Macromedia Director MX for Windows and Macintosh. Visual QuickStart Guide

Locking Sprites

Director allows you to lock a sprite, preventing any of its properties from being changed inadvertently. This feature can be particularly useful when you don't want to accidentally move or delete a carefully positioned sprite on the Stage. Locked sprites remain visible on the Stage but can't be selected from the Stage.

The locked sprites are displayed with a lock symbol in the Score ( Figure 3.75 ). When selected in the Score, a locked sprite is surrounded by a red border on the Stage, which includes a lock symbol in the top-right corner ( Figure 3.76 ). Property fields are dimmed for locked sprites in both the Property Inspector and the Sprite toolbar.

To lock a sprite or group of sprites:

1. In the Score or on the Stage, select a sprite or range of sprites that you want to lock.

   You can select multiple nonadjacent sprites. Note that you can't lock part of a sprite.

2. Choose Modify > Lock Sprite.

   or

   Click the Lock button in the Property Inspector ( Figure 3.77 ) or Sprite toolbar.

   Figure 3.77. Click the Lock button to lock selected sprites.

To unlock a sprite or group of sprites:

1. In the Score, select a sprite or ranged of locked sprites that you want to unlock.

2. Choose Modify > Unlock Sprite.

Tip

• You can change a property (such as blend percentage) of a multiple-sprite selection consisting of both locked and unlocked sprites, but only the unlocked sprites change.