Enabling, editing, and testing buttons

By default, Flash keeps buttons disabled as you create them, to make it easier to select and work with them. When a button is disabled, clicking the button selects it. When a button is enabled, it responds to the mouse events that you've specified as if the SWF file were playing. You can still select enabled buttons, however. In general, it is best to disable buttons as you work, and enable buttons to quickly test their behavior.

To enable and disable buttons:

Select Control > Enable Simple Buttons. A check mark appears next to the command to indicate buttons are enabled. Select the command again to disable buttons.
Any buttons on the Stage now respond. As you move the pointer over a button, Flash displays the Over frame; when you click within the button's active area, Flash displays the Down frame.

To select an enabled button:

Use the Selection tool to drag a selection rectangle around the button.

To move or edit an enabled button:

Select the button, as described above.
Do one of the following:
- Use the arrow keys to move the button.
- If the Property inspector is not visible, select Window > Properties to edit the button in the Property inspector, or Alt-double-click (Windows) or Option-double-click the button (Macintosh).

To test a button, do one of the following:

Select Control > Enable Simple Buttons. Move the pointer over the enabled button to test it.
Select the button in the Library panel and click the Play button in the Library preview window.
Select Control > Test Scene or Control > Test Movie.

Movie clips in buttons are not visible in the Flash authoring environment. See Enabling, editing, and testing buttons.