Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Basic Concepts in Macromedia Flash
Although, the multimedia functions next are introductory; they are robust and
require some time and experimentation to develop solid skills. There are many
topics on the market that discuss Flash multimedia concepts in high detail. If
you aspire to add video or enhanced multimedia capabilities to your Web
portfolio, you should consult these sources. Flash has some basic editing tools
for editing audio, video, and for optimizing images, but they only provide low
level features. To edit multimedia files properly, you must use dedicated
software tools. Later in this chapter, we will use Adobe Audition to edit audio
files that will be imported into the library in Flash.
Macromedia Flash is the topic of many topics dedicated to the application and
the use of motion graphics. This topic is focused on Web portfolios. Using
Flash can add value to the Web portfolio, so we will explore Flash in a limited
capacity. We will examine several key techniques and some principle founda-
tions that are needed to get going with the program and we will provide basic
lessons in animation of text, graphics, and shapes. We will also discuss
exporting Shockwave Flash files (SWF) so that they can be imported into
Dreamweaver and inevitably have a place on the Web in your Web portfolio.
SWF, Shockwave Flash files are played from a Web page through a plug in or
through the Flash player. Macromedia states that 98 percent of all internet users
have the Flash player installed on their computers. This means that practically
every user that may encounter your Web portfolio will have the Flash player on
their computer and will be able to see your motion graphics.
Flash is a tool for multimedia production. Flash files can be viewed on the Web,
on video or TV, on handheld devices, and on DVD or CD Rom based
products. Flash provides an authoring and design environment that allows the
designer or programmer to integrate text, graphics, audio, video, and motion
into one file or a series of files that can call upon each other to execute
multimedia and programmable functions.
The Flash application interface consists of several key components. Content
resides in the library. Objects are assigned to the library after creation or
importation. The objects that reside in the library can be any sort. Graphic files
can include bitmap files (JPG, BMP, PNG, GIF) and vector files(AI, EPS,
FH). Audio format Flash supports includes AIF, WAV, and MP3. Flash also
allows importation of MP3 and QuickTime video.
