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| How
to Import & Manipulate Images and Flash Files
in Flair |
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| Introduction |
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| This
tutorial shows you how to easily import, combine,
position, and crop images and Flash files in
Flair. You can also import audio, video
and PowerPoint files in the same manner. However,
importing these files types will be discussed
in separate tutorials. |
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| 3
ways to import files |
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There
are three easy ways to import files into Flair.
- You can use the import
wizard.
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- You can drag the file
into Flair.
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- You can use the import
menu.
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| You
can import audio, video, image, Flash and PowerPoint
files in all of these ways. This tutorial will
show you how to import image, audio and Flash
files. Importing video and PowerPoint files will
be addressed in separate tutorials. |
| Flair’s
Import Formats: |
- Flash SWF & FLV: Flair
imports virtually any SWF or FLV file.
- Powerpoint files: Flair
imports Microsoft Powerpoint .ppt and .pot
files.
Powerpoint .ppt files are converted into
.swf files when exported from Flair.
Whenever possible, Flair converts
Powerpoint files using vectors to maintain
the smallest possible file size. Flair
has 2 modes for importing Powerpoint files:
editable (where the imported file contains
the source files text, images, animation
and transitions in an editable format) and
as slide images (where the individual slides
of the source file are imported as images
and are not editable). For the editable import
option you do not need to have Powerpoint
installed. For the slide version you do need
to have Powerpoint installed.
- Image files: Flair
imports the following video formats: .jpg,
.gif, .png,
.bmp, .psd, .tif, .pic, .tga, .wmf
- Video files: Flair
imports the following video formats: .avi,
.dv, .mov/.qt,
.mpeg, .wmv, .asf, .3gp, .mp4
- Audio files: Flair
imports the following audio formats: .mp3,
.wav, .wma
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| Using
the Import Wizard to import an image file |
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We
will now show you how to import an image file
via the import wizard.
To launch the import wizard, go to the Shortcuts Tab in the Settings Window and click on the Import Wizard icon (or select control
F3 on your keyboard). |
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| In
the first window of the wizard, select the Import
Image button. |
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| Click
the next button and select the image file your
want to import. |
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Flair
lets you import the following image types: .bmp,
.gif, .jpe, .jpeg, .png, .psd, and .tif.
After you select your file, click the next button.
Now you will determine the location of your imported
file. |
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can either manually select your X and Y coordinates
by inserting numbers in boxes, or you may click
the “Pick Location” button. Once
this button is activated, you will be asked to
move the selector to the location where you want
to import your file. Then, click to set your
coordinates. |
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Click
the Finish button. An Import Image box will pop
up, which will ask you to determine the image
quality of your imported image file. This will
control how the image file is converted to .swf
format. You can set the location of the .swf
file you will create when the image is imported – the
default is the “Source Files” folder
in your Project directory. The “Image
Quality” setting controls the quality of
the image and how large the resulting .swf file
size will be. As a general rule, you will want
to set the Image Quality somewhere between 30-50.
We recommend that you do not use values close
to 100, because you will get a very large file.
The lower the quality setting the smaller the
file size.
Your image will then be imported into Flair
and viewable on the stage. |
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| Using
the import dialog box to import an audio file |
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| Another
easy way to import files into Flair is
to bring up the Import File dialog box, which
is located under the File menu. (You can also
use “<Ctrl>+I” on your keyboard
to call up this dialog box, or select the Import Wizard from the Shortcuts Tab of the Settings Window.) |
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| We
will now import an audio file. Flair
lets you import .wav, mp3, and .wma files and
convert them to the Flash (swf) file format.
Choose your audio file and click open. The import
Video/Audio/Images utility will appear. This
is where you will determine the settings to convert
your audio file to Flash. |
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| Now
you need to select an audio preset. |
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| Next,
click the “Encode & Insert”.
When the audio is finished converting, close
the utility. You will now see your audio file
on the timeline. |
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| You
may play the audio, by clicking the Play Preview
button located at the bottom of your stage. |
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| Dragging
files into Flair |
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A
third way to import files into Flair
is simply to drag and drop them into the program.
We will now import a Flash (.swf) file. Choose
your file and drag it from your computer to your
open Project. Your Flash file will
now appear on the stage and in the timeline of
Flair. |
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| Positioning
files in a project |
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Once
you have imported a file there are a couple of
easy ways to position file.
The easiest way is to drag your file on the stage
with your mouse. You must be in edit mode in
order to do this. To check to see if you are
in edit mode, view the preview palette at the
bottom of your stage. |
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| If
you play a preview of your project you will be
in Preview mode and unable to move your file
on the stage. To return to Edit Mode click the
Stop button in the Preview Palette. |
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| Another
way to position your file is the select your
file, and open the Object Settings tab in the Settings Window. (Alternatively, you may select “Ctrl
B” on your keyboard.) |
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| Select
the Appearance tab in the Object Tab of the Settings Window..
You may choose to move your object by entering
in numbers in the Translate X and Translate Y
boxes. When you do this, the object on your stage
will move accordingly. |
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| Moving
files on the timeline |
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| Your
file may also be moved in time as well as position.
To move your files along the timeline you may
drag the file you wish to move in the timeline
itself. For example, if you would like the audio
file you imported earlier to begin after your
animation, you may do so by dragging the audio
file to a later frame on the timeline. In this
instance, we are going to move the audio file
to begin on frame ten of the slide. |
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may also change timeline position of a file by
adjusting the Start and End Frame boxes in the
Play tab of the Object Tab in the Settings window. |
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| Changing
duration |
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Changing
the duration of a file can be useful if you want
a file to stay on screen longer than it normally
would, or if you need to add extra frames to
a file in order to add a fade in or out.
To change the duration simply place your mouse
on the right edge of the file |
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then drag the mouse as many frames as you want
to extend the .swf. You
may also extend the last frame of your file on
the timeline in the Play tab of the Object Tab in the Settings Window. |
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| Moving
layers |
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| To
move a layer, all you need to do is select the
layer with your mouse and drag it where you want
to place it. |
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| Layer
order |
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| Files
placed on layers that are higher on the timeline
appear above files that are below them in the
preview and output. So if you want File#1 to
appear on top of File #2, make sure File#1 is
on a layer above File #2. Flair automatically
places newly imported files on the top layer,
but you can always move the files and/or the
layers. |
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| Cropping
files |
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| To
crop a file, select the file you want to crop
and open the Object Tab in the Settings Window. Select the
Appearance Tab and click the Crop box under the
Cropping Options section. |
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To
crop, adjust the left, right, top and bottom
settings.
You may also crop your file by right-clicking
on your file and selecting “Crop Mode”,
which will bring up cropping handles on each
side of your image. You may then drag these handles
to easily crop your file. |
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| Exporting |
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| When
you are finished with your project, you may export
your file by clicking on the export icon. |
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| To
play your output file, you may click on the play icon
right next to the export icon |
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in
the Standard Toolbar.
You may also export your file by selecting the
Export File window under the File menu. |
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| Before
quitting Flair be sure to also save your
Project. Saving your project file (.wpz file)
saves all your project settings, so you can continue
to work on your project at a later time. |
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