Creating a Flash Web Site Tutorial 7 Creating a Flash Web Site

Objectives Plan and create a Flash Web site Create a Flash template and use the template to create Flash documents Work with external libraries Create a navigation bar with complex buttons Load external SWF files into the Flash Player using levels

Objectives (continued) Learn basic ActionScript commands Use the Actions panel Load external image files into the Flash Player using a movie clip Use the Behaviors panel

Structure of a Flash Site Items included in HTML documents (Web pages) Text, graphics, hyperlinks, Flash multimedia elements Flash Web site may consist entirely of SWF files SWF files are referenced from an HTML document Referenced SWF files play in Flash Player plug-in Navigation features in a Flash Web site Navigate SWF files using buttons or other graphics URL of Web page does not change as SWF files change Developer tools: Macromedia Dreamweaver or Flash

Quick Facts Page on Flash Version of Mars Site

Using Levels Navigation options in a Flash Web site Click a button to play current SWF file in Flash Player Click a button to load another SWF file in Flash Player An SWF file plays on top of another using levels Home page is usually loaded at level 0 Other SWF files can be loaded at higher levels; e.g., 1 SWF file properties at level 0 trump those at higher levels Newly loaded SWF file replaces another at the same level Sample: Leslie’s Salad and Sandwich Shop Web site

SWF Files Loaded at Different Levels

Planning a Flash Web Site for Jackson’s Sports Flash Web sites developed like non-Flash Web sites Flash Web site development process Determine the goals and objectives of the Web site Determine the site’s contents Design the site pages and develop a storyboard Storyboard: diagrams relationship among site pages Jackson’s Sports is the client in Tutorial 7 Task: design and implement a Flash Web site

Jackson’s Sports Web Site Outline

Jackson’s Sports Web Site Storyboard

Creating the Web Site’s Contents First step: create a home page for the Web site Home page elements: background, banner, navigation Other pages have components related to their focus Pages will be uniform in size and background Provides consistent viewing experience for the user Documents will play on top of main document

Creating the Web site’s Main Document Components for Jackson’s Sports Web site banner Text displaying the store’s name A background picture Animation using the store name text Text block regarding the support of youth sports Specifications for background Use a rectangle to cover area not covered by banner Rectangle will be colored with a gradient fill

New Text Block on Banner

Creating Additional Pages Using a Flash Template Templates: pre-built documents aiding development Advantages: consistency, flexibility, speed, quality One way to create a document based on a template Open New Document dialog box and click Templates tab Select a template and click OK Flash developers can create their own templates Create a document and then save it as a template A template will be used for the Jackson’s Sports site

Selecting a Flash Template

Save As Template Dialog Box

Using External Libraries External library has symbols from another document Opening a document’s library as an external library Point to Import on the File menu Click the Open External Library and select target FLA file Add external library symbols to Stage or library Using external libraries for Jackson’s Sports site Add external baseball and basketball symbols to template After template is completed, page construction begins

Opening an External Library

Team Names on Separate Lines

Creating a Site’s Navigation Bar Navigation buttons used in a Flash Web site Analogous to hyperlinks in a non-Flash Web site SWF files are loaded into the Flash Player when clicked Created like buttons used to control an animation ActionScript specifies which SWF file to load Navigation bar: a group of related buttons Navigation bar for Jackson’s Sports Web site Four buttons labeled Home, Services, Teams, and Photos

Adding Animation to a Button Frame Rollover effect: visual cue emphasizing click event Animations can also serve as visual cues Animations are added to Up, Over, or Down frames Adding an animation to the home button Animation will be a motion tween of a small circle Animation will be added to the Over frame Other buttons will be derived from the Home button

Buttons on Navigation Bar

Using ActionScript Navigation system comprises a set of buttons Button click causes Flash Player to load SWF files ActionScript instructions make buttons operational ActionScript: programming language within Flash Add actions using Actions panel or Behaviors panel

Using the loadMovieNum Action Format: loadMovieNum(“filename.swf”, level) Parameter 1: name of SWF file to be loaded Parameter 2: level number at which file will be loaded Example: loadMovieNum(“Services.swf”, 1) Services page will be loaded at level 1 Event handler determines when to execute an action Example: button click-release event loads a movie Code: on (release) {loadMovieNum(“Services.swf”, 1);}

Using the Actions Panel Adding a script without using Script Assist mode Select button instance on the Stage Expand the Actions panel Ensure that the Script Assist button is not selected Select actions from the Actions panel Coding buttons for Jackson’s Sports Web site Add the on event handler with the release parameter Include loadMovieNum action within the event handler A frame action is not controlled by an event handler

Action Panel Elements

On Event Handler Added to Script Pane

Loading External Image Files Images may be stored within or external to FLA file Advantage to storing an image externally External file can be replaced without FLA document edits Preparing external images Use image-editing program; e.g. Macromedia Fireworks Saving file with non-specific name, such as Photo1.jpg Ensure that image files are in same folder as SWF file Jackson’s Sports Photos page uses external images

Using the loadMovie Action loadMovie action: loads image into a movie clip Image file needs to be in the standard JPEG format Format: movieclip.loadMovie(“filename”) Behaviors panel: an alternative to Actions panel Including two pictures in the Photos page Items needed: movie clip, new set of buttons, actions Utilize loadMovie action within buttons Use Behaviors panel to add loadMovie action

Assigning a Name to the Movie Clip Instance

Using the Behaviors Panel Behaviors: pre-written ActionScript code Behaviors can be used to control an object Behaviors are assigned to movie clips, video, audio Assigning a behavior to an object First select the object Display the Behaviors panel Click Add Behavior button to open the behaviors menu Select behavior and then select appropriate options

Adding a Behavior

Photos Page Displayed In The Web Browser