Introducing Basic Flash Architecture
Before you jump in and start building Flash movies, you should think ahead and try to anticipate how you want to structure, or architect, a movie.
Note
You might find it helpful to view the completed version of the Flash movie that you'll be working on in this and the next lesson. Doing so should give you a clearer idea of the different elements, as well as the timing of different animations and the functionality of the buttons. You can see the final version of the Flash movie by double-clicking organic_farming.swf in the Lesson08/Complete folder .
A completed Flash document typically has the following elements:
Timeline: The sequence of frames in which you specify how the stage should look at any given moment
Layer stack: Virtually all graphic applications organize the stacking order of screen elements using layers, and Flash is no exception. But Flash handles layers in a slightly unusual way: layers are a part of the timeline. This timeline enables developers to handle various screen elements differently as they change over time.
The Library, symbols, and instances: As in Fireworks, Flash symbols are reusable elements, often with special capabilities. Flash symbols include static graphics, buttons, and movie clips. Symbols are stored in the Library, and when you place a symbol on the stage, you're creating an instance of that symbol.
Lesson 8,
Creating Animation and Interactivity .