1. Using Video, and Flash Components, and Printing Flash Content
Tutorial 9
Using Video, and Flash Components, and Printing Flash Content

2. Objectives
Learn the basics of using digital video as it relates to Flash
Import video into a Flash document
Use Flash components
Prepare Flash content for printing

3. Working with Video Video: another multimedia element used in Flash
Video adds appeal and excitement to a Web site
Basic terms: frame size, frame rate, file size
Flash provides a wizard to help you add video files
Recommendations regarding the use of videos
Start the import process with quality source files
Favor source files in a digital format
Edit video with a program such as Adobe Premiere®

4. Video Frame Rate and Frame Size
Frame rate: number of frames played each second
Total number of frames: video length x frame rate
Example: 10-second video at 30 fps requires 300 frames
Considerations when setting the frame rate
Higher frame rates improve quality, but increase file size
Greater motion in a scene demands a higher frame rate
Capability of client computer and connection speed
File size factors: frame rate, frame size, video length

5. Video Compression and Decompression
Files can be compressed by removing redundant data
Two types of compression
Temporal: compresses interframes surrounding keyframes
Spatial: compresses each frame (intraframe) independently
Compressed video must be decompressed before play
Codec: a video compressor/decompresser program
On2 VP6 codec used when publishing to Flash Player 8
Sorensen Spark codec used for publishing to Flash Player 7

6. Delivering Video Encoding: process of compressing a video
Three methods used to encode video for delivery
Embedded: video directly imported into Flash document
Progressive: video converted into separate FLV file
Streaming: video converted into separate FLV file
Special requirements for video streaming
Must use Flash Player 7 or greater to view the video
Web server running Macromedia Flash Media Server

7. Importing Video Open Video Import wizard
Path to wizard: File  Import  Import Video
Select Video: first screen in Video Import Wizard
Use dialog box to specify the location of the video file
Press Next to advance to Deployment options
Deployment: relates to Web server and delivery mode
Selecting first three options leads to Encoding and Skinning
Selecting fourth option leads to Embedding and Encoding
Fifth option results in use of QuickTime plug-in

8. Deployment Options

9. Skinning Options

10. Importing Video (continued)
First four deployment options result in library entries
FLV instance is indicated by an FLVPlayback entry
Embedded video is signified by an embedded video icon
Using an imported video
Use process similar to that for movie clips and buttons
You may need to extend the Timeline to place video frames
Recommendation: put video inside movie clip symbol
Video instance can be modified with ActionScript

11. Library Panel

12. Adding Video to the Jackson’s Sports Web Site
Objective: add two video clips of a basketball game
Overview of procedure for importing video clips
Create individual FLA documents for each clip
Import videos for progressive downloading
Use Flash 8 - Medium Quality (400 kps) encoding
Use MojaveExternalPlaySeekMute.swf skin
Name and publish SWF files
Modify Videos.fla to play the videos, publish SWF file
Add Videos page to Jackson’s Sports Web site

13. Selecting Video Quality Settings

14. Video Clip Loaded into Movie Clip Instance

15. Using Flash Components
Components: prebuilt movie clips (.swc extension)
Components are located in the Component panel
Tools used to change component parameters
Property inspector or the Component Inspector panel
Two external sources of components
Flash Exchange Web site and
Compile a component using ExportSWCFile
Add a component by dragging an instance to Stage

16. Flash User Interface Components

17. Using the ProgressBar and Loader Components
ProgressBar component
Receives progress information from other components
Displays a progress bar and percentage of file loaded
Using ProgressBar with the Loader component
SWF file is loaded into the Loader instance
ProgressBar detects content change in the Loader
ProgressBar displays information
Loader parameters: autoload, contentPath, scaleContent

18. Sample ProgressBar Component

19. ProgressBar Parameters

20. Creating a Different Version of the Videos Page
Objective: add a preloader using components
Overview of tasks
Create an instance of the Loader component
Create two buttons providing a choice of two clips
Add ActionScript to buttons to control which clip loads
Use the ProgressBar to show progress of load operation
Register an event listener with instance of video loader
Write functions listener uses to show/hide ProgressBar

21. ProgressBar Instance and Parameters

22. Frame ActionScript Code

23. Using the ScrollPane Component
Displays movie clips, SWF or JPG files in scrollable area
Objective: add ScrollPane to new Photos page
Overview of tasks
Add Scrollpane and Loader components to Photos page
Create thumbnails movie clip with buttons that load photos
Establish a link between ScrollPane and movie clip

24. Scrollpane Component Example

25. Revised Photos Page

26. Creating Printable Content
Two basic tools used to print a Flash Web Site
The Web Browser’s Print command
The Flash Player’s Print command, if available
Web browser’s Print often truncates a document
Flash Player Print accessed from context menu
User can specify current frame or all frames be printed
Alternative: program special printing options
Example: make specific frames available for printing

27. Flash Player Context Menu

28. Controlling Printing print () format: print (target,“bounding box”);
target: specifies location of frames to print
bounding box: determines how much of Stage to print
Options for bounding box: bmovie, bframe, bmax
printAsBitmap(): works like the print () function
Used when print contains transparency or color effects
One script: on(release){ print(ball_mc, “bframe”); }
Print area determined by content in frames of ball_mc

29. Bounding Box

30. Creating a Coupons Page for Jackson’s Web Site
Objective: load and print coupons
Overview of tasks
Create buttons on Coupons page to load coupon SWF files
Add empty movie clip to hold coupon SWF files
Include a button visitor can click to print a coupon
Create printable coupons in separate FLA and SWF files
Add ActionScript code to make all buttons operational
Add Coupons page to Jackson’s Sports Web site

31. Final Coupon Page Loaded in Main Web Site