Flash MX 2004 Games : Art to ActionScript

Flash MX 2004 Games
To use a gradient select a linear, radial or bitmap fill in the colour mixer panel. You can add
as many colour segments as you need to the gradient bar to make the gradient. Now click inside
a bounded area, making sure that ‘Lock Fill’ is unselected. The area is filled with the gradient. If
the positioning of the gradient is not to your liking then you can choose the Fill Transform tool
button and click on the gradient. You will get something like the image shown in Figure 2.31,
if you have chosen a radial gradient. You can move the centre of the gradient using the central
circle handle. The square handle stretches the scale of the gradient. The circle on the outer edge
between the two other handles sizes the gradient and the lower circle rotates the gradient. If you
selected a ‘Linear Gradient’ then the handles for adjusting the gradient will be rectangular. The
square one is for stretching and the circular one for rotating. Clicking and dragging the central
circular handle adjusts the position of the fill.
Figure 2.31 Moving a gradient using the Transform Fill option
If you want to fill an area with a bitmap then import a bitmap into Flash using ‘File/Import...’.
Select the bitmap by clicking on it and choose the menu option ‘Modify/Break Apart’. The bitmap
selection changes from a surrounding rectangle to a patterned area. If you use the Eyedropper tool,
then you can pick up the image as a fill. Now click on an area to apply the image. If the area is
bigger than the image then the image will be repeated in both the width and height.
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