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About the Drawing Models of Adobe Flash
Flash's drawing tools let you create and modify vector shapes in your documents. There are two drawing models that give you a great deal of control when drawing shapes:
Merge Drawing model: This is the default drawing model, and automatically merges the shapes that you draw when you overlap them. For example, if you draw a square and draw or place a circle on top of it, and then select the circle and move it away, a "hole" is left in the square where the circle was placed.
Object Drawing model: Creates shapes as separate objects that do not merge together when overlaid. Each shape is a separate object that you can manipulate individually. When using the Object Drawing model, Flash surrounds a selected shape with a rectangular bounding box.
Using the Object Drawing model
Flash's default model is the Merge Drawing model. To create shapes with the Object Drawing model, click the Object Drawing button in the Tools panel.
Enabling the Object Drawing model
- Select the Pencil, Line, Pen, Brush, Oval, Rectangle, or Polygon tools.
- Click the Object Drawing button in the Options category of the Tools panel, or press the J key to toggle between the Merge and Object Drawing models.
Converting a Merge Drawing model created shape to an Object Drawing model shape
- Select the drawn shape on the Stage.
- Choose Modify > Combine Objects > Union. The shape will now be treated like a vector-based drawing object that is not affected by other shapes.
Tip: To merge shapes into a single, object-based shape, choose Modify > Combine Objects > Union.
Learn more by registering into the Flash Level 1, 2-day training course delivered by Alpha Computer Consultants www.alphacc.com.au.
