Flash 8 new features use techniques in combat (4): Drawing tools

Skills

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Part Four: Improvement of Flash 8 drawing tools

Flash 8 's drawing tools also have some improvements, although there is no significant change in functionality, but there are many features that make it easier for us to draw lines or graphics in detail, and in this section we'll learn more about these features. ( download the instance source file for this article , 9KB)

　　1. Drawing of objects

In previous versions of Flash, if we use the drawing tools to draw two objects that overlap but do not combine with each other, we need to convert two objects to components individually or in two layers, otherwise two objects overlap together, which is relatively troublesome. As shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

In Flash8, the object drawing feature is added, and when the drawing tool is selected, the button appears below the toolbar, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2

If you don't press this button, the objects drawn are also the same as in the old version, now that we press this button and then draw two objects of different colors and shapes, we can see that two objects exist independently in one layer and do not interfere with each other, as shown in Figure 3. This makes it much easier for us to draw graphics, and you can choose whether to use the Draw Objects feature at any time.

Figure 3

　　2. Merging of objects

When we draw different objects, we can do some operations between the objects, such as joint, intersection, punching, trimming, and so on. Let's take a look at how to join the object, use the drawing tools, and select the Draw Object button, draw two graphs, and execute the Modify/Merge object/Union menu command, as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4

We'll get the effect of two objects combined, as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5

The effect of the intersection is that the overlapping parts of the two graphs are left behind, and the rest is trimmed off, and we find that the remaining part is the graph above, as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6

Let's make a hole punch, first draw an ellipse, fill a color, and then draw a smaller circle over it and fill it with another color. Select all two graphics and then perform the Modify/object merge/Punch menu command, and you will get the effect after drilling, as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7

At this point we can continue to modify the two circles, as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8

Then look at the effect of cutting, the same use just in the "intersection" experiment in the circle and the rectangle to cut, you will find that the cut shape is the same, but the color is different, as shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9

What is this for? This is because when the intersection is merged, use the following graphic to crop the graphic above, leaving the rest of the graph above, and when cropping merges, use the above figure to crop the following graphic, leaving the rest of the graphic below.

OK, now that we've seen some of the new features of drawing objects and merging objects, let's look at the changes in how the lines are plotted.

　　3. Changes in line

In previous versions of Flash, the end of the line in the default is rounded corners, which in practical applications to bring us great inconvenience, if you want to draw a sharp-pointed shape, it takes a lot of trouble. In Flash8, this aspect has been improved, and when you draw a line segment, you'll find a few more property options in the property panel, as shown in Figure 10. These include endpoints, joints, and sharp corners.

Figure 10

The endpoint type includes "None" rounded "square" three, and the effect is shown in Figure 11. We can set line properties before drawing lines, or modify these properties of the lines after drawing.

Figure 11

Engagement refers to the way in which the line segment renders a corner shape at the turning point of the line segment, which is the corner. There are "sharp corners" "rounded" "bevel" three ways for us to choose, the effect is shown in Figure 12.

Figure 12

When we choose to join as "sharp angle", the left corner limit text box becomes available, where you can specify a sharp angle to limit the size of the value, the larger the number, the sharper the sharp angle, the smaller the number, the sharp corners will be gradually flattened.

In addition to the above changes in the properties of a line, we can also fill the line with color. In previous releases, we could do this after converting the line to a padded contour, and now you can change the fill color of the line directly in the property panel, using a solid color, a gradient, or a bitmap fill, as shown in Figure 13.

Figure 13

In the same way, we can also fill a color with paths drawn with the path tool.

This shows that Flash8 brought us through the improved drawing tools can indeed bring great convenience, in the creation of works can be more arbitrary!