Using Imported Artwork and Video > Placing artwork into Flash |  |

Placing artwork into Flash

Flash recognizes a variety of vector and bitmap formats. You can place artwork into Flash by importing it onto the Stage in the current Flash document or into the library for the current document. You can also import bitmaps by pasting them on the Stage in the current document. All bitmaps that you import directly into a Flash document are automatically added to the document's library.

Graphic files that you import into Flash must be at least 2 pixels x 2 pixels in size.

You can load JPEG files into a movie during runtime using the `loadMovie` action or method. For detailed information, see `loadMovie` in the ActionScript Dictionary.

Flash imports vector graphics, bitmaps, and sequences of images as follows:

| When you import vector images into Flash from FreeHand, you can choose options for preserving FreeHand layers, pages, and text blocks. See Importing FreeHand files.
| When you import PNG images from Fireworks, you can import files as editable objects that you can modify in Flash, or as flattened files that you can edit and update in Fireworks.
| You can choose options for preserving images, text, and guides. See Importing Fireworks PNG files.
| Note: If you import a PNG file from Fireworks by cutting and pasting, the file is converted to a bitmap.
| When you import vector images into Flash from Adobe Illustrator, you can choose options for preserving Illustrator layers. See Importing Adobe Illustrator files.
| Vector images from SWF and Windows Metafile Format (WMF) files that you import directly into a Flash document (instead of into a library) are imported as a group in the current layer. See Import file formats for vector or bitmap files and Importing Adobe Illustrator files.
| Bitmaps (scanned photographs, BMP files) that you import directly into a Flash document are imported as single objects in the current layer. Flash preserves the transparency settings of imported bitmaps. Because importing a bitmap can increase the file size of a Flash movie (SWF file), you may want to compress imported bitmaps. See Setting bitmap properties.
| Note: Bitmap transparency may not be preserved when bitmaps are imported by dragging and dropping. To preserve transparency, use the File > Import command for importing.
| Any sequence of images (for example, a PICT and BMP sequence) that you import directly into a Flash document is imported as successive keyframes of the current layer.

For information on specific file formats, see Import file formats for vector or bitmap files.

To import a file into Flash:

1 | Do one of the following:
| To import a file directly into the current Flash document, choose File > Import.
| To import a file into the library for the current Flash document, choose File > Import to Library. (To use a library item in a document, drag it onto the Stage. See Using Symbols, Instances, and Library Assets.
2 | In the Import dialog box, choose a file format from the Files of Type (Windows) or Show (Macintosh) pop-up menu.
3 | Navigate to the desired file and select it.
| If an imported file has multiple layers, Flash may create new layers (depending on the import file type). Any new layers will be displayed in the Timeline.
| Note: If you are importing a Fireworks PNG file, see Importing Fireworks PNG files. If you are importing a FreeHand file, see Importing FreeHand files. If you are importing an Adobe Illustrator file, see Importing Adobe Illustrator files.
4 | Do one of the following:
| In Windows or Macintosh OS 10 or later, click Open.
| In Macintosh OS 9.X or earlier, click Add to add the selected file to the Import list, and click Import to import the file or files in the Import list.
5 | If the name of the file you are importing ends with a number, and there are additional sequentially numbered files in the same folder, choose whether to import the sequence of files.
| Click Yes to import all of the sequential files.
| Click No to import only the specified file.
| The following are examples of filenames that can be used as a sequence:
| Frame001.gif, Frame002.gif, Frame003.gif
| Bird 1, Bird 2, Bird 3
| Walk-001.ai, Walk-002.ai, Walk-003.ai

To paste a bitmap from another application directly into the current Flash document:

1 | Copy the image in the other application.
2 | In Flash, choose Edit > Paste.