Chapter 8: Working With Graphic Objects; About Graphic Objects - Adobe 38039336 - Flash CS3 Professional User Manual

Chapter 8: Working with graphic objects

In Adobe® Flash® CS3 Professional, you can work with several different kinds of graphic objects. Each kind has its
own advantages and disadvantages. By understanding the capabilities of the different object types, you can make
good decisions about which types of objects to use in your work.

About graphic objects

Understanding graphic objects in Flash
In Flash, graphic objects are items on the Stage. Flash lets you move, copy, delete, transform, stack, align, and group
graphic objects.
Modifying lines and shapes can alter other lines and shapes on the same layer.
Note: "Graphic objects" in Flash are different from "ActionScript objects, " which are part of the ActionScript™
programming language. Do not confuse the two uses of the term "objects. " For more information on objects in the
programming language, see About data types in Learning ActionScript 2.0 in Adobe Flash, or Data types in
Programming ActionScript 3.0.
See also
"Drawing" on page 160
About shapes
Shapes are one type of graphic object you can create in Flash. When you draw shapes that overlap each other in the
same layer, the topmost shape cuts away the part of the shape underneath it that it overlaps. In this way, drawing
shapes is a destructive drawing mode.
When a shape has both a stroke and a fill, these are considered separate graphic elements, which can be selected and
moved independently.
Depending on the type of drawing you are doing, you may find that this behavior well suited to the final art you want
to create.
To draw shapes
1 Deselect the Object Drawing option in the Tools panel.
Select a drawing tool, and draw on the Stage.
2
Do not select the Rectangle Primitive or Oval Primitive tools, as these tools create shape primitives instead of
standard shapes.
About drawing objects
Drawing objects are graphic elements you create with the Flash drawing tools in object drawing mode. When a tool
is in object drawing mode, the shapes you create with it are self-contained. The stroke and fill of a shape are not
separate elements, and shapes that overlap do not alter one another.
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