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The Web Wizard’s Guide to Flash teaches readers with no programming experience how to quickly create interactive content for the Web. From creating graphics and animation to incorporating actions and sound, this quick and easy-to-understand introduction to Flash will show readers how to create well-designed, exciting Web sites in no time!

• Focuses on the essentials for gaining a solid foundation in Flash.
• Shows how to create original artwork within Flash and how to work with media from other sources.
• Gives readers an opportunity to create animations from the start, and then add sound and actions.
• Demonstrates how to apply simple actions, free of scripting; but later introduces the basics of writing ActionScript code by hand.
• Takes readers through the process of optimizing a Flash movie and publishing a SWF file for the Web.
• Provides professional insight into how to apply Flash more effectively.
• Written in accessible, step-by-step writing style.
• Provides full color screenshots and code examples.

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Chapter 1: Getting Started with Flash

• What is Flash?
• When (and When Not) to Use Flash
• Working with Flash
• A Tour of the Program
• Changing the View
• Setting Preferences
  

Chapter 2: Creating Graphics

• Creating and Saving Work Files
  
• Setting Movie Properties
  
• Overview of the Tools Panel
  
• Drawing New Objects
  
• Selecting and Transforming Artwork
  
• Applying Color
  
• Working with Multiple Objects
  
• Organizing Artwork with Layers
  
• Importing Bitmap Images
  
• Working with Other Vector Programs
  
• Adding and Formatting Text
  

Chapter 3: Flash Animation

• Working with Frames in the Timeline
  
• Creating Frame-by-Frame Animation
• Introducing Symbols
  
• Animating with a Motion Tween
  
• Constructing Animated Symbols
  
• Nesting symbols
  
• Motion Tween Is Not Just for Motion
  
• Animating with a Shape Tween
  
• Viewing Multiple Frames with Onion Skin
  
• Applying Guide Layers
  
• Masking with Layers
  
• Managing Assets in the Library
  
• Adding Scenes to the Movie
  

Chapter 4: Basic Actions

• Using Interactivity in Flash
  
• Getting Familiar with the Actions Panel
• Applying Frame Actions
• Checking Your Actions
  
• Assigning Actions to Buttons
• Applying Basic Actions that Play a Movie
• Controlling Movie Clips with Tell Target
  
• Defining a Path
• Building a Pull Down Menu
  

Chapter 5: Enriching Movies with Sound

• When to Use Sound
  
• Importing Sounds Into Flash
  
• Placing a Sound in a Flash Movie
  
• An Overview of Sound Settings
  
• Maximizing Sound Compression
  
• Adding Sound to a Button
  
• Controlling Sounds with Actions
  
• Sound Strategy
  

Chapter 6: Optimizing and Publishing

• Optimizing Flash Content
  
• Navigating with The Movie Explorer
• Testing Movies with the Bandwidth Profiler
  
• Creating a Loading Sequence
  
• Publishing Flash Content for the Web
• Testing in a Web Browser
  
• Accommodating Older Plug-ins
  
• Posting Your Files on the Web

Chapter 7: Easing into ActionScript

• From Basic Actions to ActionScript
  
• The Anatomy of ActionScript
• Applying Built-in Functions
  
• Applying Dot Syntax to Methods and Properties
  
• Setting Requirements with Conditionals
  
• Using Variables and Operators to Change Properties
  
• Combining Variables, Operators, and Properties
• Building a Custom Function
  
• Writing Good Code
• What Else you Can Do with ActionScript
  

Chapter 8: The Flash Experience

• When is Flash the Answer?
• Designing for the User
  
• Step-by-Step Design
  
• Good Flash Practices
  
• The Road to Flash Mastery
• Beyond Flash
  
  Supplements
  Instructor’s Manual

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To order The Web Wizard's Guide to Flash, ask your bookstore for ISBN 0-201-76434-2

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