Beginner's Guide to Adobe Flash/Components

Components are complex Movie Clips with restrictions that you are able to define during the authoring process. Basically, they are a container that can hold many assets that work together to include enhanced interactivity, productivity, or effects to your movies. You can use components to control your movie, such as moving from one frame to another, or to perform more complex tasks, such as sending data to and from a server. Components cover the following areas:
 * /Data/
 * /Playback/
 * /User Interface/

Why Use Components?
Components make it easy for you to rapidly create proof-of concepts or prototypes for larger Rich Internet Application (RIA) frameworks, to share your work with other Flash developers in the Flash community.

Components are a very effective way of making certain that your end-user understands how to use certain elements of your Flash movie. A predictable interface does not have to be boring or common. In addition, because components can be skinned, they can have a unique look from one site to the next. The components shipped with Flash 8 are also reliable. Because components are a quick solution to common interface requirements, you will have more time to spend on more complicated and interesting creative tasks instead of recurring authoring.

Drawbacks Of Using Components
One of the arguments against using components is the increasing of file size added to your productions. Even though this may be the case, there are several reasons to use components apart from the ease of dragging them to your Stage and modifying the parameters.

How To Add Components
You can add a component to your Stage in the following ways:

1. Open the Components panel by going to Window >>> Components or by pressing Ctrl+F7.

2. Add a component to the Stage by:

be added to the center of your Document window's workspace.
 * Double-clicking: You can double-click a component and it will

dragging it onto the Stage.
 * Dragging: You can add an instance by clicking the component icon and

After your component is on the Stage, you can modify its parameters and properties manually in various panels by using ActionScript code on objects or keyframes in a timeline.

Removing Components from your Movie
To remove (V2) components, you simply select the compiled clip in the Library panel, and delete it.