Are you a Flash do-it-yourselfer who likes to try things on your own without being walked through it step-by-step? Then try these user challenges to see if you can reproduce the results while meeting and exceeding the challenge requirements.
This lesson breaks down the various functions involved in the ActionScripting Challenge to make a custom candy heart generator in Flash.
Take on the challenge to create a custom candy heart generator that looks and works like the example in this Valentine's ActionScripting Challenge.
The second tool that we're going to look at, the Brush Tool, will introduce you to the Flash Drawing API and a function called createEmptyMovieClip.
This lesson uses the previously explained functions of the Flash Drawing API along with another command called clear() to create a tool to draw straight lines with a custom crosshair cursor and line tracker.
Using curveTo, beginFill, and endFill, add the functionality to draw solid-fill circles to the Flash paint application.
Similar to the Magic 8-ball but building on the techniques used, you can create a random sentence generator that can take user-input words and string them together into funny sentences.
Use connecting lineTos to create closed rectangular shapes with solid fills defined by beginFill() and endFill().
The gradient rectangle tool uses begingradientfill, matrices, and arrays to create a two-color gradient with user-specified colors and angle.
The last drawing tool on the paint application is the text tool, which turns the entire application canvas into an input text field.
You can use layers and createEmptyMovieClip to create user layers that duplicate all the functionality that we've covered in past lessons on multiple layers so that users have the option to paint above and below existing work without erasing/painting over.
The paint app has two options for setting the brush size for the Flash Oekaki/Paint application's brush tool and the opacity for the selected color: a text input box with an assigned variable, or draggable sliders.
This lesson on the Flash Oekaki/Paint application finally explains the mystery behind the oft-used currentcolor variable, how it's defined, and how it affects the various tools of the application.
The gradient tool options are controlled by user-input values stored in variables and then passed to the transform matrices used by Flash to create a gradient fill.
Use setTransform to dynamically change the hue/tint of Flash symbols, as well as adjusting their brightness and opacity.
For the first installment in the series of lessons on deconstruction the oekaki/paint application, we're going to look at the basic setup, how to switch the skins out, how to change the canvas color, and how to create the help file.
Play with this fun, multi-featured, multi-skinned online paint application/oekaki app, learn how to create one of your own, or download the current version for easy installation on your own website.
It's time to put your ActionScripting skills to the test with this challenge on developing a custom Flash drawing application that lets users paint on-screen with user-defined colors, opacity, and brush sizes.
