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Tutorial: Creating a birthday animation
Step by Step Tutorial - Creating a birthday animation

Let's explore the creativity that @loha brings to your fingertips with this tutorial.

To create a birthday animation, let's do the following:

•	Select the birthday animation

•	Add a personalized message

•	Customize the background color

•	Add special effects

•	Add motion to text

•	Add sound or music

•	Save birthday card

•	Play the birthday card

•	Send the greeting by E-mail

Hopefully, at the end of the tutorial, you will end up this card.


Tutorial: Selecting the Birthday Animation
Selecting the Birthday Animation

To select the birthday animation, let's do the following:

1.	Click and hold on the birthday card animation, cake1, from the character file and drag it to the work area.  The birthday cake fills the screen.  Let's adjust the size so that it is smaller:

2.	Click on the cake,  handles appear on the four corners.

3.	Click on the top left handle and drag it inwards.  The animation decreases in size.  Let's move the animation to the center.

4.	Click on the animation and drag it to the center of the work area.  That is its new location.

You are now going to add a personalized message.

Next:

•	Add a personalized message

•	Customize the background color

•	Add special effects

•	Add motion to text

•	Add sound or music

•	Save birthday card

•	Play the birthday card

•	Send the greeting by E-mail


Tutorial: Adding a Personalized Message
Adding a Personalized Message

Here we are going to type a simple one line caption, color it and then position it behind the cake.

Step 1: Type a personalized mesasge

Step 2: Change color of text

Step 3: Move and layer text


Tutorial: Typing a personalized message
Typing a personalized message

To add a personalized message, let's do the following:

1.	Click on the Text button "A" in the Tools Palette.

2.	Click on the work stage.  The Edit Text dialog box displays.  You can use the default font displayed or select another font.  Let's use another font.

3.	Click on the down arrow next to the font name.  A drop-down selection list appears.

4.	Move the selection bar to Arial Narrow and click once.  The name displays in the font bar. Let's adjust the size of the font.

5.	Click on the down arrow next to the font size.  A drop-down list selection list appears.

6.	Click once on 72 points.  The new size displays in the size bar.

7.	Click on the Edit Text work area and type MOM.

Next:

Step 2: Change color of text

Step 3: Move and layer text


Tutorial: Changing the color of the text
Changing the color of the text

Let's change the color of the text from black to dark blue.

1.	Click on the Text Color palette button at the top right corner of the Edit Text dialog box.  The Color Palette displays.

2.	Select the dark blue color and click on OK.  The color of your greeting changes to dark blue.

3.	Click on OK. Your personalized message appears within a text box on the @loha work stage.

4.	Click on a text box handle and drag it to fit the entire width of the work stage.  The words "MOM" fill the screen.

Next:

Step 3: Move and layer text


Tutorial: Moving and layering the text
Moving and layering the text

Let's move the cake in front of the word, MOM.

1.	Click and hold on the cake to select it and click on the right mouse button.  The Edit Stage dialog box displays.

2.	Move the selection bar to Layer and click on the right arrow.  The Layer sub-menu displays.

3.	Move the selection bar to the Bring to the Front option and click on it.

The cake moves to the front on the @loha work stage.

You will now customize the background color of the card.

Next:

•	Customize the background color

•	Add special effects

•	Add motion to text

•	Add sound or music

•	Save birthday card

•	Play the birthday card

•	Send the greeting by E-mail


Tutorial: Customizing the Background Color
Customizing the Background Color

To customize the background:

1.	Click on the Color Fill button.  The Color Palette displays.

2.	Point to anywhere on the work stage and click on the right mouse button.  The Edit Stage dialog box displays.

3.	Click on the Edit Stage option.  The Stage Properties dialog box displays.

4.	Select the Background Color tab.  The Background Color dialog box displays.

5.	Click on Rainbow.

6.	Click on the top right color button.  The Color Palette displays.

7.	Select orange from the palette and click on OK.

8.	Click on the top left color button.  The Color Palette displays.

9.	Select yellow from the palette and click on OK.

10.	Click on OK.

The new background effect displays on the @loha work stage.

Background style dialog box.

Next:

•	Add special effects

•	Add motion to text

•	Add sound or music

•	Save birthday card

•	Play the birthday card

•	Send the greeting by E-mail


Tutorial:Adding Special Effects
Adding Special Effects

To add special effects to your graphics and text:

1.	Click on the cake to select it.

2.	Click on the Effect tab in the @loha gallery.

3.	Click on the Grow effect and drag and drop it onto the cake.  The cake decreases in size.

4.	Press the Play button.  The cake increases in size and moves forward.

5.	Click on the work stage at anytime to stop the animation.

Now, let's add a motion & sound.

Next:

•	Add motion to text

•	Add sound or music

•	Save birthday card

•	Play the birthday card

•	Send the greeting by E-mail


Tutorial: Adding Motion to Text
Adding Motion to Text

To add motion to text, create the text and then add the effect:

1.	Click on the Paragraph tool in the Tool Palette.  Click on the @loha work stage and the Edit Text dialog box displays.

2.	Select Arial Narrow from the font box and select size 36 from the font size box.

3.	Click on the Edit Text work area and type your name.

4.	You can change the color of your greeting or leave it as is.  When you have finished:

5.	Click on OK.  A text box with your greeting displays on the work stage.

6.	Drag the text box to center your greeting.  You can now add a special effect to your greeting.  Make sure that your greeting is selected.

7.	Click on the Effect tab in the @loha gallery.

8.	Select the L2R effect and drag and drop it onto your greeting.

9.	Press the Play button to test your effect.

Next:

•	Add sound or music

•	Save birthday card

•	Play the birthday card

•	Send the greeting Via E-mail


Tutorial: Adding Sound or Music
Adding Sound or Music

To add sound, let's do the following:

1.	Click on the Sound tab in the @loha gallery.

2.	Select any sound  or music effect and drag and drop it on the work stage.

Next:

•	Save birthday card

•	Play the birthday card

•	Send the greeting by E-mail


Tutorial: Saving the birthday card
Saving the birthday card

1.	From the File Menu, click on Save.  The File Save As dialog box appears.

2.	Locate the directory in which you will save the file, for example, C:\@loha\.

3.	Type a file name in the File Name box.

4.	Click on OK or press Enter to save the file.

You are now going to view the animated birthday card.

Next:

•	Play the birthday card

•	Send the greeting by E-mail


Tutorial: Playing the birthday card
Playing the birthday card

To view the animated birthday card, let's do the following:

1.	Click on Play button  [image] at the bottom of the @loha work stage.

2.	Click on the Stop button [image] to stop the animation.

3.	If you want to adjust the speed of the animation, click on the Edit Stage.  The Stage Properties dialog box displays.

4.	Click on the Playback option.  The Playback dialog box displays.

5.	Adjust the speed by dragging the speed marker to the left or right.   When you have finished, click on OK.

Your first @loha greeting is ready.  If you are satisfied with the animated greeting, let's send it via E-Mail.

Next:

•	Send the greeting Via E-mail


Tutorial: Sending the greeting via E-Mail
Sending the greeting via E-Mail

Before sending greetings via E-Mail, ensure that you have the address of the recipient and be familiar with how your E-Mail software works.

To send the greeting:

1.	Click on the Send button [image].  The Confirm dialogue box displays.

2.	If this is the first @loha message you are sending to someone, you must include the player @Play with your animation.  @Play is required for viewing your animation.  Instruct the recipient of your animation to install the @Play.

3.	If the recipient has already received @loha messages before then you don't need to send @Play any more.

4.	After this point, your E-mail package takes over.  Please follow the instructions of your E-Mail package on sending attachments.

There is also a great section concerning this topic in the Frequently Asked Questions.