Course Overview
This Track to
Adobe
Flash CS4 is designed to teach a wide spectrum of software
professionals how to design and deliver cross-platform,
low-bandwidth animations, presentations, and Web applications using
Adobe Flash CS4. It is a task-based course, with students
learning by doing. Along with covering the basics of Adobe Flash CS4, the course focuses on best practices and design, stressing
the importance of usability, accessibility, optimization, and
performance.
Prerequisites
To gain the most from this class, you should already have:
• Have experience with the Windows or Macintosh operating system
• Be familiar with Web terminology
Course Outline
GETTING STARTED
1 GETTING ACQUAINTED
Starting Flash and Opening a File
Getting to Know the Work Area
Working with the Library Panel
Understanding the Timeline
Organizing Layers in a Timeline
Using the Property Inspector
Using the Tools Panel
Undoing Steps in Flash
Previewing Your Movie
Publishing Your Movie
Finding Resources for Using Flash
Checking for Updates
2 WORKING WITH GRAPHICS
Getting Started
Understanding Strokes and Fills
Creating Rectangles
Using a Gradient Fill
Making Selections
Drawing Ovals
Making Patterns
Creating Curves
Creating Transparencies
Creating and Editing Text
3 CREATING AMD EDITING SYMBOLS
Getting Started
Importing Illustrator Files
About Symbols
Creating Symbols
Importing Photoshop Files
Editing and Managing Symbols
Changing the Size and Position of Instances
Changing the Color Effect of Instances
Understanding Blend Effects
Applying Filters for Special Effects
Positioning in 3D Space
4 ADDING ANIMATION
Getting Started
About Animation
Understanding the Project File
Animating Position
Changing the Pacing and Timing
Animating Transparency
Animating Filters
Animating Transformations
Changing the Path of the Motion
Swapping Tween Targets
Creating Nested Animations
Using the Motion Editor
Easing
Animating 3D Motion
Previewing the Animation
5 ARTICULATED MOTION AND MORPHING
Getting Started
Articulated Motion with Inverse Kinematics
Constraining Joints
Inverse Kinematics with Shapes
Armature Options
Morphing with Shape Tweens
Using Shape Hints
6 CREATING INTERACTIVE NAVIGATION
Getting Started
About Interactive Movies
Designing a Layout
Creating Buttons
Understanding ActionScript 3.0
Adding a Stop Action
Creating Event Handlers for Buttons
Creating Destination Keyframes
Playing Animation at the Destination
Animated Buttons
7 WORKING WITH SOUND AND VIDEO
Getting Started
Understanding the Project File
Using Sounds
Understanding Flash Video
Using the Adobe Media Encoder
Understanding Encoding Options
Playback of External Video
Working with Video and Transparency
Embedding Flash Video
8 USING COMPONENTS
Getting Started
About Components
Adding a text component
Using Components to Create Interactivity
9 LOADING AND CONTROLLING FLASH CONTENT
Getting Started
Loading External Content
Removing External Content
Controlling Movie Clips
Creating Masks
10 PUBLISHING FLASH DOCUMENTS
Getting Started
Testing a Flash Document
Understanding the Bandwidth Profiler
Adding Metadata
Publishing a Movie for the Web
Alternative Publishing Options