I. Installation
To install for Flash 8:- Close Flash
- IMPORTANT: Remove any previous installation, of the current panel being installed, from the Macromedia Extension Manager before installing the new version. Your preferences will not be deleted.
- Install the desired panel mxp . Ensure that it is enabled for the correct version of Flash in the Extension Manager.
- Run Flash, and open the panel in Window > Other Panels > {Panel Name}. You may need to open/create a FLA document to do this.
Notes.
- gPanel Pack v1 requires Flash 8. It is recommended for use with the Professional version, but will still function in the Standard version, although it might be missing key features.
- When binding keyboard shortcuts to a panel, Flash can sometimes confuse which panel to open. If this happens, disable/enable all custom panels in the Extension Manager.
- If running multiple versions of Flash, multiple versions of the Panels will exist, with a seperate saved preferences for each Panel.
- Occasionally, Flash opens the wrong custom panel. If you experience this problem, follow the instructions at OddHammer.com
II. Using gSearch
![](http://www.gskinner.com/products/panelpack1/images/gSearch_lib.gif)
Library Search (view)
- Search for a string in library symbols. Toggle searching of Library name, linkage name, class name, and folder name.
- Double-click to quickly select instances in the library
- Double-click again to quickly edit the symbol
Timeline Search (view)
- Innovative timeline search to find instances with matching instance names, library names, linkage IDs and classNames. The timeline search scans all symbols' timelines for matching results.
- Also search for matching frame labels, sound names and linkages, and text instance names
- Timeline searches are chunked to support FLAs with large timelines without script timeouts
- Double-click results to quickly navigate to the layer and frame. Instances are selected.
File Search (view)
- Search a folder for files whose file contents contain a string. Supports regex
- Returns the file name, file type and number of matches per file
- Double-click to open the file
- Recent folder paths saved for later use
General
- Results are returned in an easily-sortable datagrid
- The panel maintains state between flash sessions, including the selected pane, and all radioButton states and search terms.
- Recent search terms are saved in a quick-access drop down menu
Working with gSearch :
- select a search type
- select a search option from the list
- click the "GO" button
III. Using gTextStyles
![](images/gTextStyles.gif)
- Save a textfield's style into a quick-access list
- Apply a saved style to one or more text fields instantly
- Quickly choose which properties of the saved style to apply
- View style info, and preview styles inside the panel using user-configurable text.
- You must have at least one text field selected in order to use this gTextStyles
Adding a style:
Preview a style:
- select a text field on stage with the styles you would like to save
- click the "add" button
- give it a name and hit ok.
Removing a style:
- in the gTextStyles panel select the Preview tab.
- you can edit the text or click the links at the bottom to view different character sets.
Apply a style:
- removing a text style is the same process as gTodo. Simply open the combo box and click the x on the style you want to delete
This will apply the style with the selected properties in the prefs tab of the gTextStyles panel
- click on one or select multiple textfields on your stage and click the "apply" button
Info tab:Shows you things like text size, type of textfield,html, scrollable etc..
- gives you a look at all the properties of the textfield that you saved.
Properties to apply:Default text :
- go to the Prefs tab.
This tab contains a list of all the Text Properties you can apply using the gTextStyle Panel.
- anything that is checked will be applied when you click the "apply" button
- in the Prefs tab you can change the default text that shows up in the Preview tab.
![](http://www.gskinner.com/products/panelpack1/images/gTodo.gif)
IV. Using gTodo
About gTodo
The gTodo panel manages a list of "to-do" items in flash.
Features
- Simple, streamlined interface
- Manage multiple todo lists
- Single click item creation
- Drag-and Drop list of items (view)
- In-line editting (view)
- Color-coding for priority grouping (view)
- Context menus for enhanced interaction
- Complete/Incomplete status
- Auto-sorting of completed items
- Import and Export lists to share with other developers
Working with task lists
- click on the green "plus" symbol.
- enter in a task name and hit " ".
- click on the
beside the task name in the drop down box.
:
Importing a task list:Exporting a task list:
- click on the import button
- select the file you want to import and hit ok.
The exported file will be created at the selected location.
- select the
you want to export- click on the export button
- enter the desired name of the file that is to be exported and hit ok:
- browse to the folder you wish to save the file to and hit the ok button.
Adding a task item:
- type name into the text box and hit enter
You can also right click and select either Insert Above or Insert Below from the menu list. This will add a new Task Item Above or Below the item you right clicked on.
Edit a task item:Remove task item:
- double click on the task name or right click and select
from the menu
Mark item as "Complete":
- right click on the item and select
from the menuThe item will be moved to the bottom of the list and greyed out
- click on the check box of the completed item.
- You can use the highlights to organize your todo list in any fashion.
ex: make all red items urgent, all green items open items etc..
Assign a hightight to task:The task text color will change to the selected highlight.
- click on the black or colored box next to the task item and select desired color
Group by Highlight:This will group the task items together based on color
- right click on the blank white space of the todo panel and select group by highlight.
A slimmed down version of the gTodo panel is also available for free, but can only do simple list management.
V. Using gTweens
![](http://www.gskinner.com/products/panelpack1/images/gTweens.gif)
About the gTweens Panel
The gTweens Panel helps manage custom eases in timeline tweens.
- Create custom ease curves using the custom ease dialog, and then save them into the gTweens panel.
- Select a frame, multiple frames, or a block of frames in your timeline and apply a saved ease curve
- Export and import saved eases for sharing with other developers
- The panel is bundled with 9 pre-defined mathematically derived eases
Please note that this panel only stores and applies custom eases, it does not create them.
Using the gTweens Panel
Applying a Tween:You can also select multiple starting frames to apply the selected tween to.
- select the starting frame in the Flash timeline
- select a tween from the gTween list and click "apply"