Q: On the Macintosh, why can't I see any .fla files when I choose File » Open?

If the .fla file was created on a PC, you might experience a problem seeing those files when you choose File » Open from within Macromedia Flash MX on a Macintosh. You can correct this by changing the Show: All Formats option to All Files.

Q: On the Macintosh, when I try to double-click on the .fla file to open it, it will not open. Why?

If the .fla file was created on a PC, you might not be able to double-click on it to open the file. If this is the case, open Macromedia Flash MX and choose File » Open to open the .fla file. If you don't see the .fla file listed when you choose File » Open, see the previous question. Once you save the .fla file (originally created on a PC) on your Mac, you will be able to double click on the .fla to open it.

Q: My Toolbox has disappeared. What should I do?

If your Toolbox has vanished, you can easily make it reappear again. Choose Window » Tools to show/hide the Toolbox. Chapter 2, “Interface,” explains the Toolbox in detail.

Q: All of my panels have disappeared. What should I do?

If you lose your panels, you can press the Tab key on the keyboard to show them and even hide them again. If you don't like their arrangement, you can restore them to their default positions by choosing Window » Panel Sets » Default Layout. This will cause all of the panels to reappear in their default positions on the screen. This command is especially helpful when someone else has undocked and changed the combination of your panels. Chapter 2, “Interface,” describes each of the panels in detail.

Q: I undocked one of the panels but I can't redock it again. Why?

To redock a panel, make sure that you drag it over the location where you want dock it. A black outline will appear, symbolizing the area that panel will be docked in when you release the mouse. Chapter 2, “Interface,” explains docking and undocking in detail.

Q: Why does Macromedia Flash MX create extra files when I press Ctrl+F12 (Windows) or Cmd+F12 (Mac)?

Pressing Ctrl+F12 or Cmd+F12 is a shortcut for the Publish Preview command. This means that Macromedia Flash MX will publish the .swf file and an HTML file when you press this key. These files will be created in the same directory as the .fla file. If you want to preview your movie without publishing any other files, choose Control » Test Movie or File » Publish Preview » Flash, and only the .swf file will be created. Chapter 16, “Publishing and Exporting,” explains the publish features in detail.

Q: I tried to create my own shape tween but it won't work, and the Timeline has a broken line. What does this mean?

You cannot create a shape tween using symbols, groups, or text blocks (text that hasn't been broken apart). A solid line with an arrow indicates that the tween is working properly. This is a good tween. A dashed line in the Timeline indicates there is a problem with the tween. This is a bad tween. Make sure you are using only objects that work with shape tweens. In Chapter 5, “Shape Tweening,” you will find a detailed list of the objects you can use to create shape tweens.

Q: Why do all of the objects on my Stage appear faded?

This occurs when you double-click on an instance or right-click on one and choose Edit in Place. This is a quick way to make changes to a symbol without having to access the Library; however, it can be confusing if that's not what you intended to do. Click on Scene 1 in the Information Bar to exit this editing mode and return to the Main Timeline. In the picture above, Scene 1 was renamed main so you would click on the word main in the Information Bar.

Q: I tried to create my own motion tween, but it won't work. And the Timeline has a broken line. What does this mean?

You cannot create a motion tween using shapes or broken-apart text. A solid line with an arrow indicates that the tween is working properly. This is a good tween. A dashed line in the Timeline indicates that there is a problem with the tween. This is a bad tween. Make sure you are using only objects that work with motion tweens. In Chapter 7, “Motion Tweening,” you will find a detailed list of the objects you can use to create motion tweens.

Q: I tried to motion tween multiple objects, but it's not working. What could be wrong?

Motion tweening multiple objects requires that each different object exist on a separate layer. If you have all the objects on a single layer, the tween will not behave as expected. You can use the Modify » Distribute to Layers command to quickly distribute each object to its own layer. Also, make sure you are trying to tween objects that are capable of being motion tweened. Objects such as shapes and broken-apart text cannot be motion tweened.

Q: Why won't my Movie Clips play when I click the Play button on the Controller?

You can't preview your Movie Clips on the Stage within the Macromedia Flash MX authoring environment. Movie Clips can be previewed only in the Library or by selecting Control » Test Movie to preview the Movie Clip in the Flash Player.

Q: I made an Input Text field, but when I test it using Control » Test Movie and I type inside it, nothing happens. Why?

Most likely, you are having this problem because when you created the text box, the Text Color was set to the same color as the background of the movie. Try changing the text color and testing the movie again. Also make sure that you do have Input Text set for the Text Type.

Q: I see many actions in the Actions Toolbox that I want to learn the meaning of. How can I quickly do this?

In the Actions Toolbox, click on an action that you want to learn about. On the right side of the Actions panel, above the Parameters pane, click on the Reference button. This will open the Reference panel with a complete description of the action you selected in the Toolbox.