There are two drawing models in Flash 8: Merge and Object. Depending on the model you select before you draw an object, Flash can behave in some unexpected ways when you attempt to select objects.
To switch between the two models, all you have to do is click the Object Drawing Tool on the Tools panel. If the tool is gray, you are in the Object Drawing Model. If not, you are in the Merge Model.
Regardless of the model you use (Object or Merge), shapes are usually drawn with the tools on the Tools panel. Remember the following when dealing with Shapes: (1) They can be edited within Flash unlike imported images. (2) In the Merge Model, strokes and fills are independent of each other, (something you will learn very, very soon); in the Object Model, shapes are instantly grouped. (3) In the Merge Model, overlapping objects of the same color will merge into one new object. That can be a bit of a rude awakening if you’re not ready for it. This seemingly bizarre behavior will not occur in the Object Model. (4) In the Merge Model, overlapping objects of different colors will be erased by the top object’s shape—not so in the Object Model. (5) Objects can be reshaped by dragging their edges in Merge Model; drag the edge of an object drawn in the Object Model and the object will resize.
If you Group two or more shapes drawn in the Merge Model, the group will look like the individual shapes, but will not have the individual shape properties. Most importantly, grouped shapes will no longer erase each other when overlapping, nor will they treat strokes and fills independently. Imported images and text (both of which we will look at later) are groups and can’t be edited with the tools on the Tools panel like Shapes can.
Want to learn more about Flash 8 Basic, click here.
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