Flash Firestarter Video Tutorials
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Firestarter Overview
This video presents a brief introduction to CoffeeCup Firestarter. This program allows you to create cool Flash™ effects, banners, and movies for your Website. You can customize your Flash™ movie with motion and action effects, text, images, and the like.
(Version 7.2 used in this video tutorial) -
Adding Text in Firestarter
In this video, you'll learn how to add text with or without a link in a Flash™ movie or banner using CoffeeCup Firestarter. It walks you through the quickstart option, including adjusting the movie width and height, whether it loops, the background color or image, and text color. It then goes on to show you how to manually adjust the size of the movie using your mouse, as well as how to resize it using the fields under the Object Properties tab. To add text, click the text button, and to edit it, replace the default text in the Text field under the Object Properties tab. The software gives you the option of changing the font face, size, color, and style (bold, italic, or underline). Creating a link gives you the option of choosing a URL, adjusting the hotspot shape and action, and choosing which frame to open the link in (_self, _top, _blank, or _parent). Finally, the video shows you how to move the text and how to adjust the text and link in the Cutting Room area of the workspace.
(Version 7.2 used in this video tutorial) -
Adding Effects
This video covers the basics of adding effects to a Flash™ movie created using CoffeeCup Firestarter. To add an effect, select the item you want to add effects to, and then click the Magic Wand icon. You will be given the choice to add a motion or action effect. The tutorial will show you how to create both effects, as well as how to preview your effects within the Add Effect window. The next step is to use the tools in the Cutting Room to adjust how long the effect will last and at what point in the timeline it will occur. You can also add a blank space to ensure that an object won't appear onscreen. Finally, the tutorial shows you how to preview the animation within Firestarter.
(Version 7.2 used in this video tutorial) -
Creating a Flash™ Intro Page
This video will show you how to use CoffeeCup Firestarter to make a Flash™ intro page for a Website created in CoffeeCup Visual Site Designer. The first step is to create a new main page in Visual Site Designer where you will place the animation. Next, open Firestarter. The video will walk you through the basics of creating a Flash™ animation, including adding an image, setting transparency, and creating a link to your Website at the end of the animation. Save the animation as both Macromedia Flash™ (.SWF) and as a .FIRE project. When you save, a window will appear listing the files you need to upload to your server and the HTML you need to paste on the page where you want the animation to appear. Copy the HTML and then reopen the blank main page in Visual Site Designer. Using the Add HTML tool, paste the HTML for your Flash™ animation in the Body HTML field. The next step is to add the Flash™ file to your Website by navigating to Settings and selecting Add Files. You will be prompted to browse your computer for the desired Flash™ file. Click Add to add it to your Website. Next, the tutorial will show you how to preview the Flash™ within Visual Site Designer. You will then learn how to add a Skip Intro link within your Flash™ animation and replace the current animation in Visual Site Designer with the updated version.
(Version 7.2 used in this video tutorial) -
Creating a Flash™ Slideshow
This tutorial will show you how to create a Flash™ slideshow using CoffeeCup Firestarter. After adding your images, you can begin to add effects to create a slideshow effect. The tutorial will show you how to add a number of different types of effects, as well as blank spaces to ensure that pictures you don't want to display will remain hidden. Finally, the tutorial shows you how to preview your Flash™ within Firestarter.
(Version 7.2 used in this video tutorial) -
Uploading Flash™
This video tutorial will show you how to upload a Flash™ animation created using CoffeeCup Firestarter to your server. First, save your file with the .SWF file extension (Macromedia Flash™). Next, save the file again with the .FIRE file extension. This opens the Files to Upload dialog box, which lists the files you need to upload in order for your Flash™ to display correctly, as well as the HTML you need to paste on every page where you want the animation to appear. Copy the code, and then click the Upload Files Here button. This opens the My Sites dialog box, which allows you to edit or set up a server. The video will walk you through the process of setting up a server, including telling you what information needs to go in which fields and where to get this information if you have forgotten it. Click Connect to connect to your server, and then click the Upload Files Here button on the window that appears to transfer your Firestarter files to your server. The video closes with an explanation of common uploading errors.
(Version 7.2 used in this video tutorial)
