Description:
Flash 4 is Macromedia's extremely complicated but powerful Web animation application. "For us, the Flash learning process was extremely painful," write authors Patton and Franklin. And since they observed many others expressing pain similar to theirs in the Flash newsgroup, they are now sharing all their hard-earned secrets in Flash 4! Creative Web Animation. Most important in learning Flash, the book suggests, is that there be a certain order: "solid comprehension ... gained in a sequential manner." The book works best if read from front to back; it's too wordy to work as a reference guide or manual (except for the appendix on keyboard shortcuts). The book's best feature is its numerous QuickTime video tutorials on the accompanying CD-ROM, which cover key concepts of Flash 4 usage. The videos demonstrate the construction of Flash movies from scratch. And, since the source file discussed in each movie is also included, readers can go back and forth between QuickTime and Flash, rebuilding or adapting the file for themselves. This comes as close as possible to replicating the indelible learning process one usually gets only in "on-the-job training." Flash 4! also takes the reader on a thorough tour of the application, beginning with chapters explaining Flash's popularity and why the plug-in is now a standard accessory in browsers. The authoring environment is outlined in full detail and includes the major aspects of creating animations, from making artwork with drawing, text, and sound tools to the underlying logic behind Flash's extensive interactive capabilities. The book's slow pacing becomes a great advantage in later chapters when the animations and the interactivity get more complex. The sample projects show some of the most popular tricks used on Web sites today, and there's even a source file for a Whack-a-Mole game. Other highlights of Flash 4! include discussions on testing for download speed, choosing the right format for publishing a file, and preplanning and preparing a job. There's an amazing wealth of information and experience in Flash 4! Beginners and intermediate users of Flash may soon find themselves as comfortable with it as they are with their layout applications. --Angelynn Grant Topics covered: All features and tools of Flash 4 covered in great detail, including an introduction to the authoring environment, drawing tools, working with text and sound, using bitmap images, working with symbols and instances, using and managing the libraries, working with layers, animation and interactivity, testing and publishing movies, and project planning and preparation; appendices with keyboard shortcuts and a list of online resources and discussion groups. CD-ROM includes detailed QuickTime video tutorials and source files, a 30-day trial of Flash 4, and tryout versions of other Macromedia applications.
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