size image]   Animating a Movie Clip Symbol Movie clip symbols have their own Timelines, so they provide great flexibility for animation. You can also nest movie clip symbols within each other. In fact, the alien character is a symbol, with other symbols for the head, arms, and so forth nested inside it. Editing a Symbol To edit a symbol, double-click it on the Stage or in the Library panel. When you double-click it on the Stage, you can edit it in place; Flash dims the other objects on the Stage, but you can still see them. When you double-click the symbol in the Library panel, only the symbol is visible while you edit it. When you edit a movie clip symbol, you can add layers and keyframes to its Timeline. In fact, you can do just about anything with a movie clip symbol Timeline that you can do with the main Timeline. You'll use a motion tween to resize and move the planet graphic as the movie plays. 1. Choose View > Magnification > 50% so that you can see everything on the pasteboard. 2. Select the planet on the pasteboard, and in the Property inspector, type 0 for the X value and 0 for the Y value. The planet moves onto the Stage. 3. Double-click the planet on the pasteboard. Flash opens the planet symbol's Timeline, which includes a single layer named Layer 1. 4. Select frame 280 in Layer 1, and press F6 to insert a keyframe. 5. Select frame 140, and press F6 to insert another keyframe. 6. With frame 140 selected, select the planet on the pasteboard. 7. In the Property inspector, type 100 for the X value and 100 for the Y value. Press Enter or Return to apply the value. The planet graphic shifts down and to the right. 8. Select any frame between frames 1 and 140, and select Motion from the Tween menu in the Property inspector. 9. Select any frame between frames 140 and 280, and select Motion from the Tween menu in the Property inspector. You've created two motion tweens: one will animate movement from frame 1 to frame 140, as the planet moves one direction and grows smaller; and the other will animate movement from frame 140 to frame 280, as the planet moves the other direction and grows larger. [View full size image] 10. Select frame 140, and then select the planet instance on the Stage. 11. Choose Window > Transform to open the Transform panel. 12. Change both the width and height to 50% in the Transform panel, and press Enter or Return to apply the change.