Command and Menu Reference

Menus

In this section you will find reference to all commands available from Vectorian Giotto’s menus. Menus are context sensitive. This means that only menu items relevant to the current work are available to select and execute. Other, inactive menu items are grayed and they can not be selected. However, in an appropriate context previously grayed menu items will become available.

File

File menu contains options that apply to the whole document or Vectorian Giotto.

New

This command creates a new empty file called Untitled-X, where X is next natural number in a sequence. Upon starting, Giotto creates file named Untitled-1 and successive calls to New command will create files Untitled-2, Untitled-3 and so on.

New Action Script

This command opens a new Action Script editor. Here you can type Action Script code and save it to file with .as extension.

Open

This command let you open a file previously saved in Giotto. File is opened from a dialog standard for all Windows applications. Just select one of .vgd files and click Open. File is opened for editing.

Close

This command closes the current file without exiting the program. The Close command closes all of the open windows for the current file. If you have made changes to the current file, you are prompted to save those changes.

Save

This command saves the current file. If the file is not previously saved then Save As command is executed and dialog is opened. Enter file name and choose file type (Vectorian Giotto Document .vgd) and click Save. If the file is previously saved the dialog will not open. Old version of a file is overwritten by new version.

Save As

This command saves the current file with a new filename or to a different location. It will automatically be called when you save file for the first time.

Export Flash Movie

This command saves the current file in Flash format with .swf extension. You can change filename and location where you want file to be saved to.

Recent

Here, you have four recently opened documents available for quick access.

Exit

This command closes all open Giotto files, prompts you to save them and then exits Vectorian Giotto.

Edit

Undo

This command is used to undo (recall) last command. For example, if you have moved an object on the Stage, undo will move it back to previous position. Be careful: not all commands can be recalled! For example, save command can not be recalled.

Redo

This command is the opposite of Undo – while Undo is moving backwards through issued commands, Redo is moving forward.

Cut

This command deletes selected objects (see 3.12 Selection Tool) from the Stage and puts them to the internal clipboard. Objects from internal clipboard can later be pasted on any Giotto’s document.

Copy

This command puts selected objects to the internal clipboard but does not delete them from the Stage.

Paste in Center

This command literally pastes contents of internal clipboard or Windows clipboard to the center of the Stage.

Paste in Place

This command is similar to Paste, but it remembers original clipboard contents’ coordinates. After pasting, clipboard contents retain their coordinates.

Clear

This command deletes selected objects from the Stage. Objects are not copied into internal clipboard so they can not be pasted later.

Customize

This command enables you to customize Vectorian Giotto’s toolbars, shortcut keys and menu appearance.

Sound Export Settings

This command enables you to choose how Giotto will export sounds in your animation.

Preferences

This command enables you to customize Vectorian Giotto’s Action Script editor.

View

Go To

Moves through sequence of Movies. There are 4 subcommands you can use to go to the First, Previous, Next, or Last Movie.

Rulers

Shows or hides horizontal and vertical ruler from the Stage. Rulers help you to determine size of objects and to position objects on the Stage more precisely.

Grid

Grid is a pattern of straight lines crossing each other. Use Grid to position objects on the Stage more precisely. This command contains 2 subcommands. If Show Grid is ticked then grid is shown on the Stage, otherwise it is hidden. Edit Grid enables you to customize the Grid.

Zoom In

This command shows objects on the Stage closer, as if the Stage is looked through zoom lens. Therefore objects appear larger and you can change them more precisely.

Zoom Out

This command is the opposite of Zoom In. It shows objects on the Stage further away. Therefore objects appear smaller.

Magnification

Magnification is just shortcut to several predefined values of zoom, from 25% to 800%.

Insert

Timeline

This command has 4 subcommands, which allow you to insert new Layer, Frame, Keyframe, or Blank keyframe.

Bitmap

This command allows you to insert existing bitmap into current frame. Bitmap may be in Windows Bitmap (.bmp), JPEG (.jpg), TIFF (.tif), PNG (.png), GIF (.gif), or ICO (.ico) format. Respective file extensions are inside parenthesis.

Sound

This command allows you to insert existing sound file into current animation. Sound may in MP3 (.mp3), or Wave Audio (.wav) format. Respective file extensions are inside parenthesis.

Scene

This command allows you to insert new scene (Movie) into current animation.

Intersection

With this command you can insert intersection of multiple shapes on the Stage.

Union

With this command you can insert union of multiple shapes on the Stage.

Difference

With this command you can insert difference of two shapes on the Stage.

Modify

Document

This command opens Document properties window, from which you can set Stage dimensions (in pixels) and background color, frame rate for movie (scene) and units for ruler.

Layers

This command opens Layers window, from which you can set various properties of layers. For details, see Part IV: Layers section in this document.

Arrange

This command contains two subcommands: Bring to front, and Send to back. Bring to front will position selected shape above all other shapes on the Stage. Send to back will position selected shape below all other shapes on the Stage.

Convert Text to Curves

This command will convert selected text to curves so you can freely edit its shape, size etc.

Control

Play

This command starts playback of an animation in the built-in player. For details about animation see.

Stop

This command stops playback of an animation which is currently played in the built-in player. Playback can be continued with Play command.

Rewind

This command rewinds playback of an animation or, if an animation is not played back, jumps to the first frame causing subsequent changes to be performed on that frame. It should be applied after Stop command. After sequence of Stop-Rewind-Play commands, animation is restarted.

Go to End

This command causes playback of an animation to finish. It jumps to the last frame causing subsequent changes to be performed on that frame.

Step Forward One Frame

With this command you can move one frame forward in animation.

Step Backward One Frame

With this command you can move one frame forward in animation.

Window

New Window

This opens new window, i.e. another view of the current animation. You can have multiple views of the same animation so, for example, you can see multiple frames at the same time.

Cascade

This command shows all opened windows one on the top of another, so you can easily access all of them.

Tile

This command shows all opened windows tiled, i.e. stacked evenly spaced on your screen. This way you can see all views of an animation at the same time.

Toolbars

This command has 3 subcommands which allow you to show or hide Main Toolbar, Drawing Toolbar, or

Status Bar.

Morph Shapes

When ticked, Morph Shapes window is shown, otherwise it is hidden.

Object Properties

When ticked, Object Properties window is shown, otherwise it is hidden.

Filters

When ticked, Filters window is shown, otherwise it is hidden.

Scenes

When ticked, Scene window is shown, otherwise it is hidden.

Compiler Errors

When ticked, Compiler Errors window is shown, otherwise it is hidden.

Shape

When ticked, Shape window is shown, otherwise it is hidden.

Movie Browser

When ticked, Movie Browser window is shown, otherwise it is hidden.

Library

When ticked, Library window is shown, otherwise it is hidden.

Action Script Editor

When ticked, Action Script Code window is shown, otherwise it is hidden.

Help

Help Topics

Displays online help from Giotto’s web site.

Buy Now

This option allows you to purchase Vectorian Giotto online from Giotto’s web site.

About Vectorian Giotto

Displays information about Vectorian Giotto program.

Main Toolbar

In this section you will see what options Vectorian Giotto’s main toolbar contains. Main toolbar consists of five sections, each section containing two to five buttons. All toolbar commands are activated by a single click.

New

main toolbar This command creates a new empty file called Untitled-X, where X is next natural number in a sequence. Upon starting, Giotto creates file named Untitled-1 and successive calls to New command will create files Untitled-2, Untitled-3 and so on.

Open

main toolbar This command let you open a file previously saved in Giotto. File is opened from a dialog standard for all Windows applications. Just select one of .vgd files and click Open. File is opened for editing.

Save

main toolbar This command saves the current file. If the file is not previously saved then Save As command is executed and dialog is opened. Enter file name and choose file type (Vectorian Giotto Document .vgd) and click Save. If the file is previously saved the dialog will not open. Old version of a file is overwritten by new version.

Undo

main toolbar This command is used to undo (recall) last command. For example, if you have moved an object on the Stage, undo will move it back to previous position. Be careful: not all commands can be recalled! For example, save command can not be recalled.

Redo

main toolbar This command is the opposite of Undo – while Undo is moving backwards through issued commands, Redo is moving forward.

Cut

main toolbar This command deletes selected objects (see 3.12 Selection Tool) from the Stage and puts them to the internal clipboard. Objects from internal clipboard can later be pasted on any Giotto’s document.

Copy

main toolbar This command puts selected objects to the internal clipboard but does not delete them from the Stage.

Paste

main toolbar This command literally pastes contents of internal clipboard or Windows clipboard to the center of the Stage.

Paste in Place

main toolbar This command is similar to Paste, but it remembers original clipboard contents’ coordinates. After pasting, clipboard contents retain their coordinates.