Create a Flash Button       In FLASH MX

Flash buttons are a nice addition to an interactive web page.
They are simple to produce for designers with Flash experience but some new terms must be mastered.
As well a little familiarity with Action Scripts (we will use the normal mode).

******* OPEN A NEW FILE IN ACTION SCRIPT 2 *******
not Action Script 3!

Play with this test button for a while
Have you noticed that there are 3 states that the button reacts to?
UP OVER DOWN
The mouse is not over the button (up)
The button is red		 The mouse is over the button and the button turns green You click on the button and it turns yellow and then hyperlinks to another URL
To Create the Hyper Link feature an action script must be defined and generated for the button.

Once the button is made you can select the button and add the Action Script > Browser/Network > getURL

Remember to use the Normal Mode in Action scripts NOT the Expert mode

Procedure - design and produce three buttons that are different in some respect from each other (except size) and save them for web ( the above buttons are 125 x 50 pixels)

File > Import to Library all images (so that you can use them)

Size the stage to the size of your buttons

Drop the up button onto the stage first

 

Insert > Convert to Symbol (Button)

Double clicked button to go to the intertween
(notice now you have 4 frames called UP - OVER - DOWN - HIT)

Create a keyframe in the OVER frame and place the OVER button on the stage

Create another keyframe in the DOWN frame and add the DOWN button

Click on the blue arrow by the paint bucket and you will return from the intertween
back to the main screen and you will see the up button

Now we will insert the Action Script to create the Hyperlink
Click on the button and then open Actions
Window > Actions

> click on Browser/Network  ---- getURL   

Remember to Save As ( this will generate a .fla file )

Now>  Publish Preview > Flash (this will create a .swf file) and your button should exhibit 3 states and when the down action is released you should be transported to your hyperlink!

Insert > media > flash (the .swf button file into your Dreamweaver production)


YOU DO NOT NEED TO CREATE BUTTON IMAGES IN PHOTOSHOP (MOST CREATIVE WAY)

YOU CAN CREATE THEM IN FLASH WITH THE DRAW/PENCIL/RECTANGLE/ELLIPTICAL TOOLS

CS3 Flash uses a different system with ActionScript 3 its nice if
you like computer code otherwise stick with MX for Action Script 2

 

Really Want to Create a Flash Website??