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USING FLASH CS4 PROFESSIONAL
Creating and Editing Artwork
Adjust the Vanishing Point
The Vanishing Point property of a FLA file controls the orientation of the z axis of 3D movie clips on the Stage. The z
axes of all 3D movie clips in a FLA file recede toward the Vanishing Point. By relocating the Vanishing Point, you
change the direction that an object moves when translated along its z axis. By adjusting the position of the Vanishing
Point, you can precisely control the appearance of 3D objects and animation on the Stage.
For example, if you locate the Vanishing Point at the upper-left corner of the Stage (0, 0), then increasing the value of
the Z property of a movie clip moves the movie clip away from the viewer and toward the upper-left corner of the Stage.
Because the Vanishing Point affects all 3D movie clips, changing it also changes the position of all movie clips that have
a z-axis translation applied.
The Vanishing Point is a document property that affects all movie clips that have z-axis translation or rotation applied
to them. The Vanishing Point does not affect other movie clips. The default location of the Vanishing Point is the
center of the Stage.
To view or set the Vanishing Point in the Property inspector, a 3D movie clip must be selected on Stage. Changes to
the Vanishing Point are visible on the Stage immediately.
To set the Vanishing Point:
1
On the Stage, select a movie clip that has 3D rotation or translation applied to it.
2
In the Property inspector, enter a new value in the Vanishing Point field, or drag the hot text to change the value.
Guides indicating the location of the Vanishing Point appear on the Stage while dragging the hot text.
3
To move the Vanishing Point back to the center of the Stage, click the Reset button in the Property inspector.
Updated 5 March 2009
