This
tutorial guides you through the basics of how
to create a slideshow in Linx. The .zip
file contains all the files that were used
in the creating of the slideshow seen here:
To
use these files, download and unzip files and
open your Linx program. In the File menu select “Open
settings” and open “Linx_Slideshow.lnx”,
which is the project (.lnx) file for this tutorial.
If you wish to recreate this tutorial from scratch
you may open a second Linx program window, so
that you can work with a new, clean project file
while using the Linx_Slideshow.lnx as a reference.
When
you launch Linx you will see the main window
where you import, layer, edit and preview the
project you are creating. This is the window
you will use the most. One of the first things
you need to do when beginning a Linx project
is to choose an output name and path for the
SWF you are creating. If you have not entered
one, you will be prompted by Linx to create one.
You can also enter this name and path in the
File Tab of the Movie Properties Window. (The
Movie properties window allows you to set properties
for your entire project. The settings applied
in this window will apply to the entire SWF file
that you output from Linx.) To launch this window,
go to the "View" menu and open the "Movie
Properties" window.
The
output file for this tutorial is labeled "Linx_Slideshow.swf".
Now, save the settings file you are creating.
The settings file saves all the settings and
characteristics of your Linx project. You will
want to save this file often as you go along,
so you don't lose any of your work by mistake.
In the "File" menu, selecting "Save
Settings" will call up a dialog box in which
you can label the name of your Linx settings
(.lnx) file. The settings file for this tutorial
is called, "Linx_Slideshow.lnx".
Setting
the dimensions of your project file
While
in the Movie Properties window you may set the
dimensions of your project file. The dimensions
for this project are 400x330.
This
slideshow will feature twelve pictures of various
animals. These images were selected from the
large animal video clip collection in the Wildform
Video Library (www.wildform.com/videolibrary).
The twelve selected animal images are in the
.bmp format. Linx can directly import the following
still image formats: .jpg, .gif, .png, .bmp,
.psd, .tif, .pic, .and tga. To import the first
image, from the menu select Import -> Import
File and then baldeagle.bmp.
When
you import an image file, Linx will convert it
into a SWF file, the name of which you specify
at the time of importing, and will then place
the file on a new layer at the top of the Linx
timeline.
To convert image files you will need to make
sure that you have the complete "recommended" install
of the free Quicktime player (which is not the
default install mode).
When you import an image file, a dialogue box
appears that lists the input image properties
and has settings for you to select your SWF image
properties. Once you select your Image Quality
value and click "OK", Linx converts
the file to the SWF format.
Input
image properties
The
Input image properties field describes the properties
of your source image:
Format: This is the format of the source media.
Color Depth: This value indicates the number
of colors in the source video.
Dimensions: The dimensions are the width and
height of the source video.
Output
image options
Image
quality: This value, set on a scale of whole
numbers from 1 to 100, reflects the image quality
for your image. The higher the number, the better
the image quality, and the larger the file size.
You may have to experiment to find your ideal
setting. We recommend keeping your average image
quality well below 80 as file sizes can get quite
large above that value. You can set the image
quality by entering a number from 1-100 in the
field box. You can usually obtain acceptable
quality image conversion with relatively small
file sizes using values between 30-50.
In this slide show, the images are imported at
a quality setting of 50.
Output
SWF
Here
you specify the path and filename of the SWF
file you wish to create. You may select the "Browse" button
to select the output path and name.
Next we will add the .swf files “linx.swf”, “Wild
FX+linx.swf” and “letyourselfgo.swf” and
complete the layout of my files.
Importing
all of my slideshow images
Next
we will import all of the twelve animal images
in the same manner as above.
Now
I want to better position my images in my project
file. I can do this in two ways.
Moving
SWFs in "Preview Scale Mode"
One
way is to turn on the "Preview Scale Mode" by
clicking the "Preview Scale Mode" icon
in the toolbar (or from the Preview Menu select "Preview
Scale Mode".)
Insert impage in documment
I can then click on the SWF that I want to move
in the timeline. Notice that a box with a cross
in it will appear in the preview window over
the SWF you have selected. You may then drag
that SWF in the preview window wherever you like.
Moving
SWFs in the SWF Properties Window
If
you want to align your files with single pixel
precision, under the "View" menu, open
the "SWF Properties Window", and go
to the "Appearance Tab." Here you can
adjust a number of settings for the SWFs on your
Linx timeline.
To activate a SWF to apply settings to it, you
simply click on the SWF in the timeline.
In this case I am going to click on my "player" SWF
in my timeline and then in the "SWF Properties
Window" click the "Appearance Tab" and
then adjust the "Translate X" and "Translate
Y" settings.
I
am going to translate all of the animal images
to x: 40 and y: 30.
I
am going to extend the duration of each image
to 30 frames. I change the duration either in
the SWF Properties window I have just opened,
or by dragging the SWF files in the timeline,
like this:
Currently
my SWFs are playing simultaneously. Now, I want
these images to appear consecutively in my movie.
All I need to do is to select a file and drag
it to the frame on my timeline at which I want
it to begin playing.
I am going to move the files so that they overlap
each other by five frames.
I
am going to add a "fade in" to my image
files. To add a fade to your file simply select
your desired SWF by clicking on it in the timeline,
then open the SWF Properties Window and click
on the "Play" tab. In the "Play
Options" section check the "Image Fade
In" box and designate the number of seconds
you want the fade in to take.
You
can set a new background color for your Linx
project in the Files tab of the Movie Properties
window. I am going to change the background color
for my final SWF to blue.
Preview
the File
If
you preview your file you should now see the
images fading into one another in sequence.
To preview the file, go to the "Preview" menu
and select "Preview SWF" (or press
ctrl>P on the keyboard.) My movie will play
in the preview pane of Linx's main window. Please
note that every time you make a change in Linx
you must generate a new preview in order to see
the changes you have just made, unless you turn
on the "Auto Preview" mode. You may
turn on "Auto Preview" from the Toolbar,
or by going to the "Preview" menu and
selecting "Auto Preview".
Next
I want to place descriptive text labels over
each animal image. I am going to add the SWF
text that I have created in Wild FX (using the “Plain
Text” text effect).
First I am going to insert a layer above my eagle
image and import the file “baldeagle_red_text.swf” into
my new layer. To insert a new layer, I select
the layer I want to insert the new layer next
to and right click and select “Insert New
Layer”.
Next
I am going to label this layer “Bald Eagle
Text”.
Then
I am going to click on the frame in my main timeline
where I want to import my file and then right
click and select “Import File”.
Next
I am going to extend the baldeagle_red_text.swf
to 30 frames to match the eagle image and add
the same fade in and out attributes that I assigned
to the eagle image file. I am also going to move
the .swf to place it over the eagle picture.
I am going to translate the text to x:45 and
y: 34. Your previewed the file should look like
this:
Next
I am going to import all my text files in the
same manner.
Previewing your project file should see a text
label over each image file.
I
am going to import back and forward buttons I
created in Wild FX. I’ll import them in
the same way I imported by other text swf files.
I will create new layers and insert back and
forward buttons under each image file or “slide”.
I will translate each backward button x: 6 and
y: 270. Each forward button I will translate
x: 358 y: 270.
I also want to change the color of the buttons.
I can do this in Linx by changing the RGB values
of a SWF in the SWF Properties window. In this
case I am going to change the properties of all
my backwards and forwards buttons to the following:
Below
each forward button I will insert a stop action
frame, which will stop the movie playing in that
frame. To insert a stop action, on the timeline,
right click and select “Insert Stop Action”.
Now
I will repeat this process, adding back, forward
and stop actions below each image file.
A
key element of creating a slide show is being
able to advance to the next image when you click
the forward button and return to the previous
image when you click the back button. Now we
are going to add these attributes to our backward
and forward buttons. This is done in the Mouse
Events tab of the SWF Properties window. For
example to add the attributes to our first back
and forward buttons do the following:
Select the Add On Click -> Jump to Frame button
and then specify jump to frame 25, which is the
frame at which the new image (the deer image)
starts playing.
For
the backward .swf associated with the eagle image
we will specify jump to frame 1. For each following
back button we will specify to jump to the frame
of the previous stop action.
I will now apply this process to the rest of
the back and forward buttons.
Now I am going to add in the image “To
Beginning”.
The
last thing I am going to add to the slide show
are text descriptions for each slide. Again I
will create these text .swf files in Wild FX
and import them into Linx via the Import file
command. I am going to insert them in a new layer
I will create and insert under each animal image.
For
example in the first image I will insert the
eagle description under the eagle image in the
timeline and extend the frame of the description
to the stop action (15 frames). I will assign
the following SWF attributes to each text description
I insert:
I
will also remove the swf when done playing so
that the file disappears once the user clicks
on the forward button.
I will also assign the following attributes to
each .swf.
Now
my slide show is completed. Preview the file
and it should look like the file at the top of
this tutorial.
I
am now ready to export my final file. Linx offers
a number of additional export options that can
assist you in the deployment and distribution
of your Linx encoded SWF files.
You may export your final SWF by clicking the "Export
SWF" button in the File Tab of the Movie
Properties Window, or you may click the "Export
SWF" icon in the toolbar.
Insert image from document
To play your exported SWF, click the "Play
Output" icon in the toolbar.
Insert image from document
Export
HTML
If
you wish to deploy your SWF in a web page, you
may select "Export HTML", which will
produce an HTML file with the code to embed the
SWF in a web page. Simply copy that HTML into
whatever page you wish.
Export
E-mail
If
you want to send your output SWF file in an email,
select this box. Linx will automatically output
a text file that can be cut and pasted into an
html e-mail editor, such as Outlook Express.
The text file will be named according to the
following format: swfoutputfilename_email.txt.
Linx
will also output both Windows and Macintosh projector
files. These can be very useful for deploying
your Linx output on CD and for other methods
of offline distribution. Projector files contain
the SWF output and player together, so you can
be certain that the viewer does not need any
additional players to view the files.
Export
Win Projector
Selecting
this box will cause Linx to export your SWF as
a Flash projector file for Windows (an .exe file).
Export
Mac Projector
Selecting
this box will cause Linx to export your SWF as
a Flash projector file for the Mac (an .hqx file).
The .hqx file created by Linx must be expanded
on a Mac user's computer prior to playing.
Wildform
provides a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all our Flash software.
If you are not completely satisfied with our Flash multimedia software
for any reason you may request a refund within 15 days
of purchase.
