Tutorial for Using Movie Clips in Flash
In Flash, you can create three different types of symbols: graphic, button and movie clip. Each has its own characteristics. The movie clip symbol is very powerful and versatile. This simple tutorial is intended to show you how movie clips are different from animating on the main Timeline in Flash.
The two SWFs on this page use the same button symbols (with different scripting in each SWF, however) and the same graphic symbols.
First, take a look at the two Timelines in Flash:
In the version with four movie clips, we can have a very short Timeline and just drop all of the MCs onto one single layer.
Download FLA (64 KB)
In the version without movie clips, we must add layers -- as well as frames -- in the main Timeline so that we can animate the four symbols.
Download FLA (48 KB)
Here's where you can really see the difference:
You need to upgrade your Flash player to see the slideshow.
In the Flash movie above, each time you click one of the four buttons, you send an instruction to a different movie clip. All the movie clips are available at all times, so they can play simultaneously or separately. (Movie clips are covered in Lesson 6 in Flash Journalism.)
You need to upgrade your Flash player to see the slideshow.
In the Flash movie above, each time you click one of the four buttons, you go to a different frame in the main Timeline. There are no movie clips in this version. You cannot play the animations simultaneously -- only separately. (Timeline control is covered in Lesson 5 in Flash Journalism.) You could make each one of these animations repeat, or loop, without using movie clips. But you could not make them play simultaneously -- unless you took away the option of having each one play separately.
Downloads:
Example with Movie Clips :: FLA | SWF | Example without Movie Clips :: FLA |
SWF