Ploforia

It sounds like your layers are locked. And/or you are attempting to edit(draw over) a locked layer. In the timeline you will see the names of the layers on the left side. To the right of the layer name you will find the lock, which will lock or unlock the layers allowing or disallowing edits. You MUST unlock the layer in order to edit any of the content. Try that and see if it helps any.

FYI - I recently was reading a graphic design book covering multiple graphic design programs, and I found a short few pages on flash and actionscript. The book states that actionscript was developed from javascript. Why they didn't just incorporate java I don't know but that is what the book said. How reliable is this info? Who knows - I didn't check the bibliography or anything so the credibility is questionable but it seems similar enough to javascript to validate the claim.

Does anyone know anything about the shockwave flash activex control required to view flash content in say microsoft word or on a html page?? It is a free download from macromedia but if you want to include it in a program you've created, you need to fill out a licensing form at macromedia's website. I need to include the control on a disc for people at my company but probably can't get approval to fill out the licensing form (stupid right!?) anyways....Does anyone know where else I can find this freely available since it is shareware or how else I might go about deploying this activex control on another computer via a CD only???

Does anyone know if there is a way to view or browse pdf files in flash?? Is there an add-on available?? Is it easy to use?? If so, has anyone used it? I am trying to create an all-in-one program to browse various file types in place of a web browser. Mainly I need to view pdf files without opening a seperate window to do it. Any suggestions would be helpful thanks. I posted more info on this problem under animation if someone is capable of helping.Thanks to everyone in advance for all of their usual fine assistance!......give me graphic design or give me death!

You can import pictures into flash of course - and you can edit them!You cannot however, for instance, import a photoshop file or something into flash and expect to preserve layers or filters. What you see is what you get with the pic. You can draw overtop of the picture or erase parts. I don't see why you couldn't edit the picture. What gives you the impression you can't edit the picture??? What did you do to try to edit it that didn't work? Tell me more - I could probably help.

Greetings! I am working on a project for my work which entails converting a 1,000-or-so page manual into an electronic format for ease of transport. I had previously done this project using a browser (ie) to open various file formats such as .doc, .pdf, .jpg, .gif etc... , but today our IS dept decided we cannot author anything to use a browser for security reasons. So now my delimma is - how to display all file formats using an all-in-one program (program must be idiot proof). I was thinking to use flash for the GUI and some active content which would let me view jpegs gifs etc... but in order to view pdf files it would still have to open acrobat reader or something in a seperate window. Does anyone know if there is an available pdf add-on for flash and if so - is it difficult to implement?? Has anyone used it before?? Also, if anyone has any suggestions as to how else I might get around my little problem, that would be extremely helpful. If anyone who is knowledgeable with this type of stuff could please offer some suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it because I have been working on this project for 7 months and they just informed me today that we are instituting a NO BROWSER USE policy!!!! *&*% it!!! Love the communication in this lovely place I work.Please help thanks!

I have photoshop elements for work and am waiting to be upgraded to CS. Elements is virtually impossible to do most of the stuff available in the full versions of photoshop. Is anyone familiar with Photoshop Elements?? I would like to know more of the limitations or maybe some shortcuts to do stuff that would be more apparent with photoshop. I have been told that not everything is in the book. Any info anyone knows about this program would be helpful cause I am having a difficult time using it for anything. Thanks.Happy Designing.

Cool. You might try to make the rocket faster and you could also move it along a motion guide layer to make it go in less of an exact straight line. Might also want to do something with that url in the top corner it looks a little ghetto. But the little drawings are cool. I definitely agree some flames would be cool. You might even find some shareware or freeware animated gif flames. Search google or something. Happy Designing!

The first thing you will want to do before you do anything is obtain all the information that you need. You need to get the video clip. Then you need to get the sound clip. Additionally, you will need the info for your credits and decide on what animations you would like and what info will be animated. Once you have this gathered you can move on to your next step of trying to learn how to make what you want. There are going to be tons of ways to do something with animation, a video clip, a sound clip, and credits etc.. So really I think your best option would be to find tutorials on the web (there are some also to be found on Xisto in the tutorials section. Flash isn't learned overnight, but you should be able to complete what you want in a few weeks if you really try to learn it. Or you might also be able to find someone to make it for you.Good luck.Gather all the info though first or you'll be stopping every few moments to get the next info.

I am currently trying to get some 3d animation going for some projects at my work. Renderman is what pixar uses huh? Any idea who makes that?? Or where to get it? Why do you have to have a team? Is that actually a licensing requirement?? If anyone has more information on this topic - it would be great to hear about. I would expect that there are at least some similarities to other more archaic 3d programs so that some experienced with other programs might make an easier transition to Renderman.Happy Designing to All

I agree with some previously stated arguments as to the use. Really each medium has it's pros and cons. Obviously if you want to touch things up - you are going to want to go the electronic route and if you are 'le artiste' you may be more prone to go the film only route. Whichever route you choose I think it's at least important to realize there are more differences between the mediums than just sheer preference - each has it's individual uses.

I just recently tried swish3d max as suggested by Avalon and it seems pretty cool. I thought it was supposed to be easier than flash but so far I am still having a problem doing basic stuff. Perhaps I need more than a couple minutes here and there to learn to use it but I thought at least the simple stuff would be easy. Is this program better than swish 3d? I haven't used much 3d rendering software but I could probably integrate some cool stuff into my designs at work with a good 3d program. I also am not sure if you can model other objects in swish either - I am highly interested in making models of objects that don't come with the software. Is there software capable of this?? Swish 3d? something else??

I have found as an artist, musician, writer, and graphic designer that no matter what 'creative' project you are working on, there is a necessary amount of revision that must be done to obtain your best results. If you focus on trying to get a creative project "perfect" on the first try, you are only going to create a writer's block type dilemma. People who tell you otherwise are usually amatuers who haven't yet come to appreciate the advantage of being able to revise one's work. Usually they are so in love with thier initial creation that they are unable to see how it could be any better and thus never pursue the revision process. This usually leads to doing the same types of works over and over. I suggest that instead of trying to 'get so good you do it right on the first try', you embrace your ability to revise your work and come up with better material than your initial attempt. That ability to revise is, in my opinion, a major advantage over those who cannot revise. I might also add that Thomas edison, while creating the light bulb, tried some 2,000 different materials before he settled on the tungsten filament or whatever he ended up using at that time. As have countless others in many area's of creative output. Successful business owners also share this 'ability to revise' as many of them have several failures under thier belt before they become largely successful. Failure is only failure when you refuse to learn from your mistakes.Revise ReviseReviseBest of luck to all with creative ventures

When creating a web page, I prefer to do a little bit of preplanning first. I sort of brainstorm about what colors I might use and the overall image I want to project and the vibe I want to create with a site or page. Then when I actually get down to business, things change as I design it. I come up with new ideas as I'm coding or designing stuff. It's good to get creative while you are designing because it seems that once you get into the creative 'groove' you come up with the better stuff. So I brainstorm for the overall idea and the actual aesthetics of the whole thing sort of come together as I design. This also seems to hold true for whatever graphic design project I undertake. The revision process is another largely overlooked part of designing. If you get too in love with your first design, you are likely to miss out on all the cool ways you could really make your design better by revising it.

What are you trying to do Avalon?? I might be able to help with something - I know some action script and use it regularly for work. I greatly appreciate your help in the past. If you are looking for something other than background on actionscript I might be of at least some help.

There is obviously a bit of a conundrum with the fact that there are an innumerable amount of music artists out there now many of which are just plain terrible and some that are really good but with no real way to get exposure on a large scale. I think commerciality in many cases merely comes down to distribution and exposure rather than whether or not someone is good. This is easily evidenced in current mainstream radio - at least in the USA. That's not to say that occasionally a very good artist doesn't break the exposure and/or distribution barrier but it's not often. It seems even if there was a good way to get exposure and distribution for more bands that even that wouldn't solve the problem. It's like US elections - there is no way to guarantee equal exposure for everyone. In the end - unfortunately it comes down to the money. Whoever throws enough money into distribution and promotion is usually the winner combined with many other factors as well but none as important as the money. So I guess in a way it's up to us as consumers to go out and FIND the good music and put OUR money in support (by buying albums or merch or whatever) of the band or artist we like. The only way any of us "Have-nots" will ever overcome what the "haves" try to shove down our throats is by banding together and fighting back with our power of numbers.Also if you know or suggest any music I could hear that would rule.Peace

I totally agree. I am so sick of hearing the same freaking 30 songs on the radio over and over. Once one station plays something the others ALL OVER THE COUNTRY play the same crap too. There is tons of music out there and the stuff that doesn't get radio play isn't ALL bad! Plenty of it is much better than what you will hear on the radio. If you want to get into indie music the best thing to do is get active in your local music scene. Talk to bands, go to local shows at bars or clubs, and exchange music with some of the people you meet. If you are looking to hear some new indie music you can check out my site I'm working on at http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ It's not fully functional but you can download some cool free music. Peace

Definitely sounds like the power supply. The bleed into the speakers is probably an electronic annomally. I agree the reason it seems intermittent is because the centrifugal force of the fan once it gets off alignment holds it there. Best bet: replace the power supply it's like $25 (us) for a used one $50 for a new one. If you have little or no elctronics experience, you will make up what you save in pain or life if you recieve a shock - there is enough amperage in there to stop your heart.Be careful

Yahoo huh. Wow if you can't even trust them who can you trust. I am just disgusted with the whole shabang. It sure makes the proliferation of the internet a lot less likely when doing business is that risky that somebody could just hold your stuff for ransom when you already paid for it. And as for SECO.com they are the company that is squating my domain so I will definitely bad mouth them every chance I get. Hope things work out for you and I microscopic~... A good tutorial on how to prevent this crap from happening or a solution to deal with it or something this is just ridiculous that people can get away with this. Vigilante justice never seemed so sweet.

I don't have any knowledge as far as the history of the development of Actionscript but from my general experience I would say it's pretty much a combination of C++ (also making it like java) and visual basic. Obviously object oriented but as someone said, I'm not sure if you there is much use for it outside of flash and it also seems that most of the functions are flash specific function calls utilizing a prewritten library of functions. I would be interested to learn more about the development. I think actionscript may carry over somewhat into Fireworks and the macromedia suite but I'm not sure if it's even identical within their own suite.None-the-less it's pretty simple to use and understand as long as you have some basic object oriented experience and a bit of C helps as well.

If there is anyone out there who is familiar with this scenario PLEASE PLEASE help me. I had a domain for a while for my band which was basically the name of my band. I had it registered for a year through 123cheapdomains.com. Like an idiot I let it lapse for about a month before renewing it. I did however renew it. This was about three or four weeks ago that I renewed it. When I renewed it the WHOIS lookup showed the domain as being registered to me but expired. Then when I renewed it showed me as being the person who renewed it but said that my status was pending delete resorable. It also showed the expiration date for my domain registration as 12/31/05. I was however unable to login to the server at 123cheapdomains.com and could not redirect the domain to the physical location of my pages, although the WHOIS lookup said that the domain should be pointing to another place I had stuff stored and it was not redirecting to that location either. I emailed and emailed the company 123cheapdomains.com to do something so I could login and change the domain redirect to no avail. I never heard anything from them. Now, suddenly, when I go try my domain that i had already renewed, it pulls up seco.com or something trying to sell me the rights to my domain for $50!!!!!!! I am po'd majorly. I'm starting to feel like I'm in a testimonial for not using cheap domain registrars but I still need to have my domain back. Does anyone know how I can go about this, I did find some information about disputing with ICANN but does this work?? Does this cost me money?? Hopefully someone out there has been through this BS before and can help me. Seriously Frustrated

Another interesting thing about this whole topic to delve into might be nano-technology. I have heard some very scary projections of what computer technology might be like in 10-20 years with nano-technology and our circulatory system providing our means for perception and experience;rather than our regular five senses we would experience a simulation of all these senses projected by nano-technology literally in our blood-stream. Our daily experience and perception being entirely dictated by whoever is in control of this technology is a very scary thought. Put that one in your pipe and smoke it.....

That's an interesting idea. You would probably need more than just a memory dump to accomplish that though unfortunately. If you could get your hands on something to do a memory dump (and you should be able to without too much trouble) you still have the problem of getting the game to right place. If all varaibles and executable code is actually registered into memory completely I would be surprised. Many times with old dos games there could be a temporary file for storing some of the information and if the game itself is more than one file chances are that certain parts are loaded as needed rather than all at the same time for performance optimization (especially since computer had A LOT less memory ha ha ha ). Anyways, I believe what you are trying to do will only work in ideal circumstances. Good luck though none-the-less. If you find something that works I would be interested to hear about it. Please keep us up to date.Just as a possibility - many compilers allowed the ability to shell run a program and monitor the physical memory during this so you could probably use one to do a dump to disk then you will still need to reload it into memory though. Turbo C++ would be one compiler to look at - might be easily located too

Partitioning is a necessary thing to do if you want/need multiple-OS capability. Somebody responded about partitioning a 160gig drive for holding different types of data - this seems uterly pointless, and perhaps someone could explain the reasoning behind this to me but, why wouldn't you just make a file folder?? Folders are for organization of data, not drive partitions. The only reason I could possibly think of for that would be if you were making a futile attempt at crippling some of the petty windows/internet spread virus' by giving windows it's own partition. Though really most virus' have the capability to search for existing drives as part of thier reproductive system, so that seems rather pointless.ah.... F-DISk

I had previously tried most of the things everyone has suggested - and thanks for the replies. I have since fixed the problem and I'm still not really sure why it was behaving like that. It just seems that after I had published it countless times and couldn't find anymore settings to adjust it just started appearing normal. I don't understand why - you would think with a computer there would be some logical answer or a setting that I changed to make it appear ok but I don't think I changed anything. ......sometimes I swear I'm losing it, you know...........................