Illustrator

About Flash graphics

The Flash (SWF) file format is a vector-based graphics file format for scalable, compact graphics for the web. Because the file format is vector-based, the artwork maintains its image quality at any resolution and is ideal for the creation of animation frames. In Illustrator, you can create individual animation frames on layers and then export the image layers into individual frames for use on a website. You can also define symbols in an Illustrator file to reduce the size of an animation. When exported, each symbol is defined only once in the SWF file.

You can save artwork as a SWF file by using the Export command or the Save For Web & Devices command. Benefits of each include:
Export (SWF) command
Provides the most control over animation and bitmap compression.

Save For Web & Devices command
Provides more control over the mix of SWF and bitmap formats in a sliced layout. This command offers fewer Image options than the Export (SWF) command, but uses the Export command’s last-used settings. (See SWF optimization options (Illustrator).)

Keep the following information in mind when preparing artwork to save as SWF:

  • To keep the file size as small as possible when using symbols, apply effects to the symbol in the Symbols panel rather than to symbol instances in the artwork.

  • Using the Symbol Stainer and Symbol Styler tools results in larger SWF files because Illustrator must create a copy of each symbol instance to maintain their appearances.

  • Mesh objects and gradients with more than eight stops are rasterized and will appear as bitmap-filled shapes. Gradients with fewer than eight stops are exported as gradients.

  • Patterns are rasterized into small images the size of the pattern art and tiled to fill the art.

  • If a bitmap object extends beyond the boundaries of a slice, the entire object is included in the exported file.

  • SWF supports rounded caps and joins only. Beveled or square caps and joins become rounded when exported to SWF.

  • Pattern-filled text and pattern-filled strokes convert to paths and are filled with the pattern.

  • Although text retains many of its features when exported to SWF, some information is lost. When importing a SWF file into Flash, leading, kerning, and tracking aren’t maintained. Instead, text is broken into separate records to simulate the look of leading. When the SWF file is subsequently played in Flash Player, the appearance of the leading, kerning, and tracking in the file is maintained. If you wish to export text as paths, select Export Text As Outlines in the SWF Options dialog box, or convert the text to outlines before exporting to SWF by choosing the Create Outlines command.

For a video on using symbols effectively between Illustrator and Flash, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0198. For a video on using text effectively between Illustrator and Flash, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0199.