As with these other languages, you can write code behind actions to process or react to user input for more advanced interactivity. And laying out elements is easy, with the ability to drag and drop layers to set the order so a title or image can move behind or in front of other objects. One of Flash's strengths is its use of symbols. A symbol can be a single image, an animation series, or a sound clip, and can be stored to a library for later use in your productions. With symbols, any changes you make are automatically updated in all instances of that symbol, simplifying maintenance tasks.
Flash comes with a hands-on tutorial and searchable help.
And Macromedia's Web site provides tips and techniques for more advanced tasks, such as creating a shopping site. If you want to create an interactive site that will stand out from the rest, you should check out Macromedia's Flash 4. This product was originally reviewed in PC Magazine's Designing with Flash . ZDNet and ZDNet logo are registered trademarks of ZD Inc. Content originally published in Ziff Davis Media publications is the copyrighted property of Ziff Davis Media. Ziff Davis Media.