About Flash File Creation
The following points are guidelines for you to create optimal Flash files to export to Harmony.
Scene Root
What can be at the scene root:
- Only symbols. A minimum of one symbol is necessary. It could be a MovieClip or a graphic.
What cannot be used at the scene root:
- Shapes: Colour shapes and line shapes
- Bitmaps
- Drawing objects
- Groups: The group works differently at the scene level. They are understood as shapes at the scene level—see Mixed Layers.
Timeline
These features can be used in the Flash file, but will not appear in Harmony:
- Guide layers for references
- Locked layers
- Disabled layers
- Folders in the Timeline view
- Other: Several symbols on the same layer/keyframe. In this case, Harmony will separate them, giving them a proper layer. In other words, a Distribute to Layers action performed in the process of exporting/importing.
Not recommended:
- Mixed layers—see Mixed Layers
- Symbols with shapes, bitmaps, or group on the same layer/keyframe
- Symbols with drawing objects
Library View
In the Library view, the following will not be exported:
- ActionScript Linkage
- Embedded fonts
Effects
The following effects will not be exported:
| Filters |
Adjust Colour Drop Shadow Blur Glow Gradient Bevel Gradient Glow |
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| Colour Effects (other than None) |
Alpha Advanced Brightness Tint |
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| Display |
Blending (other than Normal):
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| Render: Cache as Bitmap | ||
| Component parameters | ||
Drawing Features
- Width tool: Any change on the thick and thin of a line
- Line:
- Width
- Cap: Any change of the line cap will be replaced by the round cap (None and Square)
- Join: Any change of the line join will be replaced by the round join (Miter and Bevel)
- Gradient (Flow): Reflect colour, Repeat colour
- Import Bitmap: When importing .swf files, you can import files that have an image compression of Photo (JPG) or Lossless (PNG).
Mixed Layers
Mixed layers are something you must seriously consider before trying to export a Flash project to Harmony. Otherwise, there can be unexpected results or no export at all. In fact, it's best to avoid having mixed layers altogether.
A mixed layer is defined as a layer that has more than one instance of objects at the same keyframe. It could be a mix of symbols and groups; groups and drawing objects; symbols and shapes, and so on. Since Harmony understands symbols better than groups or drawing elements, some information can be lost along the way.
| Parameter | Description |
| Drawing Objects |
No matter what is inside a drawing object, it will always be understood as a shape. So if a drawing object shares the same layer with a shape, it won’t be a real mixed layer, since they are all understood as shapes. |
| Symbols and Drawing Objects/Shapes on the Same Layer |
If there are symbols and drawing objects/shapes sharing the same layer, the symbols will be separated from them and all the drawing objects/shapes will be kept together. Drawing objects and shapes cannot be separated. In Harmony, the symbols will have their own Drawing node and the drawing objects/shapes will share the same Drawing node. Since only symbols can have a name, its name is propagated to the Drawing node and peg. Drawing objects and shapes, however, can't do this. Drawing objects and shapes will receive the name of the MovieClip followed by an underscore and an appropriate number. For example, if you have a group inside a symbol called HEAD, the group will be named HEAD_1 if there is already a Drawing node that was created with the same name. |
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Mixed Instances at the Same Level as a Symbol |
Mixed instances at the same level as a symbol can occur when, at the same level inside a symbol, there is more than one type of element sharing the same timeline at a specific frame. Those elements may be mixed layers. Type of problems that can occur if mixed instances are kept:
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