New to Flash...please help!

[HokieDrum]

I have 2 questions...first, how do you create text that has a black color with white outline (so it looks like outlined text on a black background)? Also, is it possible to morph between 2 imported .gifs? I assume it isn't, but you never know. Thanks for any help I can get...

[Pope de Flash]

The only way I know that you can do what you are looking at for your fonts is to break them up so they become curves vs. Font outlines. This will allow you to make the changes you want however you increase your flie size when you do this. The answer on this one I if you have body text done this way is to use a font designed as an outline.

As far as the morphing goes no you cant do that. But you can import a series of graphics that you make in photoshop that make it look like you did. Check out my site (that is under development)www.planetjesus.net regards, Bill

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Macromedians 1:1

In the beginning the web was without shape and color, and the hype covered the darkness of the net. Then there was a Flash and life came to the web and vision became reality.

[Eddie]

As Pope de Flash correctly pointed out you cannot morph GIFs. However there is a technique that you can employ to hold a gun up the a GIFs head and force it to morph.

If you are dealing with GIFs this would suggest that there are solid blocks of colour in your pic. Provided that your pic has only a few colours and no gradiated areas this means that you can trace your bitmap (ie convert it to a vector graphic). Once the pic has been converted into a vector graphic you can then morph it. But beware if you graphic is too complex prepare yourself for a CPU intensive morph.

To trace you bitmap, select the bitmap you want to convert.
Select Modify > Trace Bitmap.
When the dialog box appears adjust the settings:

* Colour Treshold - the amount each pixel must vary from the pixel next to it before is is considered another colour. The larger the number the lower the number of vectors created.
* Minimum Area - Sets the min. size a vector shape can be created by the trace.
* Curve Fit - how closely the trace-created shapes follow the original bitmap colours
* Corner Treshold - The amount a curve can bend before it's turned into a corner.
This is a tricky method and involves lots of experimentation. I hope this helps. Good luck and happy flashing!!

For further information about morphing Flashkit will have a tutorial on morphing and another on employing shapehints up in the next week.

Eddie

[This message has been edited by Eddie (edited 05 March 2000).]

[Pope de Flash]

Kudos eddie didnt even enter my mind to do a trace. I'll be using that idea alot. Regards, Bill

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Macromedians 1:1

In the beginning the web was without shape and color, and the hype covered the darkness of the net. Then there was a Flash and life came to the web and vision became reality.

[HokieDrum]

That did the trick...thanks a lot for the help!!