# Mask doesn't preview properly

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/mask-doesnt-preview-properly/283747>\
**Category:** flash\
**Created:** [March 10, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/mask-doesnt-preview-properly/283747 "2009-03-10T17:46:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![AndyA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@AndyA](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/AndyA)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/mask-doesnt-preview-properly/283747/1 "2009-03-10T17:46:23Z")

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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Hi, I’m relatively new to Flash, and I’m in the process of creating a flash intro to my website. The problem is, whenever I preview one of my Mask layers by pressing Ctrl+Enter, the mask effect doesn’t work – it merely shows the masking object.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]The puzzling thing for me, which leads me to suggest that the mask should work is that in the normal timeline view, when I lock both the mask and masked layers and press Enter or slide through the frames – the effect works perfectly. On Ctrl+Enter all of my other Masks work fine as well - the one in question has text as the mask content.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]It only stops working when I view it as an .swf file or play the movie with Ctrl+Enter. Does anyone know why this is happening, how I can get around it, or whether it will be a problem when published?[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Thanks in advance for any help, and sorry if it is a “noobish” question. :)[/SIZE][/FONT]