Import Graphics and Sound

So far in this section, we've looked at how to create new content by drawing vector graphics in Flash. You can also import bitmap graphics to be used as a background to your movie, or to be used as pieces in the movie, vector graphics from other published swfs, music files, and video files. For a complete list of the filetypes which can be imported, choose File, Import, Import to Stage and click the Files of Type dropdown. That lists all bitmap, vector and sound formats that may be imported.

Importing Bitmaps

To import a bitmap (jpg, png, gif, bmp, etc), choose File, Import, Import to Stage and browse to find the file. Flash will place a copy of the bitmap on stage and in the library. If you want to use the bitmap graphic as is, it must remain in the library even though there is also a copy (or copies) on stage.

Converting to Vector (if desired)

If you want to turn the bitmap graphic into a vector graphic (in order to animate it, or just to have it look "vector-ish"), you can do so by selecting the bitmap and choosing Modify, Bitmap, Trace Bitmap. These are the options for converting from bitmap to vector -- they control how precise (and large, filewise) the final image will be. This information is from the Flash help file:

• Color Threshold, between 1 and 500: When two pixels are compared, if the difference in the RGB color values is less than the color threshold, the two pixels are considered the same color. As you increase the threshold value, you decrease the number of colors.
• Minimum Area, between 1 and 1000: the number of surrounding pixels to consider when assigning a color to a pixel.
• Curve Fit: option from the pop-up menu determines how smoothly outlines are drawn.
• Corner Threshold: option from the pop-up menu determines whether sharp edges are retained or smoothed out.

To create a vector graphic that looks most like the original bitmap, enter the following values: Color Threshold: 10, Minimum Area: 1 pixel, Curve Fit: Pixels, Corner Threshold: Many Corners

Once the vector graphic has been created, the bitmap may be deleted from the library.

Importing sound files

Sound files are imported by choosing File, Import, Import to Library and browsing for the sound file. You can import wav, mp3 or aif files, among others. wav or aif files are the best option if you have them, since they are uncompressed coming into Flash. You can then select the compression to apply in the Publish Settings of Flash. mp3 files already have some compression applied, which can only be left as is or more applied by Flash (can't "uncompress"). Also, mp3 files may have a pause at the end when looping, which wav/aif files do not.

Importing Illustrator files

You can't import an Illustrator file directly into Flash. But you can open it in Illustrator and cut and paste graphics into Flash. Better yet, you can export your file from Illustrator as a swf (either as one swf, one swf with keyframes = Illustrator layers, or multiple swfs where each = one Illustrator layer). Then choose File, Import, Import to Stage in Flash and browse to find the swf file. Most Illustrator content can be copied precisely this way. Sometimes text does not copy correctly though -- better to create the text with the Text Tool in Flash, or even import a bitmap of the text if it must be precisely formatted.

When a swf that was exported from Illustrator is imported to Flash, the shapes come in as grouped objects. To convert them to native Flash shapes (editable with the Flash drawing tools), select the grouped objects and do Modify, Ungroup or Modify, Break Apart (mac:cmd-B, pc: ctrl-B).

Importing Animated Gifs