Producing publications with Flash?

[Sdashiki]

If i needed to make .swf files which are basically pages of a digital publication, but with slick rollovers and some slideshows etc, is there an easier way to do it than just diving right into a blank timeline and canvas?

I mean, InDesign is for layout and publications, Flash lacks the panache of ID, so...how the heck do I get started? Is there a plugin or actual nomenclature for this kind of thing?


I tried googling for this kind of solution or tutorial, or something, but the keywords are too ambiguous.

 

[snickelfritz]

A commonly accepted way to do this in AS3 is to create a SWF that contains a preloader, a loader clip, and the navigation, then create each of the pages as separate external SWF files.
This dramatically reduces initial loading time for the main SWF (since it only loads a single page and the navigation bar, instead of the entire site), and facilitates a loading progress indicator for each of the sections. (since the preloader is built into the main SWF)

BTW, I generally use an Actionscript tweening class for animations/rollovers/transitions, rather than the timeline; it's far simpler to set up and maintain.
TweenMax is my personal favorite.

 

[Sdashiki]

This would actually be part of "Flash Page Flip"

An ASP type server thing which you basically give it jpg/gif/swf files as "pages" and it creates one of those neato "flipping page like flash apps" which plays in a browser window.

The ability to use swf within Flash Page Flip allows for dynamic content...as much as Flash lets you.

Problem is, Flash is NO layout program for text. And yet I see examples of FPF doing very nice animations and stuff with obviously vector text. Meaning it was done in Flash and through a swf file.

Im stumped how to take an InDesign file and recreate it in flash with some panache...

 

[design-is]

InDesign CS4 now lets you export as a flash document or magazine with page turning effects etc... is this the sort of thing you mean?