MACROMEDIA DIRECTOR MX 2004-USING DIRECTOR, Use Manual, Page: 97 / 500

Animating sprites with Lingo or JavaScript syntax 97
To use real-time recording:
1
Select one or more sprites on the Stage or in the Score.
Recording begins at the playhead. It is best to select a sprite in a channel that contains no other
sprites later in the movie.
To record in a specific range of frames, select the frames, and then click the Selected Frames
Only button in the Control panel.
2
Select Control > Real-Time Recording.
The real-time recording indicator appears next to the channel numbers for the sprite being
recorded, and a red and white selection frame appears around the sprite. Recording begins as
soon as you drag the sprite on the Stage, so be prepared to move the mouse.
3
Drag the sprite on the Stage to record a path for the sprite.
Director records the path.
4
Release the mouse button to stop recording.
The movie continues to play until you stop it.
Note: If you select Trails for the sprite, you can also use real-time recording to simulate handwriting.
Linking a sequence with Paste Relative
Paste Relative automatically aligns the start frame of one sprite with the end frame of the
preceding sprite. It is useful for extending animations across the Stage.
To paste one sequence relative to another:
1
Select a sprite in the Score.
2
Select Edit > Copy Sprites.
3
Select the cell immediately after the last cell in the sprite.
4
Select Edit > Paste Special > Relative.
Director positions the beginning of the pasted sprite where the previous sprite ends.
Repeat the process as many times as you need to create one continuous animation across
the Stage.
Animating sprites with Lingo or JavaScript syntax
Lingo or JavaScript syntax can create animation regardless of the settings in the Score. This allows
you to create or modify animation depending on movie conditions.
To move a sprite on the Stage, you use script that controls the sprite’s location. For more
information, see the Scripting Reference topics in the Director Help Panel.
To animate a sprite by switching the sprite’s cast members, change the sprite’s
member
property.
For more information about this property, see the Scripting Reference topics in the Director
Help Panel.
The first sprite ends here, and the pasted sprite begins.