Adobe Flash CS5.5 for Beginners

Create a new Flash document in classic mode, adjust document settings in the Properties panel—dimensions, frame rate, and stage color—and set default preferences for future projects.

Create a flash project using the project panel or quick project. Bundle the main document, then add folders and files such as action scripting, XML, text, and test.

Preview your animation in real time by pressing enter to run and stop the timeline. Use period and comma to step forward or backward one frame without publishing.

Explore layers in Flash CS5.5 and the timeline: create, rename, move, hide, lock, and delete layers; understand stacking order and tween vs plain layers for effective animation.

Create folders to organize layers and simplify the timeline by moving items into folders, then collapse to save space and use show/hide or lock to control visibility and stacking order.

Learn to manage layers in Adobe Flash CS5.5, including renaming, show/hide, lock, access properties, use normal and masking layers, and apply outlines to see through complex documents.

Learn color management in Flash and explore vector drawing using the deco tool, line drawing, pencil, brush and scatter brush tools, along with gradients and predefined shapes.

Learn to work with color in Adobe Flash CS5.5 by setting stroke and fill, using the color wheel and color dialog, and applying alpha transparency to objects.

Draw with the line tool, bend lines using the center rotation axis, switch to object drawing, then copy, paste in place, and transform to form a flower from simple strokes.

Master predefined shape tools in Adobe Flash CS5.5 to draw rectangles, ovals, primitives, and stars, adjust fill, stroke, and stroke weight, and explore angles and inner radius for vector shapes.

Learn to create and modify gradients in Adobe Flash CS5.5 using linear and radial gradients, color swatches, and alpha transparency, with tools like gradient transform and paint bucket.

Use the eye dropper tool to pick a color from one object and apply it to other objects in your Flash document, with the cursor turning into a paint bucket.

Add strokes and fills to existing objects in Adobe Flash CS5.5 using the ink bottle and paint bucket tools, without recreating shapes.

Animate with movie clips from the library onto the stage, using a single key frame to drive a multi-frame timeline and transform properties, more controllable than static graphics.

Learn to use flash library buttons, place a button on the stage, preview up, over, down, and hit states, and compare action scripting in AS3 and AS2.

Learn two methods to open external libraries in Flash CS5.5: drag items between documents or File > Import > Open External Library to reuse graphics and symbols.

Explore classic static text in Flash CS5.5: set fonts and size, use hard and soft returns, and control left-right margins without vertical bounds.

Explore Flash text features that control font readability by adjusting tracking, kerning, and letting. Use the properties panel to adjust tracking, letting, and handle overflow.

Break and reconnect column text in Adobe Flash CS5.5 by unlinking two columns, converting the text box into a standalone element, and reattaching threads with the chain tool.

Drag and drop images from Photoshop or Illustrator into Flash CS5.5, using Ctrl+Tab to switch apps, and apply import settings to preserve vectors and layers.

Drag Photoshop or Illustrator files from the desktop into Flash CS5.5 to preserve layers, convert to Flash layers or keyframes, and set the stage size to the Photoshop canvas size.

Edit bitmap images in Flash CS5.5 by right-clicking the graphic, choosing edit with, applying grayscale or other adjustments in an external editor, and saving back to Flash.

Open the image in the library, set its bitmap properties to custom, and adjust jpeg quality to about 60% to reduce file size without noticeable quality loss.

Frame-by-frame animation using library items, combining alignment, distribution, and onion skinning to align Pac-Guy sprites precisely on the stage and distribute them evenly.

Master classic tweening, set up the document correctly, and apply gravity (easing), guide layers, shape tweening, and shape hinting to bring Flash animations to life.

Select multiple spans and drag to create a single multi-span tween, then right-click and choose create classic tween to animate them quickly across the document.

Learn to fade an on-screen object with a shape tween in Adobe Flash CS5.5 by adding a key frame at frame 25 and setting alpha from 100 to 0%.

Create a frame-by-frame movie clip from library symbols to animate walking on a single timeline, aligning each frame to the stage, testing, and reversing frames to correct.

Create a phone pole movie clip, draw and align it on the stage, and animate a 25-frame motion tween to move faster than the mountains.