Modifying the Template:

 

  1. Open the Flash Document (template.fla)
  2. Go to File=>Save As:  Save the document with another name (so as to not alter the original)

 

Now, alter the document to your liking:

 

To Add new Topics:

 

I’ve created a “blank” one directly after Topic 5.  You can create others as needed.  Before proceeding, please “un-lock” all the “locked” layers by clicking on the lock in the layer name area.  When finished – you can lock them back up by clicking in that area once more.

 

  1. Add keyframes to layers:
    1. In the Marker, ActionScript, top bar, nav, images and content layer right-click on frame 110 and choose “Insert Keyframe” from the menu.  (this creates a “copy” of what was there before.

 

  1. Create and Name a Marker for navigation:
    1. Double-click the keyframe at 100 in the Marker Layer.  In the Label Tab, type “Topic 6” in the input field.  Or what ever topic you’re on at the moment.  Make sure the Behavior is set to “Label”

 

  1. Add a Stop frame to stop the playback head so that it will wait for the user to click one of your navigation buttons.
    1. At keyframe 109 of the ActionScript layer – right-click and insert a BLANK keyframe from the menu.
    2. Double-click the keyframe at 109 in the ActionScript layer (the one you just created) and select the “Actions Tab”
    3. Click on the plus icon and select “Stop” from the menu.
    4. Hit “OK” to exit the ActionScript editor.

 

  1. Link the Navigation buttons:
    1. Link the Back Button

                                                               i.      Click the keyframe at 100 in the nav layer (you’ll notice everything in that layer is highlighted)  then click on the back arrow to unselect everything but that button itself.

                                                             ii.      Now that it’s selected, double-click it.

                                                            iii.      Select the “Actions” tab and click on the Plus Icon to add script.

                                                           iv.      From the pull down menu select “On Mouse Event” and select the “Release” event on the right-hand side.

                                                             v.      Click the Plus Icon once again and select Go To from the menu

                                                           vi.      Find the Control: Go to and Play check box and make sure there’s a check in there.

                                                          vii.      Select the “Label” option and from the Pull down menu select the marker that the back button should go to.  In this case it would be Topic 5.  (If you don’t make the marker first – the option will NOT show up!)

 

    1. Link the Top Button

                                                               i.      Follow the instructions above (i-vi) but using the “TOP” button.  Then, continue on.

                                                             ii.      Select the “Label” option and from the Pull down menu select the marker that the back button should go to.  In this case it would be Intro. 

 

    1. Link the Forward button:

                                                               i.      This is a bit tricky!  We don’t have to deal with the forward button in this topic (Topic 6) UNLESS it’s going to another Topic.  We have to edit the button in the previous topic (Topic 5) to get it to move to our new topic (Topic 6).

                                                             ii.      Select keyframe 80 in the Nav layer.  (You’re editing the button in Topic 5 right now!)

                                                            iii.      Follow the steps (ii-vi) above under the “Link the Back Button” topic but this time, use the “Forward” button.  Then continue below when finished.

                                                           iv.      Select the “Label” option and from the Pull down menu select the marker that the forward button should go to.  In this case it would be Topic 6. 

 

  1. Populate the content and images layer as per the Populate the Template handout.

 

Modifying the buttons themselves (ie… changing the look or color of them) is outside the scope of this tutorial.  The chance for serious error is much too high and it’s actually easier to create your own RATHER than edit mine.  I would suggest going to one of the 3 websites below and work through their tutorials on how to create a button.

http://www.flash-underground.com

http://www.flashplanet.com

http://www.flashkit.com

 

Don’t forget there are tutorials that come with Flash!  Working through these is probably the best way to learn Flash in a hurry.