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Object Export Options

The Object option of the 'Export' Panel allows you to control the generation of the .swf file for the Test in Player, Export SWF and Export HTML commands.


Preload content
This option determines where object definitions are written to the .swf file. By grouping definitions, you can avoid delays or jerkiness while the Movie is playing. The Preload content options are as follows:

·	Disabled: definitions are written out at the Frame where the object is first placed. If the definition is large because you have a large object or block of text, or if the connection speed is slow, this could introduce a short delay or jerk in the playback

·	Before Scene: definitions are grouped together at the start of the Scene. This may mean a short delay before the Scene starts playing, but such delays are generally less noticeable than those that occur while the Scene is playing

·	Before Movie: definitions are grouped together before the first Frame of the Movie. This can mean a delay before the Movie begins to play

·	At Preload Action: you can add a Preload Content Action as a Scene Event. This acts as a marker for where you would like definitions to appear. Any objects before the first Preload Content option are treated as though Preload content was disabled

·	Scene default: the value for this setting is taken from the default defined for the Scene, and is not overridden here. This is the default and unless you change Scene and Movie settings the effective value will be the same as the At Preload Action setting.

Share Fonts
Font definitions in a .swf file define the shapes for characters. To save space, only the actual characters used appear in font definitions. This setting lets you specify where font definitions are written out and what they contain. Unless you particularly want to override the default setting for the Scene, you should leave the setting as 'Scene Default'. The possible values for this setting are:

·	Disabled: a separate font definition is written out for each Text Object for the characters used in that text object only

·	Across Scene: font definitions are written out at the start of the Scene that include all the characters used in the Scene. This saves space by combining multiple fonts

·	Across Movie: font definitions are written out at the start of the first Scene found that has any Text Objects with Share fonts set to Across Movie. These definitions include all the characters used in the Movie

·	Scene default: The value for this setting is taken from the default defined for the Scene, and is not overridden here. This is the default and unless you change Scene and Movie settings the effective value will be the same as the Across Movie setting.

However, in all cases, if a font has already been defined that includes all the necessary characters, the existing font definition is used. In general, an effective value for the Across Movie setting will result in the smallest .swf size. However, it may mean that there is a delay at the start of the Movie when fonts are defined. This can be a problem if you are using a preloader. In this case, it is common to use Across Scene as the default for the preloader Scene, and Across Movie as the default for subsequent Scenes.

Text as Shapes
This option lets you export the characters of the Text Object as individual shapes rather than as fonts and text. This should make no difference visually. However, if you later import the .swf file, you cannot edit any text that has Text as shapes enabled. You may also need to use this option if your text does not appear in the correct font when importing it into another application, such as Flash. The possible values for this setting are:

·	Disabled: text is not exported as shapes, but rather is exported as font definitions and text records. If Complex Effects are used, then SWiSH will automatically define the text as individual objects for each character, so the characters can be animated individually

·	Colored + Scaled: text is converted into shapes. SWiSH generates separate shape definitions for each combination of font size or color

·	Colored: text is converted into shapes. SWiSH generates separate shape definitions for each color, regardless of the font size

·	Normalized: text is converted into shapes. SWiSH generates a single set of shape definitions for each letter, regardless of the font size of color

·	Scene default: the value for this setting is taken from the default defined for the Scene, and is not overridden here. This is the default and unless you change Scene and Movie settings the effective value will be the same as the Disabled setting.

If you need to define text as shape, the most efficient setting will depend on the variety of letters, fonts, font sizes and colors that you use. You should experiment with the settings for each individual Movie to get the smallest possible .swf size.


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