Text Tool
Static Text
Step 1
If you create a new flash document and open the tools panel and select the text tool. Then click on then the properties panel and from the options select static text.
Step 2
Then type Hello on the stage. You can change the colour, font type and size in the properties panel. Note if the font is not on the users system it will select a default.
Note: when creating buttons ensure that you use static text as any other plays havoc with the hit area.
Dynamic Text
Dynamic text is used for loading text dynamically to the stage via actionscript.
Step 3
Select the text tool and change the properties to dynamic and draw a text box on the screen large enough to hold a few words.
Step 4
Give it an instance name of mymessage and then open the actions panel (ensure frame 1 is selected) and type
mymessage.text = "Hello Gavin";
Then select Control / Text Movie and see the text is now displayed.
Step 5
With dynamic text in the properties panel you will notice an embed option. This allows you to embed the font into the swf in case the user does not have this on their system. Click on it an view the options.
Input Text
As the name suggests enables the user to type in.
Step 6
Within the same document use the text tool to place a large text area on the stage and change the type to Input in the properties panel and give it the name password.
Now alter the status from single line to password as below (also you may want to click on the show borders around text icon just to the right so you can see the text area.
Control / test movie and type in the box.