Recipe 17.1. Importing Sounds

Problem

You want to import a sound file into your Flash document.

Solution

Use the File Import Import to Library feature to import the sound to the document's library.

Discussion

You can import a variety of sound formats into Flash. Exactly which formats you can import depends on factors such as your operating system and whether you have QuickTime (Version 4 or higher) installed on your computer. Table 17-1 lists a matrix that shows you what kinds of formats you can import.

Table 17-1. Sound formats for importing

	Macintosh	Windows	Macintosh with QuickTime	Windows with QuickTime
WAV	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
AIFF	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
MP3	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sound Designer II	No	No	Yes	No
QuickTime movie (sound only)	No	No	Yes	Yes
Sun AU	No	No	Yes	Yes
System 7 sounds	No	No	Yes	No

You can use any sound in an importable format. For example, you might have purchased a CD-ROM with a library of sounds. Assuming that those sound files are in an importable format, you can use those. Or perhaps you want to create your own soundsnot only for sound effects, but also for voice-overs. Almost all sound recording/editing programs allow you to export or save the sound in one of the formats that Flash can import.

To import a sound into your Flash movie:

When you have successfully imported a sound file into your Flash document, you should be able to see it in the library. An imported sound shows up as a library symbol with a speaker icon next to it. When you select the library symbol from the library list, the waveform appears in the top library pane along with two buttons. You can use the arrow button to preview the sound, and you can use the square button to stop a playing sound.

Of course, importing a sound is not of much use on its own. Although it is a crucial step, importing a sound merely places it in the library. It does not automatically add the sound to a timeline for playback. You'll need to add the sound to a timeline on your own. For more information on how to accomplish that, see Recipe 17.3.

See Also

Recipe 17.3