For Dummies Flash Professional CS5 and Flash Catalyst CS5 978-0-470-61355-9 User Manual
Product codes
978-0-470-61355-9
12
Part I: A Blast of Flash
Want a great new way to create a Flash Web site without using Flash? Yes, it’s
possible! You can design the site in Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator and then
use Adobe Flash Catalyst to create the site. For more information, see Part VI.
possible! You can design the site in Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator and then
use Adobe Flash Catalyst to create the site. For more information, see Part VI.
Discovering Flash
Flash offers a powerful system for creating animation for the Web. In a nut-
shell, here’s an overview of how you use the system:
shell, here’s an overview of how you use the system:
1. Create a Flash movie by creating graphics and animating them over the
duration of the movie.
Besides animated graphics, you can add navigational buttons, check
boxes, and other user interface elements. You can add a few Flash com-
ponents to a Web site or create an entire Web site.
ponents to a Web site or create an entire Web site.
2. Use the Publish command in Flash to publish the movie into a Flash
Player file that a browser can display.
At the same time, Flash creates the appropriate HyperText Markup
Language (HTML) code that you need for your Web page.
3. Insert HTML code into your HTML document that references the Flash
Player file.
This is similar to adding a graphic to a Web page. Or you can use the
HTML code alone as a new Web page for a fully Flashed page.
4. Upload the new or edited HTML document and the Flash Player file to
the location where you keep other files for your Web pages.
5. Open your browser, navigate to your Web page, and presto! — there’s
your cool animation, navigation, or other Flash element on your
Web page.
Web page.
You need Flash Player to see the effects that Flash creates. These days, Flash
Player comes installed with most computer systems and browsers, so most
people can view Flash-driven Web sites immediately without any special
download or preparation. When you display a Web site that contains Flash
effects, your system uses Flash Player to play the animation. Users who don’t
have Flash Player can download it for free from Adobe at www.adobe.com/
go/flashplayer
Player comes installed with most computer systems and browsers, so most
people can view Flash-driven Web sites immediately without any special
download or preparation. When you display a Web site that contains Flash
effects, your system uses Flash Player to play the animation. Users who don’t
have Flash Player can download it for free from Adobe at www.adobe.com/
go/flashplayer
.
Web sites continue to grow more and more sophisticated. By using anima-
tion, special effects, and interactive techniques, you can distinguish your
Web site from the also-rans. Creating animation isn’t hard, and you don’t
have to be a professional graphic artist, either. Anyone can create simple
animations to enhance a Web site; it just takes a little time.
tion, special effects, and interactive techniques, you can distinguish your
Web site from the also-rans. Creating animation isn’t hard, and you don’t
have to be a professional graphic artist, either. Anyone can create simple
animations to enhance a Web site; it just takes a little time.
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