Flash Movie Clips

[Sabin_33]

I'm not really understanding the difference/use of the movie clip in flash as opposed to using the graphic clip.

Also every time I try to make a Movie Clip it only shows the first frame!

[ElusiveMoose]

Basic differences:

1) Graphic Symbols (GS) play with the timeline -- it's like the GS becomes embedded within the main timeline. Movie Clip Symbols (MCS) play independently of the timeline -- you can actually stop the main timeline and the MCS will keep playing (a side effect of this is that you can't preview an MCS by scrubbing the main timeline inside Flash -- you have to publish or do a preview play).

2) In Flash 8 or before, only GS's export in movies. Both GS's and MCS's export in swf's. (I think this changed with CS3, but I haven't tried it yet.)

3) MCS's respond to ActionScript, while (I think) GS's do not.

That's the basics. For more details you can search the Exchange forums on Adobe's website, purchase some lessons from Lynda.com, or pick up one of the Lynda books on Flash (I think they're under the H.O.T. title).

Good luck.

[Evil Demon Creature]

Oh wow. I didn't even know graphic symbols animated in the first place. That's pretty darn handy.