Creating an Animated Hidden Menu System - Page 2

Getting Started:

For this tutorial we'll just duplicate the above movie. It goes without saying but to be thorough... open Flash 4. Create a new movie 200 x 200, 15fps. We'll start by creating most of the symbols necessary to complete the project. To apply this menu technique in a real project you may have to go about creating pieces as you go.

1. Create a new button symbol and name it Center. (This will serve to activate the menu.)
2. In the "Up" frame, create a circle 20 x 20, filled and stroked with black and center it with the Use Center Point option checked.
3. In the "Over" frame create a new Keyframe. Fill the circle with a different color (I used green) and place a text label underneath. Label this button Home.
4. In the Library palette duplicate the Center button symbol 4 times and rename each one differently. (I used Circle 1, Circle 2, etc.)
5. In each new button symbol change the circle shape fill color in the "Up" frame as well as the fill color and the label name in the "Over" frame. (I made each fill in the "Up" frame of each symbol different to make it bluntly obvious which button I was dealing with.)
6. Go back to the Center button symbol and open the symbol for editing.
7. Double-click the circle graphic in the "Up" frame. (Double-clicking ensures you've selected the fill and outline of a shape.)