# Masking question

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/masking-question/1845>\
**Category:** flash\
**Created:** [May 12, 2002, 5:00pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/masking-question/1845 "2002-05-12T17:00:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 5:00pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/masking-question/1845/1 "2002-05-12T17:00:35Z")

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I am wondering if it is possible to have multiple layers mask the same layer.

I have a background picture, and I am trying to have multiple layers with text mask the picture, but I can only seem to get one layer to mask the picture.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Dave

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**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 2:44am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/masking-question/1845/2 "2002-05-13T02:44:37Z")

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put all those layers in a movie clip, then put that movie clip in the one layer that is a mask.  
🙂  
jeremy

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**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 1:48pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/masking-question/1845/3 "2002-05-13T13:48:14Z")

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I tried putting into a movie clip, but only the bottom most layer in the movie clip will act as a mask and none of the other layers in the clip are visible.

I put up a tiny test .fla file at: [www.rorybreaker.com/test\_mask.fla](http://www.rorybreaker.com/test_mask.fla)

If anyone knows what I’m doing wrong, please help!

Thanks,  
Dave

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**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 2:02pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/masking-question/1845/4 "2002-05-13T14:02:25Z")

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When I do it, I take the layer I want to mask, copy the frames, create a bunch of new layers, and paste the frames in each so that they are exactly the same. Then I mask each on individualy. Works well for me. It can make your project large in file size though.

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**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 2:14pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/masking-question/1845/5 "2002-05-13T14:14:40Z")

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Is that the only way to do it?

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**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/masking-question/1845/6 "2002-05-13T14:30:48Z")

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I haven’t found another… but that doesnt’ mean anything… there’s plenty I don’t know. 🙂

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**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 7:41pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/masking-question/1845/7 "2002-05-13T19:41:40Z")

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try setting it at runtime with MovieClip.setMask();

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**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 9:41pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/masking-question/1845/8 "2002-05-13T21:41:32Z")

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Okay there’s a rad way to do this - i was messing around the other day.

make your masked layers and what not and then export the clip as a .swf and then import it back into flash.

telley

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**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 12:11am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/masking-question/1845/9 "2002-05-14T00:11:27Z")

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What Supra said : in the first layer of your animation, setMask them all, it should work.

b0xg33k : ??? I don’t understand.

pom 0]

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**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 2:40am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/masking-question/1845/10 "2002-05-14T02:40:09Z")

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I think that people are missing what he was asking… or I am.

the impression I got from the question was that he would like a single layer to have multiple layers masking it.

It’s quite easy to have a single mask, mask multiple layers, but the other way around?

or am I thoroughly confused…

and yeah bOx… I am really not sure what you’re talking about either… can you explain that a little better?