Macromedia Flash MX 2004 Killer Tips

When I first started using Flash, the only way to include rasterized video in your document was to import a series of images. When placed consecutively on the Timeline and played back, the images simulate a movie. The problem with that method was always huge file sizes and the constant pain of re-importing those bitmaps. With the new capability to actually embed a video clip directly in your Flash document, there isn't much need for this old-fashioned method. However, occasions can still arise when importing a series of images is preferred or even necessary.

Regardless of your reasons for doing it, the actual process is very straightforward. Simply select the first empty keyframe on the Timeline where you want your sequence to appear and press CTRL-R. Now select the first image in the series and press OK.

Note

The filenames for your series must end with a number and be in numerical order.

When the import process begins, Flash will detect that a sequence of images exists and ask if you would like to import the entire sequence or just one image. Choose Import Sequence and Flash will import all the images, putting each image on its own frame in the Timeline. All the work is done for you, and you have your sequence laid out perfectly on your Timeline. When you test your movie, you'll see that the sequence animates as if it were one long movie.