Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
content creation. We are using the term button to define an interactive object
that has a hyperlink attached to it. Button and movieclips are programmable in
Flash. Programmability means that ActionScript can be attached either button
or movieclip symbols. In essence this means that movieclip symbols can be
used as buttons in Flash. Programmable, movieclips allow ActionScripts to be
attached to their instances on the stage so that they can act as interactive
buttons. Movieclips are contained objects that run a movie. The movie inside
the movieclip can have all the properties and elements that are seen on the main
timeline. However, movieclip symbols are different because they can be
controlled on the main stage and they occupy only one frame in the main stage.
Their unique timelines are inside the movieclip. The movieclip can contain an
animation that is 200 frames. When the movieclip is placed on the stage, the
symbol occupies a single frame, but executes the entire movie on the stage.
Movieclip symbols have independent timelines that can be controlled by
ActionScript on the main stage or by ActionScript contained in other movieclip
symbols.
Another technique that is frequently used to boost the multimedia characteris-
tics of a button is to nest an animated movieclip inside of a button symbol. This
technique allows the unique timeline of the movieclip to play inside of the button
during and event.
We will examine both programming possibilities, buttons and movieclips, in the
context of a splash page in the next tutorial section. First, we will make a button
symbol and program it. Next, we will make the same interactive element, but
will use a movieclip symbol instead of a button.
Symbol Editor
When you insert new symbol, Flash changes the screen and switches to the
symbol editor. Now this can be confusing to Flash novices, but once you
understand where you are and how to operate there, creating symbols in the
symbol editor will be easier. You tackled making a text animation on the main
stage previously. Now we will venture into the symbol editor to make the
hyperlinked button at that will occupy the last frame of our text animation on the
stage. Then we will explore another way to accomplish the same task and we
will create the button using a movieclip symbol. These tutorials will give you
some basic knowledge on creating buttons and movieclips, but most impor-
