WOW Blog- Kentucky Wesleyan College

Symbols – Why we use them, turning a Graphic into a Symbol, Symbol types, registration mark vs. transformation point

Pages 199-211

Why use symbols? Pg. 208

Symbols allow you to reuse elements in a way that’s more efficient than duplicating vector shapes. Using symbols always you to update one master graphic element instead of making the same change over and over again in your document, in each instance of a symbol (each place you use the same symbol in your document).

Turning a Graphic into a Symbol pg. 209

·Select the graphic you want to convert

· Choose Modify> Convert to symbol (key shortcut F8)

·Convert dialog shows up, change name if needed

·Choose graphic as the symbol type

·If needed change registration point, but Flash by default registers a symbol in the upper-left corner of its bounding box

·Click ok, the symbol is then added to the library and you can no longer edit the item directly unless you open it in one of the symbol-editing modes.

Tips

· You can make a symbol that consists of one or more merge-shapes, drawing-objects, grouped shapes, symbols inside of symbols, etc.

·Whatever you select on the stage when you choose convert to symbol will be converted into a symbol.

·To convert a graphic more quickly, you can select all the elements and drag the selection to the lower half of the document’s Library panel and the convert to symbol dialog will appear.

·You can not change the registration mark unless you go into symbol editing mode and reposition the graphic elements in relation to the mark.

Registration Mark

· Is the small crosshair in the symbol that is used to register the symbol or to locate it on the stage.

Transformation Point

· Is the small circle in the symbol that you can use for snapping operations, also known as the reference point that is used for transforming the symbol.

·This point is the point that Flash uses to pivot the symbol around when the symbol is being transformed.

Symbols