project Backups.
3 Select the backup that you want to restore.
4 In the New Project Name box, type a name that is different from those of other projects in the Version Cue Server.
5 Do any of the following, and then click Restore:
• To retain the list of users that were assigned to the project, select Restore Users.
• To retain the same privileges for each assigned user, select Restore User Assignments.
• To add remarks, type them in the Comments box.
Create a new backup configuration
When you create a new configuration, it becomes the default for the project.
1 Click the Projects tab in Version Cue Server Administration.
2 Click the project for which you want to create a new backup configuration.
3 Click Backup Configurations, and then click New.
4 Type a name for the backup configuration in the Backup Name box.
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5 Select what to back up in the Include list of options: Project Content (which is always selected) to back up files,
Project File Versions to back up all the versions of the project, Project Metadata to back up embedded information
entered in Adobe Creative Suite components, and Users/User Assignments to back up information about the users
and their project privileges.
6 (Optional) Add remarks to the backup file in the Comments box.
7 Click Schedule, and choose an option from the Repeat menu if you want backups to occur automatically (choose
Don’t Repeat if you want to back up the project manually).
8 Click Save.
Advanced Version Cue Server Administration tasks
Note: You can perform this task only if you have access to the full Version Cue feature set. See “Accessing Version Cue
features” on page 85.
Perform advanced Version Cue Server Administration tasks, such as backing up the server, specifying proxies, and
enabling SSL, in the Advanced tab of Version Cue Server Administration.
See also
“Change the location of the Data folder” on page 92
View Version Cue Server and plug-in information and log files
You can display the Version Cue Server version, name, Java version, database version, Version Cue URL (IP or DNS
address), and WebDAV URL with Version Cue Server Administration.
You can also view the Version Cue Server log file, which tracks all server operations according to the level of detail
you specify. Log files are saved in the Logs folder in the Version Cue application folder.
❖ Click the Advanced tab of Version Cue Server Administration and do any of the following:
• To view Version Cue Server information, click Server Info.
• To view information about installed Version Cue plug-ins, click Plugins Overview.
• To view the Version Cue Server log file, click Server Log.
• To specify the log level (Error, Warning, or Info), specify the maximum log size, or reduce the log size by saving
it as a compressed file, click Preferences and set these options.
View a Version Cue import or export report
1 Click the Advanced tab in Version Cue Server Administration, and then click Reports.
2 Choose the type of report you want to view from the Report menu.
3 To view available reports from a single project, choose the project name from the Filter By menu. To view available
reports from all projects on the Version Cue Server, choose All.
4 Click the project’s name in the Project Name column to display the report.
5 To print a copy of the report, click Print View.
6 To return to the report list, click File List.
To delete a report, select it in the Report List and click Delete.
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Back up the Version Cue Server
You can back up the complete Version Cue Server to move a complete server from one computer to another.
Important: If you restore a backup copy of the Version Cue Server, all current data on the server, including Version Cue
projects, files, and versions, is replaced by the backup.
Server backup files are saved to the default Backups folder in the Version Cue application folder.
1 Click the Advanced tab in Version Cue Server Administration, and then click Back Up Version Cue Data.
2 To add remarks about the server backup, type them in the Comments box.
3 Click Save. After the backup is complete, click OK to view the list of server backups.
Replace a project with a previous backup
To replace current projects on a Version Cue Server with a previous version, you first restore the backup. When you
do this, Version Cue Server Administration shuts down.
1 Click the Advanced tab in Version Cue Server Administration, and then click Administer Backups.
2 Click the backup you want to restore and then click Restore. The Version Cue Server shuts down. Close the
browser. (Notice that the Version Cue icon in the system tray indicates that it’s off .)
3 Start the Version Cue Server.
4 log in to Version Cue Server Administration.
Change the name of the Version Cue Server
1 Click the Advanced tab in Version Cue Server Administration, and then click Preferences.
2 Type a name in the Server Name box.
Specify HTTP and FTP proxies
1 Click the Advanced tab in Version Cue Server Administration, and then click Preferences.
2 Specify the default FTP proxy server for users importing projects from or exporting projects to an FTP server.
3 Specify the default HTTP Proxy server for users importing projects from or exporting projects to a WebDAV
server.
Remove file locks from a Version Cue project
Remove file locks to remove the Checked Out or In Use (Acrobat) status of files designated as such. A user with
system administrator access or with project-specific Project Administration privileges can remove file locks.
1 Click the Advanced tab in Version Cue Server Administration, and then click Reset Locks (under Maintenance).
• Choose a project from the Project Name menu.
• Choose a user from the User Name menu.
2 Click Reset Locks to remove the specified file locks.
Delete file versions in a project
Delete file versions to improve performance. Each time you check in a version, it’s stored in the Version Cue Server
database. This database creates a file version history that lets you quickly return to any former state of the file. An
extensive history takes up disk space and can degrade the performance of the Version Cue Server.
1 Click the Advanced tab in Version Cue Server Administration, and then click Remove Old Versions.
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2 Choose a project from the Project Name menu.
3 To delete versions, select Delete All Versions Older Than, and then choose a month, day, and year.
4 To specify the maximum number of versions to remain in the server after you click Delete, select Number Of
Versions To Keep, and then type a number in the box.
5 Click Delete.
Grant access to the server without an existing user account
If you select this option, Version Cue creates a new user account without a password when a new user accesses the
Version Cue Server.
1 Click the Advanced tab in Version Cue Server Administration, and then click Preferences.
2 Select Automatic User Creation to enable users to access the server without an existing user account.
Enable SSL
Enabling Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for the Version Cue Server enables secure communication between the server
and Bridge or a Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite component. When you enable SSL, the Version Cue Server sends
data over an encrypted connection.
Note: Acrobat 8 and Creative Suite 2 components can’t connect to a Version Cue CS3 Server that uses SSL.
1 Click the Advanced tab in Version Cue Server Administration, and then click Security Preferences.
• To enable SSL, select Use SSL.
• To view the existing SSL certificate, click View The Currently Installed SSL Certificate.
• To load a custom SSL certificate, click Import A Custom SSL Certificate, select the certificate you want to use, and
click Import.
2 Click Save.
Restart the Version Cue Server
1 In the Advanced tab of Version Cue Server Administration, click Restart Server.
2 Click Restart.
You can also restart the Version Cue Server in Version Cue Preferences.
Version Cue PDF reviews
About Version Cue PDF reviews
Using Version Cue Server Administration, you can set up and conduct web-based reviews of PDF documents that
are on a Version Cue Server.
You can conduct Version Cue PDF reviews for Adobe Illustrator (AI) files that have been saved with the Enable PDF
Compatibility option without first converting them to PDF. The AI files appear with PDF files in the Document List
when you start a Version Cue PDF review.
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As the review progresses, reviewers upload their comments to the Version Cue Server. When a review is complete,
you can view all comments either in the context of the original document or as a list in Version Cue Server Administration.
• To use Version Cue PDF review, reviewers need a Version Cue login name and privileges that allow them to log in
to the Version Cue Server hosting the review.
• To view the PDF and add comments, users need Acrobat 7.0 Professional or later. For more information about
commenting in Acrobat, see Acrobat Help.
Start a Version Cue PDF review
You can start a Version Cue PDF review for any version of any PDF document that is on a Version Cue Server,
provided that you have appropriate privileges to access Version Cue Server Administration. Only one version of a
PDF document may be in review at any point in time.
1 Log in to Version Cue Server Administration. (For instructions, see “Log in to Version Cue Server Administration” on page 114.)
2 Click the Version Cue CS3 PDF Review link at the top of the page.
• In the main Version Cue CS3 PDF review page, click Start A Review.
• Click the Documents tab, and choose Not Started from the Review Status menu.
3 In the Document List, click the name of the PDF document you want to review.
4 Choose the version you want to review, and then click Start Review.
5 In the Start Review page, enter review information:
• To set an end date for the review, select Deadline, and then choose the end date from the Year, Month, and Day
menus.
• To let reviewers see each other’s comments, select Open under Review Mode. Select Private if you want reviewers
to see only their own comments.
• Type a description of the review in the Description box.
• To add reviewers, select the reviewers’ names in the Reviewers section. (Click the check box next to the Reviewers
column label to select or deselect all reviewers.)
Note: If a reviewer is outside your workgroup and doesn’t have a Version Cue login, you need to set one up in advance.
You must also provide network access—typically through a firewall—for outside reviewers.
6 Click Next.
7 To send an e-mail invitation to reviewers, select Send E-Mail Invitation, and then modify the Mail Subject and
Mail Message as desired. In the E-Mail Recipients section, choose reviewers that you wish to invite by e-mail.
8 Click Start Review.
9 If you chose to invite reviewers by e-mail, Version Cue starts your e-mail program and displays an e-mail message
addressed to the reviewers. The e-mail includes a direct link to the document being reviewed. Confirm the contents
of the review e-mail, and send it.
Manage PDF reviews
After you locate a PDF review, you can open it, view or delete review comments, edit review settings, stop or restart
a review, or delete the review from the Version Cue Server.
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Locate PDF reviews
1 log in to Version Cue Server Administration. (For instructions, see “Log in to Version Cue Server Administration”
on page 114.)
2 Click the Version Cue CS3 PDF Review link at the top of the page.
3 Do one of the following:
• If you don’t know the name of the PDF document under review, or want to view all active reviews, click Active
Reviews in the Home tab.
• If you don’t know the name of the PDF document for which a review has been completed, or want to view all
completed reviews, click Finished Reviews in the Home tab.
• If you want to search for a PDF document that is under review or for which a review has been completed, click
Search Documents in the Home tab, and choose search criteria from the Project Name, Review Status, and List
Entries menus. To find a PDF document by its name, enter the name or part of it in the Document Name field.
Click Search.
Open an active or completed PDF review
1 Locate the review.
2 Click the PDF document name in the Document List, and then select any of the versions in the Document History list.
Stop a PDF review
1 Locate the review.
2 Click the PDF document name in the Document List.
3 In the Document History list, select the active review and click Stop Review.
To restart a completed review, click Start Review in the Document History list.
Note: After you click Start Review, you see a series of screens that refer to starting, rather than restarting, a review.
However, this procedure does restart the review of the existing document.
Delete a PDF review
When you delete a review, Version Cue permanently removes the review comments. However, review comments for
a PDF file are also deleted if you permanently delete the file itself from the Version Cue Server. Note that if you delete
only a version of a PDF file from the server, the review comments for that version are deleted.
1 Locate the review.
2 Click the PDF document name in the Document List.
3 In the Document History list, select a version and click Delete Review.
4 When Version Cue prompts you to delete the review, click Delete.
Edit review settings
1 Locate the review.
2 Click the PDF document name in the Document List.
3 Select one of the versions in the Document History list, and click Edit Review Settings.
• To set or change an end date for the review, select Deadline, and then choose the end date from the Year, Month,
and Day menus.
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• To let reviewers see each other’s comments, select Open under Review Mode. Select Private if you want reviewers
to see only their own comments.
• To add or edit a description of the review, type the information in the Description box.
• To add or remove reviewers, select or deselect the reviewers’ names in the Reviewers section (click the check box
next to the Reviewers column heading to select or deselect all reviewers).
4 Click Next.
5 To send an e-mail invitation to reviewers, select Send E-Mail Invitation, and then modify Mail Subject and Mail
Message as desired. In the E-Mail Recipients section, choose reviewers that you wish to invite by e-mail.
6 Click Save Review. If you chose to invite reviewers by e-mail, Version Cue starts your e-mail program and displays
an e-mail message addressed to the reviewers. This e-mail includes a direct link to the document being reviewed.
Confirm the contents of the review e-mail, and send it.
Set viewing options in the Document List
• To display only PDF documents in a specific project, choose that project from the Project menu.
• To limit the number of documents displayed, choose an option from the List Entries menu (use the arrows to the
right of the List Entries menu to view additional files).
• To limit the list according to document name, enter part of a document name in the Document Name field and
press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS). (To view all files again, delete the text in the Document Name field
and press Enter or Return.)
• To sort the list by the entries in a column, click the column heading. (Click the heading again to reverse the sort
order.)
View or delete PDF review comments
Review comments include, in addition to the text of the comment itself, information about who created the comment
and when, what type of comment was created, and what page of the document the comment appears on. You can use
any of the Acrobat commenting tools in a Version Cue PDF review.
Version Cue stores review comments on the Version Cue Server. You can view comments in Version Cue Server
Administration or directly in the PDF document. To view all review comments directly in the document, you must
access the document either by using the link from the review invitation or by opening the review document from
Version Cue Server Administration. (If you open the review document from the Open dialog box in Acrobat or from
Bridge, the review comments aren’t visible.)
For more information about Acrobat commenting tools, search for “commenting” in Acrobat Help.
1 Locate the review.
2 Click the PDF document in the Document List.
3 Do one of the following:
• To view all review comments directly in the PDF document, click the version name.
• To view review comments in Version Cue Server Administration, select the version in the Document History list
and click View Comments.
To view any of the comments in the context of the PDF document, select a comment and then click Open In Acrobat.
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• To delete review comments in Version Cue Server Administration, select the comment and click Delete
Comments. (To select all comments, click the check box next to the Page column heading.)
See also
“Manage PDF reviews” on page 125
Troubleshooting
Multiple local project files folders
If you accessed a project that has the same name on two different Version Cue Servers, Version Cue may create
multiple copies of what appear to be the project’s local project files folder, but are actually the local project files folders
of the two different projects accessed from the different servers. Version Cue names these folders with the project
name and a number (for example, project_001, project_002). You can delete these folders after you save versions of
your local project files to the Version Cue Server. (Or, you can simply ignore the multiple local project file folders.)
To delete the local project files folders, use Adobe Bridge to disconnect from each project (see “Disconnect from
projects” on page 100).
Offline projects
If your network access becomes unavailable while you’re working with a Version Cue project (for example, if you’re
traveling with a laptop computer), Version Cue may show the project as offline the next time you connect. To
reestablish a connection to a Version Cue Server, select the Version Cue icon in the Favorites panel of the Adobe
dialog box or Adobe Bridge (this forces Version Cue to reset its network connection to available servers). Then,
locate the Version Cue project that contains your files.
Incomplete actions
In some cases, less frequently used commands don’t automatically update the Version Cue information displayed in
Adobe Bridge or in the Adobe dialog box. If you don’t see the results of an action you have completed, refresh the
view by doing one of the following:
• Change the focus in the Bridge window or Adobe dialog box by selecting another item.
• Change to a different folder momentarily.
• Resize the Bridge window or the Adobe dialog box, or bring the Bridge window to the foreground (updates may
not appear in the Bridge window if it’s in the background).
• Choose the Refresh command using the Tools menu or the Project Tools (Acrobat) menu in the Adobe dialog box
or the View menu in Adobe Bridge.
Project recovery
In the very unlikely event that you’re completely unable to access a Version Cue project, you can recover the current
versions of files found in the local project files folders on the computers of workgroup members who have accessed
the project. Local project files are located in the Version Cue folder in your My Documents (Windows) or
Documents (Mac OS) folder.
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Files don’t appear in projects behind firewalls
Version Cue uses HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) to communicate
between Version Cue Servers and Adobe Creative Suite components. Rarely, older firewall software may not handle
SOAP interactions properly. If you see folders but not files in your Version Cue projects, try disabling your proxy
server. If disabling the proxy server resolves the problem, you may need to update your firewall.
Disconnecting from projects with files checked out
If you have local project files with the Checked Out By Me status, you can’t disconnect from a project until you check
in a version of those files. If you can’t check in a version of the files because the Version Cue Server is unavailable,
there are two ways to proceed. You can wait until the server is available, synchronize the files, and then disconnect
from the project. Or, you can delete the local project files folder from your hard drive and then disconnect from the
project when the server is available. (Other users who access the project will still see the files marked as Checked
Out. Users can save their own versions, or a user with Administrator privileges can reset locks on the project, which
changes the status of the files to Synchronized.)
Unable to see thumbnails for InDesign files in the Adobe dialog box or Bridge
If you don’t see thumbnails for InDesign files in the Adobe dialog box or in Bridge, select Always Save Preview
Images With Documents in either the File Handling preferences or the Save As dialog box in InDesign.
Unable to migrate from Version Cue CS2 to Version Cue CS3 on Intel-based Macintosh computers
To migrate projects from Version Cue CS2 to Version Cue CS3 on an Intel-based Macintosh computer, first back up
the project in the Version Cue CS2 Advanced Administration utility on a PowerPC-based Macintosh computer. (For
instructions, see Version Cue CS2 Help.) Then, transfer the project from the PowerPC-based Macintosh to the
project backup directory on the Intel-based Macintosh computer, restart the server, and restore the project in
Version Cue CS3 (see “Back up and restore projects” on page 120).
Note: You cannot migrate Version Cue CS2 server backups to a Version Cue CS3 Server. You can, however, migrate
Version Cue CS2 projects to a Version Cue CS3 Server. See “Migrate projects to the Version Cue 3.0 Server” on page 93
Unable to connect to the Version Cue CS3 Server
Try any of the following:
• Make sure that your network connection is functioning properly.
• If you’re trying to connect to the server from Acrobat 8 or from a Version Cue-enabled Adobe Creative Suite 2
component, make sure that you haven’t enabled SSL for the server. In addition, Acrobat 8 and Adobe Creative
Suite 2 components can’t connect to Version Cue CS3 Servers installed on the same computer (that is, a local
Version Cue CS3 Server).
• Try to connect to the server from a different Version Cue-enabled Creative Suite component.
• Temporarily disable firewalls or proxies.
• Restart the server (see “Shut down or restart the Version Cue Server” on page 94).
• Consult the server log file for details that may indicate the cause of the problem. You can access the log file from
the Advanced tab of Version Cue Server Administration (see “Advanced Version Cue Server Administration
tasks” on page 122).
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Forgotten Version Cue system administrator password
If you’ve forgotten your system administrator password, you’ll need to remove and reinstall Version Cue, creating a
new system administrator user name and password in the process. There is no way to remove Version Cue without
losing all Version Cue project files and data.
Version Cue Server performs slowly or stops responding
Try either of the following:
• Increase the RAM allocated to Version Cue (see “Set Version Cue Server preferences” on page 91).
• If Version Cue stops responding while you’re backing up project files, make sure that you’re backing up to a drive
with enough free hard drive space to store the files.
Unable to see Version Cue projects on a Version Cue CS3 Server
Try any of the following:
• Make sure that the project to which you’re trying to connect is shared. If the project creator chose to keep the
project private, you won’t be able to access it.
• Make sure that the Version Cue Server that hosts the project is configured to be visible to other users (see “Set
Version Cue Server preferences” on page 91).
• If you’re using Acrobat 8 or a Version Cue-enabled Adobe Creative Suite 2 component to access the project, make
sure the creator of the project specified that it be compatible with CS2. Otherwise, you won’t be able to see the
project on the Version Cue CS3 Server.
Keyboard shortcuts
About keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts let you quickly select tools and execute commands without using a menu. When available, the
keyboard shortcut appears to the right of the command name in the menu. This is not a complete list of keyboard
shortcuts. These tables list only those shortcuts that are not displayed in menu commands or tool tips.
In addition to using keyboard shortcuts, you can access many commands using context-sensitive menus. Contextsensitive menus display commands that are relevant to the active tool, selection, or palette. To display a contextsensitive menu, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) in the document window or palette.
Keys for selecting in Version Cue
Result
Windows
Mac OS
Select all
Control+A
Command+A
Select entries (selective)
Control-click
Command-click
Select entries (range)
Shift-click
Shift-click
Select next entry
Down Arrow
Down Arrow
Select previous entry
Up Arrow
Up Arrow
Select next entry (additive)
Shift + Down arrow
Shift + DownAarrow
Select previous entry (additive)
Shift + Up Arrow
Shift + Up Arrow
Select first entry
Page Up or Home
Page Up or Home
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Result
Windows
Mac OS
Select last entry
Page Down or End
Page Down or End
Select an entry and all entries above
Shift + Page Up or Home
Shift + Page Up or Home
Select an entry and all entries below
Shift + Page Down or End
Shift + Page Down or End
Keys for navigation in Version Cue
Result
Windows
Mac OS
Open folder
Control + O
Command + O
New folder
Control + N
Command + N
Up one level
Backspace
Command + Up Arrow
Open selected file
Enter
Return
Delete selected file or files
Delete
Command + backspace
Cancel dialog
Escape
Escape
Go forward
Control + Right Arrow
Command + Right Arrow
Go back
Control + Left Arrow
Command + Left Arrow
Go to My Computer
Control + Shift + C
Command + Shift + C
Go to desktop
Control + Shift + D
Command + Shift + D
Go to network
Control + Shift + K
Command + Shift + K
Go to Version Cue
Control + Shift + V
Command + Shift + V
Result
Windows
Mac OS
Details
Control + 1
Command + 1
Icons
Control + 2
Command + 2
Thumbnails
Control + 3
Command + 3
Tiles
Control + 4
Command + 4
Keys for viewing in Version Cue
132
Chapter 5: Using imported artwork
A key advantage of Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional is that you can import artwork created in other applications, and
use those assets in your flash documents. You can import vector graphics and bitmap images in a variety of file
formats, making Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional a versatile media arts tool.
When you import a bitmap, you can apply compression and anti-aliasing, place the bitmap directly in an Adobe®
Flash® CS3 Professional document, use the bitmap as a fill, edit the bitmap in an external editor, break the bitmap
apart into pixels and edit it in Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional, or convert the bitmap to vector artwork.
Placing artwork into Flash
About importing artwork into Flash
Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional can use artwork created in other applications. You can import vector graphics and
bitmaps in a variety of file formats. If you have QuickTime 4 or later installed on your system, you can import
additional vector or bitmap file formats. You can import Adobe® FreeHand® files (version MX and earlier) and
Adobe® Fireworks® PNG files directly into Flash, preserving attributes from those formats.
Graphic files that you import into Flash must be at least 2 pixels x 2 pixels in size.
To load JPEG files into a Flash SWF file during runtime, use the loadMovie action or method. For detailed information, see loadMovie (MovieClip.loadMovie method) in ActionScript 2.0 Language Reference or “Working with
Movie Clips” in Programming ActionScript 3.0.
Flash imports vector graphics, bitmaps, and sequences of images as follows:
• When you import Adobe® Illustrator® and Adobe® Photoshop® files into Flash, you can specify import options that
let you preserve most of your artwork's visual data, and the ability to maintain the editability of certain visual
attributes with the Flash authoring environment.
• When you import vector images into Flash from FreeHand, select options for preserving FreeHand layers, pages,
and text blocks.
• When you import PNG images from Fireworks, import files as editable objects to modify in Flash, or as flattened
files to edit and update in Fireworks.
• Select options for preserving images, text, and guides.
Note: If you import a PNG file from Fireworks by cutting and pasting, the file is converted to a bitmap.
• Vector images from SWF and Windows Metafile Format (WMF) files that you import directly into a Flash
document (instead of into a library) are imported as a group in the current layer.
• Bitmaps (scanned photographs, BMP files) that you import directly into a Flash document are imported as single
objects in the current layer. Flash preserves the transparency settings of imported bitmaps. Because importing a
bitmap can increase the file size of a SWF file, consider compressing imported bitmaps.
Note: Bitmap transparency might not be preserved when bitmaps are imported by dragging and dropping from an application or desktop to Flash. To preserve transparency, use the File > Import To Stage or Import To Library command for
importing.
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• Any sequence of images (for example, a PICT and BMP sequence) that you import directly into a Flash document
is imported as successive keyframes of the current layer.
For a video tutorial about the Flash and Fireworks workflow, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0194.
See also
“Working with imported bitmaps” on page 155
“Working with video” on page 300
“Working with sound” on page 291
“Set bitmap properties” on page 155
Place artwork in Flash
Flash lets you import artwork in various file formats either directly to the stage, or to the library.
See also
“Using symbols, instances, and library assets” on page 207
Import a file into Flash
1 Do one of the following:
• To import a file directly into the current Flash document, select File > Import > Import To Stage.
• To import a file into the library for the current Flash document, select File > Import > Import To Library. (To use
a library item in a document, drag it onto the Stage.
2 Select a file format from the Files Of Type (Windows) or Show (Macintosh) pop-up menu.
3 Navigate to the desired file and select it. If an imported file has multiple layers, Flash might create new layers
(depending on the import file type). Any new layers appear in the Timeline.
4 Click Open.
5 If the name of the file you are importing ends with a number, and additional sequentially numbered files are in
the same folder, do one of the following:
• To import all the sequential files, click Yes.
• To import only the specified file, click No.
The following are examples of filenames that can be used as a sequence:
Frame001.gif, Frame002.gif, Frame003.gif
Bird 1, Bird 2, Bird 3
Walk-001.ai, Walk-002.ai, Walk-003.ai
Paste a bitmap from another application directly into the current Flash document
1 Copy the image in the other application.
2 In Flash, select Edit > Paste In Center.
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Importing file formats for vector or bitmap files
Flash can import different vector or bitmap file formats depending on whether QuickTime 4 or later is installed on
your system. Using Flash with QuickTime 4 installed is especially useful for collaborative projects in which authors
work on both Windows and Macintosh platforms. QuickTime 4 extends support for certain file formats (including
PICT, QuickTime Movie, and others) to both platforms.
You can import the following vector or bitmap file formats into Flash 8 or later, regardless of whether QuickTime 4
is installed:
File type
Extension
Windows
Macintosh
Adobe Illustrator
(version 10 or earlier
.ai
•
•
Adobe Photoshop;
.psd
•
•
AutoCAD DXF
.dxf
•
•
Bitmap
.bmp
•
•
Enhanced Windows
Metafile
.emf
•
FreeHand
.fh7, .fh8, .fh9, .fh10, .fh11 •
•
FutureSplash Player
.spl
•
•
GIF and animated GIF
.gif
•
•
JPEG
.jpg
•
•
PNG
.png
•
•
Flash Player 6/7
.swf
•
•
Windows Metafile
.wmf
•
•
You can import the following bitmap file formats into Flash only if QuickTime 4 or later is installed:
File type
Extension
Windows
Macintosh
MacPaint
.pntg
•
•
PICT
.pct, .pic
• (As bitmap)
•
QuickTime Image
.qtif
•
•
Silicon Graphics Image
.sgi
•
•
TGA
.tga
•
•
TIFF
.tif
•
•
Working with Illustrator and Flash
You can move Illustrator artwork into the Flash editing environment or directly into Flash Player. You can copy and
paste artwork, save files in SWF format, or export artwork directly to Flash. In addition, Illustrator provides support
for Flash dynamic text and movie clip symbols.
You can also use Device Central to see how Illustrator artwork will appear in Flash Player on different handheld
devices.
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Pasting Illustrator artwork
You can create graphically rich artwork in Illustrator and copy and paste it into Flash simply, quickly, and seamlessly.
When you paste Illustrator artwork into Flash, the following attributes are preserved:
• Paths and shapes
• Scalability
• Stroke weights
• Gradient definitions
• Text (including OpenType fonts)
• Linked images
• Symbols
• Blending modes
In addition, Illustrator and Flash support pasted artwork in the following ways:
• When you select entire top-level layers in Illustrator artwork and paste them into Flash, the layers are preserved
along with their properties (visibility and locking).
• Non-RGB Illustrator colors (CMYK, grayscale, and custom) convert to RGB in Flash. RGB colors paste as
expected.
• When you import or paste Illustrator artwork, you can use various options to preserve effects (such as drop
shadow on text) as Flash filters.
• Flash preserves Illustrator masks.
Exporting SWF files from Illustrator
From Illustrator, you can export SWF files that match the quality and compression of SWF files exported from Flash.
When you export, you can choose from a variety of presets to ensure optimal output, and you can specify how to
handle symbols, layers, text, and masks. For example, you can specify whether Illustrator symbols are exported as
movie clips or graphics, or you can choose to create SWF symbols from Illustrator layers.
Importing Illustrator files into Flash
When you want to create complete layouts in Illustrator and then import them into Flash in one step, you can save
your artwork in the native Illustrator format (AI) and import it, with high fidelity, into Flash using the File > Import
To Stage or File > Import To Library commands in Flash.
When you import Illustrator artwork as an AI, EPS, or PDF file, Flash preserves the same attributes as for pasted
Illustrator artwork.
In addition, when an imported Illustrator file contains layers, you can import them in any of the following ways:
• Convert Illustrator layers to Flash layers
• Convert Illustrator layers to Flash frames
• Convert each Illustrator layer to a Flash graphic symbol
• Covert all Illustrator layers to a single Flash layer
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Symbol workflow
Symbol workflow in Illustrator is similar to symbol workflow in Flash.
Symbol creation When you create a symbol in Illustrator, the Symbol Options dialog box lets you name the symbol
and set options specific to Flash: movie clip symbol type (which is the default for Flash symbols), Flash registration
grid location, and 9-slice scaling guides. In addition, you can use many of the same symbol keyboard shortcuts in
Illustrator and Flash (such as F8 to create a symbol).
Isolation mode for symbol editing In Illustrator, double-click a symbol to open it in isolation mode for easier
editing. In isolation mode, only the symbol instance is editable—all other objects on the artboard are dimmed and
unavailable. After you exit isolation mode, the symbol in the Symbols panel, and all instances of that symbol are
updated accordingly. In Flash, symbol-editing mode and the Library panel work in a similar fashion.
Symbol properties and links Using the Symbols panel or the Control panel, you can easily assign names to symbol
instances, break links between instances and symbols, swap a symbol instance with another symbol, or create a copy
of the symbol. In Flash, the editing features in the Library panel work in a similar way.
Static, dynamic, and input text objects
When you bring static text from Illustrator into Flash, Flash converts the text to outlines. If you have a Smart Object
workflow in Illustrator, you can take the text back to Illustrator for editing. In addition, you can set up your text in
Illustrator as dynamic text. Dynamic text enables you to edit text content programmatically in Flash, and easily
manage projects that require localization in multiple languages.
In Illustrator, you can specify individual text objects as static, dynamic, or input text. Dynamic text objects in
Illustrator and Flash have similar properties. For example, both use kerning that affects all characters in a text block
rather than individual characters, both anti-alias text the same way, and both can be linked to an external XML file
containing text.
About importing Fireworks PNG files
Import Fireworks PNG files into Flash as flattened images or as editable objects. When you import a PNG file as a
flattened image, the entire file (including any vector artwork) is rasterized, or converted to a bitmap image. When
you import a PNG file as editable objects, vector artwork in the file is preserved in vector format. Choose to preserve
placed bitmaps, text, filters (called effects in FireWorks) and guides in the PNG file when you import it as editable
objects.
For a video tutorial about the Flash and Fireworks workflow, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0194.
Using Fireworks effects and blend modes in Flash
Flash 8 and later provides support for Fireworks filters, blend modes, and text. When you import Fireworks PNG
files, you can retain many of the filters and blend modes applied to objects in Fireworks, and continue to modify
those filters and blends using Flash 8 or later versions.
Flash only supports modifiable filters and blends for objects imported as text and movie clips. If an effect or blend
mode is not supported, Flash 8 and later versions rasterizes or ignores it when it is imported.
To import a Fireworks PNG file that contains filters or blends that Flash does not support, rasterize the file during
the import process. After this operation, you cannot edit the file.
For a video tutorial about the Flash and Fireworks workflow, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0194.
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Import text from Fireworks into Flash
When you import text from Fireworks into Flash 8 or later, the text is imported with the default anti-alias setting of
the current document.
If you import the PNG file as a flattened image, you can start Fireworks from Flash and edit the original PNG file
(with vector data).
When you import multiple PNG files in a batch, you select import settings one time. Flash uses the same settings for
all files in the batch.
Note: To edit bitmap images in Flash convert the bitmap images to vector artwork or break apart the bitmap images.
For a video tutorial about the Flash and Fireworks workflow, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0194.
1 Select File > Import > Import To Stage or Import To Library.
2 Select PNG Image from the Files Of Type (Windows) or Show (Macintosh) pop-up menu.
3 Navigate to a Fireworks PNG image and select it.
4 Click Open.
5 Select one of the following for Location:
Import All Page(s) into New Scence(s) Imports all pages in the PNG file as scenes within a movie clip, with all of its
frames and layers intact inside the movie clip symbol. A new layer is created that uses the name of the Fireworks PNG
file name. The first frame (page) of the PNG document is placed on a keyframe that starts at the last keyframe; all
other frames (pages) follow.
Import One Page into Current Layer Imports the selected page (idenified in the Page Name pop-up menu) of the
PNG file into the current Flash document in a single new layer as a movie clip. The contents of the selected page is
imported as a movie clip, with all of its original layer and frame structure intact. If the page movieclip has frames
inside it, each frame is a movieclip in itself.
Page Name Specifies the Fireworks page you want to import into the current scene.
6 Select one of the following for File Structure:
Import As Movie Clip And Retain Layers Imports the PNG file as a movie clip, with all of its frames and layers intact
inside the movie clip symbol.
Import Page(s) as New Layer(s) Imports the PNG file into the current Flash document in a single new layer at the
top of the stacking order. The Fireworks layers are flattened into the single layer. The Fireworks frames are contained
in the new layer.
7 For Objects, select one of the following:
Rasterize If Necessary To Maintain Appearance Preserves Fireworks fills, strokes, and effects in Flash.
Keep All Paths Editable Keeps all objects as editable vector paths. Some Fireworks fills, strokes, and effects are lost
on import.
8 For Text, select one of the following:
Rasterize If Necessary To Maintain Appearance Preserves Fireworks fills, strokes, and effects in text imported into
Flash.
Keep All Paths Editable Keeps all text editable. Some Fireworks fills, strokes, and effects are lost on import.
9 To flatten the PNG file into a single bitmap image, select Import As A Single Flattened Bitmap. When this option
is selected, all other options are dimmed.
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10 Click OK.
See also
“Edit bitmaps in an external editor” on page 157
“Convert bitmaps to vector graphics” on page 158
“Break apart a bitmap” on page 157
Import FreeHand MX files
You can import FreeHand files in version 7 or later directly into Flash. FreeHand is a good choice for creating vector
graphics for import into Flash, because you can preserve FreeHand layers, text blocks, library symbols, and pages, and
choose a page range to import. If the imported FreeHand file is in CMYK color mode, Flash converts the file to RGB.
Keep the following guidelines in mind when importing FreeHand files:
• When importing a file with overlapping objects to preserve as separate objects, place the objects on separate layers
in FreeHand, and select Layers in the FreeHand Import dialog box in Flash. (If overlapping objects on a single
layer are imported into Flash, the overlapping shapes are divided at intersection points, just as with overlapping
objects that you create in Flash.)
• Flash can support up to eight colors in a gradient fill. If a FreeHand file contains a gradient fill with more than
eight colors, Flash creates clipping paths to simulate the appearance of a gradient fill. Clipping paths can increase
file size. To minimize file size, use gradient fills with eight colors or fewer in FreeHand.
• Flash imports each step in a blend as a separate path. Thus, the more steps a blend has in a FreeHand file, the larger
the imported file size is in Flash.
• When you import files with strokes that have square caps, Flash converts the caps to round caps.
• Flash converts placed grayscale images to RGB images. This conversion can increase the imported file’s size.
• When you import files with placed EPS images, select the Convert Editable EPS When Imported option in
FreeHand Import Preferences before you place the EPS into FreeHand. If you do not select this option, the EPS
image is not viewable when imported into Flash. In addition, Flash does not display information for an imported
EPS image (regardless of the Preferences settings used in FreeHand).
1 Select File > Import > Import To Stage or File > Import To Library.
2 Select FreeHand from the Files Of Type (Windows) or Show (Macintosh) pop-up menu.
3 Navigate to a FreeHand file and select it.
4 Click Open.
5 For Mapping Pages, select a setting:
Scenes Converts each page in the FreeHand document to a scene in the Flash document.
Keyframes Converts each page in the FreeHand document to a keyframe in the Flash document.
6 For Mapping Layers, select one of the following:
Layers Converts each layer in the FreeHand document to a layer in the Flash document.
Keyframes Converts each layer in the FreeHand document to a keyframe in the Flash document.
Flatten Converts all layers in the FreeHand document to a single flattened layer in the Flash document.
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7 For Pages, do one of the following:
• To import all pages from the FreeHand document, select All.
• To import a page range from the FreeHand document, enter page numbers for From and To.
8 For Options, select any of the following options:
Include Invisible Layers Imports all layers (visible and hidden) from the FreeHand document.
Include Background Layer Imports the background layer with the FreeHand document.
Maintain Text Blocks Preserves text in the FreeHand document as editable text in the Flash document.
9 Click OK.
About AutoCAD DXF files
Flash supports the AutoCAD DXF format in AutoCAD 10.
DXF files do not support the standard system fonts. Flash tries to map fonts appropriately, but the results can be
unpredictable, particularly for text alignment.
Because the DXF format does not support solid fills, filled areas are exported as outlines only. For this reason, the
DXF format is most appropriate for line drawings, such as floor plans and maps.
You can import two-dimensional DXF files into Flash. Flash does not support three-dimensional DXF files.
Although Flash doesn’t support scaling in a DXF file, all imported DXF files produce 12-inch x 12-inch files that you
can scale using Modify > Transform > Scale. Also, Flash supports only ASCII DXF files. If your DXF files are binary,
convert them to ASCII before importing them into Flash.
Working with Illustrator AI files
About Adobe Illustrator AI files
Flash lets you import Illustrator AI files, and to a large extent preserves your artwork's editability and visual fidelity.
The AI Importer also provides you with a great degree of control in determining how your Illustrator artwork is
imported into Flash, letting you specify how to import specific objects into an AI file.
The Flash AI Importer provides the following key features:
• Preserves editability of the most commonly used Illustrator effects as Flash filters.
• Preserves editability of blend modes that Flash and Illustrator have in common.
• Preserves the fidelity and editability of gradient fills.
• Maintains the appearance of RGB (red, green, blue) colors.
• Imports Illustrator Symbols as Flash Symbols.
• Preserves the number and position of Bezier control points.
• Preserves the fidelity of clip masks.
• Preserves the fidelity of pattern strokes and fills.
• Preserves object transparency.
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• Converts the AI file layers to individual Flash layers, keyframes, or a single Flash layer. You can also import the AI
file as a single bitmap image, in which case Flash flattens (rasterizes) the file.
• Provides an improved copy-and-paste workflow between Illustrator and Flash. A copy-and-paste dialog box
provides settings to apply to AI files being pasted onto the Flash stage.
For video tutorials, see:
• Using symbols between Illustrator and Flash: www.adobe.com/go/vid0198
• Using text between Illustrator and Flash: www.adobe.com/go/vid0199
Compatibility between Flash and Illustrator
Certain visual attributes can either not be accurately imported, or, after they are imported, lose their ability to be
further edited in the Flash authoring environment. The AI Importer provides you with several options to import and
place artwork to best maintain its visual appearance and editability. However, certain visual attributes cannot be
preserved. Use the following guidelines to improve the appearance of AI files imported into Flash:
• Flash supports only the RGB color space, and not the CMYK color space, which is common in printing. Flash can
convert CMYK images to RGB, however, colors are better preserved if you convert the colors to RGB in Illustrator.
• To preserve the drop shadow, inner glow, outer glow, and Gaussian blur AI effects as editable Flash filters, Flash
imports the objects to which they are applied as a Flash movie clip. If you attempt to import an object with these
attributes as something other than a movie clip, Flash displays an incompatibility alert, and recommends
importing the object as a movie clip.
Import Adobe Illustrator files
Flash can import Illustrator AI files in version 10 or earlier. If the raster file in Illustrator is linked, only JPEG, GIF,
or PNG is imported with native format reserved. All other files are converted to PNG format in Flash. Additionally,
conversion to PNG depends on the version of QuickTime installed.
Note: To import an Illustrator EPS or Adobe Acrobat PDF file, open the file in Illustrator CS 3, save it as a CS 3compatible AI file, and import the resulting AI file into Flash
Note: The AI Importer was developed to import AI files created with Illustrator CS3. While there are no known issues
importing AI files created in earlier versions of Illustrator, we recommend importing AI files created using Illustrator CS
3. If you encounter issues importing AI files created in earlier version of Illustrator, open the file in Illustrator CS 3, and
save the AI file as a CS 3 compatible file and re-import it into Flash.
For video tutorials, see:
• Importing Illustrator files: www.adobe.com/go/vid0197
• Using symbols between Illustrator and Flash: www.adobe.com/go/vid0198
• Using text between Illustrator and Flash: www.adobe.com/go/vid0199
In certain instances, you may need to ungroup all the Illustrator objects on all layers when Flash cannot group items
on import. After all the objects are ungrouped, they can be manipulated like any other Flash object.
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A
B
Illustrator AI Importer dialog box
A. Layers panel B. Import options available for the selected object
Choose from the following options when importing Adobe Illustrator files:
• Convert layers to Flash layers or keyframes, or single Flash layers.
• Import text as editable text, vector outlines, or bitmaps.
• Import as a single bitmap image. Choosing this option imports the AI file as a single bitmap image, and disables
the layers list and import options within the AI import dialog box.
1 Select File > Import To Stage or Import To Library.
2 Navigate to the AI file to import, select it, and click OK. The Import Illustrator Document To Stage or The Import
Illustrator Document To Library dialog box appears.
This dialog box provides options to import the Illustrator file. Depending on the types of objects in the Illustrator
file you’re importing, the options available to you vary.
3 (Optional) To generate a list of items in the AI file that are incompatible with Flash, click Incompatibility Report.
The Incompatibility Report button appears only if incompatibilities exist with Flash in the AI file.
The Incompatibility Report analyzes possible incompatibilities between Illustrator and Flash. The Import Options
area (next to the Alert button) of the AI Importer dialog box displays recommendations to obtain the maximum
compatibility for any incompatible item.
The Incompatibility Report includes an Apply Recommended Import Settings checkbox. If checked, Flash automatically applies the recommended import options to any incompatible objects within the AI file. The exceptions to this,
are when the AI document is larger in size than that supported by Flash, and when the AI document uses the CMYK
color mode. To correct either of these incompatibilities, reopen the document in Illustrator CS 3, and adjust the size
of the document, or change the color mode to RGB.
4 (Optional) In the AI Import dialog box, select layers, groups, and individual objects, and choose how to import
each item. For information on the import options available for the different types of Illustrator layers and objects, see
“Illustrator object import options” on page 145.
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5 For Convert Layers To, select one of the following:
Flash Layers Converts each layer in the imported document to a layer in the Flash document.
Keyframes Converts each layer in the imported document to a keyframe in the Flash document.
Single Flash Layer Converts all layers in the imported document to a single flattened layer in the Flash document.
6 For the remaining options, select from the following:
Place Objects At Original Position The contents of the AI file retain the exact position that they had in Illustrator. For
example, if an object was positioned at X = 100 Y = 50 in Illustrator, it assumes the same coordinates on the Flash
Stage.
If this option is not selected, the imported Illustrator layers are centered within the current view. The items in the AI
file remain relative to each other when imported; however, all objects are centered as one block in the current view.
This feature can be useful if you are zoomed in to an area of the Stage, and are importing a specific object for that
area of the Stage. If you imported the object using the original coordinates, you might not see it imported, because
it might be placed outside of the current stage view.
Note: When importing the AI file into the Flash library, this option is not available.
Set Stage Size To Same Size As Illustrator Artboard The Flash stage size resizes to the same size as the Illustrator
artboard (or active crop area) used to create the AI file. This option is not selected by default.
Note: When importing the AI file into the Flash library, this option is not available.
Import Unused Symbols Any symbols in the AI file’s library that have no instances on the artboard are imported into
the Flash library. If this option is not selected, the unused symbols are not imported into Flash.
Import As A Single Bitmap Image Imports the AI file as a single bitmap image, and disables the layers list and import
options within the AI import dialog box.
7 Click OK.
See also
“Import Photoshop PSD files” on page 149
“Exporting Flash content, images, and video” on page 447
Importing AI files to the Flash library
Importing an AI file into the library is similar to importing to the Stage, the difference being that the entire AI file is
encapsulated as a Flash symbol. The content is imported into the library and organized by the layering and grouping
structure of the AI file.
When you import an AI file into the library, the root folder uses the name of the AI file. After the AI file is imported
into the library, you can change the name of the root folder, or move the layers out of the folder.
Note: The Library orders the contents of the imported AI file alphabetically. The hierarchical grouping and folder
structure remains the same, but the library reorders them alphabetically.
When converting AI layers to keyframes, the AI file is imported as a movie clip; converting the AI layers to Flash
layers, or as a single Flash layer, imports the AI file as a graphic symbol. The resulting movie clip or graphic symbol
contains all of the content of the AI file imported to its timeline, as if the content were imported to the stage. Almost
all movie clips have a bitmap or other asset associated with them. To minimize confusion and naming conflicts, these
assets are stored in an Assets folder in the same folder as the movie clip.
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Note: When you import to the library, the AI file's contents are imported to the movie clip's timeline, not the main Flash
timeline.
Flash Library after importing an AI file.
AI File Importer preferences
The Flash Preferences dialog box lets you set import preferences for AI files and the AI File Importer dialog box. The
preferences you specifiy for importing AI files affects the options the AI Import dialog box is initially populated with
for the Illustrator object types.
Note: To override the preferences specified for different layer types on an object by object basis, use the AI Import dialog
box. Select the layer, object, or group to change its import options, and specify the necessary options.
General AI File Importer Preferences Preferences that affect how the AI Importer will respond when importing AI
files:
• Show Import Dialog Box Specifies that the AI File Importer dialog box appears.
• Exclude Object Outside Crop Area Excludes objects on the Illustrator canvas which fall outside the artboard or
crop area.
• Import Hidden Layers Specifies that hidden layers be imported by default.
Import Text As Lets you specify the following import preferences for text objects:
• Editable Text Specifies that Illustrator text import as editable Flash text. The appearance of the text may be
compromised to maintain the editability of the text.
• Vector Outlines Converts text to vector paths. Use this option to preserve the visual appearance of the text. Some
visual effects might be sacrificed—such as unsupported blend modes and filters—but visual attributes such as text
on a path are maintained if the text is imported as a movie clip. The text itself is no longer editable, but opacity and
compatible blend modes maintain their editability.
Note: To preserve the drop shadow, inner glow, outer glow, and Gaussian blur that AI effects applied to text as editable
Flash filters, select Create Movie Clip Import to import the text as a movie clip.
• Bitmaps Rasterizes the text into a bitmap to preserve the exact appearance of the text as it was in Illustrator. If
filters or other effects are applied that are not compatible with Flash, importing the text as a bitmap preserves the
visual appearance. Rasterized text is no longer editable.
• Create Movie Clips Specifies that text objects be imported inside a movie clip. To maintain supported blend
modes, AI effects, and transparency of less than 100% between Illustrator and Flash, specify that the text object be
imported as a movie clip.
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Import Paths As Lets you specify the following path import preferences:
• Editable Paths Creates an editable vector path. Supported blend modes, effects, and object transparency are
preserved, but attributes not supported in Flash are discarded.
• Bitmaps Rasterizes the path into a bitmap to preserve the exact appearance of the path in Illustrator. A rasterized
image is no longer editable.
• Create Movie Clips Specifies that path objects be imported inside a movie clip.
Images Lets you specify the import preference for images:
• Flatten Bitmaps To Maintain Appearance Rasterizes the image into a bitmap to preserve the appearance of
blending modes and effects that are not supported in Flash. A rasterized image is no longer editable.
• Create Movie Clips Specifies that images be imported inside a movie clip.
Groups Lets you specify the import preferences for groups:
• Import As Bitmaps Rasterizes the group into a bitmap to preserve the appearance of the objects as they appeared
in Illustrator. After a group is converted to a bitmap, the objects in it cannot be selected or renamed.
• Create Movie Clips Specifies that all objects in the group be encapsulated into a single movie clip.
Layers Lets you specify the import preferences for layers:
• Import As Bitmaps Rasterizes the layer into a bitmap to preserve the appearance of the objects as they appeared
in Illustrator.
• Create Movie Clips Specifies that the layer is encapsulated into a movie clip.
Movie Clip Registration Specifies a global registration point for movies that are created. This setting applies to the
registration point for all object types. This option can be changed on an object by object basis in the AI File Importer
dialog box; this is the initial setting for all object types. For more information on movie clip registration, see “Edit
symbols” on page 210.
See also
“Set preferences in Flash” on page 27
Copy and pasting between Illustrator and Flash
If you copy-and-paste (or drag-and-drop) artwork between Illustrator and Flash, the Paste dialog box appears, which
provides import settings for the AI file being copied (or pasted).
Paste As Bitmap Flattens the file being copied into a single bitmap object.
Paste Using AI File Importer Preferences Imports the file using the AI file import setting specified in Flash Prefer-
ences (Edit > Preferences).
Apply Recommended Import Settings To Resolve Incompatibilities Enabled by default when Paste Using AI File
Importer Preferences is selected. Automatically fixes any incompatibilities detected in the AI file.
Maintain Layers Enabled by default when Paste Using AI File Importer Preferences is selected. Specifies that layers
in the AI file be converted to Flash layers (the same as if you selected Convert To Flash Layers from the AI Import
dialog box). If deselected, all layers are flattened into a single layer.
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Illustrator object import options
Layers manage all the items that make up Illustrator artwork. By default, all items are organized in a single, parent
layer. Import all items in a given parent layer as a single, flattened bitmap, or, individually select each object and
specify import options specific to the type of object it is (text, path, group, and so on). The AI Importer provides
options to select layers in the artwork you are importing, and specify individual import options based on preserving
the visual appearance of an object, or its editability in Flash.
Correcting incompatible graphic effects
1 To generate an incompatibility report, click Incompatibility Report. The incompatibility report lists items in the
AI file that are incompatible with Flash.
2 Select Change Import Settings To Resolve Object Incompatibilities. Many incompatibilities between Illustrator
and Flash can be automatically corrected using the incompatibility report, and the import recommendations
suggested in the Import options area of the AI Import dialog box.
Select individual objects
1 Select the object to specify import options for. Illustrator objects that you can select include layers, groups,
individual paths, text, and images.
2 Review the import options available for the type of object you’ve selected in the object options section of the dialog
box. Note if any incompatibilities are listed, and what the recommended correction is to import the object.
3 Select the desired import options, and select another object to specify import options for, or click OK.
Selecting layers
The Layers panel lists the objects in a document. By default, every Illustrator document contains at least one layer,
and each object in a given file is listed under that layer.
When an item in the Layers panel contains other items, a triangle appears to the left of the item’s name. To show or
hide the content, click the triangle. If no triangle appears, the layer contains no additional items.
Note: You can expand or collapse all groups and layers using the AI Importer context menu. Right-click to display the
context menu, and select Expand All or Collapse All.
Selection column Controls whether items are selected for import or not. If an item is checked, you can select that
layer and specify import options; if Edit is not checked, the layer is dimmed, and you cannot specify any import
setting for the item in that layer.
Object Type column An icon indicates what the Flash object type located on that layer will be when imported, and,
if visible, that the item is selected. The object types are:
• Text
• Path
• Group
• Movie clip
• Graphic symbol
• Image
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Text import options
Flash lets you import text as editable text, vector outlines, and a flattened bitmap. To maintain supported blend
modes, AI effects, and transparency of less than 100% between Illustrator and Flash, use import text as a movie clip.
Importing text as a movie clip preserves the editability of compatible visual effects.
Editable Text By default, Illustrator text imports as editable Flash text. The appearance of the text can be compromised to maintain the editability of the text.
Vector Outlines Converts text to vector paths. Use this option to preserve the visual appearance of the text. Some
visual effects might be sacrificed—such as unsupported blend modes and filters—but visual attributes such as text
on a path are maintained if the text is imported as a movie clip. The text itself is no longer editable, but opacity and
compatible blend modes maintain their editability.
Note: To preserve the drop shadow, inner glow, outer glow, and Gaussian blur that AI effects applied to text as editable
Flash filters, select Create Movie Clip Import to import the text as a movie clip.
Bitmap Rasterizes the text into a bitmap to preserve the exact appearance of the text as it was in Illustrator. If filters
or other effects are applied that are not compatible with Flash, importing the text as a bitmap preserves the visual
appearance. Rasterized text is no longer editable.
Path import options
A path is the line that results from drawing in Illustrator. A path is either open, like an arc, or closed, like a circle. For
an open path, the starting and ending anchor points for the path are called endpoints. Editable paths can be imported
into Flash, however, if certain blend modes, filters, or other effects are applied to the path, those effects might not be
compatible with Flash.
Bitmap Rasterizes the path into a bitmap to preserve the exact appearance of the path in Illustrator. A rasterized
image is no longer editable.
Editable Path Creates an editable vector path. Supported blend modes, effects, and object transparency are
preserved, but attributes not supported in Flash are discarded.
Image import options
Bitmap images are the most common electronic medium for continuous-tone images, such as photographs or digital
paintings. Illustrator creates bitmap effects by using filters, effects, and graphic styles. While many of these effects
are compatible with Flash, some might need to be flattened—or rasterized—to preserve their visual appearance.
Note: If a raster file in Illustrator is linked, only JPEG, GIF, or PNG is imported with their native format preserved. All
other file types are converted to the PNG format in Flash. Additionally, the conversion (to PNG) depends on the version
of QuickTime installed on your computer.
Flatten Bitmap To Maintain Appearance Rasterizes the image into a bitmap to preserve the appearance of blending
modes and effects that are not supported in Flash. A rasterized image is no longer editable.
Create Movie Clip Imports the Illustrator images as movie clips.
Group import options
Groups are collections of graphic objects that are treated as a single unit. Grouping lets you move or transform a
number of objects without affecting their attributes or relative positions. For example, you might group the objects
in a logo design so that you can move and scale the logo as one unit. Groups can also be nested. That is, they can be
grouped in other objects or groups to form larger groups.
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Groups appear as items in the Import panel. When an item such as a group contains other items, a triangle
appears to the left of the item’s name. Click the triangle to show or hide the contents of the group. If no triangle
appears, the item contains no additional items.
Import As Bitmap Rasterizes the group into a bitmap to preserve the appearance of the objects as they appeared in
Illustrator. After a group is converted to a bitmap, the objects in it cannot be selected or renamed.
Create Movie Clip Encapsulates all objects in the group into a single movie clip.
Working with Photoshop PSD files
Working with Photoshop and Flash
You can use Adobe® Photoshop® and Adobe® Flash® together to create visually compelling web-based applications,
animations, or interactive messaging elements. Photoshop lets you create still images and artwork, providing a high
degree of creative control. Flash lets you bring those still images together and incorporate them into interactive
Internet content.
The Photoshop drawing and selection tools provide you with a greater degree of creative control than the tools found
in Flash. If you have to create complex visual images, or retouch photographs for use in interactive presentations, use
Photoshop to create your artwork, and then import the finished images into Flash.
Importing still images into Flash
Flash can import still images in many formats, but you usually use the native Photoshop PSD format when importing
still images from Photoshop into Flash.
When importing a PSD file, Flash can preserve many of the attributes that were applied in Photoshop, and provides
options for maintaining the visual fidelity of the image and further modifying the image. When you import a PSD
file into Flash, you can choose whether to represent each Photoshop layer as a Flash layer, individual keyframes, or
a single, flattened image. You can also encapsulate the PSD file as a movie clip.
Exchanging movies
You can exchange QuickTime video files between Photoshop and Flash. For example, you can render a QuickTime
movie directly from Photoshop, and then import it into Flash, converting it into an FLV (Flash Video) file, which
can be played in Flash® Player.
When you use Photoshop to modify video footage, you can paint nondestructively on its frames. When you save a
Photoshop file with a video layer, you are saving the edits that you made to the video layer, not edits to the footage
itself.
Note: When you import a QuickTime video file from Photoshop to Flash, use the Import Video dialog box (File > Import
Video). Using the Photoshop PSD import feature to import video only imports the first frame of a video file.
You can also export Flash documents as QuickTime video, and import them into Photoshop where you can paint
nondestructively on the video frames. For example, you can create an animated sequence in Flash, export the Flash
document as a QuickTime video, and then import the video into Photoshop.
Color
Flash works internally with colors in the RGB or HSB (hue, saturation, brightness) color space. Although Flash can
convert CMYK images to RGB, you should create Photoshop artwork in RGB. Before you import CMYK artwork
from Photoshop into Flash, convert the image to RGB in Photoshop.
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See also
“Import Photoshop PSD files” on page 149
“Exporting QuickTime” on page 453
About Photoshop PSD files
Flash lets you import Photoshop PSD files, and preserves most of your artwork's data. The PSD Importer also lets
you control how your Photoshop artwork is imported into Flash, both letting you specify how to import specific
objects in a PSD file, as well as specifying that the PSD file be converted to a Flash movie clip.
The Flash PSD Importer provides the following key features:
• PSD files imported into Flash maintain their color fidelity from Photoshop.
• Preserves editability of blend modes that both Flash and Photoshop have in common.
• Smart Objects in the PSD file are rasterized, and imported into Flash as bitmaps, which preserves object transparency.
• Converts the PSD file layers to individual Flash layers or keyframes. Or, import the PSD file as a single bitmap
image, in which case Flash flattens (rasterizes) the file.
• Drag-and-drop from Photoshop to Flash invokes the PSD file importer, letting you choose how to import your
Photoshop artwork.
For a video tutorial about designing website with Photoshop and Flash, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0201.
Compatibility between Flash and Photoshop
Certain visual attributes can either not be accurately imported, or, after they are imported, lose their ability to be
further edited in the Flash authoring environment. The PSD Importer provides you with several options to import
and place artwork to best maintain its visual appearance and editability. However, certain visual attributes cannot be
preserved. Use the following guidelines to improve the appearance of PSD files imported into Flash:
• Flash supports only the RGB color space, and not the CMYK color space, which is common in printing. Flash can
convert CMYK images to RGB, however, colors are better preserved if you convert the colors to RGB in
Photoshop.
• Flash can import the following photoshop blend modes, and maintain their editability: Normal, Darken, Multiply,
Lighten, Screen, Hard Light, Difference, and Overlay.
If you use a blend mode that Flash does not support, you can rasterize the layer to maintain its visual appearance, or
remove the blend mode from the layer.
• Flash cannot import Photoshop Smart Objects as editable objects. To preserve the visual attributes of Smart
Objects, they are rasterized and imported into Flash as bitmaps.
• Flash can only import the first frame of Photoshop Video layers.
• Image and Fill layers are always rasterized when imported into Flash.
• When importing objects containing transparent areas as flattened bitmaps, any objects on the layers behind the
transparent portion of the object will be visible through the transparent area—assuming the objects behind the
object containing transparency are also being imported. To prevent this, import only the transparent object as a
flattened bitmap.
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To import multiple layers and maintain transparency without having any visible remnants of the layers behind the
transparency, import the PSD file using the Bitmap Image With Editable Layer Styles option. This will encapsulate
the imported objects as a movie clip, and use the movie clip's transparency. This is particularly useful if you need to
animate the different layers in Flash.
Import Photoshop PSD files
Photoshop format (PSD) is the default Photoshop file format. Flash can directly import PSD files and preserve many
Photoshop features, retaining the image quality and editability of the PSD file in Flash. You can also flatten PSD files
when importing them, creating a single bitmap image file that retains the image’s visual effects, but removes the
hierarchical layer information native to the PSD file format.
For a video tutorial about designing website with Photoshop and Flash, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0201.
A
B
The PSD importer dialog box
A. Layers in the PSD file being imported B. Import options available for the selected layer or object.
1 Select File > Import To Stage or Import To Library.
2 Navigate to the Adobe Photoshop PSD file to import, select it, and click OK.
3 (Optional) In the PSD Import dialog box, select layers, groups, and individual objects and choose how to import
each item.
4 For Convert Layers To, select one of the following:
Flash Layers All selected layers in the Select Photoshop layers list are placed on their own layer. Each layer is labeled
with the name of the layer in the Photoshop file. The layers in Photoshop are objects on the individual layers. The
objects also have the name of the layer in Photoshop when put into the Library.
Keyframes All selected layers in the Select Photoshop layers list are placed in individual keyframes on a new layer.
The new layer is named for the Photoshop file (for example, myfile.psd). The layers in Photoshop become objects on
the individual keyframes. The objects also have the name of the layer in Photoshop when put into the Library.
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5 For the remaining options, select from the following:
Place Layers At Original Position The contents of the PSD file retain the exact position that they had in Photoshop.
For example, if an object was positioned at X = 100 Y = 50 in Photoshop, it assumes the same coordinates on the
Flash stage.
If this option is not selected, the imported Photoshop layers are centered on the stage. The items in the PSD file
remain relative to each other when imported; however, all objects are centered as one block in the current view. This
feature can be useful if you are zoomed in to an area of the Stage, and are importing a specific object for that area of
the stage. If you imported the object using the original coordinates, you might not see it imported, because it might
be placed outside of the current stage view.
Note: When you import the PSD file to the Flash library, this option is not available.
Set Stage Size To Same Size As Photoshop Canvas The Flash Stage size resizes to the same size as the Photoshop
document size (or active crop area) used to create the PSD file. This option is not selected by default.
Note: When you import the PSD file to the Flash library, this option is not available.
6 Click OK.
Importing PSD files to the Flash library
Importing a PSD file into the library is similar to importing to the Stage. When you import a PSD file into the library,
the root folder uses the name of the PSD file. After the PSD file is imported into the library, you can change the name
of the root folder, or move the layers out of the folder.
Note: The library orders the contents of the imported PSD file alphabetically. The hierarchical grouping and folder
structure remains the same, but the library reorders them alphabetically.
A movie clip is created that contains all of the content of the PSD file imported to its timeline, as if the content were
imported to the stage. Almost all movie clips have a bitmap or other asset associated with them. To minimize
confusion and naming conflicts, these assets are stored in an Assets folder in the same folder as the movie clip.
Note: When you import to the library, the PSD file's contents are imported to the movie clip's timeline, not the main
Flash timeline.
PSD file import preferences
The Flash Preferences dialog box lets you set import preferences for PSD files. The preferences you specify for
importing PSD files affects the options the PSD Import dialog box is initially populated with for the Photoshop layer
types.
Note: To override the preferences specified for different layer types on an object by object basis, use the PSD Import dialog
box. Select the layer to change import options for, and specify the necessary options.
See also
“Set preferences in Flash” on page 27
Image Layer Import Preferences
These options specify how the import options for image layers will initially be set.
Bitmap Images With Editable Layer Styles Creates a movie clip with a bitmap clipped inside. Specifying this option
maintains supported Blend modes and opacity, but other visual attributes that cannot be reproduced in Flash will be
removed. If this option is selected, the object must be converted into a movie clip.
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Flattened Bitmap Images Rasterizes the text into a flattened bitmap image to maintain the exact appearance the text
layer had in Photoshop.
Create Movie Clips Specifies that the image layers be converted to a movie clip when imported into Flash. This
option can be changed in the PSD Import dialog box on an object by object basis if you do not want all of the image
layers to be movie clips.
Text layer import preferences
These options specify how the import options for image layers will initially be set.
Editable Text Creates an editable text object from the text on the Photoshop text layer. The appearance of the text
will be sacrificed to maintain the editability of the text. If this option is selected, the object must be converted into a
movie clip.
Vector Outlines Vectorizes the text into paths. The appearance of the text may be altered, but visual attributes will
be maintained. If this option is selected, the object must be converted into a movie clip.
Flattened Bitmap Images Rasterize the text to maintain the exact appearance the text layer had in Photoshop.
Create Movie Clips Automatically converts the text layer to a movie clip when imported into Flash. This option can
be changed in the PSD Import dialog box on an object by object basis if you do not want all of the text layers to be
movie clips. This option is enabled by default when any option other than Flattened Bitmap Images is selected, as the
other options have to be converted to a movie clip.
Text layer import preferences
These options specify how the import options for text layers will initially be set.
Editable Text Creates an editable text object from the text on the Photoshop text layer. The appearance of the text
will be sacrificed to maintain the editability of the text. If this option is selected, the object must be converted into a
movie clip.
Vector Outlines Vectorizes the text into paths. The appearance of the text may be altered, but visual attributes will
be maintained. If this option is selected, the object must be converted into a movie clip.
Flattened Bitmap Images Rasterize the text to maintain the exact appearance the text layer had in Photoshop.
Create Movie Clips Automatically converts the text layer to a movie clip when imported into Flash. This option can
be changed in the PSD Import dialog box on an object by object basis if you do not want all of the text layers to be
movie clips. This option is enabled by default when any option other than Flattened bitmap images is selected, as the
other options have to be converted to a movie clip.
Shape layer import preferences
These options specify how the import options for shape layers will initially be set.
Maintain Editable Paths And Layer Styles This option will create an editable vector shape with a bitmap clipped
inside the vector shape. Supported blend modes and opacity will also be maintained with this option, but other visual
attributes that cannot be reproduced in Flash will be sacrificed. If this option is selected, then the object must be
converted into a movie clip.
Convert To Bitmap This option will rasterize the shape and maintain the exact appearance the shape layer had in
Photoshop.
Create Movie Clips This option will set the shape layers to be converted to a movie clip when imported into Flash.
This option can be changed on an object by object basis, if you do not want some shape layers to be movie clips. This
option is disabled if the Maintain editable paths and layers styles checkbox is checked.
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Layer group import preferences
This option specifies how the options for layer groups will initially be set.
Create Movie Clips Specifies that all groups be converted to a movie clip when imported into Flash. This can be
changed on an object by object basis if you do not want some layer groups to be movie clips.
Merged bitmap import preferences
This option specifies how the import options for merged bitmaps will initially be set.
Create Movie Clips This option will set the shape layers to be converted to a movie clip when imported into Flash.
This option can be changed on an object by object basis, if you do not want some merged bitmaps to be movie clips.
This option is disabled if the Maintain Editable Paths And Layers Styles checkbox is checked.
Movie clip registration import preferences
Specifies a global registration point for movies that are created. This setting applies to the registration point for all
object types. This option can be changed on an object by object basis in the PSD Import dialog box; this is the initial
setting for all object types. For more information on movie clip registration, see “Edit symbols” on page 210.
Publish setting import preferences
The Publish settings preferences let you specify the degree of compression and document quality to apply to the
image when publishing the Flash document as a SWF file. These settings take effect only when you publish the
document as a SWF file, and have no effect on the image when you import it to the Flash stage or library.
Compression Lets you choose either lossy or lossless compression formats:
• Lossy Lossy (JPEG) compresses the image in JPEG format. To use the default compression quality specified for
the imported image, select Use Publish Setting. To specify a new quality compression setting, select the Custom
option, and enter a value between 1 and 100 in the Quality text field. (A higher setting preserves greater image
integrity but yields a larger file size.).
• Lossless Lossless (PNG/GIF) compresses the image with lossless compression, in which no data is discarded from
the image.
Note: Use Lossy compression for images with complex color or tonal variations, such as photographs or images with
gradient fills. Use Lossless compression for images with simple shapes and relatively few colors.
Photoshop Import options
When you import a Photoshop PSD file that contains multiple layers, you can set the following options:
Layer Comp If the Photoshop file contains layer comps, you can specify which version of the image to import. A layer
comp is a snapshot of a state of the Photoshop Layers palette. Layer comps record three types of layer options, all of
which are imported into Flash:
• Layer visibility: whether a layer is displayed or hidden.
• Layer position in the document.
• Layer appearance: whether a layer style is applied to the layer and the layer’s blending mode.
If no layer comps are present, this pop-up menu is hidden. Flash supports all aspects of the layer comp’s fidelity,
including visibility, position, and layer style.
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Select Photoshop Layers Lists all layers, groups, and layer effects in an image. To select which layers to import, use
the options to the left of the layer’s thumbnail. By default, all layers visible in Photoshop are checked, and invisible
layers are not checked.
Note: Adjustment layers do not have a compatible layer type in Flash. For this reason, when importing as a flattened
bitmap, the visual effect of the adjustment layer is applied to maintain the appearance of the Photoshop layer being
imported. If you’ve selected other import options, the adjustment layers will not be applied.
Merge Layers Merge (or collapse) two or more layers into a single bitmap, and then import the resulting single
bitmap object rather than individual objects. You can only merge layers that are on the same level, and the selection
must be contiguous. For example, you cannot select an item inside a folder and an item outside a folder and merge
them. Instead, select the folder and the item outside the folder to merge them. You cannot Control-click individual
items that are out of sequence and merge them.
Note: If you select a merged bitmap object, the Merge Layers button changes to the Separate button. To separate any
merged bitmap objects you create, select the resulting single bitmap, and click the Separate button.
Importing text objects
Text objects are text layers in PhotoShop. Choose how to import text into Flash.
Editable Text Creates an editable text object from the text on the selected Photoshop layer. The appearance of the
text might be compromised to maintain the editability of the text. If you import the text as a movie clip, the movie
clip contains an editable text object.
Note: When importing editable text into the library, it must be inside a movie clip. Only movie clips, bitmaps, and
graphic symbols can be stored in the library. When Editable Text is selected as an option for a text layer being imported
into the library, it is automatically imported as a graphic symbol.
Vector Outlines Converts text to vector paths to preserve the visual appearance of the text. The text itself is no longer
editable, but opacity and compatible blend mode maintain their editability. If this option is selected, the object must
be converted to a movie clip.
Flattened Bitmap Image Rasterizes the text into a bitmap to preserve the exact appearance of the text layer in
Photoshop. Rasterized text is no longer editable.
Note: When importing text on a path you must import it as a flattened bitmap image to preserve the visual fidelity of
the object.
Importing shape objects
A Shape Layer object is an object that was originally a shape layer in Photoshop or an image layer with a vector
clipping mask on it.
Editable Paths And Layer Styles Creates an editable vector shape with a bitmap clipped inside the vector. Supported
blend modes, filters, and opacity are maintained. Unsupported blend modes that cannot be reproduced in Flash are
removed. The object must be converted to a movie clip.
Flattened Bitmap Image Rasterizes the shape into a bitmap to preserve the exact appearance of the shape layer in
Photoshop. A rasterized image is no longer editable.
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Importing image or fill layers
If the image or fill layer is associated with a vector mask, it is treated as a shape layer object.
Bitmap Image With Editable Layer Styles Creates a movie clip with a bitmap inside. Supported Blend modes, filters,
and opacity are maintained. Unsupported blend modes that cannot be reproduced in Flash are removed. The object
must be converted to a movie clip.
Flattened Bitmap Image Rasterizes the image into a bitmap to preserve the exact appearance of the image or fill
layer in Photoshop.
Importing merged bitmap objects and objects in a merged bitmap
A merged bitmap is an object that contains more than one Photoshop layer that is flattened (or merged) into a single
bitmap when imported into Flash. Objects in a merged bitmap represent layers in Photoshop. To create a merged
bitmap, select two or more layers, and select the Merge Layers button.
Importing multiple objects of different types
If you import multiple objects of different types, Flash only lets you import the selected objects with the import
options they share in common, such as Create Movie Clip and Registration.
Importing multiple objects of the same type
If you import multiple objects of the same type, the import options displayed are the same as if a single object of that
type was selected. If the objects do not share the same attributes, the import options displayed are in an indeterminate state, and your results may not be as expected.
Importing a Group folder
When you import a group folder, you can import it as a movie clip, or place each layer in the group on its own layer
or keyframe on the timeline.
If you select Import As Movie Clip, each layer in the group folder is placed on a layer in a movie clip, which is then
placed on its own layer or keyframe on the timeline. The movie clip uses the same name as that group folder had in
Photoshop, and if you import the movie clip to a Flash layer, the layer uses the same name.
If you do not place the group in a movie clip, each layer is converted to the type that is currently set for it, and each
layer in the group is imported to its own Flash layer. The Flash layers are named for the individual layers in the PSD file.
Importing and merging layers
The PSD importer lets you merge two or more layers into a merged bitmap that is imported as a single bitmap file
rather than individual objects.
The layers you select to create a merged bitmap must be a continuous range of two or more layers at the same level.
For example, you cannot select one layer inside a group, and a layer outside that group, and merge them. Instead, you
must select the entire group and the separate layer.
Setting publish options
The Publish settings in the PSD Importer let you specify the degree of compression and document quality to apply
to the image when publishing the Flash document as a SWF file. These settings take effect only when you publish
the document as a SWF file, and have no effect on the image when you import it to the Flash Stage or library.
Compression Lets you choose either lossy or lossless compression formats:
• Lossy Lossy (JPEG) compresses the image in JPEG format. To use the default compression quality specified for
the imported image, select Use Publish Setting. To specify a new quality compression setting, select the Custom
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option, and enter a value between 1 and 100 in the Quality text field. (A higher setting preserves greater image
integrity but yields a larger file size.).
• Lossless Lossless (PNG/GIF) compresses the image with lossless compression, in which no data is discarded from
the image.
Note: Use Lossy compression for images with complex color or tonal variations, such as photographs or images with
gradient fills. Use Lossless compression for images with simple shapes and relatively few colors.
Calculate Bitmap Size Determines the number of bitmaps that are created for a given layer based on your import
selections, and the compressed size in kilobytes of the resulting bitmaps on the layer. For example, if you select a layer
with a drop shadow and a blur, and maintain layer styles, the Calculate Bitmap Size information states that three
bitmaps will result from the import—one for each filter effect, and another for the image itself. To calculate the size
of all the bitmaps to be imported, select all of the layers and click Calculate Bitmap Size.
Imported bitmaps
Working with imported bitmaps
When you import a bitmap into Flash, you can modify that bitmap and use it in your Flash document in a variety of ways.
If a Flash document displays an imported bitmap at a size larger than the original, the image may be distorted. To be
sure that images are displayed properly, preview imported bitmaps.
Use the Property inspector to work with bitmaps
When you select a bitmap on the Stage, the Property inspector displays the bitmap’s symbol name and its pixel
dimensions and position on the Stage. Using the Property inspector, you can swap an instance of a bitmap—that is,
replace the instance with an instance of another bitmap in the current document.
Display the Property inspector with bitmap properties
1 Select an instance of a bitmap on the Stage.
2 Select Window > Properties > Properties.
Replace an instance of a bitmap with an instance of another bitmap
1 Select a bitmap instance on the Stage.
2 Select Window > Properties > Properties, and click Swap.
3 Select a bitmap to replace the one currently assigned to the instance.
Set bitmap properties
You can apply anti-aliasing to an imported bitmap to smooth the edges in the image. You can also select a
compression option to reduce the bitmap file size and format the file for display on the web.
1 Select a bitmap in the Library panel and click the Properties button at the bottom of the Library panel.
2 Select Allow Smoothing.
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3 For Compression, select one of the following options:
Photo (JPEG) Compresses the image in JPEG format. To use the default compression quality specified for the
imported image, select Use Document Default Quality. To specify a new quality compression setting, deselect Use
Document Default Quality and enter a value between 1 and 100 in the Quality text field. (A higher setting preserves
greater image integrity but yields a larger file size.)
Lossless (PNG/GIF) Compresses the image with lossless compression, in which no data is discarded from the image.
Note: Use Photo compression for images with complex color or tonal variations, such as photographs or images with
gradient fills. Use Lossless compression for images with simple shapes and relatively few colors.
4 To determine the results of the file compression, click Test. To determine if the selected compression setting is
acceptable, compare the original file size to the compressed file size.
5 Click OK.
Note: JPEG Quality settings that you select in the Publish Settings dialog box do not specify a quality setting for imported
JPEG files. Specify a quality setting for each imported JPEG file in the Bitmap Properties dialog box.
Import bitmaps at runtime
To add bitmaps to a document at runtime, use the ActionScript™ 2.0 or the ActionScript 3.0 BitmapData command.
To do so, specify a linkage identifier for the bitmap. For more information, see Assigning linkage to assets in the
library in Learning ActionScript 2.0 in Adobe Flash or Exporting library symbols for ActionScript in Programming
ActionScript 3.0.
1 Select the bitmap in the Library panel.
2 Do one of the following:
• Select Linkage from the Panel menu in the upper-right corner of the panel.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the bitmap name in the Library panel, and select Properties
from the context menu.
If the Linkage properties aren’t visible in the Properties dialog box, click Advanced.
3 For Linkage, select Export For ActionScript.
4 Enter an identifier string in the text field, and click OK.
Apply a bitmap as a fill
To apply a bitmap as a fill to a graphic object, use the Color panel. Applying a bitmap as a fill tiles the bitmap to fill
the object. The Gradient Transform tool allows you to scale, rotate, or skew an image and its bitmap fill.
1 To apply the fill to existing artwork, select a graphic object or objects on the Stage.
2 Select Window > Color.
3 Select Bitmap from the pop-up menu in the center of the panel.
4 To use a larger preview window to display more bitmaps in the current document, click the arrow in the lowerright corner to expand the Color panel.
5 Click a bitmap to select it.
The bitmap becomes the current fill color. If you selected artwork in step 1, the bitmap is applied as a fill to the
artwork.
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See also
“Transform gradient and bitmap fills” on page 190
Edit bitmaps in an external editor
If you are editing a Fireworks PNG file imported as a flattened image, edit the PNG source file for the bitmap, when
available.
Note: You cannot edit bitmaps from Fireworks PNG files imported as editable objects in an external image editor.
If you have Fireworks 3 or later or another image-editing application installed on your system, you can start the
application from Flash to edit an imported bitmap.
Edit a bitmap with Fireworks 3 or later
1 In the Library panel, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the bitmap’s icon and select Edit With
Fireworks 3.
2 Specify whether to open the PNG source file or the bitmap file.
3 Perform the desired modifications to the file in Fireworks.
4 In Fireworks, select File > Update.
5 Return to Flash.
The file is automatically updated in Flash.
Edit a bitmap with another image-editing application
1 In the Library panel, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the bitmap’s icon, and select Edit With.
2 Select an image-editing application to open the bitmap file, and click OK.
3 Perform the desired modifications to the file in the image-editing application.
4 Save the file in the image-editing application.
The file is automatically updated in Flash.
5 Return to Flash to continue editing the document.
Break apart a bitmap
Breaking apart a bitmap separates the pixels in the image into discrete areas that can be selected and modified
separately. When you break apart a bitmap, you can modify the bitmap with the Flash drawing and painting tools.
Using the Lasso tool with the Magic Wand modifier, you can select areas of a bitmap that are broken apart.
To paint with a broken-apart bitmap, select the bitmap with the Eyedropper tool and apply the bitmap as a fill with
the Paint Bucket tool or another drawing tool.
See also
“Use the Stroke Color and Fill Color controls in the Tools panel” on page 186
Break a bitmap apart
1 Select a bitmap in the current scene.
2 Select Modify > Break Apart.
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Change the fill of areas of a broken-apart bitmap
1 Select the Lasso tool, click the Magic Wand modifier, and set the following options:.
• For Threshold, enter a value between 1 and 200 to define how closely the color of adjacent pixels must match to
be included in the selection. A higher number includes a broader range of colors. If you enter 0, only pixels of the
exact same color as the first pixel you click are selected.
• For Smoothing, select an option to define how much the edges of the selection are smoothed.
2 To select an area, click the bitmap. To add to the selection, continue clicking.
3 To fill the selected areas in the bitmap, select the fill to use.
4 To apply the new fill, select the Paint Bucket tool and click anywhere in the selected area.
Use the Eyedropper tool to apply a fill
1 Select the Eyedropper tool and click the broken-apart bitmap on the Stage. The Eyedropper tool sets the bitmap
to be the current fill and changes the active tool to the Paint Bucket.
2 Do one of the following:
• To apply the bitmap as a fill, click an existing graphic object with the Paint Bucket tool.
• Select the Oval, Rectangle, or Pen tool, and draw a new object. The object is filled with the broken-apart bitmap.
To scale, rotate, or skew the bitmap fill, use the Paint Bucket tool.
Convert bitmaps to vector graphics
The Trace Bitmap command converts a bitmap into a vector graphic with editable, discrete areas of color. You manipulate the image as a vector graphic, and you can reduce file size.
When you convert a bitmap to a vector graphic, the vector graphic is no longer linked to the bitmap symbol in the
Library panel.
Note: If the imported bitmap contains complex shapes and many colors, the converted vector graphic might have a larger
file size than the original bitmap. To find a balance between file size and image quality, try a variety of settings in the
Trace Bitmap dialog box.
You can also break apart a bitmap to modify the image with Flash drawing and painting tools.
1 Select a bitmap in the current scene.
2 Select Modify > Bitmap > Trace Bitmap.
3 Enter a Color Threshold value.
When two pixels are compared, if the difference in the RGB color values is less than the color threshold, the two
pixels are considered the same color. As you increase the threshold value, you decrease the number of colors.
4 For Minimum Area, enter a value to set the number of surrounding pixels to consider when assigning a color to
a pixel.
5 For Curve Fit, select an option to determine how smoothly outlines are drawn.
6 For Corner Threshold, select an option to determine whether sharp edges are retained or smoothed out.
To create a vector graphic that looks most like the original bitmap, enter the following values:
• Color Threshold: 10
• Minimum Area: 1 pixel
• Curve Fit: Pixels
• Corner Threshold: Many Corners
159
Chapter 6: Drawing
The drawing tools in Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional let you create and modify shapes for the artwork in your
documents.
Before you draw and paint in Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional, it is important to understand how Adobe® Flash® CS3
Professional creates artwork, how drawing tools work, and how drawing, painting, and modifying shapes can affect
other shapes on the same layer.
Drawing Basics
About drawing
The drawing tools in Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional let you create and modify shapes for the artwork in your
documents.
For a text tutorial about drawing, see “Draw in Flash” on the Flash Tutorials page at
www.adobe.com/go/learn_fl_tutorials.
For a video tutorial about drawing, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0119.
About vector and bitmap graphics
Computers display graphics in either vector or bitmap format. Understanding the difference between the two
formats helps you work more efficiently. Using Flash, you can create and animate compact vector graphics. Flash also
imports and manipulates vector and bitmap graphics that were created in other applications.
Vector graphics
Vector graphics describe images by using lines and curves, called vectors, that also include color and position
properties. For example, the image of a leaf is described by points through which lines pass, creating the leaf ’s outline.
The color of the leaf is determined by the color of the outline and the color of the area enclosed by the outline.
Lines in vector art
When you edit a vector graphic, you modify the properties of the lines and curves that describe its shape. Move,
resize, reshape, and change the color of a vector graphic without changing the quality of its appearance. Vector
graphics are resolution independent; that is, they can be displayed on output devices of varying resolutions without
losing any quality.
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Bitmap graphics
Bitmap graphics describe images using colored dots, called pixels, arranged in a grid. For example, the image of a leaf
is described by the specific location and color value of each pixel in the grid, creating an image in much the same
manner as a mosaic.
Pixels in bitmap art
When you edit a bitmap graphic, you modify pixels rather than lines and curves. Bitmap graphics are resolution
dependent, because the data describing the image is fixed to a grid of a particular size. Editing a bitmap graphic can
change the quality of its appearance. In particular, resizing a bitmap graphic can make the edges of the image ragged
as pixels are redistributed within the grid. Displaying a bitmap graphic on an output device that has a lower
resolution than the image itself also degrades its quality.
About the Flash drawing models
Flash provides two drawing models that give you a great deal of flexibility when drawing shapes:
Merge Drawing model The default drawing model automatically merges shapes that you draw when you overlap
them. If you select a shape that is merged with another, and move it, the shape below it is permanently altered. For
example, if you draw a circle and overlay a smaller circle on top of it, and then select the circle and move it, the
portion of the second circle that overlaid the first circle is removed.
Shapes created with the merge drawing mode merge together when they overlap. Selecting a shape and moving it results in the overlaid shape
being altered.
Object Drawing model Draws shapes as separate objects that do not automatically merge together when overlaid.
This overlaps shapes without altering their appearance if you move them apart, or rearrange their appearance. Flash
creates each shape as a separate object that you can individually manipulate.
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When you select a shape created using the Object Drawing model, Flash surrounds the shape with a rectangular
bounding box. Use the Pointer tool to move the object by clicking the bounding box and dragging the shape to
position it on the Stage.
Note: Set preferences for contact sensitivity when selecting shapes created using the Object Drawing model.
Shapes created with the Object Drawing model remain as separate objects the you can individually manipulate.
About overlapping shapes
When you use the Pencil, Pen, Line, Oval, Rectangle, or Brush tool to draw a line across another line or painted
shape, the overlapping lines are divided into segments at the intersection points. To select, move, and reshape each
segment individually, use the Selection tool.
A fill; the fill with a line drawn through it; and the three line segments created by segmentation
When you paint on top of shapes and lines, the portion underneath is replaced by whatever is on top. Paint of the
same color merges together. Paint of different colors remains distinct. To create masks, cutouts, and other negative
images, use these features. For example, the following cutout is made by moving the ungrouped kite image onto the
green shape, deselecting the kite, and then moving the filled portions of the kite away from the green shape.
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Making a cutout with the kite image
To avoid inadvertently altering shapes and lines by overlapping them, group the shapes or use layers to separate them.
See also
“Group objects” on page 201
“About layers” on page 36
Use the Object Drawing model
By default, Flash uses the Merge Drawing model. To draw shapes using the Object Drawing model, click the Object
Drawing button in the Tools panel.
Enable the object drawing model
1 Select a drawing tool that supports the Object Drawing model (the Pencil, Line, Pen, Brush, Oval, Rectangle, and
Polygon tools).
2 Select the Object Drawing button
from the Options category of the Tools panel, or press the J key to toggle
between the Merge and Object Drawing models. The Object Drawing button toggles between the Merge and Object
Drawing models. Set preferences for contact sensitivity when you select shapes created by using the Object Drawing
model.
Convert a Merge Drawing model created shape to an Object Drawing model shape
1 Select the shape on the Stage.
2 To convert the shape into a Object Drawing model shape, select Modify > Combine Objects > Union. After
conversion, the shape is treated like a vector-based drawing object that does not alter its appearance by interacting
with other shapes.
To join two or more shapes into a single, object-based shape, use the Union command.
Select objects
Select objects with the Pointer, Subselection, and Lasso tools.
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The Pointer, Subselection, and Lasso tools select objects by clicking on them. The Pointer and Subselection tools
select objects by dragging a rectangular selection marquee around the object. The Lasso tool selects objects by
dragging a free-form selection marquee around the object. When an object is selected, a rectangular box appears
around the object.
1 Select Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Flash > Preferences (Macintosh).
2 In the General category of the Preferences dialog box, do one of the following:
• To select only objects and points that are completely enclosed by the selection marquee, deselect Contact-Sensitive
Selection and Lasso tools. Points that lie within the selection area will still be selected.
• To select objects or groups that are only partially enclosed by the selection marquee, select Contact-Sensitive
Selection and Lasso tools.
Combining objects
To create new shapes by combining or altering existing objects, use the Combine Objects commands in the Modify
menu (Modify > Combine Objects). In some cases, the stacking order of selected objects determines how the
operation works. The Combine Objects commands are:
Union Joins two or more shapes into a single shape. The result is a single Object Drawing model shape consisting of
all the portions visible on the shapes before they were unified. The unseen, overlapping portions of the shapes are
deleted.
Note: Unlike when you use the Group command (Modify > Group), you cannot break apart shapes joined by using the
Union command.
Intersect Creates an object from the intersection of two or more objects. The resulting Object Drawing shape
consists of the overlapping portions of the combined shapes. Any part of the shape that doesn’t overlap is deleted.
The resulting shape uses the fill and stroke of the top-most shape in the stack.
Punch Removes portions of a selected object as defined by the overlapping portions of another selected object
positioned in front of it. Any part of a shape that is overlapped by the top-most shape is deleted, and the top-most
shape is deleted entirely. The resulting shapes remain as separate objects, and are not combined into a single object
(unlike the Union or Intersect commands, which join the objects together).
Crop Uses the shape of one object to crop another object. The front or topmost object defines the shape of the
cropped area. Any part of an underlying shape that overlaps with the top-most shape remains, while all other
portions of the underlying shapes are deleted, and the top-most shape is deleted entirely. The resulting shapes remain
as separate objects, and are not combined into a single object (unlike the Union or Intersect commands, which join
the objects).
Specify drawing preferences
Set drawing settings to specify snapping, smoothing, and straightening behaviors. Change the tolerance setting for
each option, and turn each option off or on. Tolerance settings are relative, depending on the resolution of your
computer screen and the current magnification of the scene. By default, each option is on and set to Normal
tolerance.
Set drawing settings
1 Select Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Flash > Preferences (Macintosh) and select Editing.
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2 Under Drawing Settings, select from the following options:
Connect Lines Determines how close the end of a line being drawn must be to an existing line segment before the
end point snaps to the nearest point on the other line. This setting also controls horizontal and vertical line recognition—that is, how nearly horizontal or vertical a line must be drawn before Flash makes it exactly horizontal or
vertical. When Snap To Objects is turned on, this setting controls how close objects must be to snap to one another.
Smooth Curves Specifies the amount of smoothing applied to curved lines drawn with the Pencil tool when the
drawing mode is set to Straighten or Smooth. (Smoother curves are easier to reshape, whereas rougher curves match
the original line strokes more closely.)
Note: To further smooth existing curved segments, use Modify > Shape > Smooth and Modify > Shape > Optimize.
Recognize Lines Defines how nearly straight a line segment drawn with the Pencil tool must be before Flash recognizes it as a straight line and makes it perfectly straight. If Recognize Lines is off while you draw, straighten lines later
by selecting one or more line segments and selecting Modify > Shape > Straighten.
Recognize Shapes Controls how precisely to draw circles, ovals, squares, rectangles, and 90- and 180-degree arcs for
them to be recognized as geometric shapes and redrawn accurately. The options are Off, Strict, Normal, and Tolerant.
Strict requires that the shape be drawn very close to straight; Tolerant specifies that the shape can be somewhat
rough, and Flash will redraw the shape. If Recognize Shapes is off while you draw, straighten lines later by selecting
one or more shapes (for example, connected line segments) and selecting Modify > Shape > Straighten.
Click Accuracy Specifies how close to an item the pointer must be before Flash recognizes the item.
Specify the Selection, Subselection, and Lasso tool contact-sensitivity options when you create shapes using the
Object Drawing model. By default, objects are only selected when the tool’s marquee rectangle completely surrounds
the object. Deselecting this option selects entire objects when they are only partially enclosed by the selection
marquee of the Selection, Subselection, or Lasso tools.
Set Selection, Subselection, and Lasso tool contact options
1 Select Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Flash > Preferences (Macintosh).
2 In the General category, do one of the following:
• To select only objects and points that are completely enclosed by the selection marquee, deselect Contact-Sensitive
Selection and Lasso tools. Points that lie within the selection area are still selected.
• To select objects or groups that are only partially enclosed by the selection marquee, select Contact-Sensitive
Selection and Lasso tools.
Note: The Subselection tools use the same contact-sensitive setting.
Using Flash drawing and painting tools
About Flash drawing and painting tools
When you use most Flash tools, the Property inspector changes to present the settings associated with that tool. For
example, if you select the Text tool, the Property inspector displays text properties, making it easy to select the
desired text attributes.
When you use a drawing or painting tool to create an object, the tool applies the current stroke and fill attributes to
the object. To change the stroke and fill attributes of existing objects, use the Paint Bucket and Ink Bottle tools in the
Tools panel or the Property inspector.
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Reshape lines and shape outlines in a variety of ways after you create them. Fills and strokes are treated as separate
objects. Select fills and strokes separately to move or modify them.
To automatically align elements with each other and with the drawing grid or guides, use snapping.
To change the display of tools, customize the Tools panel.
See also
“Using Flash authoring panels” on page 40
“Use the Stroke Color and Fill Color controls in the Tools panel” on page 186
“Use the Stroke Color and Fill Color controls in the Property inspector” on page 186
“Reshaping lines and shape outlines” on page 177
“About the main toolbar and edit bar” on page 26
“Use the Tools panel” on page 26
Draw with the Pencil tool
To draw lines and shapes, use the Pencil tool, in much the same way that you use a real pencil to draw. To apply
smoothing or straightening to the lines and shapes as you draw, select a drawing mode for the Pencil tool.
1 Select the Pencil tool
.
2 Select Window > Properties > Properties and select a stroke color, line weight, and style.
3 Select a drawing mode under Options in the Tools panel:
• To draw straight lines and convert approximations of triangles, ovals, circles, rectangles, and squares into these
common geometric shapes, select Straighten
.
• To draw smooth curved lines, select Smooth .
• To draw freehand lines with no modification applied, select Ink
.
Lines drawn with Straighten, Smooth, and Ink mode, respectively.
4 To draw with the Pencil tool, Shift-drag to constrain lines to vertical or horizontal directions, click the Stage, and drag.
See also
“Use the Stroke Color and Fill Color controls in the Property inspector” on page 186
Draw straight lines
To draw one straight line segment at a time, use the Line tool.
1 Select the Line tool
.
2 Select Window > Properties > Properties and select stroke attributes.
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Note: You cannot set fill attributes for the Line tool.
3 Click the Object Drawing button
in the Options section of the Tools panel, to select either the Merge or Object
drawing model. When the Object Drawing button is depressed, the Line tool is in Object drawing mode.
4 Position the pointer where the line is to begin, and drag to where the line is to end. To constrain the angle of the
line to multiples of 45 degrees, Shift-drag.
See also
“Use the Stroke Color and Fill Color controls in the Property inspector” on page 186
“About the Flash drawing models” on page 160
Draw rectangles and ovals
The Oval and Rectangle tools let you create these basic geometric shapes, and apply strokes, fills, and specify
rounded corners. In addition to the Merge and Object drawing model, the Oval and Rectangle tools also provide the
Primitive Object drawing mode.
When you create rectangles or ovals using the Primitive Rectangle or Primitive Oval tools, Flash draws the shapes as
separate objects not unlike the shapes created when you use object drawing mode. The Primitive shape tools let you
specify the corner radius of rectangles, and the start and end angle and the inner radius of ovals using controls in the
Property inspector. After you create a primitive shape, alter the radiuses and dimensions by selecting the shape on
the Stage, and adjusting the controls in the Property inspector.
Note: When either of the Primitive Object drawing tools is selected, the Property inspector retains the values of the last
primitive object that you edited. For example, if you modify a rectangle, and then draw a second rectangle.
See also
“Use the Stroke Color and Fill Color controls in the Property inspector” on page 186
Draw primitive rectangles
1 To select the Rectangle Primitive tool, click and hold the mouse button on the Rectangle tool
Rectangle Primitive tool
, and select the
from the pop-up menu.
2 To create a primitive rectangle, drag the Rectangle Primitive tool on the Stage.
Note: To change the corner radius while dragging with the Primitive Rectangle tool, press the Up Arrow key or Down
Arrow key. When the corners achieve the desired roundness, release the key.
3 With the primitive rectangle selected on the Stage, you can use the controls found in the Property inspector to
further modify the shape, or specify fill and stroke colors.
Properties for a rectangle primitive
The Property inspector controls specific to the Rectangle Primitive tool are:
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Rectangle Corner Radius Controls Lets you specify the corner radiuses for the rectangle. You can enter a numerical
value for the inner radius in the box, or click the slider and interactively adjust the size of the radius. Entering a
negative value creates an inverse radius. You can also deselect the constrain corner radius icon, and adjust each
corner radius individually.
Reset Resets all of the Rectangle Primitive tool’s controls, and returns the primitive rectangle shape drawn on the
stage to its initial size and shape.
4 To specify a different corner radius for each corner of the rectangle, deselect the Lock icon located in the Primitive
Rectangle radius controls sections of the Property inspector. When locked, the radius controls are restrained so that
each corner uses the same radius.
5 To reset the corner radiuses, click the Reset button in the Property inspector.
Draw primitive ovals
1 Click and hold the mouse button on the Rectangle tool
, and select the Oval Primitive tool
.
2 To create a primitive oval, drag the Primitive Oval tool on the Stage. To constrain the shape to a circle, Shift-drag.
3 With the primitive oval selected on the Stage, you can use the controls found in the Property inspector to further
modify the shape, or specify fill and stroke colors.
Properties for an oval primitive
The Property inspector controls specific to the Primitive Oval tool are:
Start angle and End angle Let you specify the angle of the start and end points of the oval. Using these controls, you
can easily modify the shape of ovals and circles into pie slices, half circles, and other creative shapes.
Inner radius Lets you specify an inner radius (or oval) within the oval. You can either enter a numerical value for
the inner radius in the box, or click the slider and interactively adjust the size of the inner radius. The numerical
values you can enter for the inner radius range from 0 to 99, and represent the percentage of the oval’s fill that is
removed.
Close path Lets you specify whether the path (or paths, if you are specifying an inner radius) of the oval is closed. If
you specify an open path, no fill is applied to the resulting shape, only the stroke is drawn. Close path is selected by
default.
Reset Resets all of the Oval Primitive tool’s controls, and returns the primitive oval shape drawn on the stage to its
initial size and shape.
Draw ovals and rectangles
The Oval and Rectangle tools create these basic geometric shapes.
1 To select the Rectangle tool
or Oval tool
, click and hold the mouse button on the Rectangle tool and drag.
2 To create a rectangle or oval, drag the Rectangle or Oval tool on the Stage.
3 For the Rectangle tool, specify rounded corners by clicking the Round Rectangle modifier and entering a corner
radius value. A value of zero (0) creates square corners.
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4 Drag on the Stage. If you are using the Rectangle tool, press the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys while dragging
to adjust the radius of rounded corners.
For the Oval and Rectangle tools, Shift-drag to constrain the shapes to circles and squares.
To specify a specific size of Oval or Rectangle in pixels, press the Alt key (Windows) or Option key (Macintosh) with
the Oval or Rectangle tool selected, and click the Stage to display the Oval And Rectangle Settings dialog box.
• For ovals, specify the width and height in pixels, and whether to draw the oval from the center.
• For rectangles, specify the width and height in pixels, the radius of the rectangle corners for rounded corners, and
whether to draw the rectangle from the center.
Draw polygons and stars
The PolyStar tool draws polygons or stars.
1 To select the PolyStar tool
from the pop-up menu, click and hold the mouse button on the Rectangle tool and drag.
2 Select Window > Properties > Properties and select stroke and fill attributes.
3 Click Options and do the following:
• For Style, select Polygon or Star.
• For Number Of Sides, enter a number between 3 and 32.
• For Star Point Size, enter a number between 0 and 1 to specify the depth of the star points. A number closer to 0
creates deeper points (like needles). If you are drawing a polygon, leave this setting unchanged. (It does not affect
the polygon shape.)
4 Click OK.
5 Drag on the Stage.
See also
“Use the Stroke Color and Fill Color controls in the Property inspector” on page 186
Paint with the Brush tool
The Brush tool
draws brush-like strokes, as if you were painting. It creates special effects, including calligraphic
effects. Select a brush size and shape using the Brush tool modifiers.
Brush size for new strokes remains constant even when you change the magnification level for the Stage, so the same
brush size appears larger when the Stage magnification is lower. For example, suppose you set the Stage magnification to 100% and paint with the Brush tool using the smallest brush size. Then, you change the magnification to
50% and paint again using the smallest brush size. The new stroke that you paint appears 50% thicker than the earlier
stroke. (Changing the magnification of the Stage does not change the size of existing brush strokes.)
Use an imported bitmap as a fill when painting with the Brush tool. See “Break apart groups and objects” on
page 202.
If you have a Wacom pressure-sensitive tablet connected to your computer, vary the width and angle of the brush
stroke by using the Brush tool Pressure and Tilt modifiers, and varying pressure on the stylus.
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The Pressure modifier varies the width of brush strokes when you vary the pressure on the stylus. The Tilt modifier
varies the angle of brush strokes when you vary the angle of the stylus on the tablet. The Tilt modifier measures the
angle between the top (eraser) end of the stylus and the top (north) edge of the tablet. For example, if you hold the
pen vertically against the tablet, the Tilt is 90. The Pressure and Tilt modifiers are both fully supported for the eraser
function of the stylus.
A variable-width brush stroke drawn with a stylus
1 Select the Brush tool
.
2 Select Window > Properties > Properties and select a fill color.
3 Click the Brush Mode modifier and select a painting mode:
Paint Normal Paints over lines and fills on the same layer.
Paint Fills Paints fills and empty areas, leaving lines unaffected.
Paint Behind Paints in blank areas of the Stage on the same layer, leaving lines and fills unaffected.
Paint Selection Applies a new fill to the selection when you select a fill in the Fill Color control or the Fill box of the
Property inspector, the same as selecting a filled area and applying a new fill.
Paint Inside Paints the fill in which you start a brush stroke and never paints lines. If you start painting in an empty
area, the fill doesn’t affect any existing filled areas.
4 Select a brush size and brush shape from the Brush tool modifiers.
5 If a Wacom pressure-sensitive tablet is attached to your computer, select the Pressure modifier, the Tilt modifier,
or both, to modify brush strokes.
• Select the Pressure modifier to vary the width of your brush strokes by varying the pressure on your stylus.
• To vary the angle of your brush strokes by varying the angle of the stylus on the Wacom pressure-sensitive tablet,
select the Tilt modifier.
6 Drag on the Stage. To constrain brush strokes to horizontal and vertical directions, Shift-drag.
See also
“Use the Stroke Color and Fill Color controls in the Property inspector” on page 186
About paths
Whenever you draw a line or shape in Flash, you create a line called a path. A path is made up of one or more straight
or curved segments. The beginning and end of each segment are marked by anchor points, which work like pins
holding a wire in place. A path can be closed (for example, a circle), or open, with distinct endpoints (for example, a
wavy line).
You change the shape of a path by dragging its anchor points, the direction points at the end of direction lines that
appear at anchor points, or the path segment itself.
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A
C
E
B
D
F
Components of a path
A. Selected (solid) endpoint B. Selected anchor point C. Unselected anchor point D. Curved path segment E. Direction line F. Direction point
Paths can have two kinds of anchor points: corner points and smooth points. At a corner point, a path abruptly
changes direction. At a smooth point, path segments are connected as a continuous curve. You can draw a path using
any combination of corner and smooth points. If you draw the wrong kind of point, you can always change it.
A
B
C
Points on a path
A. Four corner points B. Four smooth points C. Combination of corner and smooth points
A corner point can connect any two straight or curved segments, while a smooth point always connects two curved
segments.
A corner point can connect both straight segments and curved segments.
Note: Don’t confuse corner and smooth points with straight and curved segments.
A paths outline is called a stroke. A color or gradient applied to an open or closed paths interior area is called a fill.
A stroke can have weight (thickness), color, and a dash pattern. After you create a path or shape, you can change the
characteristics of its stroke and fill.
About direction lines and direction points
When you select an anchor point that connects curved segments (or select the segment itself), the anchor points of
the connecting segments display direction handles, which consist of direction lines that end in direction points. The
angle and length of the direction lines determine the shape and size of the curved segments. Moving the direction
points reshapes the curves. Direction lines don’t appear in the final output.
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After selecting an anchor point (left), direction lines appear on any curved segments connected by the anchor point (right).
A smooth point always has two direction lines, which move together as a single, straight unit. When you move a
direction line on a smooth point, the curved segments on both sides of the point are adjusted simultaneously,
maintaining a continuous curve at that anchor point.
In comparison, a corner point can have two, one, or no direction lines, depending on whether it joins two, one, or
no curved segments, respectively. Corner point direction lines maintain the corner by using different angles. When
you move a direction line on a corner point, only the curve on the same side of the point as that direction line is
adjusted.
Adjusting direction lines on a smooth point (left) and a corner point (right)
Direction lines are always tangent to (perpendicular to the radius of) the curve at the anchor points. The angle of
each direction line determines the slope of the curve, and the length of each direction line determines the height, or
depth, of the curve.
Moving and resizing direction lines changes the slope of curves.
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Drawing with the Pen tool
Interacting with the Pen tool
To draw precise paths as straight lines or smooth, flowing curves, use the Pen tool. When you draw with the Pen tool,
click to create points on straight line segments, and drag to create points on curved line segments. Adjust straight
and curved line segments by adjusting points on the line. Convert curves to straight lines and the reverse, and display
points on lines that you create with other Flash drawing tools, such as the Pencil, Brush, Line, Oval, or Rectangle
tools, to adjust those lines.
The Pen tool provides feedback about its current drawing state by displaying different pointers. The various drawing
states are indicated by the following pointers:
Initial Anchor Point pointer
The first pointer you see when you select the Pen tool. Indicates that the next mouse
click on the stage will create an initial anchor point, which is the beginning of a new path (all new paths begin with
an initial anchor point). Any existing drawing paths are terminated.
Sequential Anchor Point pointer
Indicates that the next mouse click will create an anchor point with a line
connecting it to the previous anchor point. This pointer is displayed during the creation of all user-defined anchor
points except the initial anchor point of a path.
Indicates that the next mouse click will add an anchor point to an existing path. To add
an anchor point, the path must be selected, and the Pen tool must not be over an existing anchor point. The existing
path is redrawn based on the additional anchor point. Only one anchor point can be added at a time.
Add Anchor Point pointer
Indicates that the next mouse click on an existing path will remove an anchor point.
To remove an anchor point, the path must be selected with the Selection tool, and the pointer must be over an
existing anchor point. The existing path is redrawn based on the removal of the anchor point. Only one anchor point
can be removed at a time.
Delete Anchor Point pointer
Continue Path pointer
Extends a new path from an existing anchor point. For this pointer to be activated, the
mouse must be over an existing anchor point on a path. This pointer is only available when you are not currently
drawing a path. The anchor point does not have to be one of the terminal anchor points of a path; any anchor point
can be the location of a continued path.
Close Path pointer
Closes the path you’re drawing on the starting point of the path. You can only close a path that
you are currently drawing, and the existing anchor point must be the starting anchor point of the same path. The
resulting path does not have any specified fill color settings applied to the enclosed shape; apply fill color separately.
Similar to the Close Path Tool except that the mouse must not be over the initial anchor point
of the same path. The pointer must be over either of the terminal points of a unique path. The segment may or may
not be selected.
Join Paths pointer
Note: Joining paths may or may not result in a closed shape.
Appears when the mouse is over an anchor point whose Bezier handles are
displayed. Clicking the mouse retracts the Bezier handles, and causes the curved path across the anchor point to
revert to straight segments.
Retract Bezier Handle pointer
Converts a corner point without direction lines to a corner point with
independent direction lines. To enable the convert anchor point pointer, use the Shift + C modifier keys to toggle the
Pen tool.
Convert Anchor Point pointer
For a video tutorial about the Pen tool, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0120.
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See also
“Reshaping lines and shape outlines” on page 177
Set Pen tool preferences
Specify preferences for the appearance of the Pen tool pointer, for previewing line segments as you draw, and for the
appearance of selected anchor points. Selected line segments and anchor points use the outline color of the layer on
which the lines and points appear.
1 Select the Pen tool
Editing.
, then select Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Flash > Preferences (Macintosh) and click
2 In the Category list, select Drawing.
3 Set the following options for the Pen tool:
Show Pen Preview Previews line segments as you draw. A preview of the line segment appears as you move the
pointer around the Stage, before you click to create the end point of the segment. If this option is not selected, a line
segment does not appear until you create the end point.
Show Solid Points Displays selected anchor points as hollow and deselected anchor points as solid. If this option is
not chosen, selected anchor points are solid, and deselected anchor points are hollow.
Show Precise Pointers Specifies that the Pen tool pointer appears as a cross-hair pointer, rather than the default Pen
Tool icon, for more precise placement of lines. To display the default Pen Tool icon with the Pen Tool, deselect the
option.
Note: To switch between the cross-hair pointer and the default Pen Tool icon, press the Caps Lock key.
4 Click OK.
Draw straight lines with the Pen tool
The simplest path you can draw with the Pen Tool is a straight line, made by clicking the Pen Tool to create two
anchor points. Continue to click to create a path made of straight line segments connected by corner points.
1 Select the Pen Tool
.
2 Position the Pen Tool where the straight segment is to begin, and click to define the first anchor point. If direction
lines appear, you accidentally dragged the Pen Tool; choose Edit > Undo and click again.
Note: The first segment you draw is not visible until you click a second anchor point (unless you’ve specified Show Pen
Preview in the Drawing category of the Preferences dialog box).
3 Click again where you want the segment to end (Shift-click to constrain the angle of the segment to a multiple of
45˚).
4 Continue clicking to set anchor points for additional straight segments.
Clicking pen tool creates straight segments
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5 To complete the path as an open or closed shape, do one of the following:
• To complete an open path, double-click the last point, click the Pen Tool in the Tools panel, or Control-click
(Windows) or Command-click (Macintosh) anywhere away from the path.
• To close the path, position the Pen Tool over the first (hollow) anchor point. A small circle appears next to the Pen
Tool pointer
when it is positioned correctly. Click or drag to close the path.
• To complete the shape as is, select Edit > Deselect All, or select a different tool in the Tools panel.
See also
“Use the Stroke Color and Fill Color controls in the Property inspector” on page 186
Draw curves with the Pen tool
To create a curve, add an anchor point where a curve changes direction, and drag the direction lines that shape the
curve. The length and slope of the direction lines determine the shape of the curve.
Curves are easier to edit and your system can display and print them faster if you draw them using as few anchor
points as possible. Using too many points can also introduce unwanted bumps in a curve. Instead, draw widely
spaced anchor points, and practice shaping curves by adjusting the length and angles of the direction lines.
1 Select the Pen tool
.
2 Position the Pen tool where the curve is to begin, and hold down the mouse button.
The first anchor point appears, and the Pen tool pointer changes to an arrowhead. (In Photoshop, the pointer
changes only after you’ve started dragging.)
3 Drag to set the slope of the curve segment you’re creating, and then release the mouse button.
In general, extend the direction line about one third of the distance to the next anchor point you plan to draw. (You
can adjust one or both sides of the direction line later.)
Hold down the Shift key to constrain the tool to multiples of 45˚.
A
B
C
Drawing the first point in a curve
A. Positioning Pen tool B. Starting to drag (mouse button pressed) C. Dragging to extend direction lines
4 Position the Pen tool where the curve segment is to end, and do one of the following:
• To create a C-shaped curve, drag in a direction opposite to the previous direction line and release the mouse
button.
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A
B
C
Drawing the second point in a curve
A. Starting to drag second smooth point B. Dragging away from previous direction line, creating a C curve C. Result after releasing mouse
button
• To create an S-shaped curve, drag in the same direction as the previous direction line and release the mouse
button.
A
B
C
Drawing an S curve
A. Starting to drag new smooth point B. Dragging in the same direction as previous direction line, creating an S curve C. Result after releasing
mouse button
5 To create a series of smooth curves, continue dragging the Pen tool from different locations. Place anchor points
at the beginning and end of each curve, not at the tip of the curve.
To break out the direction lines of an anchor point, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Macintosh) direction lines.
6 To complete the path, do one of the following:
• To close the path, position the Pen tool over the first (hollow) anchor point. A small circle appears next to the Pen
tool pointer
when it is positioned correctly. Click or drag to close the path.
• To leave the path open, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Macintosh) anywhere away from all objects,
select a different tool, or choose Edit > Deselect All.
Add or delete anchor points
Adding anchor points can give you more control over a path or it can extend an open path. However, it’s a good idea
not to add more points than necessary. A path with fewer points is easier to edit, display, and print. To reduce the
complexity of a path, delete unnecessary points.
The toolbox contains three tools for adding or deleting points: the Pen tool
the Delete Anchor Point tool .
, the Add Anchor Point tool
, and
By default, the Pen tool changes to the Add Anchor Point tool as you position it over a selected path, or to the Delete
Anchor Point tool as you position it over an anchor point.
Note: Don’t use the Delete, Backspace, and Clear keys or the Edit > Cut or Edit > Clear commands to delete anchor
points; these keys and commands delete the point and the line segments that connect to that point.
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Add or delete anchor points
1 Select the path to modify.
2 Click and hold the mouse button on the Pen tool
Delete Anchor Point tool
, then select the Pen tool
, Add Anchor Point tool
, or the
.
3 To add an anchor point, position the pointer over a path segment, and click. To delete an anchor point, position
the pointer over an anchor point, and click.
Adjust anchor points on paths
When you draw a curve with the Pen tool, you create curve points—anchor points on a continuous, curved path.
When you draw a straight line segment, or a straight line connected to a curved segment, you create corner points—
anchor points on a straight path or at the juncture of a straight and a curved path.
By default, selected curve points appear as hollow circles, and selected corner points appear as hollow squares.
To convert segments in a line from straight segments to curve segments or the reverse, convert corner points to curve
points or the reverse.
Dragging a direction point out of a corner point to create a smooth point
Move, add, or delete anchor points on a path. To move anchor points, use the Subselection tool to adjust the length
or angle of straight segments or the slope of curved segments. Nudge selected anchor points to make small adjustments.
Deleting unneeded anchor points on a curved path optimizes the curve and reduces the file size.
• To move an anchor point, drag the point with the Subselection tool
.
• To nudge an anchor point or points, select the point or points with the Subselection tool and use the arrow keys
to move the point or points. Shift-click to select multiple points.
• To convert a corner point to a curve point, use the Subselection tool to select the point, then Alt-drag (Windows)
or Option-drag (Macintosh) the point to place the tangent handles.
• To convert a curve point to a corner point, click the point with the Pen tool. The carat ^ marker next to the
pointer
indicates when it is over the curve point.
• To add an anchor point, click a line segment with the Pen tool. A plus (+) sign appears next to the Pen tool
if
an anchor point can be added to the selected line segment. If the line segment is not yet selected, click it with the
Pen tool to select it, and then add an anchor point.
• To delete a corner point, click the point once with the Pen tool. A minus (-) sign appears next to the Pen tool if an
anchor point can be deleted from the selected line segment. If the line segment is not yet selected, click it with the
Pen tool to select it, and then delete the anchor point.
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• To delete a curve point, click the point once with the Pen tool. A minus (-) sign appears next to the Pen tool if an
anchor point can be deleted from the selected line segment. If the line segment is not yet selected, click it with the
Pen tool to select it, and then delete the corner point. (Click once to convert the point to a corner point, and once
more to delete the point.)
• Select the point with the Subselection tool and press Delete.
Adjust segments
To change the angle or length of the segment, or adjust curved segments to change the slope or direction of the curve,
adjust straight segments.
When you move a tangent handle on a curve point, the curves on both sides of the point adjust. When you move a
tangent handle on a corner point, only the curve on the same side of the point as the tangent handle adjusts.
• To adjust a straight segment, select the Subselection tool
, and select a straight segment. Use the Subselection
tool to drag an anchor point on the segment to a new position.
• To adjust a curve segment, select the Subselection tool and drag the segment.
Note: When you click the path, Flash shows the anchor points. Adjusting a segment with the Subselection tool can add
points to the path.
• To adjust points or tangent handles on a curve, select the Subselection tool, and select an anchor point on a curved
segment.
• To adjust the shape of the curve on either side of the anchor point, drag the anchor point, or drag the tangent
handle. To constrain the curve to multiples of 45º, shift-drag. To drag tangent handles individually, Alt-drag
(Windows) or Option-drag (Macintosh).
Drag the anchor point, or drag the direction point.
Reshaping lines and shape outlines
Display and adjust points with the Subselection tool
1 Select the Subselection tool
.
2 Click the line or shape outline.
See also
“Adjust anchor points on paths” on page 176
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User Guide
Reshape using the Selection tool
To reshape a line or shape outline, drag any point on a line using the Selection tool. The pointer changes to indicate
what type of reshaping it can perform on the line or fill.
Flash adjusts the curve of the line segment to accommodate the new position of the moved point. If the repositioned
point is an end point, lengthen or shorten the line. If the repositioned point is a corner, the line segments forming
the corner remain straight as they become longer or shorter.
When a corner appears next to the pointer, you can change an end point. When a curve appears next to the pointer, you can adjust a curve.
Some brush stroke areas are easier to reshape if you view them as outlines.
If you are having trouble reshaping a complex line, smooth it to remove some of its details, making reshaping easier.
Increasing the magnification can also make reshaping easier and more accurate.
1 Select the Selection tool
.
2 Do one of the following:
• To reshape the segment, drag from any point.
• To drag a line to create a new corner point, control-click (Windows) or Option-click (Macintosh).
Straighten and smooth lines
To reshape lines and shape outlines, straighten or smooth them.
Note: To adjust the degree of automatic smoothing and straightening, specify preferences for drawing settings.
Straightening makes small straightening adjustments to lines and curves you already drew. It has no effect on
segments that are already straight.
To make Flash recognize shapes, use the straightening technique. If you draw any oval, rectangular, or triangular
shapes with the Recognize Shapes option turned off, use the Straightening option to make the shapes geometrically
perfect. Shapes that are touching, and thus connected to other elements, are not recognized.
Shape recognition turns the top shapes into the bottom shapes.
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Smoothing softens curves and reduces bumps or other variations in a curve’s overall direction. It also reduces the
number of segments in a curve. Smoothing is relative, however, and has no effect on straight segments. It is particularly useful when you are having trouble reshaping a number of very short curved line segments. Selecting all the
segments and smoothing them reduces the number of segments, producing a gentler curve that is easier to reshape.
Repeated application of smoothing or straightening makes each segment smoother or straighter, depending on how
curved or straight each segment was originally.
• To smooth the curve of each selected fill outline or curved line, select the Selection tool and click the Smooth
modifier
in the Options section of the Tools panel, or select Modify > Shape > Smooth.
• To make small straightening adjustments on each selected fill outline or curved line, select the Selection tool
and click the Straighten modifier
Straighten.
in the Options section of the Tools panel, or select Modify > Shape >
• To use shape recognition, select the Selection tool
and click the Straighten modifier
, or select Modify >
Shape > Straighten.
See also
“Specify drawing preferences” on page 163
Optimize curves
Optimizing smooths curves by refining curved lines and filling outlines, reducing the number of curves used to
define these elements. Optimizing curves also reduces the size of the Flash document (FLA file) and the exported
Flash application (SWF file). Apply optimization to the same elements multiple times.
1 Select the drawn elements to optimize and select Modify > Shape > Optimize.
2 To specify the degree of smoothing, drag the Smoothing slider. The results depend on the curves selected.
Generally, optimizing produces fewer curves, with less resemblance to the original outline.
3 Set additional options:
Use Multiple Passes Repeats the smoothing process until no further optimization can be accomplished; this is the
same as repeatedly selecting Optimize with the same elements selected.
Show Totals Message Indicates the extent of the optimization when smoothing is complete.
4 Click OK.
Erase
Erasing with the Eraser tool removes strokes and fills.
Quickly delete everything on the Stage
❖ Double-click the Eraser tool
.
Remove stroke segments or filled areas
1 Select the Eraser tool, and then click the Faucet modifier
2 Click the stroke segment or filled area to delete.
Erase by dragging
1 Select the Eraser tool.
.
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2 Click the Eraser Mode modifier and select an erasing mode:
Erase Normal Erases strokes and fills on the same layer.
Erase Fills Erases only fills; strokes are not affected.
Erase Lines Erases only strokes; fills are not affected.
Erase Selected Fills Erases only the currently selected fills and does not affect strokes, selected or not. (Select the fills
to erase before using the Eraser tool in this mode.)
Erase Inside Erases only the fill on which you begin the eraser stroke. If you begin erasing from an empty point,
nothing is erased. Strokes are unaffected by the eraser in this mode.
3 Click the Eraser Shape modifier and select an eraser shape and size. Make sure that the Faucet modifier is not
selected.
4 Drag on the Stage.
Modify shapes
1 To convert lines to fills, select a line or multiple lines and select Modify > Shape > Convert Lines To Fills. Selected
lines are converted to filled shapes, which allows you to fill lines with gradients or to erase a portion of a line.
Converting lines to fills can make file sizes larger, but it can also speed up drawing for some animations.
2 To expand the shape of a filled object, select a filled shape, and select Modify > Shape > Expand Fill. Enter a value
in pixels for Distance and select Expand or Inset For Direction. Expand enlarges the shape, and Inset reduces it.
This feature works best on a single, small, filled color shape with no stroke, that does not contain many small details.
3 To soften the edges of an object, select a filled shape, and select Modify > Shape > Soften Fill Edges. Set the
following options:
Distance The width, in pixels, of the soft edge.
Number Of Steps Controls how many curves are used for the soft edge effect. The more steps you use, the smoother
the effect. Increasing steps also creates larger files and slows drawing.
Expand Or Inset Controls whether the shape is enlarged or reduced to soften the edges.
This feature works best on a single filled shape that has no stroke, and can increase the file size of a Flash document
and the resulting SWF file.
Snapping
About snapping
To automatically align elements with one another, use snapping. Flash provides three ways for you to align objects
on the Stage:
• Object snapping snaps objects directly to other objects along their edges.
• Pixel snapping snaps objects directly to individual pixels or lines of pixels on the Stage.
• Snap alignment snaps objects to a specified snap tolerance, a preset boundary between objects and other objects
or between objects and the edge of the Stage.
Note: You can also snap to the grid or to guides.
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See also
“About the main toolbar and edit bar” on page 26
Use object snapping
To turn on object snapping, use the Snap To Objects modifier for the Selection tool, or the Snap To Objects command
in the View menu.
If the Snap To Objects modifier for the Selection tool is on, a small black ring appears under the pointer when you
drag an element. The small ring changes to a larger ring when the object is within snapping distance of another
object.
See also
“Specify drawing preferences” on page 163
Turn object snapping on or off
❖ Select View > Snapping > Snap To Objects. A check mark appears next to the command when it is on.
When you move or reshape an object, the position of the Selection tool on the object provides the reference point
for the snap ring. For example, if you move a filled shape by dragging near its center, the center point snaps to other
objects. This is particularly useful for snapping shapes to motion paths for animating.
Note: For better control of object placement when snapping, begin dragging from a corner or center point.
Adjust object snapping tolerances
1 Select Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Flash > Preferences (Macintosh), and click Editing.
2 Under Drawing Settings, adjust the Connect Lines setting.
Use pixel snapping
To turn on pixel snapping, use the Snap To Pixels command in the View menu. If Snap To Pixels is on, a pixel grid
appears when the view magnification is set to 400% or higher. The pixel grid represents the individual pixels that
appears in your Flash application. When you create or move an object, it is constrained to the pixel grid.
If you create a shape whose edges fall between pixel boundaries—for example, if you use a stroke with a fractional
width, such as 3.5 pixels—Snap To Pixels snaps to pixel boundaries, and not to the edge of the shape.
• To turn pixel snapping on or off, select View > Snapping > Snap To Pixels. If the magnification is set to 400% or
higher, a pixel grid is displayed. A check mark appears next to the command when it is on.
• To turn pixel snapping on or off temporarily, press the C key. When you release the C key, pixel snapping returns
to the state you selected with View > Snapping > Snap To Pixels.
• To temporarily hide the pixel grid, press the X key. When you release the X key, the pixel grid reappears.
Use snap alignment
To turn on Snap Alignment, use the Snap Align command in the View menu. To select settings for Snap Alignment,
use the Edit Snap Align command in the View menu.
When you select Snap Alignment settings, set the snap tolerance between horizontal or vertical edges of objects, and
between objects’ edges and the Stage border. You can also turn on snap alignment between the horizontal and the
vertical centers of objects. All Snap Alignment settings are measured in pixels.
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When Snap Alignment is turned on, dotted lines appear on the Stage when you drag an object to the specified snap
tolerance. For example, if you set Horizontal snap tolerance to 18 pixels (the default setting), a dotted line appears
along the edge of the object you are dragging when the object is exactly 18 pixels from another object. If you turn on
Horizontal Center Alignment, a dotted line appears along the horizontal center vertices of two objects when you
precisely align the vertices.
Select settings for Snap Alignment
1 Select View > Snapping > Edit Snap Align.
2 In the Snap Align dialog box, do any of the following:
• To set the snap tolerance between objects and the Stage border, enter a value for Movie Border.
• To set the snap tolerance between horizontal or vertical edges of objects, enter a value for Horizontal, Vertical, or both.
• To turn on Horizontal or Vertical Center Alignment, select Horizontal or Vertical Center Alignment or both.
Turn on Snap Alignment
❖ Select View > Snapping > Snap Align. A check mark appears next to the command when it is on.
183
Chapter 7: Working with color, strokes,
and fills
Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional includes many tools for creating your own artwork and for controlling the colors,
strokes, and fills of your drawings. With Flash you can control and manipulate these aspects of your artwork both
during and after its creation.
Working with color
About color
Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional lets you apply, create, and modify colors. Using the default palette or a palette you
create, you can choose colors to apply to the stroke or fill of an object you are about to create, or an object already on
the Stage.
When applying a stroke color to a shape, you can do any of the following:
• Apply a solid color, gradient, or bitmap to a shape’s fill. To apply a bitmap fill to a shape, you must import a bitmap
into the current file. Select any solid color, gradient, and the style and weight of the stroke.
• Create an outlined shape with no fill by using No Color as a fill.
• Create a filled shape with no outline by using No Color as an outline.
• Apply a solid color fill to text.
With the Color panel, you can create and edit solid colors and gradient fills in RGB and HSB modes.
To access the system color picker, Alt-double-click (Windows) or Option-double-click (Macintosh) the Stroke Color
or Fill Color control in the Tools panel, the shape Property inspector, or the Color panel.
See also
“Setting text attributes” on page 271
About the Color panel
The Color panel lets you change the color of strokes and fills, including the following:
• Import, export, delete, and otherwise modify the color palette for a file by using the Swatches panel.
• Select colors in hexadecimal mode.
• Create multicolor gradients.
• Use gradients to produce a wide range of effects, such as giving an illusion of depth to a two-dimensional object.
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User Guide
The Color panel with the gradient controls displayed.
Color panel options
Stroke Color Changes the color of the stroke, or the border, of a graphic object.
Fill Color Changes the color of the fill. The fill is the area of color that fills up the shape.
Type Menu Changes the fill style:
• None Removes the fill.
• Solid Provides a solid, single fill color.
• Linear Produces a gradient that blends on a linear path.
• Radial Produces a gradient that blends outward in a circular path from a central focal point.
• Bitmap Tiles the selected fill area with a bitmap image that you can select. When you choose Bitmap, a dialog box
lets you select a bitmap image on your local computer, and add it to the library. You can apply this bitmap as a fill;
the appearance is similar to a mosaic tile pattern with the image repeated within the shape.
RGB Lets you change the density of the red, green, and blue (RGB) colors in a fill.
Alpha Sets the opacity for a solid fill, or the currently selected slider for a gradient fill. An alpha value of 0% creates
an invisible (or transparent) fill; an alpha value of 100% creates an opaque fill.
Current Color Swatch Displays the currently selected color. If you select a gradient fill type (Linear or Radial) from
the fill Type menu, the Current Color Swatch displays the color transitions within the gradient you create.
System Color Picker Lets you select a color visually. Click System Color Picker and drag the cross-hair pointer until
you find the color you want.
Hexadecimal value Displays the current color’s hexadecimal value. To change the color using the hexadecimal value,
type in a new value. Hexadecimal color values (also called hex values) are 6-digit alphanumeric combinations that
represent a color.
Overflow Lets you control colors applied past the limits of a linear or radial gradient.
• Extend (Default) Applies the colors you specify past the end of the gradient.
• Reflect Causes the gradient colors to fill the shape using a reflective mirroring effect. The gradients you specify
are repeated in a pattern from the beginning of the gradient to the end, and then repeated in the opposite sequence
from the end of the gradient to the beginning, and then back to the beginning of the gradient to the end until the
selected shape is filled.
• Repeat Repeats the gradient from the beginning of the gradient to the end until the selected shape is filled.
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User Guide
Note: Overflow modes are supported only in Flash Player 8 and later.
Linear RGB Creates a Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)-compliant linear or radial gradient.
Modifying color palettes
About color palettes
Each Flash file contains its own color palette, stored in the Flash document. Flash displays a file’s palette as swatches
in the Fill Color and Stroke Color controls and in the Swatches panel. The default color palette is the web-safe palette
of 216 colors. To add colors to the current color palette, use the Color panel.
You can import and export both solid and gradient color palettes between Flash files, as well as between Flash and
other applications.
See also
“Work with solid colors and gradient fills in the Color panel” on page 188
Duplicate, delete, and clear colors
Duplicate colors in the palette, delete individual colors, or clear all colors from the palette.
• To duplicate or delete a color, select Window > Swatches, click the color to duplicate or delete, and select Duplicate
Swatch or Delete Swatch from the panel menu. When duplicating a swatch, the paint bucket appears. Click in the
empty area of the Swatches panel with the paint bucket to make a duplicate of the selected color.
• To clear all colors from the color palette, in the Swatches panel, select Clear Colors from the panel menu. All colors
except black and white are removed from the palette.
Use the default palette and the web-safe palette
Save the current palette as the default palette, replace the current palette with the default palette defined for the file,
or load the web-safe palette to replace the current palette.
• To load or save the default palette, in the Swatches panel, select one of the following commands from the menu in
the upper-right corner:
Load Default Colors Replaces the current palette with the default palette.
Save As Default Saves the current color palette as the default palette. The new default palette is used when you create
new files.
• To load the web-safe 216-color palette, in the Swatches panel, select Web 216 from the menu in the upper-right
corner
Sort color by hue in the palette
To make it easier to locate a color, sort colors in the palette by hue.
❖ In the Swatches panel, select Sort by Color from the menu in the upper-right corner.
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User Guide
Import and export color palettes
To import and export both RGB colors and gradients between Flash files, use Flash Color Set files (CLR files). Import
and export RGB color palettes by using Color Table files (ACT files). You can also import color palettes, but not
gradients, from GIF files. You cannot import or export gradients from ACT files.
Import a color palette
1 In the Swatches panel, select one of the following commands from the menu in the upper-right corner:
• To append the imported colors to the current palette, select Add Colors.
• To replace the current palette with the imported colors, select Replace Colors.
2 Navigate to the desired file, select it, and click OK.
Export a color palette
1 In the Swatches panel, select Save Colors from the menu in the upper-right corner and enter a name for the color
palette.
2 For Save As Type (Windows) or Format (Macintosh), select Flash Color Set or Color Table. Click Save.
Strokes, fills, and gradients
Use the Stroke Color and Fill Color controls in the Tools panel
The Tools panel Stroke Color and Fill Color controls set the painting attributes of new objects you create with the
drawing and painting tools. To use these controls to change the painting attributes of existing objects, first select the
objects on the Stage.
Note: Gradient swatches appear only in the Fill Color control.
• Click the triangle next to the Stroke or Fill color control, and select a color swatch. You can select gradients only
for the fill color.
• Click the System Color Picker button in the pop-up window, and select a color.
• Type a color’s hexadecimal value in the box.
• To return to the default color settings (white fill and black stroke), click the Black And White button in the Tools
panel.
• To remove any stroke or fill, click the No Color button.
Note: The No Color button appears only when you are creating an oval or rectangle. You can create an object without a
stroke or fill, but you cannot use the No Color button with an existing object. Instead, select the existing stroke or fill and
delete it.
• To Swap colors between the fill and the stroke, click the Swap Colors button in the Tools panel.
Use the Stroke Color and Fill Color controls in the Property inspector
To change the stroke color, style, and weight for a selected object, use the Stroke Color control in the Property
inspector. For stroke style, choose from styles that are preloaded with Flash, or create a custom style. To select a solid
color fill, use the Fill Color control in the Property inspector.
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User Guide
Select a stroke color, style, and weight by using the Property inspector
1 Select an object or objects on the Stage (for symbols, first double-click to enter symbol-editing mode).
2 Select Window > Properties > Properties.
3 To select a stroke style, click the triangle next to the Style menu and select an option from the menu. To create a
custom style, select Custom from the Property inspector, select options in the Stroke Style dialog box, and click OK.
Note: Selecting a stroke style other than Solid can increase file size.
4 To select a stroke weight, click the triangle next to the Weight menu and set the slider.
5 Specify a stroke height by doing one of the following:
• Select one of the preset values from the Height menu. Preset values appear in points.
• Type a value from 0 to 200 in the height text field, and press Enter.
6 To enable stroke hinting, select the Stroke Hinting check box. Stroke hinting adjusts line and curve anchors on full
pixels, preventing blurry vertical or horizontal lines.
7 To set the style for a path end, select a Cap option:
None Is flush with the path’s end
Round Adds a round cap that extends beyond the path end by half the stroke width
Square Adds a square cap that extends beyond the path by half the stroke width
8 (Optional) If you are drawing lines using the Pencil or Brush tools with the drawing mode set to Smooth, use the
Smoothing slider to specify the degree to which Flash smooths the lines you draw.
By default, the Smoothing value is set to 50, but you can specify a value from 0 to 100. The greater the smoothing
value, the smoother the resulting line.
Note: When the drawing mode is set to Straighten or Ink, the Smoothing slider is disabled.
9 To define how two path segments meet, select a Join option. To change the corners in an open or closed path,
select a path and select another join option.
Miter, round, and bevel joins
10 To avoid beveling a Miter join, enter a Miter limit.
Line lengths exceeding this value are squared instead of pointed. For example, a Miter limit of 2 for a 3-point stroke
means that when the length of the point is twice the stroke weight, Flash removes the limit point.
Applying a Miter limit
Apply a solid color fill by using the Property inspector
1 Select a closed object or objects on the Stage.
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User Guide
2 Select Window > Properties > Properties.
3 To select a color, click the triangle next to the Fill color control and do one of the following:
• Select a color swatch from the palette.
• Type a color’s hexadecimal value in the box.
Creating gradients
A gradient is a multicolor fill in which one color gradually changes into another color. Flash lets you apply up to 15
color transitions to a gradient. Flash can create two types of gradients:
Linear gradients change color along a single axis (horizontal or vertical).
Radial gradients change color in an outward direction starting from a central focal point. You can adjust the direction
of a gradient, its colors, the location of the focal point, and many other properties of the gradient.
Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional provide additional control over linear and radial gradients for use with Flash Player.
These controls, called overflow modes, let you specify how colors are applied beyond the gradient.
For a sample of gradients, see the Flash Samples page at www.adobe.com/go/learn_fl_samples. Download and
decompress the Samples zip file and navigate to the Graphics\AnimationAndGradients folder to access the sample.
Work with solid colors and gradient fills in the Color panel
You can create any color using the Color panel. If an object is selected on the Stage, the color modifications you make
in the Color panel are applied to the selection. You can select colors in RGB or HSB, or you can expand the panel to
use hexadecimal mode. You can also specify an alpha value to define the degree of transparency for a color. In
addition, you can select a color from the existing color palette.
You can expand the Color panel to display a larger color space in place of the color bar, a split color swatch showing
the current and previous colors, and a Brightness slider to modify color brightness in all color modes.
Create or edit a solid color with the Color panel
1 To apply the color to existing artwork, select an object or objects on the Stage, and select Window > Color.
2 To select a color mode display, select RGB (the default setting) or HSB from the panel menu in the upper-right
corner.
3 Click the Stroke or Fill icon to specify which attribute to modify.
Note: Click the icon, not the color control, or the Color Picker opens.
4 If you selected the Fill icon in step 3, verify that Solid is selected in the Type menu.
5 If an object is selected on the Stage, the color modifications you make in the Color panel are applied to the
selection. Do one of the following:
• To select a color, click in the color space in the Color panel. To adjust the brightness of the color, drag the
Brightness slider.
Note: To create colors other than black or white, make sure the Brightness slider is not set to either extreme.
• Enter values in the color value boxes: Red, Green, and Blue values for RGB display; Hue, Saturation, and
Brightness values for HSB display; or hexadecimal values for hexadecimal display. Enter an Alpha value to specify
the degree of transparency, from 0 for complete transparency to 100 for complete opacity.
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User Guide
• To return to the default color settings, black and white (white fill and black stroke), click the Default Stroke and
Fill button.
• To swap colors between the fill and the stroke, click the Swap Stroke and Fill button.
• To apply no color to the fill or stroke, click the No Color button.
Note: You cannot apply a stroke or fill of No Color to an existing object. Instead, select the existing stroke or fill, and
delete it.
• Click the Stroke or Fill color control, and select a color.
6 To add the color defined in step 7 to the color swatch list for the current document, select Add Swatch from the
menu in the upper-right corner.
Create or edit a gradient fill with the Color panel
1 To apply a gradient fill to existing artwork, select an object or objects on the Stage.
2 If the Color panel is not visible, select Window > Color.
3 To select a color mode display, select RGB (the default setting) or HSB.
4 Select a gradient type from the Type menu:
Linear Creates a gradient that shades from the starting point to the end point in a straight line.
Radial Produces a gradient that blends outward in a circular path from a central focal point.
Note: When you select a linear or radial gradient, the Color panel also includes two other options if you are publishing
for Flash Player 8. First, the Overflow menu appears below the Type menu. Use the Overflow menu to control the colors
applied past the limits of the gradient. Second, the gradient definition bar appears, with pointers below the bar indicating
the colors in the gradient.
5 (Optional) To apply to the gradient, select an overflow mode: Extend (the default mode), Reflect, and Repeat.
6 (Optional) To create an SVG-compliant (Scalable Vector Graphics) linear or radial gradient, select the Linear RGB
check box.
7 To change a color in the gradient, select one of the color pointers below the gradient definition bar and doubleclick the color space that appears directly below the gradient bar to display the Color Picker. Drag the Brightness
slider to adjust the lightness of the color.
8 To add a pointer to the gradient, click on or below the gradient definition bar. Select a color for the new pointer,
as described in step 7.
You can add up to 15 color pointers, letting you create a gradient with up to 15 color transitions.
9 To reposition a pointer on the gradient, drag the pointer along the gradient definition bar. Drag a pointer down
and off of the gradient definition bar to remove it.
10 To save the gradient, click the triangle in the upper-right corner of the Color panel, and select Add Swatch from
the menu.
The gradient is added to the Swatches panel for the current document.
Modify strokes with the Ink Bottle tool
To change the stroke color, width, and style of lines or shape outlines, use the Ink Bottle tool. You can apply only solid
colors, not gradients or bitmaps, to lines or shape outlines.
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Using the Ink Bottle tool, rather than selecting individual lines, makes it easier to change the stroke attributes of
multiple objects at one time.
1 Select the Ink Bottle tool from the Tools panel.
2 Select a stroke color.
3 Select a stroke style and stroke width from the Property inspector.
4 To apply the stroke modifications, click an object on the Stage.
Apply solid, gradient, and bitmap fills with the Paint Bucket tool
The Paint Bucket tool fills enclosed areas with color. This tool lets you do the following:
• Fill empty areas, and change the color of already painted areas.
• Paint with solid colors, gradient fills, and bitmap fills.
• Use the Paint Bucket tool to fill areas that are not entirely enclosed.
• Have Flash close gaps in shape outlines as you use the Paint Bucket tool.
1 Select the Paint Bucket tool from the Tools panel.
2 Select a fill color and style.
3 Click the Gap Size modifier and select a gap size option:
• Don’t Close Gaps to close gaps manually before filling the shape. Closing gaps manually can be faster for complex
drawings.
• A Close option to have Flash fill a shape that has gaps.
Note: If gaps are too large, you might have to close them manually.
4 Click the shape or enclosed area to fill.
See also
“Use the Stroke Color and Fill Color controls in the Property inspector” on page 186
“Working with imported bitmaps” on page 155
Transform gradient and bitmap fills
You can transform a gradient or bitmap fill by adjusting the size, direction, or center of the fill.
1 Select the Gradient Transform tool
from the Tools panel.
2 Click an area filled with a gradient or bitmap fill. A bounding box with editing handles appears. When the pointer
is over any one of these handles, it changes to indicate the function of the handle.
Center point The rollover icon for the center point handle is a four-way arrow.
Focal point The focal point handle appears only when you select a radial gradient. The rollover icon for the focal
point handle is an inverted triangle.
Size The rollover icon for the size handle (middle handle icon on the edge of the bounding box) is a circle with an
arrow inside of it.
Rotation Adjusts the rotation of the gradient. The rollover icon for the rotation handle (the bottom handle icon on
the edge of the bounding box) is four arrows in the shape of a circle.
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Width Adjusts the width of the gradient. The rollover icon for the width handle (the square handle) is a double-
ended arrow.
A
B
C
D
E
Radial Gradient controls
A. Center point B. Width C. Rotation D. Size E. Focal point
Press Shift to constrain the direction of a linear gradient fill to multiples of 45˚.
3 Reshape the gradient or fill in any of the following ways:
• To reposition the center point of the gradient or bitmap fill, drag the center point.
• To change the width of the gradient or bitmap fill, drag the square handle on the side of the bounding box. (This
option resizes only the fill, not the object containing the fill.)
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• To change the height of the gradient or bitmap fill, drag the square handle at the bottom of the bounding box.
• To rotate the gradient or bitmap fill, drag the circular rotation handle at the corner. You can also drag the lowest
handle on the bounding circle of a circular gradient or fill.
• To scale a linear gradient or a fill, drag the square handle at the center of the bounding box.
• To change the focal point of a circular gradient, drag the middle circular handle on the bounding circle.
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• To skew or slant a fill within a shape, drag one of the circular handles on the top or right side of the bounding box.
• To tile a bitmap inside a shape, scale the fill.
Note: To see all the handles when working with large fills or fills close to the edge of the Stage, select View > Pasteboard.
Copy strokes and fills with the Eyedropper tool
Use the Eyedropper tool to copy fill and stroke attributes from one object and immediately apply them to another
object. The Eyedropper tool also lets you sample the image in a bitmap to use as a fill.
1 To apply the attributes of a stroke or filled area to another stroke or filled area, select the Eyedropper tool and click
the stroke or filled area whose attributes you want to apply.
When you click a stroke, the tool automatically changes to the Ink Bottle tool. When you click a filled area, the tool
automatically changes to the Paint Bucket tool with the Lock Fill modifier turned on.
2 Click another stroke or filled area to apply the new attributes.
See also
“Break apart groups and objects” on page 202
Lock a gradient or bitmap to fill the Stage
You can lock a gradient or bitmap fill to make it appear that the fill extends over the entire Stage and that the objects
painted with the fill are masks revealing the underlying gradient or bitmap.
When you select the Lock Fill modifier with the Brush or Paint Bucket tool and paint with the tool, the bitmap or
gradient fill extends across the objects you paint on the Stage.
Using the Lock Fill modifier creates the appearance of a single gradient or bitmap fill being applied to separate objects on the Stage.
See also
“Apply solid, gradient, and bitmap fills with the Paint Bucket tool” on page 190
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Use a locked gradient fill
1 Select the Brush or Paint Bucket tool and select a gradient or bitmap as a fill.
2 Select Linear or Radial from the Type menu in the Color panel.
3 Click the Lock Fill modifier
.
4 First paint the areas where you want to place the center of the fill, and then move to other areas.
Use a locked bitmap fill
1 Select the bitmap to use.
2 Select Bitmap from the Type menu in the Color panel.
3 Select the Brush or Paint Bucket tool.
4 Click the Lock Fill modifier
.
5 First paint the areas where you want to place the center of the fill, and then move to other areas.
195
Chapter 8: Working with graphic objects
In Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional, you can work with several different kinds of graphic objects. Each kind has its
own advantages and disadvantages. By understanding the capabilities of the different object types, you can make
good decisions about which types of objects to use in your work.
About graphic objects
Understanding graphic objects in Flash
In Flash, graphic objects are items on the Stage. Flash lets you move, copy, delete, transform, stack, align, and group
graphic objects.
Modifying lines and shapes can alter other lines and shapes on the same layer.
Note: “Graphic objects” in Flash are different from “ActionScript objects,” which are part of the ActionScript™
programming language. Do not confuse the two uses of the term “objects.” For more information on objects in the
programming language, see About data types in Learning ActionScript 2.0 in Adobe Flash, or Data types in
Programming ActionScript 3.0.
See also
“Drawing” on page 159
About shapes
Shapes are one type of graphic object you can create in Flash. When you draw shapes that overlap each other in the
same layer, the topmost shape cuts away the part of the shape underneath it that it overlaps. In this way, drawing
shapes is a destructive drawing mode.
When a shape has both a stroke and a fill, these are considered separate graphic elements, which can be selected and
moved independently.
Depending on the type of drawing you are doing, you may find that this behavior well suited to the final art you want
to create.
To draw shapes
1 Deselect the Object Drawing option in the Tools panel.
2 Select a drawing tool, and draw on the Stage.
Do not select the Rectangle Primitive or Oval Primitive tools, as these tools create shape primitives instead of
standard shapes.
About drawing objects
Drawing objects are graphic elements you create with the Flash drawing tools in object drawing mode. When a tool
is in object drawing mode, the shapes you create with it are self-contained. The stroke and fill of a shape are not
separate elements, and shapes that overlap do not alter one another.
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Depending on your drawing style and the content you want to create, object drawing mode may be best suited to
your goals.
To enter object drawing mode
1 Select the Object Drawing option in the Tools panel.
2 Select a drawing tool from the Tools panel and draw on the Stage.
About primitive objects
Primitive objects are graphic shapes that allow you to adjust their characteristics in the Property inspector. This lets
you precisely control the size, corner radius, and other properties of the shape at any time after you have created it
without having to re-draw it from scratch.
Two types of primitives are available, rectangles and ovals.
To draw a primitive object
1 Select the Rectangle Primitive Tool
or Oval Primitive Tool
from the Tools panel.
2 Draw on the Stage.
Selecting objects
Selecting objects
To modify an object, select it first. You can group individual objects to manipulate them as a single object. Modifying
lines and shapes can alter other lines and shapes on the same layer. When you select objects or strokes, Flash
highlights them with a marquee.
You can choose to select only an object’s strokes or only its fills. You can hide selection highlighting to edit objects
without viewing highlighting.
When you select an object, the Property inspector displays the following:
• The object’s stroke and fill, its pixel dimensions, and the x and y coordinates of the object’s transformation point
• A mixed selection, if you select multiple items. The pixel dimensions and x and y coordinates of the selected set
of items.
You can use a shape’s Property inspector to change that object’s stroke and fill.
To prevent a group or symbol from being selected and accidentally changed, lock the group or symbol.
See also
“Drawing” on page 159
“Working with color, strokes, and fills” on page 183
“Group objects” on page 201
“Symbols overview” on page 207
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Select objects with the Selection tool
The Selection tool lets you select entire objects by clicking an object or dragging to enclose the object within a
rectangular selection marquee.
Note: To select the Selection tool, you can also press the V key. To temporarily switch to the Selection tool when another
tool is active, hold down the Control key (Windows) or Command key (Macintosh).
To disable the Shift-selecting option, deselect the option in Flash General Preferences. See “Set preferences in Flash”
on page 27. Instances, groups, and type blocks must be completely enclosed to be selected.
• To select a stroke, fill, group, instance, or text block, click the object.
• To select connected lines, double-click one of the lines.
• To select a filled shape and its stroked outline, double-click the fill.
• To select objects within a rectangular area, drag a marquee around the object or objects to select.
• To add to a selection, hold down the Shift key while making additional selections.
• To select everything on every layer of a scene, select Edit > Select All, or press Control+A (Windows) or
Command+A (Macintosh). Select All doesn’t select objects on locked or hidden layers, or layers not on the current
Timeline.
• To deselect everything on every layer, select Edit > Deselect All, or press Control+Shift+A (Windows) or
Command+Shift+A (Macintosh).
• To select everything on one layer between keyframes, click a frame in the Timeline.
• To lock or unlock a group or symbol, select the group or symbol, and then select Modify > Arrange > Lock. Select
Modify > Arrange > Unlock All to unlock all locked groups and symbols.
Select objects with the Lasso tool
When you use the Lasso tool and its Polygon Mode modifier, you can switch between the freehand and straightedged selection modes.
Draw a freehand selection area
1 Drag the Lasso tool
around the area.
2 End the loop approximately where you started, or let Flash automatically close the loop with a straight line.
Draw a straight-edged selection area
1 Select the Lasso tool’s Polygon Mode modifier
in the options area of the Tools panel.
2 Click to set the starting point.
3 Position the pointer where you want the first line to end, and click. Continue setting end points for additional line
segments.
4 To close the selection area, double-click.
Draw a selection area with both freehand and straight-line edges
1 Deselect the Polygon Mode modifier of the Lasso tool.
2 To draw a freehand segment, drag the Lasso tool on the Stage.
3 To draw straight-edged segments, hold down the Alt key (Windows) or Option key (Macintosh) and click to set
start and end points for each new line segment.
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4 To close the selection area, do one of the following:
• Release the mouse button; Flash will close the selection area for you.
• Double-click on the starting end of the selection area line.
Hide selection highlighting
Hiding highlighting while you are selecting and editing objects lets you see how artwork appears in its final state.
❖ Select View > Hide Edges.
Select the command again to show selection highlighting.
Set custom bounding box colors for selected objects
You can set different colors to be used for the bounding box rectangles that appear around different kinds of selected
objects on the Stage.
1 Select Edit > Preferences.
2 Click the General category.
3 In the Highlight Color section, select a color for each type of object and click OK.
Moving, copying, and deleting objects
Moving and copying objects
When you move an object, the Property inspector indicates the new position.
Copy an object by dragging it, pasting it, or by using the Transform panel.
Move objects
To move an object, you can drag the object, use the arrow keys, use the Property inspector, or use the Info panel.
Move objects by dragging
1 Select an object or multiple objects.
2 Select the Selection tool
, position the pointer over the object, and do one of the following:
• To move the object, drag it to the new position.
• To copy the object and move the copy, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Macintosh).
• To constrain the object’s movement to multiples of 45˚, Shift-drag.
Move objects by using the arrow keys
1 Select an object or multiple objects.
2 Do one of the following:
• To move the selection 1 pixel at a time, press the arrow key for the direction in which you want the object to move.
• To move the selection 10 pixels at a time, press Shift+arrow key.
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User Guide
Note: When Snap To Pixels is selected, the arrow keys move objects by pixel increments on the document’s pixel grid, not
by pixels on the screen.
Move objects by using the Property inspector
1 Select an object or multiple objects.
2 If the Property inspector is not visible, select Window > Properties > Properties.
3 Enter x and y values for the location of the upper-left corner of the selection.
The units are relative to the upper-left corner of the Stage.
Note: The Property inspector uses the units specified for the Ruler Units option in the Document Properties dialog box.
Move objects by using the Info panel
1 Select an object or multiple objects.
2 If the Info Panel is not visible, select Window > Info.
3 Enter x and y values for the location of the upper-left corner of the selection.
The units are relative to the upper left corner of the Stage.
Move and copy objects by pasting
To move or copy objects between layers, scenes, or other Flash files, use the pasting technique. You can paste an
object in a position relative to its original position.
1 Select an object or multiple objects.
2 Select Edit > Cut or Edit > Copy.
3 Select another layer, scene, or file, and then select Edit > Paste In Place to paste the selection in the same position
relative to the Stage. Select Edit > Paste In Center to paste the selection in the center of the work area.
Copying objects with the clipboard
Elements copied to the clipboard are anti-aliased, so they look as good in other applications as they do in Flash. This
feature is particularly useful for frames that include a bitmap image, gradients, transparency, or a mask layer.
Graphics pasted from other Flash documents or programs are placed in the current frame of the current layer. How
a graphic element is pasted into a Flash scene depends on the type of element it is, its source, and the preferences you
have set:
• Text from a text editor becomes a single text object.
• Vector-based graphics from any drawing program become a group that can be ungrouped and edited.
• Bitmaps become a single grouped object just like imported bitmaps. You can break apart pasted bitmaps or convert
pasted bitmaps to vector graphics.
Note: Before pasting graphics from Illustrator into Flash, convert colors to RGB in Illustrator.
Copy transformed objects
You can create a scaled, rotated, or skewed copy of an object.
1 Select an object.
2 Select Window > Transform.
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3 Enter scale, rotation, or skew values.
4 Click the Create Copy button
in the Transform panel.
Delete objects
Deleting an object removes it from the file. Deleting an instance of an object on the Stage does not delete the symbol
from the library.
1 Select an object or multiple objects.
2 Do one of the following:
• Press Delete or Backspace.
• Select Edit > Clear.
• Select Edit > Cut.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the object, and select Cut from the context menu.
See also
“Scale objects” on page 205
“Skew objects” on page 206
“Rotate objects” on page 205
“Create or open a document and set its properties” on page 52
“Convert bitmaps to vector graphics” on page 158
“Use pixel snapping” on page 181
Arranging objects
Stack objects
In a layer, Flash stacks objects in the order in which they are created, placing the most recently created object at the
top of the stack. The stacking order of objects determines how they appear when they overlap. You can change the
stacking order of objects at any time.
Drawn lines and shapes always appear below groups and symbols on the stack. To move them up the stack, you must
group them or make them into symbols.
Layers also affect the stacking order. Everything on Layer 2 appears in front of everything on Layer 1, and so on. To
change the order of layers, drag the layer name in the Timeline to a new position.
1 Select the object.
2 Do one of the following:
• Select Modify > Arrange > Bring To Front Or Send To Back to move the object or group to the top or bottom of
the stacking order.
• Select Modify > Arrange > Bring Forward Or Send Backward to move the object or group forward or backward
one position in the stacking order.
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If more than one group is selected, the groups move in front of or behind all unselected groups, while maintaining
their order relative to each other.
See also
“About layers” on page 36
Align objects
The Align panel lets you align selected objects along the horizontal or vertical axis. You can align objects vertically
along the right edge, center, or left edge of the selected objects, or horizontally along the top edge, center, or bottom
edge of the selected objects.
For a tutorial about the layout tools in Flash, see Use Layout Tools on the Flash Tutorials page at
www.adobe.com/go/learn_fl_tutorials.
1 Select the objects to align.
2 Select Window > Align.
3 To apply alignment modifications relative to Stage dimensions, in the Align panel, select To Stage.
4 To modify the selected object(s), select alignment buttons.
Group objects
To manipulate elements as a single object, group them. For example, after creating a drawing, you might group the
elements of the drawing so that you can easily select and move the drawing as a whole.
When you select a group, the Property inspector displays the x and y coordinates of the group and its pixel dimensions.
You can edit groups without ungrouping them. You can also select an individual object in a group for editing without
ungrouping the objects.
Group and ungroup objects
❖ Select the objects to group. You can select shapes, other groups, symbols, text, and so on.
• To group objects, select Modify > Group, or press Control+G (Windows) or Command+G (Macintosh).
• To ungroup objects, select Modify > Ungroup, or press Control+Shift+G (Windows) or Command+Shift+G
(Macintosh).
Edit a group or an object within a group
1 Select the group, and then select Edit > Edit Selected, or double-click the group with the Selection tool.
Everything on the page that is not part of the group is dimmed, indicating that elements outside the group are
inaccessible.
2 Edit any element within the group.
3 Select Edit > Edit All, or double-click a blank spot on the Stage with the Selection tool.
Flash restores the group to its status as a single entity, and you can work with other elements on the Stage.
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Break apart groups and objects
To separate groups, instances, and bitmaps into ungrouped, editable elements, you break them apart, which significantly reduces the file size of imported graphics.
Although you can select Edit > Undo immediately after breaking apart a group or object, breaking apart is not
entirely reversible. It affects objects as follows:
• Severs a symbol instance’s link to its master symbol
• Discards all but the current frame in an animated symbol
• Converts a bitmap to a fill
• Places each character into a separate text block when applied to text blocks
• Converts characters to outlines when applied to a single text character.
Do not confuse the Break Apart command with the Ungroup command. The Ungroup command separates grouped
objects, returning grouped elements to the state they were in before grouping. It does not break apart bitmaps,
instances, or type, or convert type to outlines.
1 Select the group, bitmap, or symbol to break apart.
2 Select Modify > Break Apart.
Note: Breaking apart animated symbols, or groups in an interpolated animation is not recommended and might have
unpredictable results. Breaking apart complex symbols and large blocks of text can take a long time. You might need to
increase the application’s memory allocation to properly break apart complex objects.
See also
“Break text apart” on page 270
Transforming objects
Transforming objects
You can transform graphic objects, as well as groups, text blocks, and instances, by using the Free Transform tool or
the options in the Modify > Transform menu. Depending on the type of element you select, you can transform,
rotate, skew, scale, or distort the element. You can change or add to a selection during a transformation operation.
When you transform an object, group, text box, or instance, the Property inspector for that item displays any changes
made to the item’s dimensions or position.
A bounding box appears during transform operations that involve dragging. The bounding box is rectangular
(unless it was modified with the Distort command or the Envelope modifier) with its edges initially aligned parallel
to the edges of the Stage. Transformation handles are located on each corner and in the middle of each side. As you
drag, the bounding box previews the transformations.
Move, realign, change, and track the transformation point
During a transformation, a transformation point appears at the center of a selected element. The transformation
point is initially aligned with the object’s center point. You can move the transformation point, return it to its default
location, and move the default point of origin.
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For scaling, skewing, or rotating graphic objects, groups, and text blocks, the point opposite the point you drag is the
point of origin by default. For instances, the transformation point is the point of origin by default. You can move the
default point of origin for a transformation.
You begin a transformation by selecting the Free Transform tool
, or selecting one of the Modify > Transform
commands. Once you have begun a transformation, you can track the location of the transformation point in the
Info panel and in the Property inspector.
• To move the transformation point, drag it from within the selected graphic object.
• To realign the transformation point with the element’s center point, double-click the transformation point.
• To switch the point of origin for a scale or skew transformation, hold down the Alt key (Windows) or Option key
(Macintosh) while dragging your chosen object control point during the transformation.
• To display the transformation point coordinates in the Info panel, click the Registration/Transformation Point
button in the Info panel. The lower-right square in the button becomes a circle to indicate the registration point
coordinates are being displayed.
When you select the center square, the X and Y values to the right of the coordinate grid in the Info panel display
the x and y coordinates of the transformation point. In addition, the X and Y values for the transformation point
appear in the Property inspector for the symbol.
Coordinate grid; Info panel with Registration/Transformation Point button in transformation mode, and with x and y coordinates of selection
transformation point visible
By default, the Registration/Transformation Point button is in registration mode, and the X and Y values display the
location of the upper-left corner of the current selection, relative to the upper-left corner of the Stage.
Note: For symbol instances, the X and Y values display the location of the symbol registration point, or the location of
the upper-left corner of the symbol instance.
Transform objects freely
You can perform individual transformations or combine several transformations, such as moving, rotating, scaling,
skewing, and distortion.
Note: The Free Transform tool cannot transform symbols, bitmaps, video objects, sounds, gradients, or text. If a multiple
selection contains any of these items, only the shape objects are distorted. To transform a text block, first convert the
characters to shape objects.
1 Select a graphic object, group, instance, or text block on the Stage.
2 Click the Free Transform tool
.
Moving the pointer over and around the selection changes the pointer to indicate which transformation function is
available.
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3 To transform the selection, drag the handles:
• To move the selection, position the pointer over the object within the bounding box, and drag the object to a new
position. Do not drag the transformation point.
• To set the center of rotation or scaling, drag the transformation point to a new location.
• To rotate the selection, position the pointer just outside a corner handle and drag. The selection rotates around
the transformation point. Shift-drag to rotate in 45˚ increments.
• To rotate around the opposite corner, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Macintosh).
• To scale the selection, drag a corner handle diagonally to scale in two dimensions. Shift-drag to resize proportionally.
• To scale in the respective direction only, drag a corner handle or a side handle horizontally or vertically.
• To skew the selection, position the pointer on the outline between the transformation handles and drag.
• To distort shapes, press Control (Windows) or Command (Macintosh) and drag a corner handle or a side handle.
• To taper the object—to move the selected corner and the adjoining corner equal distances from their origins, shiftControl-click to drag (Windows) or Shift-Command-click to drag (Macintosh) a corner handle.
4 To end the transformation, click outside the selected item.
Distort objects
When you apply a Distort transformation to a selected object, dragging a corner handle or an edge handle on the
bounding box moves the corner or edge and realigns the adjoining edges. Shift-drag a corner point to constrain the
distortion to a taper—that is, move that corner and the adjoining corner an equal distance and in the opposite
direction from each other. The adjoining corner is the corner on the same axis as the direction you drag. Controlclick (Windows) or Command-click (Macintosh) to drag a middle point on an edge to move the entire edge freely.
You can distort graphic objects by using the Distort command. You can also distort objects when performing a free
transform on them.
Note: The Distort command cannot modify symbols, shape primitives, bitmaps, video objects, sounds, gradients, object
groups, or text. If a multiple selection contains any of these items, only the shape objects are distorted. To modify text,
first convert the characters to shape objects.
1 Select a graphic object or objects on the Stage.
2 Select Modify > Transform > Distort.
3 Place the pointer on one of the transformation handles and drag.
4 To end the transformation, click outside the selected object or objects.
Modify shapes with the Envelope modifier
The Envelope modifier lets you warp and distort objects. An envelope is a bounding box that contains one or more
objects. Changes made to an envelope’s shape affect the shape of the objects in the envelope. You edit the shape of an
envelope by adjusting its points and tangent handles.
Note: The Envelope modifier cannot modify symbols, bitmaps, video objects, sounds, gradients, object groups, or text. If
a multiple selection contains any of these items, only the shape objects are distorted. To modify text, first convert the
characters to shape objects.
1 Select a shape on the Stage.
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2 Select Modify > Transform > Envelope.
3 Drag the points and tangent handles to modify the envelope.
Scale objects
Scaling an object enlarges or reduces the object horizontally, vertically, or both.
1 Select a graphic object or objects on the Stage.
2 Select Modify > Transform > Scale.
3 Do one of the following:
• To scale the object both horizontally and vertically, drag one of the corner handles. Proportions are maintained as
you scale. Shift-drag to scale nonuniformly.
• To scale the object either horizontally or vertically, drag a center handle.
4 To end the transformation, click outside the selected object or objects.
Note: When you increase the size of a number of items, items near the edges of the bounding box might be moved off the
Stage. If this occurs, select View > Pasteboard to see the elements that are beyond the edges of the Stage.
See also
“About 9-slice scaling and movie clip symbols” on page 222
“Edit movie clip symbols with 9-slice scaling” on page 223
Rotate objects
Rotating an object turns it around its transformation point. The transformation point is aligned with the registration
point, which defaults to the center of the object, but you can move the point by dragging it.
You can rotate an object with the following methods when using the Rotate commands:
• Dragging with the Free Transform tool
(you can skew and scale the object in the same operation).
• By specifying an angle in the Transform panel (you can scale the object in the same operation).
Rotate and skew objects by dragging
1 Select the object or objects on the Stage.
2 Select Modify > Transform > Rotate And Skew.
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3 Do one of the following:
• Drag a corner handle to rotate the object.
• Drag a center handle to skew the object.
4 To end the transformation, click outside the selected object or objects.
Rotate objects by 90˚
1 Select the object or objects.
2 Select Modify > Transform > Rotate 90˚ CW to rotate clockwise, or Rotate 90˚ CCW to rotate counterclockwise.
Skew objects
Skewing an object transforms it by slanting it along one or both axes. You can skew an object by dragging or by
entering a value in the Transform panel.
1 Select the object or objects.
2 Select Window > Transform.
3 Click Skew.
4 Enter angles for the horizontal and vertical values.
Flip objects
You can flip objects across their vertical or horizontal axis without moving their relative position on the Stage.
1 Select the object.
2 Select Modify > Transform > Flip Vertical or Flip Horizontal.
Restore transformed objects
When you use the Transform panel to scale, rotate, and skew instances, groups, and fonts, Flash saves the original
size and rotation values with the object. This process lets you remove the transformations you applied and restore
the original values.
You can undo only the most recent transformation performed in the Transform panel when you select Edit > Undo.
You can reset all transformations performed in the Transform panel by clicking the Reset button in the panel before
you deselect the object.
Restore a transformed object to its original state
1 Select the transformed object.
2 Select Modify > Transform > Remove Transform.
Reset a transformation performed in the Transform panel
❖ With the transformed object still selected, click the Reset button
in the Transform panel.
207
Chapter 9: Using symbols, instances, and
library assets
Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional allows you to import and create many kinds of assets to populate your Flash
documents. These assets are managed in Flash as symbols, instances, and library assets. Understanding how the types
of assets work together lets you make good choices about how and when to use them, and anticipate the best design
options for your work.
Working with symbols
Symbols overview
A symbol is a graphic, button, or movie clip that you create once in the Flash authoring environment or by using the
Button (AS 2.0), SimpleButton (AS 3.0), and MovieClip classes. You can then reuse the symbol throughout your
document or in other documents.
A symbol can include artwork that you import from another application. Any symbol that you create automatically
becomes part of the library for the current document.
An instance is a copy of a symbol located on the Stage or nested inside another symbol. An instance can be different
from its symbol in color, size, and function. Editing the symbol updates all of its instances, but applying effects to an
instance of a symbol updates only that instance.
Using symbols in your documents dramatically reduces file size; saving several instances of a symbol requires less
storage space than saving multiple copies of the contents of the symbol. For example, you can reduce the file size of
your documents by converting static graphics, such as background images, into symbols and then reusing them. Using
symbols can also speed SWF file playback, because a symbol needs to be downloaded to Flash Player only once.
Share symbols among documents as shared library assets during authoring or at runtime. For runtime shared assets,
you can link assets in a source document to any number of destination documents, without importing the assets into
the destination document. For assets shared during authoring, you can update or replace a symbol with any other
symbol available on your local network.
If you import library assets with the same name as assets already in the library, you can resolve naming conflicts
without accidentally overwriting existing assets.
For a video tutorial about using symbols and instances, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0122.
For a text tutorial about symbols and instances, see Create Symbols and Instances on the Flash Tutorials page at
www.adobe.com/go/learn_fl_tutorials.
See also
“Working with button symbols” on page 220
“Using shared library assets” on page 218
“Managing media assets with the Flash document library” on page 64
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Types of symbols
Each symbol has a unique Timeline and Stage, complete with layers. You can add frames, keyframes, and layers to a
symbol Timeline, just as you can to the main Timeline. When you create a symbol you choose the symbol type.
• Use graphic symbols
for static images and to create reusable pieces of animation that are tied to the main
Timeline. Graphic symbols operate in sync with the main Timeline. Interactive controls and sounds won’t work
in a graphic symbol’s animation sequence. Graphic symbols add less to the FLA file size than buttons or movie
clips because they have no timeline.
• Use button symbols
to create interactive buttons that respond to mouse clicks, rollovers, or other actions. You
define the graphics associated with various button states, and then assign actions to a button instance. For more
information, see Handling events in Learning ActionScript 2.0 in Adobe Flash or Handling events in Programming
ActionScript 3.0.
• Use movie clip symbols
to create reusable pieces of animation. Movie clips have their own multiframe
Timeline that is independent from the main Timeline—think of them as nested inside a main Timeline that can
contain interactive controls, sounds, and even other movie clip instances. You can also place movie clip instances
inside the Timeline of a button symbol to create animated buttons. In addition, movie clips are scriptable with
ActionScript™.
• Use font symbols to export a font and use it in other Flash documents.
Flash provides built-in components, movie clips with defined parameters, that you can use to add user interface
elements, such as buttons, check boxes, or scroll bars, to your documents. For more information, see About components in Using ActionScript 2.0 Components, or About ActionScript 3.0 components in Using ActionScript 3.0 Components.
Note: To preview animation in component instances and scaling of 9-slice-scaled movie clips in the Flash authoring
environment, select Control > Enable Live Preview.
See also
“Embed and share fonts” on page 268
Create symbols
You can create a symbol from selected objects on the Stage, create an empty symbol and make or import the content
in symbol-editing mode, and create font symbols in Flash. Symbols can contain all the functionality that Flash,
including animation.
Using symbols that contain animation lets you create Flash applications with a lot of movement while minimizing
file size. Consider creating animation in a symbol that has a repetitive or cyclic action—the up-and-down motion of
a bird’s wings, for example.
To add symbols to your document, use shared library assets during authoring or at runtime.
A tutorial entitled Create Symbols and Instances is available on the Flash Tutorials web page at
www.adobe.com/go/learn_fl_tutorials. Download and decompress the Tutorials zip file and navigate to the Basic
Tasks\Create Symbols and Instances directory.
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See also
“About changing instance properties” on page 213
“Using shared library assets” on page 218
“Embed and share fonts” on page 268
Convert selected elements to a symbol
1 Select an element or several elements on the Stage. Do one of the following:
• Select Modify > Convert To Symbol.
• Drag the selection to the Library panel.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) and select Convert To Symbol from the context menu.
2 In the Convert To Symbol dialog box, type the name of the symbol and select the behavior.
3 Click in the registration grid to position the registration point for the symbol.
4 Click OK.
Flash adds the symbol to the library. The selection on the Stage becomes an instance of the symbol. Once you have
created a symbol, you can edit it in symbol edit mode by choosing Edit > Edit Symbols, or you can edit it in the
context of the Stage by choosing Edit > Edit In Place. You can also change the registration point of a symbol.
Create an empty symbol
1 Do one of the following:
• Select Insert > New Symbol.
• Click the New Symbol button at the lower left of the Library panel.
• Select New Symbol from the Library Panel menu in the upper-right corner of the Library panel.
2 In the Create New Symbol dialog box, type the name of the symbol and select the behavior.
3 Click OK.
Flash adds the symbol to the library and switches to symbol-editing mode. In symbol-editing mode, the name of the
symbol appears above the upper left corner of the Stage, and a cross hair indicates the symbol’s registration point.
4 To create the symbol content, use the Timeline, draw with the drawing tools, import media, or create instances of
other symbols.
5 To return to document-editing mode, do one of the following:
• Click the Back button.
• Select Edit > Edit Document.
• Click the scene name in the Edit bar.
When you create a symbol, the registration point is placed at the center of the window in symbol-editing mode. You
can place the symbol contents in the window in relation to the registration point. To change the registration point,
when you edit a symbol, move the symbol contents in relation to the registration point.
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Convert animation on the Stage into a movie clip
To reuse an animated sequence on the Stage, or to manipulate it as an instance, select it and save it as a movie clip
symbol.
1 On the main Timeline, select every frame in every layer of the animation on the Stage that you want to use. For
information on selecting frames, see “Manage frames and keyframes in the Timeline” on page 69.
2 Do one of the following to copy the frames:
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) any selected frame, and select Copy Frames from the context
menu. To delete the sequence after converting it to a movie clip, select Cut.
• Select Edit > Timeline > Copy Frames. To delete the sequence after converting it to a movie clip, select Cut Frames.
3 Deselect your selection and make sure nothing on the Stage is selected. Select Insert > New Symbol.
4 Name the symbol. For Type, select Movie Clip, then click OK.
5 On the Timeline, click Frame 1 on Layer 1, and select Edit > Timeline > Paste Frames.
This action pastes the frames (and any layers and layer names) you copied from the main Timeline to the Timeline
of this movie clip symbol. Any animation, buttons, or interactivity from the frames you copied now becomes an
independent animation (a movie clip symbol) that you can reuse.
6 To return to document-editing mode, do one of the following:
• Click the Back button.
• Select Edit > Edit Document.
• Click the scene name in the Edit bar above the Stage.
Duplicate symbols
Duplicating a symbol lets you use an existing symbol as a starting point for creating a symbol.
To create versions of the symbol with different appearances, also use instances.
Duplicate a symbol using the Library panel
❖ Select a symbol in the Library panel and do one of the following:
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh), and select Duplicate from the context menu.
• Select Duplicate from the Library Panel menu.
Duplicate a symbol by selecting an instance
1 Select an instance of the symbol on the Stage.
2 Select Modify > Symbol > Duplicate Symbol.
The symbol is duplicated, and the instance is replaced with an instance of the duplicate symbol.
Edit symbols
When you edit a symbol, Flash updates all the instances of that symbol in your document. Edit the symbol in the
following ways:
• In context with the other objects on the Stage by using the Edit In Place command. Other objects are dimmed to
distinguish them from the symbol you are editing. The name of the symbol you are editing appears in an Edit bar
at the top of the Stage, to the right of the current scene name.
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• In a separate window, using the Edit In New Window command. Editing a symbol in a separate window lets you
see the symbol and the main Timeline at the same time. The name of the symbol you are editing appears in the
Edit bar at the top of the Stage.
You edit the symbol by changing the window from the Stage view to a view of only the symbol, using symbol-editing
mode. The name of the symbol you are editing appears in the Edit bar at the top of the Stage, to the right of the
current scene name.
When you edit a symbol, Flash updates all instances of the symbol throughout the document to reflect your edits.
While editing a symbol, use any of the drawing tools, import media, or create instances of other symbols.
• Change the registration point of a symbol (the point identified by the coordinates 0, 0) by using any symbolediting method.
Edit a symbol in place
1 Do one of the following:
• Double-click an instance of the symbol on the Stage.
• Select an instance of the symbol on the Stage and right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh), and select
Edit in Place.
• Select an instance of the symbol on the Stage, and select Edit > Edit In Place.
2 Edit the symbol.
3 To change the registration point, drag the symbol on the Stage. A cross hair indicates the location of the registration point.
4 To exit edit-in-place mode and return to document-editing mode, do one of the following:
• Click the Back button.
• Select the current scene name from the Scene menu in the Edit bar.
• Select Edit > Edit Document.
• Double-click outside the symbol content.
Edit a symbol in a new window:
1 Select an instance of the symbol on the Stage and right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh), and select
Edit In New Window.
2 Edit the symbol.
3 To change the registration point, drag the symbol on the Stage. A cross hair indicates the location of the regis-
tration point.
4 Click the Close box in the upper-right corner (Windows) or upper-left corner (Macintosh) to close the new
window, and click in the main document window to return to editing the main document.
Edit a symbol in symbol-editing mode
1 Do one of the following to select the symbol:
• Double-click the symbol’s icon in the Library panel.
• Select an instance of the symbol on the Stage, and right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh), and select
Edit from the context menu.
• Select an instance of the symbol on the Stage and select Edit > Edit Symbols.
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• Select the symbol in the Library panel and select Edit from the Library Panel menu, or right-click (Windows) or
Control-click (Macintosh) the symbol in the Library panel and select Edit.
2 Edit the symbol.
3 To exit symbol-editing mode and return to editing the document, do one of the following:
• Click the Back button at the left of the Edit bar at the top of the Stage.
• Select Edit > Edit Document.
• Click the scene name in the Edit bar at the top of the Stage.
• Double-click outside the symbol content.
Working with symbol instances
Create instances
After you create a symbol, you can create instances of that symbol throughout your document, including inside other
symbols. When you modify the symbol, Flash updates all instances of the symbol.
You can give names to instances from the Property inspector. Use the instance name to refer to an instance in ActionScript. To control instances with ActionScript, give each instance within a single timeline a unique name. For more
information, see Handling events in Learning ActionScript 2.0 in Adobe Flash or Handling events in Programming
ActionScript 3.0.
To specify color effects, assign actions, set the graphic display mode, or change the behavior of new instances, use
the Property inspector. The behavior of the instance is the same as the symbol behavior, unless you specify otherwise.
Any changes you make affect only the instance and not the symbol.
For a video tutorial about using symbols and instances, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0122.
For a text tutorial about symbols and instances, see Create Symbols and Instances on the Flash Tutorials page at
www.adobe.com/go/learn_fl_tutorials.
Create an instance of a symbol
1 Select a layer in the Timeline. Flash can place instances only in keyframes, always on the current layer. If you don’t
select a keyframe, Flash adds the instance to the first keyframe to the left of the current frame.
Note: A keyframe is a frame in which you define a change in the animation. For more information, see “Manage frames
and keyframes in the Timeline” on page 69.
2 Select Window > Library.
3 Drag the symbol from the library to the Stage.
4 If you created an instance of a graphic symbol, to add the number of frames that will contain the graphic symbol,
select Insert > Timeline > Frame.
Apply a custom name to an instance
1 Select the instance on the Stage.
2 Select Window > Properties > Properties, and enter a name in the Instance Name box.
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About changing instance properties
Each symbol instance has its own properties that are separate from the symbol. You can change the tint, transparency, and brightness of an instance; redefine how the instance behaves (for example, change a graphic to a movie
clip); and specify how animation plays inside a graphic instance. You can also skew, rotate, or scale an instance
without affecting the symbol.
In addition, you can name a movie clip or button instance so that you can use ActionScript to change its properties.
For more information, see Classes in Learning ActionScript 2.0 in Adobe Flash or Objects and classes in Programming
ActionScript 3.0. To edit instance properties, you use the Property inspector (Windows > Properties > Properties).
The properties of an instance are saved with it. If you edit a symbol or relink an instance to a different symbol, any
instance properties you’ve changed still apply to the instance.
Change the color and transparency of an instance
Each instance of a symbol can have its own color effect. To set color and transparency options for instances, use the
Property inspector. Settings in the Property inspector also affect bitmaps placed in symbols.
When you change the color and transparency for an instance in a specific frame, Flash makes the change as soon as
it displays that frame. To make gradual color changes, apply a motion tween. When tweening color, you enter
different effect settings in starting and ending keyframes of an instance, and then tween the settings to make the
instance’s colors shift over time.
Note: If you apply a color effect to a movie clip symbol that has multiple frames, Flash applies the effect to every frame
in the movie clip symbol.
1 Select the instance on the Stage, and select Window > Properties > Properties.
2 In the Property inspector, select one of the following options from the Color menu:
Brightness Adjusts the relative lightness or darkness of the image, measured on a scale from black (–100%) to white
(100%). To adjust brightness, click the triangle and drag the slider or enter a value in the box.
Tint Colors the instance with the same hue. To set the tint percentage from transparent (0%) to completely saturated
(100%), use the Tint slider in the Property inspector. To adjust tint, click the triangle and drag the slider or enter a
value in the box. To select a color, enter red, green, and blue values in the respective boxes, or click the color control
and select a color from the Color Picker.
Alpha Adjusts the transparency of the instance, from transparent (0%) to completely saturated (100%). To adjust the
alpha value, click the triangle and drag the slider or enter a value in the box.
Advanced Separately adjusts the red, green, blue, and transparency values of an instance. This is most useful to
create and animate subtle color effects on objects such as bitmaps. The controls on the left let you reduce the color
or transparency values by a specified percentage. The controls on the right let you reduce or increase the color or
transparency values by a constant value.
The current red, green, blue, and alpha values are multiplied by the percentage values, and then added to the constant
values in the right column, producing the new color values. For example, if the current red value is 100, setting the
left slider to 50% and the right slider to 100% produces a new red value of 150 ([100 x .5] + 100 = 150).
Note: The Advanced settings in the Effect panel implement the function (a * y+ b)= x where a is the percentage specified
in the left set of boxes, y is the color of the original bitmap, b is the value specified in the right set of boxes, and x is the
resulting effect (between 0 and 255 for RGB, and 0 and 100 for alpha transparency).
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You can also change the color of an instance using the ActionScript ColorTransform object. For detailed information
on the Color object, see ColorTransform in ActionScript 2.0 Language Reference or ActionScript 3.0 Language and
Components Reference.
See also
“Add a motion tween to instances, groups, or type” on page 241
Swap one instance for another
To display a different instance on the Stage and preserve all the original instance properties, such as color effects or
button actions, assign a different symbol to an instance.
For example, suppose you’re creating a cartoon with a rat symbol for your character, but decide to change the
character to a cat. You could replace the rat symbol with the cat symbol and have the updated character appear in
roughly the same location in all your frames.
See also
“Working with button symbols” on page 220
Assign a different symbol to an instance
1 Select the instance on the Stage, and select Window > Properties > Properties.
2 Click the Swap button in the Property inspector.
3 Select a symbol to replace the symbol currently assigned to the instance. To duplicate a selected symbol, click
Duplicate Symbol and click OK.
Duplicating lets you base a new symbol on an existing one in the library and minimizes copying if you’re making
several symbols that differ slightly.
Replace all instances of a symbol
❖ Drag a symbol with the same name as the symbol you are replacing from one Library panel into the Library panel
of the FLA file you are editing and click Replace. If you have folders in the Library, the new symbol must be dragged
into the same folder as the symbol you are replacing.
Change an instance’s type
To redefine an instance’s behavior in a Flash application, change its type. For example, if a graphic instance contains
animation that you want to play independently of the main Timeline, redefine the graphic instance as a movie clip
instance.
1 Select the instance on the Stage, and select Window > Properties > Properties.
2 Select Graphic, Button, or Movie Clip from the menu in the Property inspector.
Set looping for graphic instances
To determine how animation sequences inside a graphic instance play in your Flash application, set options in the
Property inspector.
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An animated graphic symbol is tied to the Timeline of the document in which the symbol is placed. In contrast, a
movie clip symbol has its own independent Timeline. Animated graphic symbols, because they use the same
Timeline as the main document, display their animation in document-editing mode. Movie clip symbols appear as
static objects on the Stage and do not appear as animations in the Flash editing environment.
1 Select a graphic instance on the Stage, and select Window > Properties > Properties.
2 Select an animation option from the menu below the instance name:
Loop Loops all the animation sequences contained in the current instance for as many frames as the instance
occupies.
Play Once Plays the animation sequence beginning from the frame you specify to the end of the animation and then
stops.
Single Frame Displays one frame of the animation sequence. Specify which frame to display.
Break apart an instance symbol
To break the link between an instance and a symbol and make the instance into a collection of ungrouped shapes
and lines, you break apart the instance. This feature is useful for changing the instance substantially without affecting
any other instance. If you modify the source symbol after breaking apart the instance, the instance is not updated
with the changes.
1 Select the instance on the Stage.
2 Select Modify > Break Apart. This action breaks the instance into its component graphic elements.
3 To modify these elements, use the painting and drawing tools.
Get information about instances on the Stage
The Property inspector and Info panel display the following information about instances selected on the Stage:
• In the Property inspector, view the instance’s behavior and settings—for all instance types, color effect settings,
location, and size; for graphics, the loop mode and first frame that contains the graphic; for buttons, the instance
name (if assigned) and tracking option; for movie clips, the instance name (if assigned). For location, the Property
inspector displays the x and y coordinates of either the symbol’s registration point or the symbol’s upper left
corner, depending on which option is selected in the Info panel.
• In the Info panel, view the instance’s size and location; the location of its registration point; its red (R), green (G),
blue (B), and alpha (A) values (if the instance has a solid fill); and the location of the pointer. The Info panel also
displays the x and y coordinates of either the symbol’s registration point or the symbol’s upper-left corner,
depending on which option is selected. To display the coordinates of the registration point, click the center square
in the Coordinate grid in the Info panel. To display the coordinates of the upper-left corner, click the upper-left
square in the Coordinate grid.
• In the Movie Explorer, view the contents of the current document, including instances and symbols.
View any actions assigned to a button or movie clip in the Actions panel.
See also
“Using the Movie Explorer with screens” on page 370
Get information about an instance
1 Select the instance on the Stage.
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2 Display the Property inspector (Window > Properties > Properties) or panel to use:
• To display the Info panel, select Window > Info.
• To display the Movie Explorer, select Window > Movie Explorer.
• To display the Actions panel, select Window > Actions.
View the symbol definition for the selected symbol in the Movie Explorer
1 Click the Show Buttons, Movie Clips, and Graphics button at the top of the Movie Explorer.
2 Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh), and select Show Symbol Instances and Go To Symbol
Definition; or select these options from the menu in the upper-right corner of the Movie Explorer.
Jump to the scene containing instances of a selected symbol
1 Display the symbol definitions.
2 Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh), and select Show Movie Elements and Go To Symbol
Definition; or select these options from the menu in the upper-right corner of the Movie Explorer.
Library assets
Copy library assets between documents
Copy library assets from a source document into a destination document in a variety of ways: by copying and pasting
the asset, by dragging and dropping the asset, or by opening the library of the source document in the destination
document and dragging the source document assets into the destination document.
Share symbols between documents as shared library assets during authoring or at runtime.
If you attempt to copy assets that have the same name as existing assets in the destination document, the Resolve
Library Conflicts dialog box lets you choose whether to overwrite the existing assets or to preserve the existing assets
and add the new assets with modified names. Organize library assets in folders to minimize name conflicts when
copying assets between documents.
See also
“Work with folders in the Library panel” on page 66
“Working with button symbols” on page 220
“Using shared library assets” on page 218
Copy a library asset by copying and pasting
1 Select the asset on the Stage in the source document.
2 Select Edit > Copy.
3 Make the destination document the active document.
4 To paste the asset in the center of the visible pasteboard, place the pointer on the Stage and select Edit > Paste In
Center. To place the asset in the same location as in the source document, select Edit > Paste In Place.
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Copy a library asset by dragging
❖ With the destination document open, select the asset in the Library panel in the source document and drag the
asset into the Library panel in the destination document.
Copy a library asset by opening the source document library in the destination document
1 With the destination document active, select File > Import > Open External Library.
2 Select the source document, and click Open.
3 Drag an asset from the source document library onto the Stage or into the library of the destination document.
Conflicts between library assets
If you import or copy a library asset into a document that already contains a different asset of the same name, choose
whether to replace the existing item with the new item. This option is available with all the methods for importing
or copying library assets.
The Resolve Library Items dialog box appears when you attempt to place items that conflict with existing items in a
document. A conflict exists when you copy an item from a source document that already exists in the destination
document and the items have different modification dates. Avoid naming conflicts by organizing your assets inside
folders in your document’s library. The dialog box also appears when you paste a symbol or component into your
document’s Stage and you already have a copy of the symbol or component that has a different modification date
from the one you’re pasting.
If you choose not to replace the existing items, Flash attempts to use the existing item instead of the conflicting item
that you are pasting. For example, if you copy a symbol named Symbol 1 and paste the copy into the Stage of a
document that already contains a symbol named Symbol 1, Flash creates an instance of the existing Symbol 1.
If you choose to replace the existing items, Flash replaces the existing items (and all their instances) with the new
items of the same name. If you cancel the Import or Copy operation, the operation is canceled for all items (not just
those items that conflict in the destination document).
Only identical library item types may be replaced with each other. That is, you cannot replace a sound named Test with
a bitmap named Test. In such cases, the new items are added to the library with the word Copy appended to the name.
Note: Replacing library items using this method is not irreversible. Save a backup of your FLA file before you perform
complex paste operations that are resolved by replacing conflicting library items.
If the Resolve Library Conflict dialog box appears when you are importing or copying library assets into a document,
resolve the naming conflict.
Resolve naming conflicts between library assets
❖ Do one of the following:
• To preserve the existing assets in the destination document, click Don’t Replace Existing Items.
• To replace the existing assets and their instances with the new items of the same name, click Replace Existing
Items.
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Using shared library assets
About shared library assets
Shared library assets let you use assets from a source document in multiple destination documents:
• For runtime shared assets, assets from a source document are linked as external files in a destination document.
Runtime assets are loaded into the destination document during document playback—that is, at runtime. The
source document containing the shared asset does not need to be available on your local network when you author
the destination document. The source document must be posted to a URL for the shared asset to be available to
the destination document at runtime.
• For shared assets during authoring, update or replace any symbol in a document you are authoring with any other
symbol available on your local network. Update the symbol in the destination document as you author the
document. The symbol in the destination document retains its original name and properties, but its contents are
updated or replaced with those of the symbol you select.
Using shared library assets can optimize workflow and document asset management.
Working with runtime shared assets
Using runtime shared library assets involves two procedures. First, the author of the source document defines a
shared asset in the source document and enters an identifier string for the asset and a URL (HTTP or HTTPS only)
where the source document will be posted.
Second, the author of the destination document defines a shared asset in the destination document and enters an
identifier string and URL identical to those used for the shared asset in the source document. Alternatively, the destination document author can drag the shared assets from the posted source document into the destination document
library. The ActionScript version set in the Publish settings must match that of the source document.
In either scenario, the source document must be posted to the specified URL for the shared assets to be available for
the destination document.
Define runtime shared assets in a source document
To define sharing properties for an asset in a source document, and make the asset accessible for linking to destination documents, use the Symbol Properties dialog box or the Linkage Properties dialog box.
1 With the source document open, select Window > Library:
• Select a movie clip, button, or graphic symbol in the Library panel, and select Properties from the Library Panel
menu. Click Advanced.
• Select a font symbol, sound, or bitmap, and select Linkage from the Library Panel menu.
2 For Linkage, select Export For Runtime Sharing to make the asset available for linking to the destination
document.
3 Enter an identifier for the symbol. Do not include spaces. This is the name Flash uses to identify the asset when
linking to the destination document.
Note: Flash also uses the linkage identifier to identify a movie clip or button that is used as an object in ActionScript.
See Working with movie clips in Learning ActionScript 2.0 in Adobe Flash or Working with movie clips in Programming
ActionScript 3.0.
4 Enter the URL where the SWF file containing the shared asset will be posted, and click OK.
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When you publish the SWF file, you must post the SWF file to the URL you specified, so that the shared assets are
available to destination documents.
Link to runtime shared assets from a destination document
Link a shared asset to a destination document by entering the identifier and URL
1 In the destination document, select Window > Library.
• Select a movie clip, button, graphic symbol, bitmap, or sound in the Library panel, and select Properties from the
Library Panel menu. Click Advanced.
• Select a font symbol, and select Linkage from the Library Panel menu.
2 For Linkage, select Import For Runtime Sharing to link to the asset in the source document.
3 Enter an identifier for the symbol, bitmap, or sound that is identical to the identifier used for the symbol in the
source document. Do not include spaces.
4 Enter the URL where the SWF source file containing the shared asset is posted, and click OK.
Link a shared asset to a destination document by dragging
1 In the destination document, do one of the following:
• Select File > Open.
• Select File > Import > Open External Library.
2 Select the source document and click Open.
3 Drag the shared asset from the source document Library panel into the Library panel or onto the Stage in the
destination document.
Turn off sharing for a symbol in a destination document
1 In the destination document, select the linked symbol in the Library panel and do one of the following:
• If the asset is a movie clip, button, or graphic symbol, select Properties from the Library Panel menu.
• If the asset is a font symbol, select Linkage from the Library Panel menu.
2 Deselect Import For Runtime Sharing, and click OK.
Update or replace symbols
You can update or replace a movie clip, button, or graphic symbol in a document with any other symbol in a FLA file
accessible on your local network. The original name and properties of the symbol in the destination document are
preserved, but the contents of the symbol are replaced with the contents of the symbol you select. Any assets that the
selected symbol uses are also copied into the destination document.
1 With the document open, select a movie clip, button, or graphic symbol and select Properties from the Library
Panel menu.
2 If the Linkage and Source areas of the Symbol Properties dialog box are not showing, click Advanced.
3 To select a new FLA file, click Browse.
4 Navigate to a FLA file that contains the symbol to use to update or replace the selected symbol in the Library panel,
and click Open.
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5 Navigate to a symbol, and click OK.
6 In the Symbol Properties dialog box, under Source, select Always Update Before Publishing and click OK.
Working with button symbols
Create a button
Buttons are actually four-frame interactive movie clips. When you select the button behavior for a symbol, Flash
creates a Timeline with four frames. The first three frames display the button’s three possible states; the fourth frame
defines the active area of the button. The Timeline doesn’t actually play; it reacts to pointer movement and actions
by jumping to the appropriate frame.
To make a button interactive, you place an instance of the button symbol on the Stage and assign actions to the
instance. You must assign the actions to the instance of the button in the document, not to frames in the button’s
Timeline.
Each frame in the Timeline of a button symbol has a specific function:
• The first frame is the Up state, representing the button whenever the pointer is not over the button.
• The second frame is the Over state, representing the button’s appearance when the pointer is over the button.
• The third frame is the Down state, representing the button’s appearance as it is clicked.
• The fourth frame is the Hit state, defining the area that responds to the mouse click. This area is invisible in the
SWF file.
Create a button using a movie clip symbol or a button component. Using each type of button has advantages.
Creating a button using a movie clip lets you add more frames to the button or add more complex animation.
However, movie clip buttons have a larger file size than button symbols. Using a button component allows you to
bind the button to other components, to share and display data in an application. Button components also include
prebuilt features, such as accessibility support, and can be customized. Button components include the Button,
RadioButton, and CheckBox. For more information, see Button component in ActionScript 2.0 Components
Language Reference or Using the Button in Using ActionScript 3.0 Components.
For a text tutorial about buttons, see Add Button Navigation and Animation on the Flash Tutorials page at
www.adobe.com/go/learn_fl_tutorials.
1 Select Edit > Deselect All to ensure that nothing is selected on the Stage.
2 Select Insert > New Symbol, or press Control+F8 (Windows) or Command+F8 (Macintosh).
To create the button, you convert the button frames to keyframes.
3 In the Create New Symbol dialog box, enter a name for the new button symbol, and for Type select Button.
Flash switches to symbol-editing mode. The Timeline header changes to display four consecutive frames labeled Up,
Over, Down, and Hit. The first frame, Up, is a blank keyframe.
4 To create the Up state button image, select the Up frame in the Timeline and then use the drawing tools, import
a graphic, or place an instance of another symbol on the Stage.
You can use a graphic or movie clip symbol in a button, but you cannot use another button in a button. Use a movie
clip symbol to animate the button.
5 Click the Over frame, and select Timeline > Keyframe.
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Flash inserts a keyframe that duplicates the contents of the Up frame.
6 Change or edit the button image for the Over state.
7 Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the Down frame and the Hit frames.
The Hit frame is not visible on the Stage, but it defines the area of the button that responds when clicked. The graphic
for the Hit frame must be a solid area large enough to encompass all the graphic elements of the Up, Down, and Over
frames. It can also be larger than the visible button. If you do not specify a Hit frame, the image for the Up state is
used as the Hit frame.
To create a disjoint rollover, in which moving the pointer over a button causes another graphic on the Stage to change,
place the Hit frame in a different location than the other button frames.
8 To assign a sound to a state of the button, select that state’s frame in the Timeline, select Window > Properties >
Properties, and then select a sound from the Sound menu in the Property inspector.
9 When you finish, select Edit > Edit Document. To create an instance of the button in the document, drag the
button symbol from the Library panel.
See also
“Using sounds in Flash” on page 291
Enable, edit, and test buttons
By default, Flash keeps buttons disabled as you create them, to make it easier to select and work with them. When a
button is disabled, clicking the button selects it. When a button is enabled, it responds to the mouse events that you’ve
specified as if the SWF file were playing. You can still select enabled buttons. Disable buttons as you work, and enable
buttons to quickly test their behavior.
For a text tutorial about buttons, see Add Button Navigation and Animation on the Flash Tutorials page at
www.adobe.com/go/learn_fl_tutorials.
Enable and disable buttons
❖ Select Control > Enable Simple Buttons. A check mark appears next to the command to indicate buttons are
enabled. Select the command again to disable buttons.
Any buttons on the Stage now respond. As you move the pointer over a button, Flash displays the Over frame; when
you click within the button’s active area, Flash displays the Down frame.
Select, move, or edit an enabled button
❖ Do one of the following:
• Use the Selection tool to drag a selection rectangle around the button.
• Use the arrow keys to move the button.
• If the Property inspector is not visible, select Window > Properties > Properties to edit the button in the Property
inspector, or Alt+double-click (Windows) or Option+double-click the button (Macintosh).
Test a button
❖ Do one of the following:
• Select Control > Enable Simple Buttons. Move the pointer over the enabled button to test it.
• Select the button in the Library panel, and click the Play button in the Library preview window.
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User Guide
• Select Control > Test Scene or Control > Test Movie.
Movie clips in buttons are not visible in the Flash authoring environment.
Scaling and caching symbols
About 9-slice scaling and movie clip symbols
9-slice scaling allows you to specify how scaling is applied to specific areas of a movie clip. With 9-slice scaling, you
can ensure that the movie clip looks correct when scaled. With normal scaling, Flash scales all parts of a movie clip
equally, and in both the horizontal and vertical dimension. For many movie clips, this equal scaling can make the
clip’s graphics look strange, especially at the corners of rectangular movie clips. This is often true of movie clips used
as user interface elements, such as buttons.
The movie clip is visually divided into nine sections with a grid-like overlay, and each of the nine areas is scaled
independently. To maintain the visual integrity of the movie clip, corners are not scaled, while the remaining areas
of the image are scaled (as opposed to being stretched) larger or smaller, as needed.
When a movie clip symbol has 9-slice scaling applied, it appears in the Library panel preview with the guides
displayed. If Enable Live Preview is turned on (Control > Enable Live Preview) when you scale instances of the movie
clip on the Stage, you see the 9-slice scaling applied on the Stage.
Note: 9-slice scaling cannot be applied to Graphic or Button symbols. Bitmaps inside 9-slice enabled movie clips are
scaled normally, without 9-slice distortion, while the other movie clip contents are scaled according to the 9-slice guides.
A 9-slice-enabled movie clip can contain nested objects within it, but only certain types of objects inside the movie
clip properly scale in the slice-9 manner. To make a movie clip with internal objects that also adhere to 9-slice scaling
when the movie clip is scaled, those nested objects must be shapes, drawing objects, groups, or graphic symbols.
A 9-slice-enabled symbol in the Library and scaled on the Stage.
For video tutorials about 9-slice scaling, see:
• www.adobe.com/go/vid0204
• www.adobe.com/go/vid0205
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User Guide
Edit movie clip symbols with 9-slice scaling
By default, slice guides are placed at 25% (or one-fourth) of the symbol’s width and height from the edge of the
symbol. In symbol-editing mode, the slice guides appear as dotted lines superimposed on the symbol. The slice
guides don’t snap when you drag them on the pasteboard. The guides do not appear when the symbol is on the Stage.
You cannot edit 9-slice-enabled symbols in place on the Stage. You must edit them in symbol-editing mode.
Note: Instances made from a 9-slice-enabled movie clip symbol can be transformed, but should not be edited. Editing
these instances can have unpredictable results.
For video tutorials about 9-slice scaling, see:
• www.adobe.com/go/vid0204
• www.adobe.com/go/vid0205
Enable 9-slice scaling for an existing movie clip symbol
1 With the source document open, select Window > Library.
2 Select a movie clip, button, or graphic symbol in the Library panel.
3 Select Properties from the Library Panel menu.
4 Select Enable Guides for 9-slice Scaling.
Edit a 9-slice-enabled movie clip symbol
1 Enter symbol-editing mode by doing one of the following:
• Select an instance of the symbol on the Stage and right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh), and select Edit.
• Select the symbol in the Library and right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh), and select Edit.
• Double-click the symbol in the Library.
2 To move the horizontal or vertical guides, drag and release a guide. The new position of the guide is updated in
the Library preview for the symbol.
About runtime bitmap caching movie clip and button symbols
Runtime bitmap caching lets you optimize playback performance by specifying that a static movie clip (for example,
a background image) or button symbol be cached as a bitmap at runtime. Caching a movie clip as a bitmap prevents
Flash Player from having to continually redraw the image, which provides a significant improvement in playback
performance.
For example, when you create animations with a complex background, create a movie clip for the background. The
background is rendered as a bitmap stored at the current screen depth. It can be drawn quickly, letting the animation
play faster and more smoothly.
Without bitmap caching, the animation might play back too slowly.
Bitmap caching lets you use a movie clip and freeze it in place automatically. If a region changes, vector data updates
the bitmap cache. This process minimizes the number of redraws that Flash Player must perform, and provides
smoother, faster playback performance.
Only use runtime bitmap caching on static, complex movie clips in which the position, but not the content, of the
movie clip changes on each frame in an animation. The playback or runtime performance improvement from using
runtime bitmap caching is only noticeable on complex-content movie clips. Runtime bitmap caching with simple
movie clips does not enhance performance.
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User Guide
For more information, see When to enable caching in Learning ActionScript 2.0 in Adobe Flash.
Note: You can only use the Use Runtime Bitmap Caching option for movie clip and button symbols.
Under the following circumstances, a movie clip does not use a bitmap (even if Use Runtime Bitmap Caching is
selected) but instead renders the movie clip or button symbol by using vector data:
• The bitmap is too large (greater than 2880 pixels in either direction).
• The bitmap fails to allocate (producing an out of memory error).
Specify bitmap caching for a movie clip
1 Select the movie clip or button symbol on the Stage.
2 In the Property inspector, select Use Runtime Bitmap Caching.
Symbols and ActionScript
About controlling instances and symbols with ActionScript
To control movie clip and button instances, use ActionScript. The movie clip or button instance must have a unique
instance name to be used with ActionScript. To control movie clip or button symbols, use ActionScript. For more
information, see Handling events in Learning ActionScript 2.0 in Adobe Flash or Handling events in Programming
ActionScript 3.0.
See also
“Edit symbols” on page 210
Controlling instances with behaviors
In FLA files where the ActionScript Publish setting is set to ActionScript 2.0, you can use behaviors to control movie
clip and graphic instances in a document without writing ActionScript. Behaviors are prewritten ActionScript scripts
that let you add ActionScript coding to your document without having to create the ActionScript code yourself.
Behaviors are not available for ActionScript 3.0.
You can use behaviors with an instance to arrange it in the stacking order on a frame, as well as to load or unload,
play, stop, duplicate, or drag a movie clip, or to link to a URL.
In addition, you can use behaviors to load an external graphic or an animated mask into a movie clip.
Flash includes the behaviors in the following table.
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User Guide
Behavior
Purpose
Select or input
Load Graphic
Loads an external JPEG file into a
movie clip or screen.
Path and filename of JPEG file.
Loads an external SWF file into a
target movie clip or screen.
URL of external SWF file.
Duplicates a movie clip or screen.
Instance name of movie clip to
duplicate.
Load External Movieclip
Duplicate Movieclip
Instance name of movie clip or
screen receiving the graphic.
Instance name of movie clip or
screen receiving the SWF file.
X-offset and Y-offset of pixels from
original to copy.
Goto And Play at frame or label
Plays a movie clip from a particular frame.
Instance name of target clip to
play.
Frame number or label to play.
Goto And Stop at frame or label
Stops a movie clip, optionally
moving the playhead to a particular frame.
Instance name of target clip to
stop.
Bring To Front
Brings target movie clip or screen
to the top of the stacking order.
Instance name of movie clip or
screen.
Bring Forward
Brings target movie clip or screen
one position higher in the
stacking order.
Instance name of movie clip or
screen.
Send To Back
Sends the target movie clip to the Instance name of movie clip or
bottom of the stacking order.
screen.
Send Backward
Sends the target movie clip or
screen one position lower in the
stacking order.
Instance name of movie clip or
screen.
Start Dragging Movieclip
Starts dragging a movie clip.
Instance name of movie clip or
screen.
Stop Dragging Movieclip
Stops the current drag.
Unload Movieclip
Removes a movie clip that was
loaded by means of loadMovie()
from Flash Player.
Frame number or label to stop.
Instance name of movie clip.
See also
“Control sounds using behaviors” on page 298
“Control video playback using behaviors” on page 322
Add and configure a behavior
Be sure you are working in a FLA file whose ActionScript Publish setting is ActionScript 2.0 or earlier.
1 Select the object, such as a button, to trigger the behavior.
2 In the Behaviors panel (Window > Behaviors), click the Add (+) button and select the desired behavior from the
Movieclip submenu.
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User Guide
3 Select the movie clip to control with the behavior.
4 Select a relative or absolute path.
5 If required, select or input settings for the behavior parameters and click OK. Default settings for the behavior
appear in the Behaviors panel.
6 Under Event, click On Release (the default event) and select a mouse event from the menu. To use the On Release
event, leave the option unchanged.
See also
“About relative paths” on page 72
“About absolute paths” on page 71
Create custom behaviors
To write custom behaviors, create an XML file that contains the ActionScript 2.0 code to perform the desired
behavior, and save the file in the Behaviors folder of your local computer. Behaviors are stored in the following
location:
• Windows: C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Local Settings\Application Data\Adobe\Flash
CS3\language\Configuration\Behaviors
• Macintosh: Macintosh HD/Users/user name/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Flash CS3/language/Configuration/Behaviors/
Before you create your own behaviors, examine the Behavior XML files to develop an understanding of the syntax
of the XML files, as well as the ActionScript code used to create behaviors. If you are new to writing behaviors, familiarize yourself with the XML tags used to create user interface elements (such as dialog boxes), and with ActionScript, the coding language used to create behaviors. To learn about the XML used to create interface elements, see
Extending Flash. To learn about ActionScript, see Programming ActionScript 3.0 or Learning ActionScript 2.0 in
Adobe Flash.
You can also download behaviors that other Flash users have created from the Adobe Flash Exchange website. You
can visit the Adobe Exchange at: www.adobe.com/go/flash_exchange.
1 Using an XML editor, open an existing behavior’s XML file, and rename the file appropriately for the behavior you
intend to create.
2 Enter a new value for the category attribute of the behavior_devinition tag in the XML file.
The following XML code creates a category named myCategory in the Flash Behaviors panel under which the
behavior will be listed.
3 Enter a new value for the name attribute of the behavior_definition tag. This will be the name of the behavior as
it will appear in the Flash authoring environment.
4 (Optional) If your custom behavior requires a dialog box, enter parameters using the and
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