Astro Components, text effect plugins used directly in .fla files (Macromedia Flash MX / Flash MX Professional 2004 / Flash 8). Astro Components contain over over 400 predefined text effect variations. Astro Components can be used by users of any skill-level, offering use from basic drag&drop to stage to advanced use like text loaded sidewide from database. All effects in Version 2 have more customization parameters. Several new features and options are implemented, including five different effect start-directions, basic text alignment, automatic positioning on stage and dynamic input. In the upgrade, of the 50+ effect templates most effects contain a list of predefined variations. All of them offer a quick preview to see settings and avoid having to play long .fla timelines to see the result. For experienced users custom modifications can quickly be done, like adding a simple bevel, creating sequential triggering of effects, use of attachMovie to dynamically place effects at runtime and loading text by PHP from database for site-wide use in thousands of pages tree-deep independent. Astro Components also contains multi charcter feature. Single text effects can be customized to override font color and font type for specific letters, making it possible to mix any font and color for any range of characters in a single text effect. Patrick Jansen Components have been widely used in Flash websites, corporate intranets, CD-ROMs, Web-TV and Film&Video-titling projects. Astro Components is an all-in text-effect solution for anybody working with MacroMedia Flash, it's easy to start with, shows instant result, does not require importing or loading external files, and for advanced usage is only restricted to the limits of MM Flash itself. Astro Components are available for Windows and Macintosh