Chapter notes: Flash CS6 | National Cyber Olympiad Class 8 PDF Download

Introduction

Flash CS6 is a platform for multimedia.

• With this multimedia platform, we can create digital animation, rich web applications, websites, movies and etc.
• Mostly these are used for creating games and advertisements.
• Examples are Minesweeper, Pac Man, Tetris, and Bejewelled.
• Some of the famous movies created using flash are Off-Mikes, Gotham Girls, Crime Time, and Homestar Runners.

Starting Flash CS6

To start Adobe Flash Professional CS6, choose the Start button > All Programs > Adobe Production Premium CS6 > Adobe Flash Professional CS6.
Exploring the interface of Adobe Flash Professional CS6

• We have options such as Stage, Tools panel, Timeline panel, Properties panel, menubar, and application bar.
• We can create and edit interactive websites, digital animations from this interface options.

Workspace –

• An application screen is the main screen in flash CS6.
• Based on the primary usage you can change the layout and arrangement of the panels.

Stage

• It is the area where the activities are performed while viewing a movie.
• The grey colour area surrounding the Stage is called Pasteboard.
• Anything in the Pasteboard is not visible in the final output.
• The colour and size of the Stage can be changed by using the options in the New Document dialog box and the Properties panel.

Tool section –

• Selection Tool - Used to select an object, group of objects, strokes, and fills by double clicking on the object.
• Snap to Objects - This snap to object helps the selected object to move in the Stage to the edge of the nearest object.
• Smooth - This smoothens the edges of the selected object.
• Straighten - This sharpens the edges of the selected object.

• Subselection Tool - This tool helps to change the shape of an object. 
• Free Transform Tool - The Free Transform Tool is used to rotate, move, skew, and distort an object.
• Rotate and Skew - This gives oblique direction to the selected object. 
• Scale - This tool helps to scale the selected object. 
• Distort - By dragging individual transform points we can deform the shape of an object
• Envelope - Used to manipulate the shape of an object 
• Lasso Tool - We can select an object or a part of it by creating outlines 
• Magic Wand - It can select the areas that contain similar colors.
• Polygon Mode - It can select an area by creating linear and interconnected lines.
• Pen Tool -  The Pen Tool is used to draw shapes and paths with anchor points.
• Text Tool -  This tool helps to write text in a text box.
• Line Tool - This helps to draw a straight line.
• Rectangle Tool - The Rectangle Tool is used to draw a rectangular shape.
• Oval Tool - We can draw oval shapes with this tool.
• Pencil Tool - The Pencil Tool is used to draw lines and shapes.
• Straighten - The Straighten mode is used to draw straight lines.
• Smooth - The Smooth mode is used to draw smooth curved lines.
• Ink - The Ink mode is used to draw freehand lines.
• Brush Tool - The Brush Tool is used to draw brush-like strokes.

• Spray Brush Tool - This tool helps to colour using free strokes. 
• Paint Bucket Tool - This is used to colour a closed path or area.
• Eyedropper Tool - The Eyedropper Tool is used to pick the fill and stroke hexadecimal values. 
• Eraser Tool - The Eraser Tool is used to erase a section of the artwork in the Stage. 
• Hand Tool - We can move the stage using this hand tool. 
• Zoom Tool - Used to maximize and minimize the stage. 
• Fill color, Stroke color, Black and white color and swap colors – Used to colour the objects on the stage. 
• Timeline Panel - The animations that we have created can be seen in the timeline.

• New Layer - This button is used to create a new layer.
• New Folder - This folder is used to create folders and save the files inside the folder to organize layers.
• Delete - The highlighted or selected layers can be deleted using the delete button.
• Go to first frame - On clicking this icon it takes you to the Playhead on frame 1 in the Timeline panel.
• Step back one frame - On clicking this icon it takes you to move the Playhead backward by one frame from the current frame.
• Play - The Play button is used to play the animation in the Stage.
• Step forward one frame - On clicking this icon it takes you to move the Playhead forward by one frame from the current frame.
• Go to last frame - The Go to last frame button is used to place the Playhead on last frame of the animation in the Timeline panel.
• Center Frame - The Center Frame option is used to center the Timeline on the current frame.
• Loop - The Loop button is used to specify a range of frames to play repeatedly during animation.
• Saving Flash Document - To save a Flash file, choose File > Save or Save as from the menubar; the Save As dialog box will be displayed. The default format for saving a flash file is FLA. However, you can change it to the XFL format.