MACROMEDIA FLASH 8-FLASH, Use Manual

Page: 102 / 678

102 Using Symbols, Instances, and Library Assets
Getting information about instances
on the Stage
As you create a Flash application, it can be difficult to identify a particular instance of a
symbol on the Stage, particularly if you are working with multiple instances of the same
symbol. You can identify instances using the Property inspector, the Info panel, or the Movie
Explorer.
The Property inspector and Info panel display the symbol name of the selected instance and
an icon that indicates its type—graphic, button, or movie clip. In addition, you can view the
following information:
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In the Property inspector, you can view the instance’s behavior and settings—for all
instance types, color effect settings, location, and size; for graphics, the loop mode and
first frame that contains the graphic; for buttons, the instance name (if assigned) and
tracking option; for movie clips, the instance name (if assigned). For location, the
Property inspector displays the
x and y coordinates of either the symbol’s registration point
or the symbol’s upper left corner, depending on which option is selected in the Info panel.
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In the Info panel, you can view the instance’s size and location; the location of its
registration point; its red (R), green (G), blue (B), and alpha (A) values (if the instance has
a solid fill); and the location of the pointer. The Info panel also displays the
x and y
coordinates of either the symbol’s registration point or the symbol’s upper left corner,
depending on which option is selected. To display the coordinates of the registration
point, click the center square in the Coordinate grid in the Info panel. To display the
coordinates of the upper left corner, click the upper left square in the Coordinate grid.
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In the Movie Explorer, you can view the contents of the current document, including
instances and symbols. See
“Using the Movie Explorer” on page 46 .
In addition, in the Actions panel, you can view any actions assigned to a button or movie clip.
To get information about an instance on the Stage:
1.
Select the instance on the Stage.
2.
Display the Property inspector or panel you want to use:
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To display the Property inspector, select Window > Properties.
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To display the Info panel, select Window > Info.
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To display the Movie Explorer, select Window > Movie Explorer. For more
information on the Movie Explorer, see
“Using the Movie Explorer” on page 46 .
■
To display the Actions panel, select Window > Actions.