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If you do a Get Clipart in the clipart gallery, the Flash example folder has a few more examples. Some have explanations.
Oops I see the bird example uses a pixel font that you probably won't have installed (but is available for free - see the July Xara Outsider newsletter about pixel fonts; http://www.xara.com/news/july06/). These are designed for Flash and work very well in Flash (since Flash's normal small font rendering is pretty poor).
I notice that the River Thames animation has buttons, which are great for stop/continue sequences, Charles. Are these going to be an option in the final release?
I am also curious about the sample animations. Am I missing something when viewing the frames in Xtreme Pro? In the River Thames animation I don't see a frame with the text.
I have new eye glasses, I hope I'm not needing newer lens so soon :)
There's text on the fourth frame, but it's hidden inside of a clipview.Quote:
Originally Posted by Soquili
I notice that the name of the fourth frame includes the text "goto frame 3", and that the little image that says "Replay" has a URL of "Frame 1" assigned to it. I think someone at Xara is playing around with adding some more complex flash features here. ;)
Ah Odat,
I never even thought of looking at the Frame Gallery. Having done so I'm not really any wiser except that it might be possible in future versions to add a Stop command. I still can't see how the Run command is executed (nor the Goto Frame 3 text)
Egg, in the "Cloudy Sky" example and take a look at the web address of the two button. You see that the URL is the name of frame where to you want to go and the target frame is set to "_frame". When the frame name contains the "command" ;stop it will stop, and ;goto <frame name> will jump to <frame name> as in "River Thames". In the latter example the Reply button is inside the clip view so you have to ctrl+click on the button to activate it and you'll see it points to the URL "Frame 1" and the target frame is "_frame".
See my example...
Thanks Odat. I didn't think to look for a clipview.
Paul I see the commands as you described, but I don't see anyway in the Xtreme Pro Beta to enter those commands.
Are these examples an indication that the ability to put commands in an exported swf file will be in the release version?
You enter the commands by putting it in the frame name! You can any time add a command by renaming the frame name, ie. change "Frame 1" to "Frame 1 ;stop" in the Animation Frame gallery. And to add a button, right-click on the object that should work as a button and select "Web Address", enter the frame name in the URL field, and write "_frame" in the field for the target frame, and select Add.
gnuf,
I've never used the web address feature before. Thank you for pointing this out. I'll have to have a playaround now. Excellent cartoons, and now we can Zoom.
EDIT: Thanks for the further explanation. We were cross posting.
Thanks Paul. I never would have thought to use the frame names that way.
Yes Paul, that's quite straight forward when it's pointed out. Where did you find that out? I thought I'd looked in the help files.
Meanwhile here's a simple 10 frame navigation animation which members might find useful. Just alter the background rectangles to suit and change the text for bitmaps or vectors.
Paul and Egg, you have indeed sussed the little hidden features. I will post a separate thread about them later. But I'd just point out that under the current internal build this last example from Egg generates errors, mostly because your Next and Previous and FFwrd buttons have tween names on - but they do not in fact tween to anywhere. It still works and produces a working Flash file, but does error on my version. Only objects that you want to animate should have names.
Thanks Paul and Egg. I think I have a better understanding of the flash features.
Charles I hope that making a modification to one of the examples to post here is OK.
Thanks guys - this is being a most useful thread.
Wonderful! Just what I need.
Charles, 'tis worth the upgrade price just for the swf features alone.
I am now a VERY happy bunny, oh yeah ...
Fun. (Without looking at the Xar file, can you find the secret?)
Xhris
Charles,
I must admit I disregard these Non Tween warnings. Similarliy the rounded corners caps notices.
Here's the 2 files without errors.
High words from our resident animator extraordinaire. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Intbel
I have been making all kinds of things and I love it.Quote:
Originally Posted by AntonyF
With the buttons and frame control It is going to be ideal for tutorials and such.
File sizes compare very favourably with gif animation and for anyone who only wants Flash in order to turn out silent 2D animations this new programme is a must have.
User interactivity (live buttons) is a surprise bonus.
Hell, I was just hoping for Flash export - didn't expect all this.
Tweening ... that is great and another fantastic bonus.
I have just been playing and experimenting so far ... I have a picture I want to finish and when that is done I want to really get down to doing something worthwhile with this Flash thingo.
And at the price 'tis a bargain - I have seen similar stand alone Flash animation programmes at a similar price and not as good - and to think the animation feature is just an aside to what is the bestest drawing programme.
I've been grinning ear to ear since installing the upgrade - I can not praise it enough.
And doesn't it make time fly?
I've only got twenty four days of the trial left ...gotta make the most of it in case the full monty is not ready when the trial expires ......
Lyfe is gude ....
P.S. It is almost the end of the month - what is the 'Major Announcement" ?