# Animate A Mask?
**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [November 10, 2002, 5:56am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910 "2002-11-10T05:56:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@sintax321](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/sintax321)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2002, 5:56am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910/1 "2002-11-10T05:56:01Z")
Is there any way to have a mask animate. I have a MC and inside that is Multiple MC’s of a sqaure fading in. I tried turnong this layer into a mask but then the animation stops. All u see is the final outcome. Is there any way to make a mask fade in linke that:q:
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2002, 7:30am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910/2 "2002-11-10T07:30:19Z")
I have animated a mask before. Post an fla of what your doing and I’ll get back to ya…
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2002, 8:25am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910/3 "2002-11-10T08:25:59Z")
Here is a link to a quick FLA that represents what I’m trying to do.
[click here](http://www.sintax321.com/squaretest.zip)
The “difSWF” layer is to represent the Layer in a differnt SWF this will be loaded over top of. Hope u can understand what I’m trying to achive here. Good Luck:)
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2002, 9:04am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910/4 "2002-11-10T09:04:26Z")
Your problem I believe is the \_alpha.
You can’t \_alpha a mask. You can \_alpha the object under it, but not the mask itself. \_alpha changing the mask will keep the object under the mask at 100% \_alpha.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2002, 9:18am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910/5 "2002-11-10T09:18:36Z")
So your saying the best I can do is to cut everytinhg into squares and do it indiviualy. See what I want to happen is this.
This SWF will be loaded(when the button is pressed) onto a layer that sits above another picture. I need each square to stay invisible untill it’s square is loaded. If I was using solid color this would be no problem I would just make the needed squares and animate it. The problem is this is going to be a picture.
Is there any way to adjust the alpah of a mask or am i going to have to cut up my pictures in photo shop. Or is there some kind of advanced AS masking I can do?
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2002, 9:33am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910/6 "2002-11-10T09:33:23Z")
There is a new thing in MX called setMask, you might want to check that out.
Not 100% on how to use it, but worth a try to find out about it.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2002, 9:37am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910/7 "2002-11-10T09:37:11Z")
Thanks I’ll see what i can find too.🙂
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2002, 9:38am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910/8 "2002-11-10T09:38:37Z")
Good Luck with that 🙂
If you can’t alpha it, you can alway Shrink it away with a tween 🙂
I know for sure that works, and if done right, can produce some interesting effects 🙂
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2002, 4:31pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910/9 "2002-11-10T16:31:47Z")
I looked into the setMask and it didn’t work either. It worked bu it also could not be alpha changed. This site here I found has kind of the effect I’m loking for if you go into the galary and click on of the thumbs.
[http://www.federicafontana.it/home.html](http://www.federicafontana.it/home.html)
How do u achive this type of masking? I don’t want mine to though out like that. I just want each square to load in in its own spot. any ideas?
PS: I’m going to try the shrink woth motion tween idea u mentioned.🙂
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2002, 4:36pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910/10 "2002-11-10T16:36:17Z")
PERFECT LOST PERFECT:beam: :beam: :beam:
The mask will pick up the scale tween. Hurray, Hurray, Hurray. My problem is soveld.
Still any ideas how they do that grid effect on that site i posted the link too? Mabye another chanlange for u and POM:)
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2002, 6:53pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910/11 "2002-11-10T18:53:49Z")
can you post an example of what you got please?
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2002, 7:26pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910/12 "2002-11-10T19:26:10Z")
That site obviously uses AS to do that grid effect. You can tell because all of the current blocks are in the center.
How they did it I have no clue, but it is awesome!
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2002, 7:28pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910/13 "2002-11-10T19:28:13Z")
I will soon. I’m building a new web site based on this and I don’t want to make it public for viewing yet. Hopefuly by tonight or tomorow night I’ll have enough done that I’ll feel comfortable making it public. Then I’ll make a simple FLA on how to achive the effect I got. Sound good?🙂
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2002, 11:44pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/animate-a-mask/7910/14 "2002-11-10T23:44:13Z")
yeah!!
tnx