Controlling the Playhead

Controlling the Playhead – Part 1

We will use the main Timeline to organize our projects but all animation will take place within MovieClips. The naming conventions and Stage size will come into play for our second semester progress report so please read and follow all instructions. In Part 1 you will make this swf to demonstrate your ability to create animated buttons that trigger animations nested within MovieClips. Later, you will create your own version.

1 – Set the Stage size and color, create a physical background layer, add additional Frames, and lock the layer. NOTE: You may not be able to view your entire Stage at 100% -- if not, try 80% (Yes, I want your Stage set to 850 x 400)

2 – You can save this file with any name right now but the final project will be named as shown in this movie. NOTE: If you are in period 4 and sit at computer 23 your file would be named: per_04_23.fla -- get it?

3 – Add and rename layers as shown (of course you may add additional layers if your project requires them)

4 – Add Blank Keyframes and Labels as shown (you may have more than 5 labels but no fewer)

5 – Add content markers to the movieclip layer. NOTE: I should have set the Anti-alias for animation. My mistake. Please set your Anti-alias for animation.

6 – Create, position, and script a simple button as shown

7 – Option-Drag copies of the button, distribute with the Align Panel, and edit the ActionScript via the Behaviors Panel

8 – Create a simple animated over-state for the buttons

9 – Add an animation to each of the content markers (only the first one is shown in the movie)

Controlling the Playhead – Part 2

Now we'll begin to expand on our skill-set to create this swf

1 – Insert new Keyframes for labels for the rollover state of the button and move the content markers' Keyframes as shown (this will enable us to create a more informative rollover state for our users)

2 – Add a new goto and stop action via the Behaviors Panel to direct the playhead to jump to our new labels on rollover

3 – Insert Blank Keyframes and content for the "on release" ActionScript

4 – Set the stage to animate our buttons (be sure to break apart the buttons before converting them to a MovieClip)

5 – Animate the buttons and add ActionScript to redirect the Playhead to return to the main Timeline via the Behaviors Panel

6 – Finished? Show me and then move on to creating a far more exciting example of your own

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