P4: Assignment 2 - Section B; Adobe Flash CS6 Tools

Scene:	These are used to set up different stages in a project, it is where your objects are placed to create the animation.
Timeline:	This is the central area the user will interact with to create the animations, it has an unlimited time, but only shows a portion of it, and only renders up to the furthest frame on the timeline.
Frames:	These are used to extend a previous keyframes time on the timeline.
Keyframes:	This is used to hold an object, this is different from a frame since a frame just extends key frame.
Tweens:	This is a very useful feature in Flash, it is used to calculate the difference between two keyframes, there are three types of tweens: Shape This only works on shapes (not types of graphics), and requires them to be transformed for you to be able to apply a shape tween, this will warp the shape from the first keyframe to the last. Motion If you are moving any object the best way to do this is with a motion tween, it will automatically calculate how it has to move from point A to B. Classic This works similar to the Motion tween, where it is normally used to move objects, but with a classic tween you would have to create key frames manually then apply a Classic tween when with a Motion tween they are created if you move the shape between point A and B. Also if you apply a classic tween to a graphic you have more options, such as Alpha (transparency), and you can also transform a graphic in a Classic tween (1% to 150% then 100%).
Shapes:	There the regular shapes available in Flash, Rectangle and Oval, but you also have the primitive versions of these (as well as a third shape called PolyStar). With the oval primitive tool you have the option to customise the start angle and end angle, this allows you to, for example, animate a pie chart.
Text:	Like many packages you have the option to add text, this works how you think it would and after you create it you can make it a symbol for a few more options.
Transform Tools:	There are various ways you can transform an object, you can do the usual resizing (and scaling), but you also have the option to rotate it and even skew it if needed. If that is not enough there is also the free transform option, where you are able to alter the entire wireframe.
Masks:	You can make any layer a mask layer, this will hide what is on the mark layer, on the masking layer.
Symbols:	If you create an object (or text), you can make it a symbol, there are three types of symbols; movie, button and graphic. With any type of symbol you create it is automatically added to the library so it can be used at a further date, this will also prevent you from making any adjustments to the symbol on the scene (but you are able to transform it, and move its positing). If you want to make any adjustments you will need to enter the symbol from the stage (entering it), in there you will have its own timeline which will correspond to the scenes timeline (unless it’s a movie symbol). With a movie symbol any animations made will not be viewable unless rendered, his can be annoying and seems like there’s no point, but with a movie there are more effects that can be added, and it works independent from the frames on the scene. A graphic does not need to be rendered to view its changes, it works along the scenes timeline (where the graphics starts with the scenes keyframe, is where the graphics independent keyframe starts).
Library:	This is where assets are stored for multiple uses in an animation, and where symbols are stored when created. It can also contain other types of media such as audio (rather than just graphics).
Exporting:	When exporting an animation you have 8 formats to save it as (SWF, Avi, MOV, gif, wav, jpg, gif and png), depending on where the animation is going to be used you would export it as a different file type (probably GIF if it is for the web).
Graphic properties:	When you create a symbol, you can alter properties of it without changing the graphic, an example of this is the Alpha channel, which can be used for tweening.
Project Window	This is where the scenes are held, it comprises all the scenes you have created, and contains any graphics you have animated.
Toolbox	This contains shortcuts to commonly used tools, if you hold the mouse button on one you might have further options, for example if you hold the shapes icon, you have more options, rather than just the oval tool.
Tool Bar	These are different bars that contain tools, not to be confused with the toolbox which contains shortcuts to tools to manipulate/import objects into the scene. The main toolbar contains tools to save the file, print the file, or copy and paste stuff.
Layers	These are used for organisation, they usually contain one object, also when one layer is above another, if the is something overlapping, only the overlapping part on the top layer will be shown (unless it’s transparent).
Groups	This is purely organisational, if you have different parts of an object, section or area of an animation, you might split these up into groups, also with groups you can collapse all layers within (so you only see the group in the timeline, like a layer).
Drawing Tools	These are used to create stuff (objects, shapes, text, then symbols) on the scene, you can use pre-set shapes such as the oval or rectangle, but you do also have to option for free hand draw an object (with a path, which is more smooth, or with the pencil).