Here is a list of essential steps for quickly creating Flipbooks. A list of example files on the Apple Media Tool 2.0 CD that demonstrate how Flipbooks should work.
BEFORE YOU START
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You need a Flipbook media item. Flipbook media items are pictures whose contents have been divided into equal-sized areas, known as frames. The frames can be arranged in one or more rows, but all rows must be the same hight. Each row can be divided into multiple columns, all of which must be the same width.
HOW TO SET IT UP
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Step 1
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Open your project and add your Flipbook media item to the media list.
Step 2
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Click and hold on the Flipbook media item until a pop-up menu appears.
Step 3
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Choose "Flipbook" from the pop-up menu.
Step 4
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Double-click on the Flipbook media item in the media list to display its parameters.
Step 5
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Set the number of frames, columns, and rows by adjusting the values in the appropriate fields.
Step 6
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Set the column width and row height by adjusting the values in the appropriate fields. Click "OK" when finished.
Note: You will need these values again later.
Step 7
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Add your Flipbook media item to a screen.
Step 8
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Double-click the Flipbook object in the object list to display its parameters.
Step 9
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Set the column width and row height by adjusting the values in the appropriate fields. Use the same values specified earlier.
Step 10
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Specify the rhythm of the Flipbook.
It's important to note that changing the rhythm of a Flipbook changes the way that Apple Media Tool counts the frame numbers for that Flipbook.
If a rhythm of two is specified, each frame is displayed twice. As a result, the first two frames displayed are the same image. The next two frames displayed are the next image, and so on. If a rhythm of ten is specified, the frames 0 to 9 display the first image from the Flipbook media object, frames 10 to 19 display the second image from the Flipbook media object, and so on.
If you want to tell Apple Media Tool to go to a specific frame, you need to adjust the frame number you specify by multiplying it by the rhythm. If you use a Flipbook media object with 3 frames, you would have the following results:
Image in
Flipbook | Frame Numbers if
Rhythm = 1 | Frame Numbers if
Rhythm = 2 | Frame Numbers if
Rhythm = 10 |
| 1 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-9 |
| 2 | 1 | 2-3 | 10-19 |
| 3 | 2 | 4-5 | 20-29 |
FINSIHING UP
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Add actions which control the Flipbook. Flipbook objects can perform the following commands:
| Enable | Start-Stop |
| Enable-Disable | Stop |
| Disable | Stop |
| Move By | Go to Beginning |
| Move To | Go to End |
| Start | Go to Time |
EXAMPLES
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The Apple Media Tool 2.0 CD contains several files that demonstrate Flipbooks. Check these paths on the AMT 2.0 CD:
* An AMT project with Flipbooks:
- Apple Media Tool
- New Features Demo Project
- New Features Demo
* Flipbook media objects:
Apple Media Tool
- New Features Demo Project
- MEDIA
- 50$Bill.flipbk
- ALPHABET.PIC 40x40
- ambsnd.txt.fb
- AMT ColorTitle.flipbk 200x400
- AMTTitle.flipbk
- AppleScriptBtn.flipbk
- AudioBtn.PICT
- DUCKFLIP.PIC
- exit
- EYELID.PIC 62x73
- FlipbooksBtn.flipbk
- qt fb
- QTVRBtn.flipbk
- QuickTimeBtn.flipbk
- Sportflip.flipbk
- stop.fb
This article was published in the 26 April 1996 issue of Information Alley.