Buttons are specialized symbols. When used in a FutureSplash Player movie, the person browsing can work interactively with the page. To set up a button’s functions, no scripting knowledge is necessary. Actions can be assigned to buttons when editing the FutureSplash Animator document, so that clicking on them performs that action. A partial list of actions that can be assigned include:
All buttons have four states that reflect the position of the mouse pointer and the state of the mouse button. The states are Up, Over, Down and Hit. Each of these states is set in a separate frame within the symbol itself. For each different state, the frame that describes it should be a key frame. The states are:
Note: The image in the Hit state makes up the area on the page that activates the button, but it is not visible on the page. The Hit area is often the same size as the image in the Down state, in which case no key frame is necessary in frame 4.
Buttons are symbols, and all states of the button must be created in the Edit Symbol view. (See "What are buttons?" for details about the different button states.) To create a new button:
To use the new button in a FutureSplash animation:
Now you can test and use the button. Remember, the main thing you need to know is that a button must be made in the Edit Symbol view and not the main document view. You may want to look at some of the buttons that we supply with the trial and released versions of FutureSplash Animator for examples.
The Move to Front and Move to Back commands will not be available in the Object menu if your selection is a drawn graphic and not an object. You may also be trying to move an object behind a drawn graphic. You can use the Move to Front and Move to Back commands to affect the relationship between objects only, and not with graphics that have been drawn with the Pencil or Brush tools. If you want to move these graphics, group them first. Objects are defined as the following:
If you are having trouble using those commands and you are sure that the graphics are both objects, keep in mind that the Move to Front and Move to Back commands only affect the relationship between objects that are located on a single layer. If you have an object on one layer that you want to move in front of or behind an object on another layer, move the layers, instead. You can move a layer by dragging that layer’s name above or below the other layer’s name in the timeline. This will make it so that all graphics on the layer you are moving are moved behind or in front of all graphics in the other layer.
Motion interpolation can only be applied to objects. You cannot interpolate between two drawn graphics unless they are first grouped or made into a symbol. Objects are defined as the following:
It is best to use symbols when using motion interpolation, because your file size will be a little smaller than if you simply use a grouped object. This is especially important for imported bitmap images or complex graphics.
There should be a key frame containing a single object at the first frame of the interpolation, and another key frame at the last frame of the interpolation. The object in the first and last key frames should be in different locations on the page, so that there is a starting position and ending position.
If you are setting up more than one interpolation in your document, each motion interpolation needs its own layer. Don’t try to interpolate more than one object at once on a single layer.
You must snap the object to each end of the motion guide in both key frames of the motion interpolation.
It is best to use symbols when you interpolate using a motion guide, although you can use other objects. The object’s centerpoint must snap to the motion guide, and it is more difficult to find the centerpoint on a grouped, text or bitmap image object than it is on a symbol object.
The centerpoint on a symbol is indicated by a crosshair (+). You can click on the crosshair and drag it to the motion guide so that it snaps in place. You will know when it snaps because the crosshair becomes a circle as you are dragging, and it gets larger and bolder when it is in a snap position. If you use another type of object and you drag from the center of the object, it will also display the circle when you drag it. It will become larger and bolder when you are in a snap position.
There must be a key frame at the beginning of the interpolation, and another at the end. In the first frame of the interpolation, snap the object’s centerpoint to one end of the motion guide. In the last frame of the interpolation, do the same thing at the other end of the motion guide. Once the object is snapped to each end of the motion guide in both key frames, the interpolation should work.
If your text disappears when you export the movie, it means that FutureSplash Animator does not see your font's outline. A good way to tell whether or not a font will export properly is to turn on Smooth Text in the View menu. If the text remains jagged, then FutureSplash Animator does not see that font's outline and will not export the text.
On Windows 95/NT, you must use TrueType fonts with FutureSplash Animator. PostScript fonts won't work. Note that Windows NT can automatically convert PostScript fonts to TrueType fonts, which can be used in FutureSplash Animator.
On a Macintosh, you can use PostScript fonts, as long as Adobe Type Manager (ATM) is installed and on. Your printer fonts should be located in the Fonts folder in your System Folder. TrueType fonts are best, however, because they work without additional software installed in the system.
There may be times when you decide that the location on the page where you started to create your animation is not the location where you want it to be any more. In such a case, you will want to move the graphics in all frames and layers at once, so that you don’t have to realign anything. You can move everything at once in a FutureSplash Animator document.
To move the entire animation to another location of the document window:
If you would like to move everything on one of the layers but nothing on any of the other layers, you can lock or hide all the layers you don't want to move before following these steps. Only unlock the layers containing the graphics that you want to move.
If the FutureSplash Player graphic appears very small when you open it in your browser, and there is a lot of blank area around it, you need to set your document size before you export the FutureSplash Animator document to a FutureSplash Player movie or image.
To set the document size to match the animation area of your movie:
After creating your animation, you will want to create a .spl file so that it can be used on your web site. First, be sure to save the FutureSplash Animator document using the Save or Save As commands in the File menu. This will allow you to open and edit the document later. You can now create the FutureSplash Player movie.
To create a FutureSplash Player movie: