Complex Animations Lecture Notes -

Objective #1: Be able to create and use animated graphic symbols.

• Animated graphic symbols can be used to optimize movie file size. An animated graphic symbol can be created from a multiple-frame, multiple-layer segment of a movie's timeline.
• Unlike a movie clip explained below, an animated graphic symbol must have a region of the timeline reserved for it that includes that same number of frames as the animated graphic. Furthermore, if the movie itself stops, so does the animated graphic symbol, unlike a movie clip.
• Animated graphic symbols are more useful for animations that are only meant to be played once. If an animation segment is meant to be used two or more times, you should create a movie clip instead. Also, animated graphic symbols can be synchronized against other movie elements a bit easier.
• Animated graphic symbols can be previewed in Flash unlike movie clips which can only be previewed when the movie has been exported or published.
• The Edit/Cut Frames menu command can be used to cut frames that you selected by dragging your mouse through the timeline. The frames (except for any sounds or ActionScript) can be pasted into a new graphic symbol using the Edit/Paste Frames menu command.

Objective #2: Be able to create and use movie clip symbols.

• Movie clip symbols can be used to optimize file size. They can also be used to help organize animated segments that need to be reused several times in a movie.
• A movie clip contains its own timeline. Furthermore, it can be placed on a single frame of a movie's timeline and its timeline can play independently of the movie's timeline. A movie clip repeats over and over again irregardless of other elements and animations in the movie itself.
• A movie clip typically contains one or more animated objects. These objects are usually symbols themselves so it is possible to nest a graphic symbol inside of a movie clip. Furthermore, it's possible to nest a movie clip symbol inside of another movie clip.
• A movie clip can contain its own sound and ActionScript statements. Since a movie clip's timeline is independent of the movie's timeline, a stop action must be placed into the last frame of a movie clip symbols timeline if you want the movie clip to only play one time.
• Use the Movie Explorer window (click the Window/Movie Explorer menu command) to examine the movie clips in your movie as well as the parent-child relationships between nested movie clips.

Objective #3: Be able to animate buttons with movie clip symbols.

• Movie clip symbols can be used to animate a button. A movie clip can be placed into the Up, Over, or Down states of a button. For example, when a movie clip is placed into the Up state of a button, it will continually play as long as the user is not holding the mouse over the button or actually clicking the button.