FlashMX Workshop

2. Workspace

Contents
1. Why FlashMX?
2. Workspace

Macromedia has constructed Flash around a movie metaphor:

Important Interface Parts
(some of these should feel familiar - they function almost exactly like they do in DreamweaverMX)

Shapes, Fill and History Panel
From QT Movie

Create a Simple Animation

Open a new Flash document
Draw a small rectangle near the lower-left corner of the stage
Click the arrow tool to select it (which de-selects the rectangle tool)
Select the entire object by either double-clicking the rectangle or drawing a selection box around it
Select Modify > Group (Ctl+G) - the stroke and fill are now grouped
Click Frame 24 [arbitrary choice - will make this animation last for 2 secs at 12fps] in the timeline to select the frame - it will change to a dark blue color.
With Frame 24 selected, Insert > Timeline > Keyframe. The keyframe is symbolized differently from other frames. What's the difference?
Drag the rectangle from the lower left to the upper right of the stage. This is where it will end in frame 24.
Select any frame between 1 and 24 by clicking it. Insert > Timeline > Create Motion Tween.
Control > Test Movie
Recap interface elements used

Macromedia Flash MX2004: A Beginner's Guide, page 35