A BIG thankyou to GAOTD and to Vectorian Giotto for this software. I am an amateur photographer who is constructing her own website and I wanted something animated for the Home Page. I have absolutely no knowledge of animation and thought it may be beyond me, until I worked through the Help pages on Vectorian's website. What a terrific thing to have available to people like me. I had a moving graphic in a matter of minutes, so a huge THANKYOU to all involved. You just helped extend my learning, again!

First off for anyone who is even slightly interested in Flash and are avoiding Adobe's Flash then definitely grab this for free while you can. It is more limited but still a very professional product which is well worth it's price even considering it is limited, one which is it's lack of AS3. But FWIW most other lower priced flash soft don't support AS3 either. I consider this to be one of the best lower end Flash products (grabbed it last time from here).

I'd like to say a HUGE thank you to Mike for his link to the many great open source flash projects/apps. I do have Adobe Flash but enjoy checking/testing out other related soft and there are loads of interesting ones there. If anyone is interested in AS3 you should be able to find some useful stuff there, thanks again Mike.

And to Vectorian Inc keep up the great work, don't worry about the complaints about your name the quality of your soft will create the recognition of your name. I am lookin forward to the next version and the improvements that will come.
Thanks Vectorian Inc this is one of the best softwares I've seen here, and Thanks GAOTD for it's rerun.
Also just like to add I'm glad of the lack of the silly comments about HTML5 vs Flash which seem to be popping up everywhere, I find it ridiculous because it truly doesn't compare.

I recently had a loss of my os and although I had data backed up I lost software programs. Thank you for re submitting this graphics package as I love it and use it. It is a great little software.
Coty

GREAT SOFTWARE. I have used Vectorian Giotto since the last time it was offered on GOTD. I previously used SoThink Quicker. But I like Vectorian so much better for flash authoring. It is outstanding software...and definitely one to grab today if you create flash for a web site.

I picked this up in a previous giveaway. It it a nice little program. I especially like the way you can set a start and end frame and it will automatically create the frames in between. All in all, I think it is pretty easy to use especially if you watch the tutorials. I will say however the name is definitely not the best descriptor. Thanks.

Excellent software! This is so good even a monkey could use it easily. That means even GAOTD users should be able to use it, with someone holding their hand.

This program is really good. Downloaded, installed and registered on windows xp sp3 with no problems. Has some really cool templates to use to get you started. The interface is similar to that of other well-known flash programs. The tutorials on the main website are informative and easy to understand.

Thank you to the program creators and to GAOTD.

For those of you running Win2K you need to copy gdiplus.dll to all the folders the error says and it will work.

For the name change, Giotto is probably the only painter's name that was not owned by someone else. He was a Middle Ages Florentine painter.

Downloaded and installed with no problems. I have no experience with graqphic programs or web building but I was drawn to the name.

I clicked on Help in the program menu which opened the web based Help site, clicked on Tutorials - Animation in Giotto and almost gave up when I read the instruction at first. I then went through the step by step instructions and, to my surprise and delight, easily created a simple animation. Very cool. I will be keeping this to explore more. First time for you? - Try it, you might like it :-)

And I am going to assume the name is derived from one of the first and greatest architects and painters who contributed to the Italian Renaissance. So for me the program name is perfect.

This is definitely a keeper for me. Have been playing with the program since I downloaded it this morning. This looks like fun and since I have wanted to learn about animation etc., I will most definitely keep it. Download went smooth; installed great; not sure about the registration though as everything went so fast and an error log to be sent to Vectorian Inc. came up and then was gone - not sure if sent or not - sooo, I uninstalled, redownloaded and reinstalled. No nag screen came up the second install for me to put the Registration Code. I too, do not see that code or registration info any where ("About" checked). Hope it is registered. So far it is working and I am having fun learning. Went to Vectorian's website. Very nicely layout (fun)(I like the elephant) and got tutorials to follow. Very good instructions. Everything is easy to work with and not a nightmare like other software I used and finally tossed out. Thank you very much for the offer of this software GAOTD and Vectorian Inc. Have a nice day everyone.

@13, thank you, you are a sweetheart, as are all the GOTD visitors who lend a helping hand. Sometimes tiny little helping hints like yours make a WHOPPING difference. Hope you make this the best year of your life, just for being courteous enough to spell that out.

And, of course, thanks to GOTD and Vectorian

Seems to me there is a tutorial available. There is also a guide to creating animation.

So the comment that there is no documentation needs to be considered in that light.

I am having the same trouble as #6. The program installed with no problem and runs with no apparent problem UNTIL I click on help. At that point I receive a message from my internet security program (BitDefender Total Security 2011) that this routine is deemed harmful.

6. There is an option to export to SWF. Therefore no problem to use in web pages.

For those who picked this up as an earlier GOTD, the program file [vectoriangiotto.exe] in today's Vectorian Giotto is newer, though versions are the same -- all other files are identical per Microsoft's Windiff. For those who didn't grab it, Vectorian Giotto is a cheaper [albeit much more limited] alternative to Adobe's Flash creation software [MSRP $699] -- Google/Bing & you'll find many others, including a couple I've heard of: KoolMoves http://goo.gl/Iu7sl & Swish http://goo.gl/LKNY ... here's a listing of open source flash projects/apps: http://goo.gl/Frtvi

Flash like other 2D animation software uses vector graphics -- it was originally developed as an alternative to bulky raster images [e.g. animated GIFs] that were slow downloads via dial-up access. Vector graphics are coordinate based like text, so 1 small file can be displayed &/or printed at any size, but [for many people, myself included] they're more difficult to use [Wikipedia http://goo.gl/71A8]. In Vectorian Giotto you have the line, pencil, and brush [the latter 2 are freehand tools] for creating images rather than a complete tool set, & I didn't see a way to import files from more complete vector graphics apps like Illustrator, CorelDraw!, Inkscape etc. And while it talks about movies, it means Flash animations -- not video. In a nutshell Vectorian Giotto is more suitable for shape & text animations in Flash banners, though using Actionscript 2 you can certainly do more with it. And it is easier than Adobe's app, especially when you're 1st getting started because of 2 things IMHO -- 1) there's fewer features/tools to fill the program's window, & 2) since the early 90's Adobe has designed their software for Adobe users first & foremost, as a marketing gimmick [you develop a skill-set just in using Adobe software, making you hesitant to switch brands (that skill-set would become useless), & it keeps *just anyone* from becoming your competition (e.g. Adobe no longer creates Help files)].

Installing Vectorian Giotto mainly impacts Windows registry where in XP Pro I recorded 3k+ new registry entries -- that's not however as bad as it sounds, since most all of those are in a single Vectorian key [HKCU\ Software\ Vectorian] -- should you decide to uninstall the app just make sure that key's deleted & you've gotten rid of most everything added to the registry... I also got 6 file-type association keys, plus a key for uninstall. Other than Start Menu shortcuts everything resides in the "Vectorian Inc" folder, which takes up ~99 MB with 185 files, 12 folders. The non-included manual can be downloaded here: http://goo.gl/VwXev . Starting the app un-registered you're given a screen to register or continue the trial, so if you updated a prior install & don't get that screen I wouldn't expect any problems.

TUTORIAL:
http://vectorian.com/help/quick-start-guide/

For Pete:

If the program is open, close it and reopen it again. If you don't see the nag screen asking to "buy, register, etc.", then I'd say registration was successful...

Sergio

It would be better if you could open flash files (.swf) and save stuff as flash. (.swf)

I would like to be able to edit old flash files in it.

Glad to see previous software being repeated. My PC crashed a month ago. My files were backed up but I lost all my GOTD software.

I believe I made an error entering the activation code the 1st time the window for that came up and am unable to get that window back. There is no option to just enter that code in the Help menu, just to purchase. I did go to the GOTD web page to finish the activation.

I have removed & reinstalled the program 3 times using Add/Remove programs. There is a message that not all files were removed but could be removed manually. I removed what I could find & ran CCleaner & Registry Booster & reinstalled but that code window does not return.

Am I already successfully registered?

Thanks for your help ;-))

Does anyone know if this can be used to make YouTube videos?

If I may be allowed one (probably stupid) question. Can this software be used to create animated icons on my pc desktop? Thans.

#6: "... BAD: You have to save it in a format VGD or VGT (T for template), so, still haven’t figured out how to insert it into a web page in a way that will be recognized cross-browser...."

From Help section of their site http://goo.gl/lsfBz :
"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."

If you still have prob with whatever app you're using to do your web page design/authoring, look at the code on their Home page -- e.g. with Firefox go to View menu -> Page Source, & Edit menu -> Find swf in the new window that opens, then copy, paste, mod their code as needed, which hopefully will give you a good place to start.

* * *

Note that McAfee Site Adviser Red Flags vectorian.com:
"McAfee TrustedSource web reputation analysis found potential security risks with this site. Use with extreme caution."
With no other reason or specifics given -- all downloads are green.

well this is strange for a Sunday, some thing useful in stead of "screen saver makers".
If you have a blog or website,GRAB this while you can. super easy to use. the help menu is on line. just go to the help tab click help topics.this will open your default browser directly to the help menu.
very in depth menu if I may say so.It will give step by step (with screen shots) instructions on how to create banners,buttons,animated characters and more. here is the help menu link http://www.vectorian.com/help/
get this to day and spend 1 or 2 hours "playing" with it and you will have it mastered.
this is one of the better giveaways that GOTD has offered.
I have the same version from the last giveaway so there is no need for my self to get this one, but if you did miss it last time grab it now while it lasts.
A very big thank you to Vectorian Inc. and the GOTD team.

I had this on my old computer.I'm glad they are offering it again. Definitely a keeper.

Looks like this could be very handy!! thanks GOTD!
How do i confirm registration?? i entered the code but cannot see if its registered!
Some templates dont work!(import to the workspace).
New from template/speedycar/create/ opens up something but not the template picked!

Got this last time, thanks.

I was trying to check I'd a registered copy. I don't see any mention of registration and none of trial versions, so can I just assume mine is a fully working copy and I do not need to get another one?

Yes, not actually tried it yet but will do.

Sorry to appear thick :)

GOTD is presenting re-runs for the next few days, for the benefit of visitors who had previously missed out on them.
See the Admin's blog:
http://blog.giveawayoftheday.com/tradition/

#5..@MIKE...thanks...

Alright:

GOOD:
1) Installed simply, no need to save it to your HD, just open it in the zip file. License is in the readme.txt inside zip file.

2) Very simple, almost primitive flash, comes with about a dozen templates, with one or two varieties of each.

3) They offer a help page, but it seems to crash both XP3 and Vista. Perhaps a quirk of our network?

Good way to start learning about how to create sort-flash movies.

BAD: You have to save it in a format VGD or VGT (T for template), so, still haven't figured out how to insert it into a web page in a way that will be recognized cross-browser.

It is rare that we download ANYTHING from GOTD without Ashraf's blessings. Guess he wasn't happy with the day off he had in 2007, because we see no Ashraf posting here as yet.

Geez, next thing you know he'll be wanting payecks and lunch breaks.
(Ashraf is the jammy, isn't he?)

Thanks again to GOTD and to Vectorian

@zekaralho

Go to their website, click Support on the top right. Scroll down a little and you will see Quick Start Guide link and a Tutorials link on the right side.

Ladies and gents, this is one we have all been waiting for.

Not necessarily for advanced webmasters, EXCELLENT for abecedarians and mid-level webmasters, at the least.

Thank you, GOTD, and thank you, Vectorian - Back with details later

Same version rerun, very nice little prog, I keep it from the last time thank you :)

This is the same version (2.3.1) as was shared here a few months ago.

Have you updated anything since then?

BTW. I do think it's pretty good program from a web developer point
of view.

...TUTORIAL WOULD BE GREAT...