Flash Symbols Assignment

Graphic Symbol

Graphic symbols are used for images that do not have any animations applied to them. When a graphic symbol is created it can be reused as many times as the user wishes on the main timeline . The graphic symbol moves in synch with the main timeline meaning that for every frame in the main movie that the symbol it will play once the frame its in passes in the video. This type of symbol doesn’t use any types of controls or sounds. These types of symbols make the project files smaller because they have no timeline. To create a graphic symbol you select the object you wish to create as a symbol on the main stage then right-click it and select the convert to symbol option. You will be prompted to which type of symbol you wish to make. Select graphic symbols. This can also be easily achieved by going to the modify window and selecting convert to symbol.

Button Symbol

The button symbol is used to create an item that will respond to a users clicking on it. The buttons can be used to perform different actions and are linked with different types of scripts. To create a button symbol you would right-click the object you wish to use as a button and select the convert to symbol option. When prompted select button. The alternative would be going through the modify window and then selecting convert to symbol

Movie Clip

Movie clip symbols are used to store an animation so that it can be reused over and over again. What makes a movie clip different from a graphic symbol is that a movie symbol has its own separate timeline that uses multiple frames . This type of symbol can have different types of interactive controls as well as sounds. It can be linked to a button symbol so that when a user clicks it the movie will play/pause/stop/ fast forward/rewind. To create a movie clip you select the object and can either go to the modify tab and select convert to symbol or right click the object and select convert to symbol. When prompted select movie clip.

Font Clip

Font symbols are used to be exported so that they can be used inside of another flash document. To create a font symbol you open your library window and right-click inside of it. Select the export option that allows you to export it as text. It will then appear in your library as a text symbol.