MACROMEDIA DIRECTOR MX 2004-GETTING STARTED WITH DIRECTOR, Getting Started

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52 Chapter 4: Building Your First Application
Panels
in Flash assist you in working with and assigning attributes to the document or to objects
on the Stage. For more information about panels, including how to dock and move them, see
“Using panels and the Property inspector” on page 36 .
The Property inspector allows you to view and change attributes of a selected object. The
Property inspector changes to display information about the tool or asset you are working with,
offering quick access to frequently used features. For more information about the Property
inspector, see
“Using panels and the Property inspector” on page 36 .
The Library panel
stores reusable items such as graphics, sound, and video clips. When you want
to use a library item, you simply drag it from the Library panel to the Stage. You’ll learn more
about the Library panel next.
View the library for your document
You can view library items for your document in the Library panel.
1.
If the Library panel isn’t open, select Window > Library.
2.
View or scroll through the assets in the Library panel.
3.
When you finish viewing the library assets, collapse the panel.
Close the application
To close the document, select File > Close.
If you’ve made changes to the file, do not save them.
Create a new document
Now that you have had a tour of the application you will create and of the Flash workspace, it is
time to create your own Flash document. To learn how to create a application in Flash, you’ll start
with the very first step in the process: creating a new file.
Open a new document
Now you’re ready to create your own version of the ad.
1.
Select File > New.
2.
Select Flash Document and read the description of the file type that appears, and then click OK.
3.
Select File > Save.
4.
Name the file myad.fla and save the file on your desktop or in any convenient location.
The file is given the extension .fla.
Note: As you complete the tutorial, remember to save your work frequently.
Define document properties
Configuring document properties is a common first step in authoring. You can use the Property
inspector to specify settings that affect the entire application, such as the frames per second (fps)
playback rate, and the Stage size and background color.