Macromedia Flash

Macromedia Flash MX

M U L T I M E D I A

I N S T R U C T I O N A L

D E V E L O P M E N T

C E N T E R

Table of Contents

Getting Started..... 5
System requirements.....5 The following hardware and software are required to author Flash movies:..5 Windows:.....5 Macintosh:.....5 Flash Plug-in.....5 Installing Flash MX.....5
About Flash MX and General Overview.... 6
Overview.....6 General Flash settings and features....6 Stage & work area of Flash MX....6 Using the grid.....7 Using guides.....8 Using rulers.....9 Creating a new document/template....10 Using Scenes & Scene Panel....11 Using the timeline.....13 Changing the location of the playhead....14 Using frames & keyframes....14 Working with Frames and Keyframes in timeline....15 Creating frame labels & comments in the timeline...16 Using layers.....17 Creating layers and layer folders....17 Viewing layers and layer folders....18 Organizing layers & layer folders....20 Using Guide Layers.....20
Drawing in Flash MX..... 21
Vector Vs Bitmap.....21 Vector graphics.....21 Bitmap graphics....22 Flash drawing & painting tools....23 Drawing with the Pencil tool....24 Drawing with the Pen tool.....25 Painting using the brush tool....25 To paint with the Brush tool:....25 Reshaping graphics using the Arrow tool....26 Erasing.....27 Snapping.....27
Using Colors in Flash MX.... 27
Using stroke and fill colors....27

M A C R O M E D I A

F L A S H
Working with solid colors/gradients using the color mixer.. 28 Locking a gradient or bitmap to fill the stage... 29 To use a locked gradient fill:.... 30
Importing Artwork, Video, & Audio... 30
Formats you can import.... 30 Working with Artwork..... 33 Using the property inspector to work with bitmaps... 33 Applying a bitmap fill..... 34 Breaking apart a bitmap.... 34 Converting Bitmaps to Vector Graphics.... 35 Working with Video..... 36 How to Import Video.... 36 To update an embedded video clip editing in an external editor.. 37 To replace an embedded video clip with another video clip... 37 Working with Audio..... 38 To import audio.... 38 To add a sound to a movie..... 38 Add sounds to buttons.... 40 Using the sound-editing control panel.... 40 To edit a sound file:..... 41 To stop and start a sound at an Ending Keyframe.... 42
Transforming shapes & graphics... 42
Transforming objects freely.... 42 To transform freely:..... 42 Modifying shapes using the Envelope modifier.... 43 To modify a shape with the Envelope modifier:... 44 Scaling objects..... 44 To scale objects by dragging:..... 44 Rotating objects..... 44 To rotate and skew objects by dragging:... 45 Skewing objects..... 45 To skew an object using the Transform panel:.... 45
Symbols, Instances, & Library assets.... 45
Types of symbol behavior..... 46 Creating Symbols..... 46 To convert selected elements to a symbol:... 47 To create a new empty symbol:.... 48 Duplicating Symbols..... 48 To duplicate a symbol using the Library panel:... 48 To duplicate a symbol by selecting an instance:... 49 Creating Instances..... 49 To create a new instance of a symbol:.... 49 To apply a custom name to an instance:.... 50 Creating buttons..... 50
To create a button:.....50
Creating Animations.... 53
Motion and Shape tweening overview....53 Frame by Frame animation overview....54 Creating Keyframes.....54 To create a keyframe, do one of the following:...54 Representation of animations in the timeline....54 Motion Tweening Instances and Groups....55 To create a motion tween using the Motion Tweening option:...56 To create a motion tween using the Create Motion Tween command:...57 Shape Tweening.....59 To tween a shape:....59

Action Scripts..... 60

Using the Actions Panel....60 To display the Actions panel, do one of the following:...61 To activate the Actions panel:.....61 To navigate through the Actions toolbox, do the following:...61 Actions Panel in the normal mode....62 To display the actions panel in normal mode...63 To view a description of an action, do one of the following:...63 To add an action to the script panel, do one of the following...64 To delete an action.....64 To relocate a statement in the action script window...64 To work with parameters....64 To search for text in a script, do one of the following...64 To navigate between scripts....65 To resize the actions toolbox or script panel...65 To view line numbers in the script panel...65 To print actions.....65 Assign Actions to frames and buttons....65 To assign an action to a frame in the timeline...65 To test a movie and actions....66 To Assign actions to buttons....66 To assign an action to a button:....67

Flash MX and Accessibility... 68 Publishing the Flash movie.... 68
To set general publish settings for a Flash document:...68

Getting Started

System requirements The following hardware and software are required to author Flash movies:

Windows:

An Intel Pentium 200 MHz or equivalent processor running Windows 98 SE, Windows ME, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows XP; 64 MB of RAM (128 MB recommended); 85 MB of available disk space; a 16-bit color monitor capable of 1024 x 768 resolution; and a CD-ROM drive.

Macintosh:

A Power Macintosh running Mac OS 9.1 (or later) or Mac OS X version 10.1 (or later); 64 MB RAM free application memory (128 MB recommended), plus 85 MB of available disk space; a color monitor capable of displaying 16-bit (thousands of colors) at 1024 x 768 resolution; and a CD-ROM drive.

Flash Plug-in

To view Flash movies using a browser, the user needs to have a plug-in loaded specifically for the browser he/she is using. To download the player, visit the following link: http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/ Installing Flash MX Follow these steps to install Flash on either a Windows or a Macintosh computer. To install Flash on a Windows or a Macintosh computer: 1. Insert the Flash CD into the computer's CD-ROM drive. 2. Do one of the following: o In Windows, choose Start > Run. Click Browse and choose the Flash MX Installer.exe file on the Flash MX CD. Click OK in the Run dialog box to begin the installation. 3. On the Macintosh, double-click the Flash MX Installer icon. 4. Follow the instructions provided by the CD 5. If prompted, restart your computer.
About Flash MX and General Overview
Overview Macromedia Flash MX movies are graphics, text, animation, and applications for Web sites. They consist primarily of vector graphics, but they can also contain imported video, bitmap graphics, and sounds. Flash movies can incorporate interactivity to permit input from viewers, and you can create nonlinear movies that can interact with other Web applications. Web designers use Flash to create navigation controls, animated logos, long-form animations with synchronized sound, and even complete, rich Web sites. Flash movies use compact vector graphics, so they download rapidly and scale to the viewer's screen size while restoring the same quality of the graphics (please refer to comparison between vector and bitmap graphics section below). You've probably watched and interacted with Flash movies on many Web sites. Millions of Web users have received the Flash Player with their computers, browsers, or system software; others have downloaded it from the Macromedia Web site. The Flash Player resides on the local computer, where it plays back movies in browsers or as stand-alone applications. Viewing a Flash movie on the Flash Player is similar to viewing a DVD on a DVD playerthe Flash Player is the device used to display the movies you create in the Flash authoring application. Flash documents, which have the.fla filename extension, contain all the information required to develop, design, and test interactive content (might be referred to as the working document). Flash documents are not the movies the Flash Player displays. Instead, you publish your FLA documents as Flash movies, which have the.swf filename extension and contain only the information needed to display the movie. General Flash settings and features

Stage & work area of Flash MX
Like films, Flash movies divide lengths of time into frames. The Stage is where you compose the content for individual frames in the movie, drawing artwork on it directly or arranging imported artwork on it.

Using the grid

When the grid is displayed in a document, it appears as a set of lines behind the artwork in all scenes. You can snap objects to the grid, and you can modify the grid size and grid line color.
To display or hide the drawing grid: Choose View > Grid > Show Grid.
To turn snapping to grid lines on or off: Choose View > Grid > Snap to Grid.
To set grid preferences: 1 Choose View > Grid > Edit Grid. 2 For Color, click the triangle in the color box and select a grid line color from the palette.
The default grid line color is gray. 3 Select or deselect Show Grid to display or hide the grid. 4 Select or deselect Snap to Grid to turn snapping to grid lines on or off. 5 For grid spacing, enter values in the text boxes to the right of the horizontal and vertical arrows. 6 For Snap Accuracy, select an option from the pop-up menu. 7 If you want to save the current settings as the default, click Save Default.

Using guides

You can drag horizontal and vertical guides from the rulers onto the Stage when the rulers are displayed. You can move guides, lock guides, hide guides, and remove guides. You can also snap objects to guides, and change guide color and snap tolerance (how close objects must be to snap to a guide). Drag-able guides appear only in the Timeline in which they were created. To create custom guides or irregular guides, you use guide layers.
To display or hide the drawing guides: Choose View > Guides > Show Guides. Note: If the grid is visible and Snap to Grid is turned on when you create guides, guides will snap to the grid.
To turn snapping to guides on or off: Choose View > Guides > Snap to Guides. Note: Snapping to guides takes precedence over snapping to the grid in places where guides fall between grid lines.
To move a guide: Use the Arrow tool to drag the guide.
To remove a guide: With guides unlocked, use the Arrow tool to drag the guide to the horizontal or vertical ruler. For information on locking and unlocking guides, see the following procedure.

To set guide preferences: 1 Choose View > Guides > Edit Guides. 2 For Color, click the triangle in the color box and select a guide line color from the palette. The default guide color is green. 3 Select or deselect Show Guides to display or hide guides. 4 Select or deselect Snap to Guides to turn snapping to guides on or off. 5 Select or deselect Lock Guides to lock or unlock guides. 6 For Snap Accuracy, select an option from the pop-up menu. 7 If you want to remove all guides, click Clear All. Note: Clear All removes all guides from the current scene. 8 If you want to save the current settings as the default, click Save Default.

Using rulers

When rulers are displayed, they appear along the top and left sides of the document. You can change the unit of measure used in the rulers from the default of pixels. When you move an element on the Stage with the rulers displayed, lines indicating the element's dimensions appear on the rulers.
To display or hide rulers: Choose View > Rulers.
To specify the rulers' unit of measure for a document:
Choose Modify > Document, and then select an option from the pop-up menu at the upper right.
Creating a new document/template
Each time you open Flash, the application creates a new file with the FLA extension. You can create additional new Flash documents as you work. To set the size, frame rate, background color, and other properties of a new document, you use the Document Properties dialog box. You can also open a template as a new document. You can choose from standard templates that ship with Flash, or open a template you have saved previously.
To create a new document and set its properties: 1 Choose File > New. 2 Choose Modify > Document. The Document Properties dialog box appears. 3 For Frame Rate, enter the number of animation frames to be displayed every second. For most computer-displayed animations, especially those playing from a Web site, 8 fps (frames per second) to 12 fps is sufficient. (12 fps is the default frame rate.) 4 For Dimensions, do one of the following: o To specify the Stage size in pixels, enter values in the Width and Height text boxes. The default movie size is 550 x 400 pixels. The minimum size is 1 x 1 pixels; the maximum is 2880 x 2880 pixels. o To set the Stage size so that there is equal space around the content on all sides, click the Contents button to the right of Match. To minimize movie size, align all elements to the upper left corner of the Stage, and then click Contents.
o To set the Stage size to the maximum available print area, click Printer. This area is determined by the paper size minus the current margin selected in the Margins area of the Page Setup dialog box (Windows) or the Print Margins dialog box (Macintosh). o To set the Stage size to the default size, click Default. 5 To set the background color of your movie, click the triangle in the Background Color box and select a color from the palette. 6 To specify the unit of measure for rulers that you can display along the top and side of the application window, select an option from the pop-up menu in the upper right. 7 Do one of the following: o To make the new settings the default properties for your new document only, click OK. o To make these settings the default properties for all new documents, click Make Default.

To open a template as a new document: 1. Choose File > New from Template. 2. In the New Document dialog box, select a category from the Category list, and select a document from the Category Items list. 3. Click OK.
Using Scenes & Scene Panel
To organize a movie thematically, you can use scenes. For example, you might use separate scenes for an introduction, a loading message, and credits. When you publish a Flash movie that contains more than one scene, the scenes in the movie play back in the order they are listed in the Scene panel in the Flash document. Frames in the movie are numbered consecutively through scenes. For example, if a movie contains two scenes with ten frames each, the frames in Scene 2 are numbered 11-20. You can add, delete, duplicate, rename, and change the order of scenes. To stop or pause a movie after each scene, or to let users navigate the movie in a nonlinear fashion, you use actions.
To display the Scene panel: Choose Window > Scene.
To view a particular scene: Choose View > Go To and then choose the name of the scene from the submenu.
To add a scene, do one of the following: o Click the Add Scene button in the Scene panel. o Choose Insert > Scene.
To delete a scene, do one of the following: o Click the Delete Scene button in the Scene panel. o Open the scene you want to delete and choose Insert > Remove Scene. To change the name of a scene: Double-click the scene name in the Scene panel and enter the new name.
To duplicate a scene: Click the Duplicate Scene button in the Scene panel. To change the order of a scene in the movie: Drag the scene name to a different location in the Scene panel.

Using the timeline

The Timeline organizes and controls a movie's content over time in layers and frames. Like films, Flash movies divide lengths of time into frames. Layers are like multiple film strips stacked on top of each other, each containing a different image that appears on the Stage. The major components of the Timeline are layers, frames, and the playhead. Layers in a document are listed in a column on the left side of the Timeline. Frames contained in each layer appear in a row to the right of the layer name. The Timeline header at the top of the Timeline indicates frame numbers. The playhead indicates the current frame displayed on the Stage. The Timeline status display at the bottom of the Timeline indicates the selected frame number, the current frame rate, and the elapsed time to the current frame. Note: When an animation is played, the actual frame rate is displayed; this may differ from the movie frame rate if the computer can't display the animation quickly enough.

The Timeline provides a view of tweened frames in an animation. Flash offers two different methods for selecting frames in the Timeline. In frame-based selection (the default) you select individual frames in the Timeline. In span-based selection, the entire frame sequence, from one keyframe to the next, is selected when you click any frame in the sequence.
To insert frames in the Timeline, do one of the following: o To insert a new frame, choose Insert > Frame. o To create a new keyframe, choose Insert > Keyframe, or right-click (Windows) or Controlclick (Macintosh) the frame where you want to place a keyframe, and choose Insert Keyframe from the context menu. o To create a new blank keyframe, choose Insert > Blank Keyframe, or right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the frame where you want to place the keyframe, and choose Insert Blank Keyframe from the context menu.
To delete or modify a frame or keyframe, do one of the following: o To delete a frame, keyframe, or frame sequence, select the frame, keyframe, or sequence and choose Insert > Remove Frame, or right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the frame, keyframe, or sequence and choose Remove Frame from the context menu. Surrounding frames remain unchanged.
o To move a keyframe or frame sequence and its contents, drag the keyframe or sequence to the desired location. o To extend the duration of a keyframe, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Macintosh) the keyframe to the final frame of the new sequence duration. o To copy a keyframe or frame sequence by dragging, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Macintosh) and drag the keyframe to the new location. o To copy and paste a frame or frame sequence, select the frame or sequence and choose Edit > Copy Frames. Select a frame or sequence that you want to replace, and choose Edit > Paste Frames. o To convert a keyframe to a frame, select the keyframe and choose Insert > Clear Keyframe, or right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the keyframe and choose Clear Keyframe from the context menu. The cleared keyframe and all frames up to the subsequent keyframe are replaced with the contents of the frame preceding the cleared keyframe. o To change the length of a tweened sequence, drag the beginning or ending keyframe left or right. o To add an item from the library to the current keyframe, drag the item from the Library panel on to the Stage.
Creating frame labels & comments in the timeline
Frame labels are useful for identifying keyframes in the Timeline and should be used instead of frame numbers when targeting frames in actions such as Go To. If you add or remove frames, the label moves with the frame it was originally attached to, whereas frame numbers can change. Frame labels are included when you publish a document as a Flash movie, so avoid long names to minimize file size. Frame comments are useful for making notes to yourself and others working on the same document. Frame comments are not exported when you publish a document as a Flash movie, so you can make them as long as you want. To create a frame label or comment: 1 Select a frame. 2 If the Property inspector is not visible, choose Window > Properties. 3 In the Property inspector, enter the frame label or comment in the Frame Label text box. To make the text a comment, enter two slashes (//) at the beginning of each line of the text.

To view the contents of a layer as outlines, do one of the following: o Click in the Outline column to the right of the layer's name to display all objects on that layer as outlines. Click in it again to turn off outline display. o Click the outline icon to display objects on all layers as outlines. Click it again to turn off outline display on all layers. o Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Macintosh) in the Outline column to the right of a layer's name to display objects on all other layers as outlines. Alt-click or Option-click in it again to turn off outline display for all layers. To change a layer's outline color:
1 Do one of the following: o Double-click the layer's icon (the icon to the left of the layer name) in the Timeline. o Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the layer name and choose Properties from the context menu. o Select the layer in the Timeline and choose Modify > Layer. 2 In the Layer Properties dialog box, click the Outline Color box and select a new color, enter the hexadecimal value for a color, or click the Color Picker button and choose a color. 3 Click OK. To change layer height in the Timeline: 1 Do one of the following: o Double-click the layer's icon (the icon to the left of the layer name) in the Timeline. o Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) the layer name and choose Properties from the context menu. o Select the layer in the Timeline and choose Modify > Layer. 2 In the Layer Properties dialog box, choose an option for Layer Height and click OK. To change the number of layers displayed in the Timeline: Drag the bar that separates the Timeline from the Stage.
Organizing layers & layer folders
You can rearrange layers and folders in the Timeline to organize your document. Layer folders help organize your workflow by letting you place layers in a tree structure. You can expand or collapse a folder to see the layers it contains without affecting which layers are visible on the Stage. Folders can contain both layers and other folders, allowing you to organize layers in much the same way you organize files on your computer. The layer controls in the Timeline affect all layers within a folder. For example, locking a layer folder locks all layers within that folder.
To move a layer or layer folder into a layer folder: Drag the layer or layer folder name to the destination layer folder name. The layer or layer folder appears inside the destination layer folder in the Timeline. To change the order of layers or folders: Drag one or more layers or folders in the Timeline to the desired position. To expand or collapse a folder: Click the triangle to the left of the folder name. To expand or collapse all folders: Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) and choose Expand All Folders or Collapse All Folders from the context menu.

Flash drawing & painting tools Flash provides various tools for drawing freeform or precise lines, shapes, and paths, and for painting filled objects.

o o o o

To draw freeform lines and shapes as if drawing with a real pencil, you use the Pencil tool. To draw precise paths as straight or curved lines, you use the Pen tool. To draw basic geometric shapes, you use the Line, Oval, and Rectangle tools. To create brush like strokes as if painting with a brush, you use the Brush tool.
When you use most Flash tools, the Property inspector changes to present the settings associated with that tool. For example, if you choose the Text tool, the Property inspector displays text properties, making it easy to select the text attributes you want. When you use a drawing or painting tool to create an object, the tool applies the current stroke and fill attributes to the object. To change the stroke and fill attributes of existing objects, you can use the Paint Bucket and Ink Bottle tools in the toolbox or the Property inspector. You can reshape lines and shape outlines in a variety of ways after you create them. Fills and strokes are treated as separate objects. You can select fills and strokes separately to move or modify them. You can use snapping to automatically align elements with each other and with the drawing grid or guides.
Drawing with the Pencil tool
To draw lines and shapes, you use the Pencil tool, in much the same way that you would use a real pencil to draw. To apply smoothing or straightening to the lines and shapes as you draw, you can select a drawing mode for the Pencil tool. To draw with the Pencil tool: 1 Select the Pencil tool. 2 Select Window > Properties and select a stroke color, line weight, and style in the Property inspector. 3 Choose a drawing mode under Options in the toolbox: o Choose Straighten to draw straight lines and convert approximations of triangles, ovals, circles, rectangles, and squares into these common geometric shapes. o Choose Smooth to draw smooth curved lines. o Choose Ink to draw freehand lines with no modification applied.
Lines drawn with Straighten, Smooth, and Ink mode, respectively
4 Drag on the Stage to draw with the Pencil tool. Shift-drag to constrain lines to vertical or horizontal directions.
Drawing with the Pen tool
To draw precise paths as straight lines or smooth, flowing curves, you can use the Pen tool. You can create straight or curved line segments and adjust the angle and length of straight segments and the slope of curved segments. When you draw with the Pen tool, you click to create points on straight line segments, and click and drag to create points on curved line segments. You can adjust straight and curved line segments by adjusting points on the line. You can convert curves to straight lines and the reverse. You can also display points on lines that you create with other Flash drawing tools, such as the Pencil, Brush, Line, Oval, or Rectangle tools, to adjust those lines.

Painting using the brush tool
The Brush tool lets you create special effects, including calligraphic effects. You can choose a brush size and shape using the Brush tool modifiers. On most pressure-sensitive tablets, you can vary the width of the brush stroke by varying pressure on the stylus. Brush size for new strokes remains constant even when you change the magnification level for the Stage, so the same brush size appears larger when the Stage magnification is lower. For example, suppose you set the Stage magnification to 100% and paint with the Brush tool using the smallest brush size. Then, you change the magnification to 50% and paint again using the smallest brush size. The new stroke that you paint appears 50% thicker than the earlier stroke. (Changing the magnification of the Stage does not change the size of existing brush strokes.) You can use an imported bitmap as a fill when painting with the Brush tool.
A variable-width brush stroke drawn with a stylus
To paint with the Brush tool:

1 Select the Brush tool.

2 Select Window > Properties and select a fill color in the Property inspector3 Mode modifier and choose a painting mode:

Click the Brush

o Paint Normal paints over lines and fills on the same layer. o Paint Fills paints fills and empty areas, leaving lines unaffected. o Paint Behind paints in blank areas of the Stage on the same layer, leaving lines and fills unaffected. o Paint Selection applies a new fill to the selection when you select a fill in the Fill modifier or the Fill box of the Property inspector. (This option is the same as simply selecting a filled area and applying a new fill.) o Paint Inside paints the fill in which you start a brush stroke and never paints lines. This works much like a smart coloring book that never allows you to paint outside the lines. If you start painting in an empty area, the fill doesn't affect any existing filled areas.

Original image

Paint Normal

Paint Behind

Paint Paint Selection Fills

Paint Inside

4 Choose a brush size and brush shape from the Brush tool modifiers. 5 If a pressure-sensitive tablet is attached to your computer, you can select the Pressure modifier to vary the width of your brush strokes by varying the pressure on your stylus. 6 Drag on the Stage. Shift-drag to constrain brush strokes to horizontal and vertical directions.

Reshaping graphics using the Arrow tool
To reshape a line or shape outline, you can drag on any point on a line using the Arrow tool. The pointer changes to indicate what type of reshaping it can perform on the line or fill. Flash adjusts the curve of the line segment to accommodate the new position of the moved point. If the repositioned point is an end point, you can lengthen or shorten the line. If the repositioned point is
a corner, the line segments forming the corner remain straight as they become longer or shorter.
When a corner appears next to the pointer, you can change an end point. When a curve appears next to the pointer, you can adjust a curve.

Erasing

Erasing with the Eraser tool removes strokes and fills. You can quickly erase everything on the Stage, erase individual stroke segments or filled areas, or erase by dragging. You can customize the Eraser tool to erase only strokes, only filled areas, or only a single filled area. The Eraser tool can be either round or square, and it can have one of five sizes.

Snapping

To automatically align elements with one another, you can use snapping. Flash lets you align objects by snapping to other objects or by snapping to individual pixels.

Using Colors in Flash MX

Using stroke and fill colors The Stroke Color and Fill Color controls in the toolbox let you select a solid stroke color or a solid or gradient fill color, switch the stroke and fill colors, or select the default stroke and fill colors (black stroke and white fill). Oval and rectangle objects (shapes) can have both stroke and fill colors. Text objects and brush strokes can have only fill colors. Lines drawn with the Line, Pen, and Pencil tools can have only stroke colors. The toolbox Stroke Color and Fill Color controls set the painting attributes of new objects you create with the drawing and painting tools. To use these controls to change the painting attributes of existing objects, you must first select the objects on the Stage.
Working with solid colors/gradients using the color mixer To create and edit solid colors and gradient fills, you can use the Color Mixer. If an object is selected on the Stage, the color modifications you make in the Color Mixer are applied to the selection. You can create any color using the Color Mixer. You can choose colors in RGB, HSB, or expand the panel to use hexadecimal mode. You can also specify an alpha value to define the degree of transparency for a color. In addition, you can select a color from the existing color palette. You can expand the Color Mixer to display a larger color space in place of the color bar, a split color swatch showing the current and previous colors, and a Brightness control to modify color brightness in

To modify a shape with the Envelope modifier:
1 Select a shape on the Stage. 2 Choose Modify > Transform > Envelope. 3 Drag the points and tangent handles to modify the envelope.
Scaling objects Scaling an object enlarges or reduces the object horizontally, vertically, or both. You can scale an object by dragging or by entering values in the Transform panel.
To scale objects by dragging:
1 Select a graphic object or objects on the Stage. 2 Choose Modify > Transform > Scale. 3 Do one of the following: o To scale the object both horizontally and vertically, drag one of the corner handles. Proportions are maintained as you scale. Shift-drag to scale nonuniformly
. o To scale the object either horizontally or vertically, drag a center handle.
4 To end the transformation, click outside the selected object or objects.
Rotating objects Rotating an object turns it around its transformation point. The transformation point is aligned with the registration point, which defaults to the center of the object, but you can move the point by dragging it. You can rotate an object by using the Rotate commands, by dragging with the Free Transform tool, or by specifying an angle in the Transform panel. When you rotate an object by dragging, you can also skew and scale the object in the same operation. When you rotate an object
using the Transform panel, you can scale the object in the same operation.
To rotate and skew objects by dragging:
1 Select the object or objects on the Stage. 2 Do one of the following: o Drag a corner handle to rotate the object. o Drag a center handle to skew the object. 3 To end the transformation, click outside the selected object or objects. Skewing objects Skewing an object transforms it by slanting it along one or both axes. You can skew an object by dragging or by entering a value in the Transform panel.
To skew an object using the Transform panel:
1 Select the object or objects. 2 Choose Window > Transform. 3 Click Skew. 4 Enter angles for the horizontal and vertical values.
Symbols, Instances, & Library assets
A symbol is a graphic, button, or movie clip that you create once in Macromedia Flash MX and can reuse throughout your movie or in other movies. A symbol can include artwork that you import from another application. Any symbol you create automatically becomes part of the library for the current document. An instance is a copy of a symbol located on the Stage or nested inside another symbol. An instance can be very different from its symbol in color, size, and function. Editing the symbol updates all of its instances, but applying effects to an instance of a symbol updates only that instance. You can also create font symbols in Flash
Types of symbol behavior Each symbol has a unique Timeline and Stage, complete with layers. When you create a symbol you choose the symbol type, depending on how you want to use the symbol in the movie. Use graphic symbols for static images and to create reusable pieces of animation that are tied to the Timeline of the main movie. Graphic symbols operate in sync with the movie's Timeline. Interactive controls and sounds won't work in a graphic symbol's animation sequence.

To view a description of an action, do one of the following:
o Click a category in the Actions toolbox to display the actions in that category, and click an action. o Select a line of code in the Script pane.
The description appears at the upper right of the Actions panel.
To add an action to the script panel, do one of the following
o Click a category in the Actions toolbox to display the actions in that category. Then either double-click an action, drag it to the Script pane, or right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) and select Add to Script. o Click the Add (+) button and select an action from the pop-up menu. o Press Escape and a shortcut key. For example, Escape+st adds a stop action. (To view a list of shortcut keys, select View Esc Shortcut Keys in the Actions panel pop-up menu; select this option again to hide the list.)

To delete an action

1 Select a statement in the Script pane. 2 Click the Delete (-) button or press the Delete key.
To relocate a statement in the action script window
Select a statement in the Script pane, then do one of the following: o Click the Up or Down Arrow button. o Select the statement and drag it up or down.

To work with parameters

1 Add an action to or select a statement in the Script pane. 2 Enter values in the parameter text boxes above the Script pane.
To search for text in a script, do one of the following
o To go to a specific line in a script, choose GoTo Line from the Actions panel pop-up menu or press Control+G (Windows) or Command+G (Macintosh); then enter the line number. o To find text, click the Find button above the Script pane, choose Find from the Actions panel pop-up menu, or press Control+F (Windows) or Command+F (Macintosh). Enter the text you want to find in the dialog box that appears. o To find text again, press F3 or choose Find Again from the Actions panel pop-up menu.
o To replace text, click the Replace button above the Script pane, choose Replace from the Actions panel pop-up menu, or press Control+H (Windows) or Command-H (Macintosh). Enter the text you want to find and the text you want to replace it with in the dialog box that appears. o In expert mode, Replace scans the entire body of text in a script. In normal mode, Replace searches and replaces text only in the parameter box of each action. For example, in normal mode you cannot replace all gotoAndPlay actions with gotoAndStop.
To navigate between scripts
Use the jump menu at the top of the Actions panel and choose a script from the list.
To resize the actions toolbox or script panel
o Drag the vertical splitter bar that appears between the Actions toolbox and Script pane. o Double-click the splitter bar to collapse the Actions toolbox; double-click the bar again to redisplay the Actions toolbox. o Click the arrow button on the splitter bar to expand or collapse the Actions toolbox. o When the Actions toolbox is hidden, you can still use the Add (+) button to access its items.

To view line numbers in the script panel
o Select View Line Numbers from the View Options pop-up menu above the Script pane. o Select View Line Numbers from the Actions panel pop-up menu. o Press Control+Shift+L (Windows) or Command+Shift+L (Macintosh).

To print actions

1 From the Actions panel pop-up menu, choose Print. The Print dialog box appears. 2 Choose options and click Print. Because the printed file won't include information about its originating Flash file, it's a good idea to include this information in a comment action in the script. Assign Actions to frames and buttons
To assign an action to a frame in the timeline
1 Select a keyframe in the Timeline, and choose Window > Actions or press F2.
If a selected frame is not a keyframe, the action will be assigned to the previous keyframe. 2 To assign an action, do one of the following: o Click a folder in the Actions toolbox (at the left of the Actions panel) to open it. Double-click an action to add it to the Script pane (the right side of the panel). o Drag an action from the Actions toolbox to the Script pane. o Click the Add (+) button and choose an action from the pop-up menu. o Use the keyboard shortcut listed next to an action in the Add (+) button pop-up menu. 3 Enter parameters for the action in the text boxes as needed. 4 To assign additional actions, repeat steps 2 and 3. Frames with actions display a small a in the Timeline.
To test a movie and actions
Choose Control > Test Movie.
To Assign actions to buttons
To make a movie perform an action when a button is clicked or rolled over, you can assign an action to the button. You must assign actions to an instance of the button; other instances of the symbol aren't affected. When you assign an action to a button, you must nest the action inside an on handler and specify the mouse or keyboard events that trigger the action. When you assign an action to a button in normal mode, the on handler is automatically inserted and you can choose an event from a list. You can also use events of the ActionScript Button object to execute scripts when a button event occurs. The following instructions describe how to assign actions to a button using the Actions panel in normal mode. Once you've assigned an action, you test the movie to see whether it works.
To assign an action to a button:
1 Select a button and choose Window > Actions to open the Actions panel if it isn't already open. Alternatively, you can select the button or movie clip instance from the jump menu in the Actions panel. 2 To assign an action, do one of the following: o Click a folder in the Actions toolbox (at the left side of the panel). Double-click an action to add it to the Script pane (at the right side of the panel). o Drag an action from theActions toolbox to the Script pane. o Click the Add (+) button and choose an action from the pop-up menu. o Use the keyboard shortcut listed next to an action in the Add (+) button pop-up menu.

Creating Learning Objects With Macromedia Flash MX
by Tanya Heins and Frances Himes April 2002
Copyright 2002 Macromedia, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained in this document represents the current view of Macromedia on the issue discussed as of the date of publication. Because Macromedia must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Macromedia, and Macromedia cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication. This white paper is for information purposes only. MACROMEDIA MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT. Macromedia may have patents, patent applications, trademark, copyright or other intellectual property rights covering the subject matter of this document. Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Macromedia, the furnishing of this document does not give you any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights or other intellectual property. Macromedia Flash MX, Coldfusion MX are registered trademarks of Macromedia, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Macromedia, Inc. 600 Townsend Street San Francisco, CA 94103 4152522000

Contents

The Landscape of Online Learning Is Changing.. 1 Learning Standards Are Essential...2 The Anatomy of Learning Object Design and Development..2 Quality Content...4 Features for Building Learning Objects... 4 Macromedia Flash MX and Flash Player...4 Rapid Development Environment...5 Libraries.....6 Movie Clips...6 Components....7 ActionScript....9 Use of Bandwidth....10 Develop Once, Publish to Many...11 Macromedia Flash MXs eLearning Framework...11 The Learning Object as Integrated Presentation Layer..12 The Macromedia Flash MX Learning Object Development Process..13 Pre-Assess....13 Analyze and Design...14 Develop....15 Implement and Evaluate....18 Maintain....20 Conclusion.... 21 Resources.... 22 Citations..... 25

April 2002

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Creating Learning Objects With Macromedia Flash MX The Landscape of Online Learning Is Changing
The acceptance of standards as a foundation for creating and reusing content offers todays instructional developers a challenge in selecting appropriate authoring tools. To date, it has not been easy to find the right tool one that enables easy development of high quality instructional content for integration into various standards-based management systems, as well as enabling reuse in different contextual situations. Macromedia is committed to facilitating support for authoring Learning Components, or Objects, across key products used for learning. In March 2002, Macromedia Flash MX, was launched. This new version of Flash offers customers the capability of authoring Learning Objects that support key standards. Now, eLearning content developers can use the fully integrated development environment of Macromedia Flash MX to combine a variety of media and external applications to build rich, immersive online learning experiences. In this paper, the first of several that Macromedia will post on its Flash MX, the authors describe how instructional developers can use Macromedia Flash MX to design, develop, and share Learning Object files, Movie Clips, and other Components.
The Landscape of Online Learning Is Changing
Both instructional technology and information technology have evolved during their transition to the web. Recent advances in online learning, such as the influence of international standards and the advancement of learning management systems, are continually altering the online learning landscape. What once was a linear, static collection of text-driven content can be transformed into a well-organized, dynamic, and engaging learning experience. As technology itself evolves, eLearning is reaching beyond the desktop computer to other web-aware devices like mobile phones, PDAs, webpads, set-top boxes, and game consoles. Todays developers are challenged by the need to build quality online content that can be delivered across a growing variety of devices and platforms. The new vision dynamic of online learning can be accomplished only by changing the way we design, develop, and deploy content. The goal of anyplace, anytime, just-for-me learning is technically possible today; but, to achieve it, we must change our paradigm from the traditional linear course approach to a more granular, component approach.

Features for Building Learning Objects
Macromedia Flash MX and Flash Player
Macromedia Flash MX is a powerful development tool, with the ability to pull in and deliver a wide variety of web media and data sources. It has wide adoption, with Macromedia Flash Player loaded in 98% of all connected web browsers. The Macromedia Flash player is integrated into Microsoft WindowsXP. By using the flexibility of Macromedia Flash MX to design interactions, developers have greater control over the behavior of their eLearning content. Unlike a linear, static HTML page, a Macromedia Flash web application can respond on the fly and be programmed to stream in only relevant information, and only as needed. Multiple layers of content and interaction are available from a loaded Macromedia Flash file, as Macromedia Flash interfaces move seamlessly from one interaction to another, in contrast to the jarring change of a HTML page load or re-direction.

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For example, a central Macromedia Flash file could contain instructions for navigation for the content in a Learning Object. As a navigation button for a particular area (a practice button, for example) is clicked, the appropriate Macromedia Flash files or external media assets can be seamlessly loaded into the interface.
Rapid Development Environment
The Macromedia Flash MX environment works with movie metaphors using a stage and timeline as primary structuring devices. The Stage is the screen area visible in a Learning Object. From the surrounding panels in the Macromedia Flash MX development environment, the developer can drag and drop items into the Learning Object screen to create interactions for the learner, by selecting an item on the stage and then applying the functions of the surrounding panels to that item. For example, to align three buttons, the developer selects the three buttons in the stage area and then selects the appropriate alignment function in the Align panel. To edit the actions of these buttons, the developer selects a button and then uses the Action panel to control what happens when the button is clicked.
Figure 2: Timeline containing the frames in red and layers in blue
Frames within a timeline help structure the presentation of content items on the stage. The timeline contains layers. Layers are a way to order the appearance of content on a stage. If an item, a button for example, is on the uppermost layer, it will overlap and appear to be above items on a lower layer, such as a background tile. Notice, in the example above, the button layer is above the background layer. Further, a timeline can be divided into framesets that define segments within that timeline. There are three main sets of frames in this Learning Object, for example. The first set of frames is used to display the objective or outcome and any appropriate instructions to the learner. The second set of frames shows where the related content interactions can be inserted. The third grouping of frames allows the developer to insert assessment interactions. A developer can rearrange frames in any order or structure appropriate to an organizations instructional design needs.

Progress Tracking Global Navigation
Content Holder Text Holder
Northwest Airlines Flash Shell
Figure 6: Northwest Airline Macromedia Flash Shell

Topic Navigation

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ActionScript

Macromedia Flash MXs ActionScript allows developers to easily create movies that adapt to learner activities without an intricate knowledge of code writing. Snippets of pre-written code (at far left in Figure 7) are available in Macromedia Flash MX to assist novice developers to begin scripting. Once a clear goal is established, it is easy to start building scripts with the actions provided.
Figure 7: ActionScript panel in Normal mode with pre-scripted snippets on left
Because ActionScript is based on ECMAScript-262, the internal standard for Javascript, web-savvy programmers will appreciate the power and familiarity of ActionScripts shared syntax and structure. ActionScript provides the flexibility to store and retrieve metatag variables, to control navigation, to communicate with external sources of information, and to dynamically adapt the display of the Learning Object interface to learner needs. Using the ActionScript window in the Expert mode (in Figure 8, below) allows a developer to directly write and modify codes with a powerful context-sensitive editor. ActionScript code can even be stored externally as.as files that are dynamically read into the Macromedia Flash file during playback. Developers familiar with other languages, such as Visual Basic, JavaScript, Perl, Java, and ColdFusion, will feel comfortable programming in the advanced mode with ActionScript.
Figure 8: ActionScript panel in Expert model

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Figure 9: Showing variables
ActionScript objects and variables can hold virtually any data type and are useful as containers for metadata in Learning Objects. Stored data can easily be created or updated from anywhere in a Macromedia Flash movie. In the example (above, in Figure 9), the identifiers on the left side of the equal signs are variables or objects; the information to be stored is to the right of the equals signs.

Use of Bandwidth

Flash MX also offers features that will improve bandwidth efficiency. The faster page loading, cross-platform reliability, and enhanced streaming media technology will enrich the eLearning experience. Flash MX includes a high-performance compression/decompression model. This allows Learning Object developers to compress their code, media, and data when published, for later decompression at run-time on the learners computer. Flash MX supports video. Video can be easily imported from any standard video format, and played back at a variety of speeds and frame-rates. The video support in Macromedia Flash MX is optimized for low-bandwidth, high quality playback through the use of the Sorenson Spark Codec.iv Macromedia Flash Video Symbols can be manipulated, scaled, rotated, skewed, masked, and animated. They can also be made interactive using scripting. Video playback is supported in the browser through Macromedia Flash Player 6. Flash files are also loaded using an efficient streaming model, in which the first few frames of content become immediately available once loaded, regardless of whether a file contains code, media, or data. This means that developers can very easily design their applications and content to quickly load specific portions of an application, while the remaining portions are loading in the background. The Bandwidth Profiler in Macromedia Flash MX allows the developer to see how much data is being sent for each frame in the movie, according to a defined modem speed. In this way, the developer can customize a streaming Macromedia Flash file to load the most important functions and visual clues first, while the secondary components load more slowly.

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Develop Once, Publish to Many
With Macromedia Flash MX, Flash source files can be exported to a wide variety of file formats. This capacity enables flexible delivery options, as well as opportunities to reuse content in many ways for example, in HTML publishing templates that include Javascript code to communicate with either AICC or ADL SCORM compatible LMS products. Similarly, publishing options allow developers to more easily re-purpose content. For instance, a Learning Object can be created containing interactive diagrams that may also be useful in a course seminar or program, even though the context of a seminar a linear progression of slides supported by commentary from the presenter may be unlike the interactive context of the Learning Object. By outputting a sequence of frames as images or animated movie file, an existing Learning Object can be leveraged into a format that suits the seminars linear presentation and, thus, reduce the development time in preparing the seminar. Files may also be repurposed for distribution as CD-ROM-based courses, standalone executables for both Mac and PC, files viewable in a browser (such as a QuickTime movie), or in image format, such as Gif and Jpg files. This degree of flexibility extends to the delivery of content to other platforms, like Portable Devices and tablet PCs, an example of which is shown below:

Figure 10: A.net training application, created by Global Learning Systems
Macromedia Flash MXs eLearning Framework
Components, Movie Clip, Symbols, Library, and ActionScript are a few of the features that make Macromedia Flash MX useful in Learning Object development. Because the organization of the hierarchy of information in a course may vary, Macromedia Flash MX can be used at a number of levels, as appropriate to instructional design and management system specifications. Macromedia Flash MX can be used to create a Learning Object file that contains framesets that structure the Objective, Learn, and Assessment screens.

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Within those framesets, many learning interaction Movie Clips or Components may be used. Some examples of learning interactions that can be developed in Macromedia Flash MX include dynamic text, dynamic image, video seminars, simulation, mentored exercises, workshops, expert-led chats, case studies based on live data, role playing, learning styles presentation of content, intelligent preassessments (that direct learners to back into the content they still need to learn), peer-to-peer chat and data sharing, posted assignments with peer assessment, graphs and charts, screen narration, and collaborative exercises.
The Learning Object as Integrated Presentation Layer
Flash can be used to present the learner with different types of information from various sources in a seamless progression of interactions on the screen. Macromedia Flash MX can integrate content and interactivity using libraries of symbols, Movie Clips or Components, external management systems, web applications, and databases. Without ever being aware of it, the learner will be utilizing Macromedia Flash MX capabilities to access data and code from other web programming environments such as ColdFusion MX,.ASP,.JSP,.PHP,.NET, and Java Application Servers. Rich possibilities for user interface development in Macromedia Flash allow for advanced visualizations of complex or abstract data relationships. Macromedia Flash interfaces can be developed in a manner that allows for dynamic input of data and consequent reuse of the Flash file within multiple contexts. Macromedia Flash is a valuable tool to help users make sense of large amounts of data by presenting it in an easily accessible graphical representation.v Depending upon how autonomous a developer wishes a Macromedia Flash file to remain, media assets can be left external to the Flash development environment or pulled into the Flash file Library. Keeping assets external allows easy updating of a file by replacing an external text, graphic, or sound file without having to republish the original Macromedia Flash file. External Macromedia Flash files containing media can also be loaded from a central Flash file, even as they are being viewed in the Flash Player.
Figure 11: Flash MX as a presentation layer using internal and external resources

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The Macromedia Flash MX Learning Object Development Process

Pre-Assess

A typical eLearning development team might consist of three to five specialists: a developer, the user interface designer, an instructional designer, an online instructor, and a subject matter expert. Sometimes, the developer and user interface designer are the same person, just as the online instructor may also be the subject matter expert. However, it is important to realize that there are five distinct skill-sets collaborating in the development process. The role of this team is for members to work together to create rich, interactive content that will integrate and communicate with management systems, server applications, and databases. Before beginning the process of building Learning Objects, the development team should first consider the following key questions:
What application(s) are being used to support content and learner management? What eLearning specifications or standards are being adopted to metatag and exchange information within the management system? Does the management system support these standards or specifications? How do these specifications and standards affect the instructional design of Learning Objects? What technical standards are being set to access courses through the management system? What are the accessibility standards at the institutional, state, and national levels?
With these questions answered, the Learning Object development team can begin to tailor an efficient system of sharable parts that will create consistent, scalable resources for the development of Learning Objects and then easily integrate them into a management system, server application, or database. The following diagram illustrates the flow of content through the Learning Object development team to the management system. The management system then delivers, reuses, and tracks the use of the content to a variety of course delivery situations.

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Figure 12: Learning Object development team collaborates on the development, places the
Learning Object in a management system which then delivers to a variety of eLearning situations.

Analyze and Design

The Learning Object development team can begin to collaborate on the transformation of content into engaging Learning Objects. The Macromedia Flash authoring environment allows Learning Object developers to create interactions around various technical specifications and instructional design models. Throughout the analysis and design process, data and decisions should be documented in a structured manner. This will be very valuable in setting the scope of a Learning Object, determining the structure of a course (content packaging and sequencing), and properly tagging high-value assets (media and Learning Objects) for potential re-use.

Hypothetical Example

The subject matter expert, a fantastic eCommerce classroom teacher and new to eLearning, faxes handwritten ideas for content to the developer and the instructional designer. The patient developer and the instructional designer use these faxed notes as a starting point in the development process. In collaboration, the team of three breaks the content down into manageable chunks and asks the subject matter expert many questions to focus the subject content. The content is structured around outcomes or objectives. The team considers assessment methods and brainstorms methods for meaningful learning interactions that capitalize on the subject matter experts inspiring classroom presence. At the same time, the developer and the instructional designer are considering the potential reuse of the Components and Movie Clips for the development of other Learning Objects.

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The developer shows the team innovative uses of Macromedia Flash in examples of other Learning Objects. This helps the subject matter expert, who is new to the concept of Learning Objects, to understand the possibilities for the potential of rich interactive content. The original, faxed notes evolve into a series of interactive diagrams, drag and drop exercises, and an assignment with peer assessment to test a central learning objective. With this plan in mind, the developer is ready to begin work in the Macromedia Flash authoring environment.

Develop

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Scenario Objective Screen
This Component greets the learner by name through the use of dynamic text. This is an indication of the level of communication with the management system. The developer may also design Learning Objects to store information on each learners learning style or language preferences, and then dynamically update the interface to meet these needs.
Figure 13: Component greeting the user by first name through use of dynamic text.
Related Macromedia Flash MX Features:

! ! ! ! !

Dynamic text fields
Storage of data through Shared Objects Setting and passing of variables Dynamic movie layout control through ActionScript Communication through transport protocols (XML data, HTTP, HTTPS, or URL encoded)
Scenario Video Display This Learning Object pulls Macromedia Flash Library video Symbols into a consistent interface for the presentation of video media. This interface ensures efficient playback on all devices and platforms and allows the Learning Object developer to reuse the presentation Component by simply replacing the Macromedia Flash video Symbol. This movie clip can be reused on any screen in a Flash file.
Figure 14: Component for standardizing the display of video assets.
Related Macromedia Flash MX Features

! ! ! !

Video Importation
Sorenson Video Compression Buttons and Movie Clips Support for Captioning using MAGpie

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Scenario Expert-Led Chat
This example allows learners real-time access to expert-led chat sessions to discuss particular topics. In this example, learners can type in a message to fellow classmates and their instructor. They are discussing a dynamic image pulled in from an external source by the instructor. Discussions could be recorded in a database and played back later to learners unable to participate in the synchronous session.
Figure 15: Expert-led chat showing participants on the left and chat on the right.

Dynamic image

ActionScript set variables ActionScript Local Connection Shared Object Connection through transport protocols (XML data or HTTP, HTTPS, URL encoded

Implement and Evaluate

A Learning Object should be implemented and evaluated in a test run before its release to learners. This involves creating a content package, such as an ADL SCORM Content Manifest. Macromedia Dreamweaver and the Manifest Maker extension (available at http://www.macromedia.com/exchange/dreamweaver) can be used to easily create a SCORM-compatible XML manifest that includes course level metadata, a table of contents, and a resource list identifying all support files and the supporting content metadata created during the development of the Learning Object. The content package generated by the Macromedia Manifest Maker can be used to load the entire course framework, or even a sub-group of Learning Objects, into the management system. Both the individual Learning Object and the larger framework should be tested against the instructional design and technical criteria they were intended to meet. This requires a rigorous Quality Assurance (QA) period of testing and revision; then, Learning Objects should be revised and retested accordingly. It is essential to test content under a Learning Management System early in the process to isolate and resolve any communication issues. The Macromedia Flash Learning Interactions and Quiz templates should work well with any robust AICC- or ADL SCORM-compatible LMS product. However, there are subtleties to the standards that may need to be shaken out, especially if there will be an exchange of custom data extending beyond the typical elements. During the QA process, the modular design and effective re-use of assets will streamline debugging and revision, regardless of the type of issue aesthetic, content, instructional or technical.

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Once the Learning Object development team has completed the initial development process, a series of Learning Objects are loaded into the management system. A Quality Assurance Tester, preferably someone with no previous involvement with the development process, will request the Learning Object from the management system and test the Learning Objects against a usability, instructional design, and technical specifications checklist. As the file loads, it creates a connection to collect appropriate metadata from the learning manager and then personalizes the content. As the objective screen loads (see below), the Learning Object welcomes the learner by name and records the learners path as he or she navigates the content. This path could be recorded as a series of variables that is then communicated back to the management system. It is particularly useful to record learner activity when analyzing the effectiveness of eLearning content.

Objective

The objective screen:
relays information about what is about to be studied, gives an indication of the time commitment needed to complete the Learning Object, and contextualizes the content, with instructions on how to proceed.
Figure 16: Screens of learning interactions within a Learning Object

Learning

The learn screens display the content necessary to teach to the learning objectives. These may take the form of instruction, collaboration, or practice. Effective learning interaction is achieved by thoughtfully combining media assets, such as sound files, graphics, charts, and graphs from real-time data, Macromedia Flash video Symbols, external resources, simulations, and live communication through chat or shared data. All of this rich, engaging user interaction is possible for the learner using the Macromedia Flash Player in a browser without any need for additional plug-ins or concerns about how the media might perform on a different platform or device.

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Further, Macromedia Flash MX allows the originating Flash file to load other Flash learn files, as they are needed. This prevents the unnecessary use of bandwidth, when the learner may not wish to view particular screens. While designing a Macromedia Flash Learning Object, it is important to take the time to anticipate the needs of the Learner. For instance, while displaying the first learn screen, the developer may choose to stream in the loading of screens two and three.

Assessment

Once the learner is comfortable with the content, he or she may proceed to the assess screen. Some learners may even jump to the assess screen right at the beginning to specifically identify what they will need to know. While the learner is working through the content and assessment within a Learning Object, metatag values that have been tracked within the Macromedia MX file can be updated in the management system. After a Learning Object is successfully completed, the learner can then be directed to the next Learning Object. Learning Objects should not be made available to learners within a course until after the Objects are tested, evaluated, and revised. It is good practice to provide opportunities for learner feedback within Learning Objects from both a technical and instructional design perspective.

Maintain

eLearning development is an evolutionary process. As the development team arrives at the end of one course delivery cycle and embarks on another, it will be faced with a variety of maintenance issues. The first such issue is the need to update content. Wherever possible, the developer should provide access for the subject matter expert to make these changes. This can be achieved by keeping content external to the presentation layer. The content could be kept in a database or text file and dynamically loaded into the Macromedia Flash MX Learning Object during course delivery. Text files are easily editable for a subject matter expert. Database content can be accessed through a web form interface that allows the subject matter expert control over the content. Documentation is another maintenance issue. An up-to-date, well-maintained record of sharable learning interactions will create an awareness of what each Learning Object development team is working on, while, at the same time, providing a useful showcase to demonstrate the richness of Learning Objects for instructors new to eLearning. The meta- and content-level data and content package for the entire course allows the team to easily catalog, re-use, and restructure content for a variety of users and situations. The metadata, which may once have seemed so tedious to create, now makes it easy to find the tiniest reusable elements, track content changes through an audit trail, and create cloned courses with subtle differences, by creating a near-duplicate content manifest. It is a good idea to hold regular meetings with developers, instructional designers, and subject matter experts to review and plan improvements in response to the course feedback and input received from learners and online instructors. Development teams that have used AICC or ADL SCORM content communication can even perform sophisticated statistical analysis on student usage and performance patterns, at either the interaction- or the lesson-level.

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Creating Learning Objects With Macromedia Flash MX Conclusion

Conclusion

The scenarios (mentioned above) illustrate just a few of the possibilities available to developers of eLearning content using Macromedia Flash MX. This list can be expanded to an even wider variety of Learning Object interactions, such as:
Case studies based on live data, Synchronous and asynchronous workshops (including new Macromedia Flash MX video capabilities), Mentoring environments, Role-playing exercises, Access and navigation of content-based on learning styles preferences, Intelligent pre-assessments that direct learners back in the content they still need to learn, Peer-to-peer chat and data sharing, and Interfaces to post and review class assignments.
Soon, we may see the development of online exchanges for Learning Object interactions, through which developers, instructional designers, and online instructors can share learning interactions and development ideas. This is just the beginning of what will surely be a very creative time in the eLearning industry. For additional information and white papers on eLearning, please check http://www.macromedia.com/learning frequently. Tanya Heins is an eLearning consultant with a background in teaching, fine arts, and applied research in eLearning. She holds an M.F.A from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, and has had more than eight years of professional interactive design and development experience, ranging from designing CD-ROMs and database-driven websites to custom development of award winning learner and content management systems. You can contact Tanya at tanya@numen.ca Frances Himes is the Associate Vice President of Higher Education at Macromedia, in which position she facilitates the development and implementation of cuttingedge learning technologies that advance distributed learning efforts. During the past 17 years, her work has focused on adaptive learning architecture, dynamic eLearning environments, intercultural forms of learning, and teaching and learning with technology. She has served at the University of Arizona, as both the co-author and Project Director for the Virtual Adaptive Learning Architecture Project and as Director of Global Programs, at Western Michigan University, as Director of Research and Development for Information Technology, and at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, as the Associate Director of International Education. You can contact Frances at fhimes@macromedia.com

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Creating Learning Objects With Macromedia Flash MX Citations

Citations

Page 8, The Masie Center; 2002, Making Sense of Learning Specifications and Standards: A Decision Makers Guide to their Adoption. Available at: http://www.masie.com/standards/

iiAdvanced

Distributed Learning Initiative (2001). The SCORM Content Aggregation Model.

iii iv

Cisco (2001). Reusable Learning Object Strategy, Version 4.
Page 6, Allaire, Jeremy (2002). Macromedia Flash MX - A next-generation rich client. Macromedia.
Page 12, Perfetti, Christine & Spool, Jared (2002). Macromedia Flash: A New Hope for Web Applications. Bradford, MA. User Interface Engineering. Available at: http://www.macromedia.com/resources/business/solutions/user_centric/flash _web_apps.pdf

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