In a previous post, I introduced the release of FlashEff 2 as an innovative Flash animation tool. In an attempt to prove my point, I am going to demonstrate how you can use FlashEff 2 to create a button using a MovieClip object.

OK, I know some of you might be thinking, a button? Well, creating a button in AS3 can be somewhat of a pain. After you get through creating your buttons, adding its functionality along with creating its appropriate event listeners; this process can get very old and tiring. Since FlashEff is here to simplify your workflow, why not let FlashEff handle your button’s functionality, animation and event listener creation.

Using Button Mode

In FlashEff 2, you can edit a button using its Button mode. This mode will allow you to assign your button some actions like following an URL, calling a function, or even going to a different frame whenever it gets clicked. All this without one single line of ActionScript. Here’s how!

Creating a Button Object

I am going to take a button graphic/design and create a MovieClip out of it. Once created, I will go into my Component Panel and drag a copy of the FlashEff2Button component onto my newly created MovieClip. One other great thing about FlashEff is that upon dragging a copy of its component onto the target object it will snap to the target’s 0,0 position.

Now it is time to toy around with the FlashEff Panel.

Using the FlashEff Panel

The FlashEff Panel is where all of the magic happens. Here you can select any of the preset effects/animations that an object can have. Once you’ve added a preset, you can then preview an example of it via the live preview feature of the panel.  Take it for a test drive.

Adding my Button Effect/Animation

In this example, I will select the “HappyTurn” preset. Now, if I wanted to I can modify the presets; allowing me to then save my own “custom” preset.  (Feature available only if you have the Premium Plus license) You can also adjust the tween type and speed for the up, over, and down button states. Just to keep things simple, I won’t be doing any of that.

Adding Commands to the Button

FlashEff’s Button mode comes equipped with its assortment of commands that you can trigger upon press. They include adding a sound, calling a function, going to a keyframe, navigating to a URL, playing back a sound, and switching objects. Also, you can even stack these commands which will allow you to trigger a sound, call a function, and navigate to a URL on one press.

In this example, I will be adding a sound playback on press along with an event to navigate to a URL upon double clicking the button object. When attaching a sound you can identify that sound through a linkage ID or path.

Overview

Below, you can find the final result of this mini demo.  Basically, the button, upon rollover, triggers the HappyTurn animation, then on press a click sound will trigger.  Now, if you double-click it will take you to the designated destination, Google’s homepage.  The custom possibilities are endless.  The more you use FlashEff the more situations you can picture yourself using the tool to simplify your project’s workflow.  To learn more on what FlashEff can accomplish, visit FlashEff.com.

FlashEff 2 Giveaway Opportunity

In the upcoming days, you are going to have the opportunity of winning 1 of 2 FlashEff 2 unlimited premium licenses.  Stay tuned…

Struggling to get our foot off the ground with getting more intimate with ActionScript 3.0?

Doug Winnie has kicked off a series, ActionScript 1:1, which is designed for animators and designers using Flash CS4 who want to take their work to the next level but need some guidance adding custom interactivity using ActionScript 3.0.

These videos are aimed at Flash Designers looking to strengthen their knowledge of ActionScript 3.0.  We all have to start somewhere when learning to use ActionScript 3.0 and this series is great way to get that train moving along.

Below are all the episodes in the series.  You can also find Doug’s videos as a channel on Adobe TV and iTunes.  Enjoy!

Welcome to ActionScript 3

Doug Winnie gives an overview of his new series in which you will learn the fundamentals of ActionScript 3.0. Get up and running in Flash Professional using ActionScript 3.0.

Working with the Actions Panel

Understand how to use the Actions panel and use the trace statement. Doug Winnie walks you through the code to control objects created in Flash.

Accessing Object Parameters

Doug Winnie demonstrates how to access properties of an object such as size and location by using instance properties with ActionScript, sending messages to the output console.

Changing Object Parameters

In order to manipulate objects, Doug Winnie uses the assignment operator in ActionScript 3.0 to instantaneously overwrite values initially assigned in Flash.

Exploring Named Library Assets

Dive deeper with the Library panel and learn more about how to name instances on the stage, and how to use the Linkage panel to name objects in the Library panel.

Adding Named Objects to the Stage

In this video, Doug Winnie teaches you how to use ActionScript to dynamically add objects to the stage using code and the DisplayStack.

Working with Comments

You can use comments to document your ActionScript code for other Developers to use. Doug’s tutorial sums up the benefit of building up good coding practices.

Fundamentals of Functions

Doug Winnie provides an introduction to functions and explains how to efficiently use them in ActionScript by grouping commonly used tasks together as a named function.

Accepting Values in Functions

Doug continues his tutorial on how to efficiently use functions with ActionScript. With functions you can customize their functionality by assigning parameters and values.

Returning Values from Functions

Doug Winnie wraps up his lesson on functions by explaining how to retrieve results for the output panel with the return statement.

Mathematical Operators

Doug Winnie teaches the basics of calculating mathematical operations in ActionScript code, including commonly used shortcuts to save coding time.

Order of Mathematical Operations

In this video, Doug Winnie reviews how Flash calculates math based on a specific order of operations.

Events and MouseEvent Handlers

Discover the power of events and how you can quickly and easily build event handlers. In this episode, Doug covers how to use events to build interactivity with the mouse.

Create a Timer

Using your advanced knowledge of ActionScript, Doug Winnie walks you through on how to combine time events with event listeners to create and control time-based events.

Create a Clock

See Doug build a clock in Flash using ActionScript to manipulate objects’ properties and add mouse and timer events. Everything you’ve learned from his tutorials is combined into one project.

Prior to Flash CS4, using Flash’s project panel to manage your project files was a bit of pain to work with. For those who have used it before, I am sure you have felt that same pain.

With the acquisition of Grant Skinner’s gProject Panel, Flash CS4 now provides a much improved project panel. When managing multiple projects, the new Flash project panel allows you to do so much more quickly and easily.

The new Project panel helps you do the following:

• Create, manage, and visualize projects
• Switch between project folders quickly
• Open files for editing
• Create files and folders
• Test and publish project files
• Bind external resources to your project

Working with the Project panel in Flash

Dan Carr recently wrote an article which provides an overview of the Project panel in Flash CS4 Professional and includes a tutorial to help you begin using the tool quickly. The tutorial guides you through the creation of a photo gallery slideshow project from a series of supplied assets.

It is definitely worth the read if you’ve never used the Flash project panel before. Even if you have, this article provides some handy tips and tricks on enhancing the use of the Flash Project panel.

Free Update to Flash CS4 Project Panel

Grant was kind enough to release an update to the Project panel with new features that will get some very excited.  Learn more about this update!

Another video by Lee Brimelow as he aims on demonstrating the new 3D features in Flash CS4 to create 3D video with no code whatsoever.

Check out the final results of what to expect from this tutorial.

Lee Brimelow, Flash Platform evangelist,  has made his keynote from FlashCamp available.  The video delivers an overall explaination on all the major new feature upgrades within Flash CS4. Enjoy!

Flash CS4 Features explained in video:

• Advanced Text Engine
• Visual Performace
• New Drawing API
• Dynamic Sound Generation
• Local File Access
• Multi-bitrate Video Streaming
• Pixel Bender
• Better Flex Integration
• New Project Panel
• Kuler Panel
• Motion Presets

With the Flash on the Beach conference wrapping up at Brighton, UK, Peter Elst just posted a video on the keynote held at this year’s conference.  This year’s keynote is given by Richard Galvan,Serge Jespers and Mark Doherty as they took the stage to talk about Flash CS4, AIR and Flash Lite.  Enjoy!

Since Adobe announced its latest version of the Creative Suite, Lee Brimelow has put together a great video demonstrating some of the new features of Flash CS4 experience.  These new features are definitely creating a huge buzz from within the Flash community and it is nice to see Adobe’s evangelists hyping it up even more.  Well done, Lee.

If you were not one of the many indivduals that joined the live broadcasting of Adobe CS4 announcements, check out Adobe Flash CS4 and its impressive enhancements.  While these new enhancements will not get a Flash developer all gittery, every Flash designer/animator should be the thanking Adobe for adding some really impressive features.

This new featureset includes:

Motion Editor

Experience detailed control over keyframe parameters, including rotation, size, scale, position, filters, and more, using the new motion editor.

Object-based animation

Gain complete control over individual animation attributes with object-based animation, which applies tweens directly to objects instead of to keyframes

Inverse kinematics with the Bones tool

Create chain-like animation effects with a series of linked objects, or quickly distort a single shape using the new Bones tool.

Procedural modeling with Deco and Spray Brush

Turn symbols into instant design tools. Apply symbols in a variety of ways: Quickly create kaleidoscope-like effects and apply fills using the Deco tool.

Metadata (XMP) support

Add metadata to SWF files using the new XMP panel. Quickly assign tags for enhanced collaboration and better mobile experiences.

3D transformation

Animate 2D objects through 3D space with exciting new 3D translation and rotation tools, which allow you to animate along the x, y, and z axes.

Motion presets

Jump-start your project with prebuilt animations that can be applied to any object.

Other Key Features:

• Authoring for Adobe AIR
• H.264 support
• XFL support

If you haven’t heard by now, a huge announcement is being made on 09-23-08 by Adobe on their up and coming CS4 suite.  Everyone has an opportunity to sign up to view the web broadcast that will be taking place the morning of 09-23-08.  I am curious to see what is up their sleeve, but I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.

Sign up now!