Flash Animation Tutorials >> Flash Symbols >> Graphic Symbols

Flash Graphic Symbols

Flash Tutorial to create a graphic symbol

Graphic symbols are reusable static images that are used mainly to create animations. Any drawn vector/plain text/imported bitmap (photo), or combinations of these, can be converted into a single controllable object, called a graphic symbol. Graphic Symbols have only one frame in their timeline.

Please carry out the following steps in Macromedia Flash to create graphic symbols.

First create/import the object(s) to be converted into a graphic. Import bitmaps onto the stage using Ctrl+R.
Select the object(s) and then press F8 (or Modify >> Convert to Symbol).
Select the Graphic Behavior and name the symbol, say 'g_home'.
To edit it at a later point, double-click the symbol in the library (Ctrl + L) or any of its instances on the stage to switch to its symbol-editing mode as shown below. The name of the symbol will appear near the scene name ('Scene 1' by default, as shown below).

Fig: Symbol-editing Mode of flash graphic 'g_home'

Make the necessary changes and click 'Scene 1' to exit from the symbol editing mode and go back to view the main movie's time-line.

Flash Symbols

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