Getting Started with Alligator

Complete the following instructions to begin your adventure with Flash.

1. Click the link http://www.selteco.com/download/sfld.exe to download Alligator Flash Designer
2. Choose either to run the program, or save it to your computer and then double-click saved file to start the installer
3. Choose Next at each prompt to install with default options
4. The Alligator Flash Designer icon will be placed on your desktop

Running the application

1. Double-click the Alligator Flash Designer icon to run the program

   

2. A Welcome dialog will appear; choose the "Blank document" option to start

Choosing the animation size

1. Select Frame > Frame Size and enter the size of your Flash project
2. Enter 600 as the width and 300 as the height

   

Testing the animation

1. Click the Circle tool on the left-hand side of the application window

   

2. Click inside the document and drag the mouse to draw a new ellipse
3. The ellipse will be selected automatically and handles will appear around the object

   

4. Choose Animation > Motion, then Move By and enter 300 for Move X; click OK twice to confirm

   

5. Choose Movie > Play Animation to view the ellipse moving from the left to the right side of your project
6. Close the preview by clicking the X button on the top right-hand side of the preview window

Testing intro and outro animations

1. Click the Rectangle tool on the left-hand side of the application window

   

2. Click inside the document and drag mouse to draw a new rectangle
3. The rectangle will be selected automatically and handles will appear around the object

   

4. Choose Animation > Motion, then Rotate By and enter 90 as the Angle; click OK confirm

   

5. Choose Intro > Slide in from left

   

6. Choose Outro > Slide to right
7. Choose Movie > Play Animation to view the rectangle appearing from the left edge and then escaping to the right edge
8. Close the preview by clicking X button on the top right-hand side of the preview window

Testing text animations

1. Click the Text tool on the left-hand side of the application window

   

2. Click inside the document to open the text dialog box

   

3. Enter the text "Alligator Flash Designer" and click OK to create the text object

   

4. Choose Intro > Text Intro Animation and check the box for Glyph Animation; click OK

   

5. Choose Movie > Play Animation to view the text appearing letter by letter
6. Close the preview by clicking the X button on the top right-hand side of the preview window
7. Choose Intro > Pop In to enhance the text animation
8. Press F9 to see the letters popping in one by one

Testing image animations

1. Choose Insert > Image and select one of your images

   

2. If the image is large check "Downsize the image automatically" and click OK
3. If the image is stll to large drag handles of the image to change its size
4. Double-click the image and add border around it, Line Width: 4 pixels, Line Color white, External Line Width: 1 pixel and External Line Color R:192, B: 192, G: 192, set also Shadow: Drop Shadow, and Shape: Oval

   

5. Choose Intro > Flash in, select Flash: 50% and click OK

   

6. Choose Outro > Flip Horizontal
7. Press F9 to view the image animation
8. Tip: You can use the Scissors tool and drag one of image handles in order to remove the top and bottom edges of the picture

Exporting your animation to Flash file

1. Choose File > Export Flash SWF File and enter the filename

   

2. Save your Flash file to the Desktop for easier handling
3. To preview the SWF file, open your browser and drag the SWF file inside the browser window

   

4. You can create an example web page, to do so choose File > Export Web Page
5. You can now embed your SWF file in your website