Flash 8-Lesson 2: The Grid, The Property Inspector, The Oval Tool

The Grid

In the exercises that follow, you will be creating graphics. When creating graphics, the grid is often helpful. To turn on the grid:

1. Choose View > Grid > Edit Grid from the menu. The Grid dialog box opens.

2. Click the Color box and select gray to have the grid lines display in gray.
3. Choose Show Grid to cause the grid to display.
4. Choose Snap to Grid to cause the edges of your graphic to align with the grid lines.
5. Set the Horizontal field to 20 px to separate horizontal lines by 20 pixels.
6. Set the Vertical field to 20 px to separate vertical lines by 20 pixels.
7. Set the Snap Accuracy to Normal.
8. Click OK.

The Property Inspector

In the Property inspector, you can set the attributes of objects as you work. You will use the Property inspector frequently when working in Flash Professional 8. To open the Property inspector:

• Choose Window > Properties> Properties from the menu. The Property inspector appears at the bottom of the screen.
  

The Property inspector is one of many panels found in Flash. When you are not working in a panel, you can collapse the panel. To collapse the Property inspector, click the Collapse icon. To open the Property inspector again, click the Expand icon.

The Oval Tool

In the exercise that follows, you will use the Oval tool to draw an ellipse. You will then turn the ellipse into a symbol. Symbols are reusable graphics you store in the Library. Later in the tutorial you will turn the ellipse into the button movie viewers press to start the movie.

To draw the ellipse:

1. Choose the Oval tool. There are two color boxes on the Modifier panel. These color boxes are used to set the stroke and fill colors. The stroke color outlines your drawing. The fill color fills the center of your drawing.

2. Click the Stroke Color box and then click the color black to choose black as your stroke color.
3. Click the Fill Color box and then click the color navy to choose navy as your fill color.
4. If selected, click to deselect the Object Drawing option. The Object Drawing option enables you to draw your ellipse as a grouped object that will not merge with other objects you draw. You want this option turned off.

You set the thickness of the Stroke line in the Property inspector. To set the thickness of the Stroke line:

1. If the Property inspector is not open, choose Window > Properties> Properties from the menu. The Property inspector appears at the bottom of the screen.

2. Choose Solid from the drop-down menu to select the type of line that will outline your drawing.
3. Type 3 in the Stroke Height field to set the line thickness.
4. Click on the Stage and drag diagonally to draw the ellipse.

Note: You can also use the Property inspector to set the stroke and fill colors.