F5 = Add Frame
Sift+F5 = Remove Frames
F6 = Add Keyframes
Sift+F6 = Clear Keyframe
F7 = Blank Keyframe
F8 = Convert bitmap to symbol
F9 = Open Library window
Apple+Return = Runs test of move as a SWF file
> = move one frame to the right on the timeline
< = move one frame to the left on the timeline.
Apple+L = Open Library window

20fps is the best, it' still smooth and must computers can handle it. Plus it's easy to calculations with in the timeline.

Modify > Document > Frame Rate
Or (double click on the frame rate at the bottom of the time line). or Apple+J
You can make this frame Rate your default by press " Make Default" Now every new project will be 20fps.

File > Import
Highlight image in the Library Window.
Click the blue "i" info icon at the bottom to open the Properties window
From the Properties window >
Uncheck "Use document default quality"
Uncheck "Allow smoothing"
Change "Quality" setting. and click Test button to test results in the preview window.

Import the image (see above)
Temporally Add graphic to stage. Highlight the graphic, Modify > Break Apart (Apple+B)
Select eyedropper tool and click on the graphic.
Fill color swatch in the tool bar changes to a small image of the graphic.
Now Delete graphic on the stage.
Use the rectangle tool to drew a fill. ( don't forget to turn off stroke color by clicking color and clicking not color option icon below the Colors button on the tool bar.)

In the Timeline window select the whole layer by clicking the Layer info bar to the left.
Then go to the properties window and pull down the Tween pull down and
select Shape or Motion type.

F6 or Control / click on timeline
Note: You can't drag and drop multiple key-frames.
You need to control/click and cut copy and past key-frames.
You can also copy whole sets of key frames and move them this way.

When using actions in the timeline it's best to create a new layer in the time line
(name it Actions) and put all your actions key-frames on it.
Rule: actions in the time line effect the play head of the whole animation (all the layers) not individual layers.
Select the key-frame on the Action layer you created and open the Actions window (F9)

Select the transparent layer in Photoshop and then Save AS a PNG File (ping).
Import the file into Flash. The PNG format is a format that is works well on both PC and Mac. It's like a universal format. The format support 256 levels of transparency.
Note: I have had no trouble importing transparent gif's

Open the Library > Select the file > click the properties info "i" icon > click the Update button in the Properties window.

If you can you should use photoshop to make an image that has transparency first, and save it as a PNG file. It will be smaller.
In Flash place an image on the stage. Above the image layer in the timeline add a new layer. Create your mask in the top layer.
Now, right click on the top layer icon (to the fare left of the layer line.) From the pop up window select Mask
Note: The image layer and the mask layer must be locked to view it correctly in Flash. It will play ok though.

Open a old flash fla file. Open the old Library > Select the file > drag it to the new Library Window.

Turn on the onion skin future in the timeline. ( small blue and white icon boxes at the bottom of the time line. When your doing cell animation don't forget to use the keyboard shortcut (.) to move to the next frame

Motion Tweening - you must convert the object to a symbol for this to work. This is what you will be using most of the time. So it's best just to convert your objects to symbols right away.

When Shape Tweening the first and last key frames must be objects, Not symbols or grouped objects !! If you see a dotted line between the key frames in the time line your not using an object!! Flash is warning you that something is wrong. To find out if your using an object on the stage, select art on the stage and if you see a doted selection overlay... that is an object. Shape tweening that's done right will look green on the timeline.

First you need to make a cool Flash Preloader Movie Clip. Remember movie clips play and loop by default.
Create a new scene.
Window>Scene> Now change the name of scene 1 to Main.
Now create a new scene by pressing "+" Name it Preloader. Then move it above the main scene so the preloader scene plays first.
Work on the Preloader scene
Open the Preloader scene and add your preloader movie clip to the stage.
Create a new layer and name it Action. Select the first frame of the Action layer.
Open Action window. Actions>Movie Control>Stop
This will pause the preloader move clip and keep it from jumping to the main scene.
Now you need to Attach action to the movie clip (Clip Event) that will constantly check how much of the movie is downloaded.
Click on the movie clip on the STAGE. Open Actions Window.
+ > Actions > Conditions Loops > If
Highlight onClipEvent and change the Event from Load to EnterFrame
Click on "if" line. Condition field add: _root
with your curser after the word _root add a new action.
+ > Objects > Client/Server > LoadVars > Methods > getBytesLoaded
Make sure there is one "." between the two actions.
Add to the end of the Condition: >=_root
+ > Objects > Client/Server > LoadVars > Methods > getBytesTotal
The Code should look like this.
_root.getBytesLoaded()>=_root.getBytesTotal()
Now select the if line. + > Actions > Variables > with
Object is: _root
+ > Actions > Move Control > Play
That it.

How do I test it?
Control>Test Movie
Debug> set the speed of the modem your testing for.
View>Show Streaming.
Remember to create a actions layer with a stop action on the first frame of the main scene. or the movie will loop back to the pre-loader.

You can load a swf file into a level. The zero level is the top layer of the time line. or _root
It's better to load the movie into a Movie Clip Target because you have more control of the movie clip location on the stage.
Note: When you save your files. Make sure both files (the loader and the loadee) are in the same folder to make it easier.

Create a new symbol, and give it a name. "placeholder"
When you load the clip it will align at x:0 y:0 the center of the placeholder movie clip. so the top/left corner of the movie clip. Draw a box with no fill inside the placeholder move stage, the same size of the swf file that will be loaded into the placeholder movie clip. Set the x:0 y0 Note: make sure the alignment box to the left has its top left box darkened.

Go back to the main Scene and add the placeholder to the stage.
Note this placeholder will not be visible when the movie plays.
If you want to put a frame around do it on a new layer or edit the movie clip your loading and add it to that file. Give the Placeholder an instance name. "Empty" It can be any name, no numbers or spaces.

Now make a button or add it from the common librarys>Buttons (see making a button)
Select the button on the stage. Open action window F9
+ > Actions > Browser/Network > loadMovie
When you save your files. Make sure both files (the loader and the loadee) are in the same folder to make it easier.
URL: name of the file your loading
Location: Target
Next to Target add the instance name of the movie clip. "empty" If you forget the instance name you can find it by using clip on the instance target icon (looks like a target) Make use Mode is set to Relative. Select the instance you look for and click OK. Save file
Control>Test Movie

Add a button to the stage
Double click on the button instance on the stage.
Add a new layer to the button timeline. Name it sound.
Lock all layers but the sound stage. Alt click on the layer's lock icon (all other layers will lock)
Add key-frame to the over stage. F6
select the over key-frame and add sound to the stage. Set Sound Sync to Event.
If you want to add a sound to the down state repeat the last two steps.

Create a new movie symbol
Insert > New Symbol > Behavier Move Clip and name it Music
Create 4 layers in the Music Move clip.
Name them: Action, Label, Sounds, Buttons
Name the first key-frame in the Label layer "Music On"
Move curser to Label frame 10 and F6 (insert key-frame) Name the key-frame "Music Off"
Move curser to Label frame 20 in the layer and F5 (insert frame)
You should now be able to see the labels on the time line.

Select first key-frame in the Actions Layer and F9 (open Action window)
+ > Actions > Movie Control > stop

Import sound file to the library.. aiff or mp3
Select first key-frame in the sound layer. Add it to the stage.
Sync: Start
Loop: 1 to 9999
Select frame 10 on the sound layer then F6 (insert Key-Frame)
Sound: find your audio name.
Sync: Stop

Now Add buttons.
Window > Common Libraries > Buttons
Select first key-frame in the buttons layer. Add a play button to the stage.
Center the button on the stage. Use the align window
Add the Stop button to the Library (drag it to the library)
Select frame 10 on the buttons layer then F6 (insert Key-Frame)
Select button on the stage. Swap Symbol > select the play button
Move to frame one and select the stop button on the stage.
F9 (open Actions window) + > Actions > Movie Control > goto > type: Frame Label > Frame: music off > Check box: "Go to and Stop"
Move to frame ten and select the play button on the stage.
F9 (open Actions window) + > Actions > Movie Control > goto > type: Frame Label > Frame: music on > Check box: "Go to and Stop"

Before publishing check the audio compression
Select your sound file in the Library window.
Compression: MP3 adjust the bit rate to your liking. Press Test to test audio
That it.

How do I test it?
Control>Test Movie
Debug> set the speed of the modem your testing for and...
View > Show Streaming.

Sometimes, it is desirable to make your flash movie background transparent. Below are different ways to make a transparent background for your flash movie.

If you are using Macromedia Flash to produce your HTML code, you need to change your publish settings as follow:
File menu -> Publish Settings -> HTML Tab
Look for WMODE setting and select transparent for it.
Then publish to produce your HTML code.

If you are using Dreamweaver to insert your flash movie, you need to set the parameter of the movie as follow:
Select the flash movie, click the parameter button in the property panel.
in the popup, add a parameter "WMODE" and set its value to "transparent".

If you edit your HTML code manually , you need to:
add the following to the object tag:
<param name="wmode" value="transparent">
add the following parameter to the EMBED tag:
wmode="transparent"

Use Action Script "with" within a movie. set the object to _parent to go up one level. or _root to go all the way to the top timeline ( Scene 1) If you only need to go up one level use _parent

Step 1 Select the button on the stage

Step 2 Add the action script "with" Actions>Variables>with

Step 3 Object = _parent

Step 4 Select the "with" action script line

Step 5 Add the action script "goto" Actions>Movie Control>goto

Step 1 Highlight sound in Library

Step 2 Library menu > Linkage

Step 3 Linkage Properties window > check "Export for ActionScript. Change Identifier to an easy name. I used "SpyIntro" for the example below.

Step 4 Select keyframe in the action panel time line.

Objects > Movie > Sound > New Sound
Objects > Movie > Sound > Methods > attachSound
Objects > Movie > Sound > Methods > setVolume
Objects > Movie > Sound > Methods > start

ActionScript---------------

SpyIntro = new sound(_root);
SpyIntro.attachSound("Spyintro");
SpyIntro.setVolume(30);
SpyIntro.start(0,2);

Step 1 Select Text and Copy

Step 2 Press Insert Layer button to create a new layer

Step 3 Click on Frame 1 of the new layer and Past In Place

Step 4 Reposition the text in the new layer, down and to the right.

Step 5 Brake the text apart. With the shadow layer selected, click Command-B/Control-B

Step 6 Modify > Shape > Fill Edges (Distance = 1, Steps=2)

Download pdf file: How to Create Text Drop shadows