Dr. Lee’s Review

Flash

ActionScript:  The Flash scripting language.  Uses a syntax similar to JavaScript for controlling objects and movies and creating interactivity in a movie.

Alpha:  Transparency.  Flash can change the transparency of colors to create see-through objects.

Guide layer:  A layer that contains an object, usually are used for creating motion path.

Instance:  A copy of a symbol that you can use on the Stage and for animation.  You can change the properties of instances without affecting the symbol.

Keyframe:  A frame on the Timeline that contains a change in animation.  For example, in order to create tweened animation, you need to create keyframes at the beginning and end of the tween.

Library:  The storehouse for symbols, imported bitmaps and sound files.

Motion path:  A path, created in line by pencil or other tool, which defines the motion of an object in a motion tween.  The motion path works only on a guide layer.

Onion skin mode: A method of viewing animation so that you see all frames at once.

Scene:  A division of a movie, used to help organize the movie into parts.

Stage:  The rectangle in the middle of the Flash screen where you place objects for animation.

Symbol:  A named, saved object or set of objects.  Symbols are stored in the Library and can be motion twinned.  You can create instances of symbols and place them on the Stage.

Timeline: A movie’s set of frames along which the animation runs.

Tween - Shape tweeen: An animation in which one shape changes into another shape; you define the first and last shapes and Flash automatically fills in the intermediate shapes.
Motion tween: An animation that moves objects, created by defining the beginning and end points and letting Flash automatically fill in the in-between motion.

Web-safe color: A color that appears the same on all computer systems and in all browsers.  There are 216 colors, and they are defined by using a hexadecimal system

**********
FLS file:  File created in Flash environment.  Able to use the same file to do editing  when needed.  Cannot be displayed on the web.

SWF file:  The filename extension for Flash Player file. Compressed file. Not able to make changes in Flash environment. Able to display on the Web.

Flash accepts the following sound file formats: AIFF; WAV ;MP3.

Flash accepts the following graphics formats: Gif; Jpeg; PNG; Bitmap; AVI; PICT.