ptg Chapter 2 Working Within the Flash Environment 49 Resizing Panels Minimize and Maximize Panels To minimize or maximize a docking channel, click the Double-arrow button at the top of the panel group. The double-arrow direction indicates whether the panel minimizes or maximizes. For example, if the double-arrow points to the left of the Tools panel that means when you click it the Tools panel minimizes. If the double-arrow points to the right that means when you click it the Tools panel maximizes. 1 If you need more workspace, you can use the double-arrow button (at the top of a panel group) to quickly minimize a panel group, such as the Tools panel or Property Inspector. When you click the double-arrow button, the panel group collapses to icons, which increases the size of the workspace. You can click the icons to display the panel. When you click the double-arrow button again, the panel group reopens. If you need to increase or decrease the size of a docking panel, you can drag the resize bar at the top-left side of the panel group to resize it as you would any window. Double-arrow button; maximized panel Double-arrow button; minimized panel Drag to resize panel From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 50 Chapter 2 Using the Tools Panel Show and Hide the Tools Panel ◆ To display the Tools panel, click the Window menu, and then click Tools to select the check mark. ◆ To hide the Tools panel, click the Window menu, and then click Tools to deselect the check mark. ◆ To collapse and expand the Tools panel between one and two columns, click the double-arrows at the top of the Tools panel. The Tools panel, also known as the Toolbox, contains tools that you can use to draw, paint, select, and modify artwork. The Tools panel is divided into 4 main sections: (1) the first section at the top contains selection and transform tools; (2) the next section contains tools for drawing, painting, and adding text; (3) the next selection contains tools for changing, modifying, drawing and painting; and (4) the last section contains additional tool options for zooming and panning in the program window, changing stroke and fill colors, and selecting other options. You can show or hide the Tools panel as necessary and customize the Tools panel to display the tools you use most often. You can now expand and collapse the Tools panel to switch between one and two columns of tools. When you customize the Tools panel, you can display more than one tool in a location. The top tool in the group appears with an arrow in the lower right corner of its icon. When you click and hold the pointer on the top tool, the other tools in the group appear in a pop- up menu. When you select a tool from the group, it appears in the Tools panel as the top tool. Click to select (show) or deselect (hide) the check mark. Click to expand and collapse Tools panel Tools panel Did You Know? You can move the Tools panel. Drag the title bar or textured area at the top of the Tools panel to the desired location. From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 2 Working Within the Flash Environment 51 Customize the Tools Panel Click the Flash (Mac) or Edit menu (Win), and then click Customize Tools Panel. Click a tool in the Tools panel graphic. To add a tool, select the tool in the Available Tools list, and then click Add. TIMESAVER You can add more than one tool to a location. To remove a tool, select the tool in the Current Selection list, and then click Remove. Click OK. 5 4 3 2 1 5 2 3 4 Did You Know? You can restore the Tools panel to the default layout. Click the Flash (Mac) or Edit menu (Win), click Customize Tools Panel, click Restore Defaults, and then click OK. You can identify keyboard shortcuts for the Tools panel. In the Customize Tools Panel dialog box, the letter in parenthesis indicates the keyboard shortcut. Creating Tools Flash lets you design your own Tools, using the JSFL language. In addition you can download tools created by other authors at the Adobe Exchange at http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/exchange /index.cfm. Although Adobe has yet to properly document the JSFL language, point your browser to http://www.dynamicflash.co.uk/jsfl/ for a look at how JSFL is implemented in the Flash environment. For Your Information From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 52 Chapter 2 Working with Panels Open and Close a Panel Click the Window menu. Do one of the following: ◆ Click a panel name, such as Properties, Timeline, Tools, and Library. ◆ Point to a panel category, such as Other Panels, and then click a panel name. TIMESAVER To close a panel, click the Close button on the panel or the tab you want. Collapse and Expand a Panel To collapse or expand an open panel, click the header bar or double-click the title tab on the header bar of the panel. TIMESAVER To hide and show all panels, click the Window menu, and then click Hide Panels. TIMESAVER To Auto-Collapse Icon Panels or Auto-Show Hidden Panels, right-click (Win) or option- click (Mac), and then select a command. 1 2 1 Panels are windows that allow you to view, organize, and change ele- ments and related options in a document. In Flash, you work with sev- eral panel windows at one time. Instead of continually moving, resizing, or opening and closing windows, you can collapse or expand individual panels within a window with a single click to save space. A panel appears with a header, which includes the tab titles and three accessi- bility options: the Minimize/Maximize button, the Close button, and an Options menu. The entire set of panels includes a double arrow you can use the collapse and expand the entire panel between icons with text and full panels. You use the Minimize/Maximize button to collapse or expand panels. The Options menu provides you with panel specific commands, including group, rename, maximize, close a panel, and use the Help system. Panels on Window menu 1 More panels on Window submenu Collapsed panels Expanded panel 1 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 2 Working Within the Flash Environment 53 Collapse and Expand the Panel Set Between Icons and Panels ◆ To collapse the panel set to icons with text, click the double arrow pointing right (Collapse to Icons) at the top of the panels. ◆ To expand the panel set from icons with text to full panels, click the double arrow pointing left (Expand Dock) at the top of the panels. ◆ To have an expanded panel icon automatically collapse or hide when you click away, right-click (Win) or control-click (Mac) a panel, and then click Auto- Collapse Icon Panels or Auto- Show Hidden Panels. Use the Panel Options Menu Open or expand a panel. Click the Options button on the right side of the panel header bar. Click a command from the list (commands vary). Common commands include: ◆ Help. Accesses Flash Help. ◆ Close. Closes the currently displayed tab in the panel. ◆ Close Group. Closes all the tabs in the panel. 3 2 1 3 Click to collapse the panel set 1 Click to expand the panel set 2 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 54 Chapter 2 Docking and Undocking Panels Dock a Panel Position the pointer on the panel tab or panel set header bar. Drag the window away from the panel to a panel. ◆ Add to Panel. Drag to a panel until a blue rectangle appears around the panel. ◆ Append to Panel. Drag to a panel until a blue line appears along the side of the panel. Undock a Panel Position the pointer on the panel tab or panel set header bar. Drag the window away from the panel to an empty area of the Flash window. 2 1 2 1 You can dock and undock, or temporarily attach and detach, panels or panel groups. You can display panels using the Window menu, and then drag them around the program window to dock or undock them to other panels. You can even drag the Property Inspector panel to display it hor- izontally or vertically. However, document panels and the Stage cannot be docked. When you drag a panel over a dockable area, an outline around the target dock appears. When you release the mouse button, the panel snaps to the dockable area and stays there until you move it. You can even drag a panel tab to a new position. If you attempt to dock a panel over an undockable area, no outline appears. 2 2 1 1 From the Library of Wow! eBook . of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 2 Working Within the Flash Environment 51 Customize the Tools Panel Click the Flash (Mac) or Edit menu (Win), and then click. language, point your browser to http://www.dynamicflash.co.uk/jsfl/ for a look at how JSFL is implemented in the Flash environment. For Your Information From