Synopses & Reviews
Once you know how to use Flash, you can create everything from simple animations to high-end desktop applications, but it's a complex tool that can be difficult to master on your own—unless you have this Missing Manual. This book will help you learn all you need to know about Flash CS5 to create gorgeous animations that bring your ideas to life. You'll move easily from the basics to power-user tools—even if you have no programming experience.
- Learn animation basics. Find everything you need to know to get started with Flash.
- Master the Flash tools. Learn the animation and effects toolset, with clear explanations and hands-on examples.
- Use 3D effects. Rotate and put objects in motion in three dimensions.
- Create lifelike motion. Use the IK Bones tool to simulate realistic body movements and other linked motions.
- Speed up development. Use templates, code snippets, and motion presets.
- Go mobile. Learn what it takes to design for BlackBerry and Android mobile devices.
- Add multimedia. Incorporate your own audio and video files into Flash.
- Create rich interactive animations. Dive into advanced interactivity with easy-to-learn ActionScript examples.
Synopsis
You can build everything from simple animations to full-fledged iOS and Android apps with Flash CS5.5, but learning this complex program can be difficult—unless you have this fully updated, bestselling guide. Learn how to create gorgeous Flash effects even if you have no programming experience. With Flash CS5.5: The Missing Manual, you'll move from the basics to power-user tools with ease.
- Learn animation basics. Discover how to turn simple ideas into stunning animations.
- Master Flash's tools. Learn the animation and effects tools with clear explanations and hands-on examples.
- Use 3D effects. Rotate objects and make them move in three dimensions.
- Create lifelike motion. Use the IK Bones tool to simulate realistic body movements and other linked motions.
- Build apps for tablets and smartphones. Create the next generation of iPhone, iPad, and Android apps.
- Add multimedia. Incorporate your own audio and video files into Flash.
- Create rich interactive animations. Dive into advanced interactivity with easy-to-learn ActionScript examples.
About the Author
Christopher Grover lives in Fairfax, California with his wife and two daughters. Chris received degrees in Creative Writing and Film from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. He's worked as a technical writer, advertising copywriter and product publicist for more than 25 years. His freelance articles have been published in a variety of magazines from Fine Homebuilding to CD-ROM World. Chris's latest project is launching Bolinas Road Creative, an agency that helps small businesses promote their products and services. He's also the author of Word 2007: The Missing Manual and Word 2007 for Starters: The Missing Manual.
Table of Contents
The Missing Credits; About the Author; About the Creative Team; Acknowledgements; The Missing Manual Series; Introduction; What's New in Flash Professional CS5.5; Animation ABCs; Flash in a Nutshell; The Very Basics; About This Book; About the Online Resources; Safari® Books Online; Part One: Creating a Flash Animation; Chapter 1: Getting Around Flash; 1.1 Starting Flash; 1.2 A Tour of the Flash Workspace; 1.3 Panels and Toolbars; 1.4 The Flash CS5 Test Drive; Chapter 2: Creating Simple Drawings; 2.1 Plan Before You Draw; 2.2 Preparing to Draw; 2.3 Drawing a Shape; 2.4 Choosing a Drawing Mode; 2.5 Creating Original Artwork; 2.6 Copying and Pasting Drawn Objects; 2.7 Adding Color; Chapter 3: Animate Your Art; 3.1 Frame-by-Frame Animation; 3.2 Editing Your Frame-by-Frame Animation; 3.3 Making It Move with Motion Tweens; 3.4 Editing the Motion Path; 3.5 Copying and Pasting Properties; 3.6 Shape Tweening (Morphing); Part Two: Advanced Drawing and Animation; Chapter 4: Organizing Frames and Layers; 4.1 Working with Frames; 4.2 Working with Multiple Layers; 4.3 Organizing Layers; 4.4 Spotlight Effect Using Mask Layers; Chapter 5: Advanced Drawing and Coloring; 5.1 Selecting Graphic Elements; 5.2 Manipulating Graphic Elements; 5.3 Spray Painting Symbols; 5.4 Drawing with the Deco Tool; 5.5 Advanced Color and Fills; Chapter 6: Choosing and Formatting Text; 6.1 Text Questions; 6.2 Choosing TLF or Classic Text; 6.3 About Typefaces and Fonts; 6.4 Adding Text to Your Document; 6.5 Choosing and Using Text Containers; 6.6 Animating Text Without ActionScript; 6.7 Text Properties by Subpanel; Chapter 7: Reusable Flash: Symbols and Templates; 7.1 Symbols and Instances; 7.2 Templates; Chapter 8: Advanced Tweens with the Motion Editor; 8.1 Applying Motion Presets; 8.2 Modifying a Motion Preset; 8.3 Editing a Tween Span; 8.4 A Tour of the Motion Editor; 8.5 Changing Transparency with the Motion Editor; 8.6 Easing Tweens; Chapter 9: Realistic Animation with IK Bones; 9.1 Linking Symbols with Bones; 9.2 Perfect Posing with Control Handles; 9.3 Baby Steps with Pins; 9.4 Making Shapes Move with Bones; 9.5 Apply Spring to a Motion; 9.6 Animating an Armature with ActionScript; Chapter 10: Incorporating Non-Flash Media Files; 10.1 Importing Graphics; 10.2 Importing Illustrator Graphics Files; 10.3 Importing Photoshop Graphic Files; 10.4 Importing Fireworks Graphics; 10.5 Editing Bitmaps; 10.6 Editing Bitmaps with Photoshop; 10.7 Importing a Series of Graphics Files; 10.8 Exporting Graphics from Flash; Chapter 11: Incorporating Sound and Video; 11.1 Incorporating Sound; 11.2 Incorporating Video; 11.3 Importing Video Files; Part Three: Adding Interactivity; Chapter 12: Introduction to ActionScript 3; 12.1 Getting to Know ActionScript 3; 12.2 Beginning Your ActionScript Project; 12.3 Object-Oriented Thinking; 12.4 Using Data Types, Variables, and Constants; 12.5 Conditionals and Loops; 12.6 Combining ActionScript's Building Blocks; Chapter 13: Controlling Actions with Events; 13.1 How Events Work; 13.2 Mouse Events; 13.3 Getting Help for Events and Event Listeners; 13.4 Creating a Tabbed Window with Mouse Events; 13.5 Keyboard Events and Text Events; 13.6 Keeping Time with TimerEvent; 13.7 Removing Event Listeners; 13.8 In Case of Other Events; Chapter 14: Organizing Objects with the Display List; 14.1 The Display List: Everything in Its Place; 14.2 Adding Objects to the Display List; 14.3 Managing the Stacking Order; 14.4 Summary of Properties and Methods; Chapter 15: Controlling the Timeline and Animation; 15.1 Slowing Down (or Speeding Up) Animation; 15.2 Timeline Stop and Go; 15.3 Organizing Your Animation; 15.4 Looping a Series of Frames; 15.5 Reversing a Series of Frames; Chapter 16: Components for Interactivity; 16.1 Adding Components; 16.2 The Built-In Components; 16.3 Finding Additional Components; Chapter 17: Choosing, Using, and Animating Text; 17.1 What Font Does Your Audience Have?; 17.2 Controlling Text with ActionScript; 17.3 Creating Text Fields with ActionScript; 17.4 Positioning, Sizing, and Formatting a Text Field; 17.5 Formatting Characters and Paragraphs; 17.6 Formatting with HTML and CSS; 17.7 Choosing the Right Text Formatting System; Chapter 18: Drawing with ActionScript; 18.1 What's the Point?; 18.2 Beginning with the Graphics Class; 18.3 Drawing Lines; 18.4 Drawing Curves; 18.5 Drawing Built-In Shapes; 18.6 Drawing Irregular Shapes; 18.7 Making Drawings Move; 18.8 Shapes, Sprites, and Movie Clips for Drawings; 18.9 Removing Lines and Shapes; Part Four: Debugging and Delivering Your Animation; Chapter 19: Testing and Debugging Your Animation; 19.1 Testing Strategies; 19.2 Testing on the Stage; 19.3 Using the Test Movie Commands; 19.4 Testing Inside a Web Page; 19.5 Testing Download Time; 19.6 The Art of Debugging; 19.7 Analyzing Code with the Debugger; Chapter 20: Publishing and Exporting; 20.1 Optimizing Flash Documents; 20.2 Publishing Your Animations; 20.3 Exporting Flash to Other Formats; Chapter 21: Introducing Adobe AIR; 21.1 Meet Adobe AIR; 21.2 Creating Your First AIR Application; 21.3 Create a Code Signing Certificate; 21.4 Convert a Flash Animation to AIR; 21.5 Publish Your AIR Application; 21.6 Manually Install Adobe AIR Runtime; Chapter 22: Making iPhone Apps; 22.1 Your First "Hello iPad" App; 22.2 Joining the iOS Developer Program; 22.3 Creating an iOS App that Responds to Gestures; 22.4 Air for iOS App Settings; 22.5 Publishing, Installing, and Testing Your App on an iDevice; 22.6 Building a Tap-Ready App; 22.7 Tips for iOS App Development; Chapter 23: Building Android Apps; 23.1 Meet AIR for Android; 23.2 App Building with the Android Accelerometer Template; 23.3 Building Apps for Both iOS and Android; 23.4 Tips for Android App Development; Part Five: Appendixes; Installation and Help; Flash CS5.5 Minimum System Requirements; Installing and Activating Flash Professional CS5.5; Uninstalling and Deactivating Flash Professional CS5.5; Getting Help from Flash; Getting Help from Adobe; More Flash Books; Finding Flash Gurus; Flash Professional CS5.5, Menu by Menu; File; Edit; View; Insert; Modify; Text; Commands; Control; Debug; Window; Help; Colophon;