Keyframer

Hey Chris, I emailed you a while back asking how you became so good at Flash. You told me to use it everyday. I haven’t bought one of your books yet, but I wanted to know if I should get your CS3 book or wait for the CS4 one? I have been learning CS4 and have been reading all I can about it. I have a job interview to work full time in Flash and want to thank you for giving me the knowledge and advice I needed to make it this far. I have tried to use the bone tool on a movie clip but haven’t been successful. I guess you can only use the bone tool on something you draw in flash?
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James

Hi James, I’m answering this on the day before the entire manuscript for HTCIF edition 2 is due and to be delivered to my publisher. If you plan on upgrading to CS4, then I recommend waiting for the 2nd edition. It will have about 30 additional pages of content based on CS4 features and I will include as many source files on the CD as I can generate. I wish I had more time to write this book update though. My publisher has a strict delivery date only a month after CS4 was announced and only a week after I was given the Adobe Master Collection. I haven’t had enough time with CS4 to generate a ton of real world examples to include in the book. So there won’t be too much of a difference between editions.
As for your Bone tool problem, you need at least 2 or more symbols to create an IK chain. If you are trying to apply the Bone tool to a shape, then it has to be a raw vector shape initially. When you start to add a chain to it, Flash will place the shape in a container.
Hope this helps.
-c

Hi Chris,
There are a lot of new flash features to preview on the Adobe site. Will you publish a new book?
Thanks.
André Salters

Hi André, yes I will. In fact I am currently updating How to Cheat in Adobe Flash CS4 to reflect all the CS4 changes and its new features. It will be the same book but with updated content and probably about 30 additional pages of new CS4-related animation examples.
I may as well mention I have had an on-going conversation with Peachpit Press about writing a Flash book as well. That may actually happen this year.
Thanks!
-c

Hi Chris,
In Adobe Illustrator you can select the same fill color, stroke color and transparency. This allows you to change the color in one step rather than manually selecting all of the same color before changing the color. Flash doesn’t have this feature. Is there a Flash Plugin that does this? It would save me a lot of time since I draw a lot in Flash.

From:
Andy Bauer
Illustrator & Flash Animator

UPDATE: Turns out all Andy ended up needing was the Find & Replace panel (under the Edit menu) in Flash
But Justin’s extension is still cool (below).

Justin to the rescue!!!!
Download the new Unify Stroke and Fill extension
Thanks Justin!

[Hi Andy,
true, you can not select a stroke and fill and expect to change their respective colors (whether different or the same) in one fell swoop. Afaik there is no plugin that allows this type of functionality either. I expect it doesn't exist because there simply hasn't been a need voiced for it throughout the community. But perhaps someone proficient with JSFL could whip one up for us after reading this. Let me spread the word and see what happens.

Thanks for your question.
-Chris]