Create a Moving Object in Flash MX Professional 2004

It is very simple to create a moving object, or tween, in Flash that travels from one point on the screen to another. For all exercises we will be using a circle.

How to move an object in a straight line:

1. Start by drawing a blue circle on the stage. The stage is the large area in the middle where all the action takes place.
2. Right click, and select convert to symbol. All images or things you want to move need to be converted to a symbol before use. Name the object something you can find later, like blue_circle. This is very important when you start getting into more complex flash pieces.
3. Make sure graphic is selected in the dialogue box.
4. Click ok.
5. Next choose what frame you want the animation to end on. Let's use frame 20. Remember the further away from frame 1 the longer and slower the object will move.
6. Right click on frame 20 and choose, "Insert Keyframe." A small black dot will appear in the frame on the timeline. Keyframes are inserted where an object changes direction, or is removed or added.
7. While frame 20 is selected, drag your circle where you want it to finish moving to. If you drag the play bar across the time line you will notice that the circle stays where you first put it until that keyframe.
8. Double click frame 1 where the animation will begin so frames 1-19 are highlighted.
9. Right click and go to "Create motion tween."
10. An indigo bar with a line through it should appear indicating you were successful. If it is dotted go back and make sure you have followed all the steps correctly

You have now created your first motion tween!

Other hints:
You can create more motion tweens on the same layer, but I highly suggest you do them on individual layers. This way if you want to take something out or add it in later its nice, clean and easy. In order to add a new layer on, just click on the little icon of the page with the blue plus sign that is located underneath the time line where the layer names are. It is very useful to name the layers, so when your going back you know what motion tween is on what layer.

Another hint is to remember that when you make something into a symbol, it puts a copy of that into the library. You do not need to create another instance, or copy, of the symbol on your stage--just drag another copy out of the library.

Have fun with motion tweens, its the first step in learning how to make great Flash animations.