# Shape hints **URL:** \ **Category:** design\ **Created:** [September 11, 2002, 6:25am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427 "2002-09-11T06:25:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@pom](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/pom)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2002, 6:25am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/1 "2002-09-11T06:25:39Z")
Hey, I’m trying to make a nice shape tween. And of course it looks awful because Flash just messes everything. I remember somebody tellin gme to use shape hints, but I can’t find them anywhere. Can anybody help? pom :asian: _designing a site is sooooo compicated…_ ---
**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:** [September 11, 2002, 7:08am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/2 "2002-09-11T07:08:44Z")
I think that there is an option under the “view” menu for viewing shape hints. To lay them down I think it’s Ctrl+H. They have to go in clockwise order, at least in Flash5.0, and you have to set them first on the first keyframe and then again on the last keyframe. I think that’s the extent of my knowlege though. I never had great luck with them. ---
**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:** [September 11, 2002, 7:11am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/3 "2002-09-11T07:11:18Z")
I’ll try that, Upu, thanks. pom :asian: ---
**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:** [September 11, 2002, 7:20am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/4 "2002-09-11T07:20:31Z")
If you go to Help/Using Fonts and then click the Search button and run a search for “Shape Hints” You will get something that says “Using Shape Hints” Click that and it tells you how to use “Shape Hints”. ---
**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:** [September 12, 2002, 8:52am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/5 "2002-09-12T08:52:06Z")
The trick with shape hints is to position them on the important points of the initial image - things that you really don’t want going all (for want of a better word) ‘squiffy’. It’s kind of a case of working out how edges and corners translate from one image into the next. ---
**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:** [September 12, 2002, 12:46pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/6 "2002-09-12T12:46:20Z")
Squiffy? What does it mean 🙂 pom :asian: ---
**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:** [September 12, 2002, 1:12pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/7 "2002-09-12T13:12:19Z")
Um… It’s a posh English term meaning “slightly drunk”. 🙂 So like when your shape goes all funny… Er… ---
**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:** [September 12, 2002, 1:26pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/8 "2002-09-12T13:26:23Z")
All right! So last Saturday, I was squiffy, not drunk! Hey, this can be practical… ---
**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:** [September 13, 2002, 8:42am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/9 "2002-09-13T08:42:33Z")
It’s a great phrase, and one of the most tame. They do get a lot worse than that though. 🙂 But I find it also describes shape tweens very well. Managed to get it working yet? ---
**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:** [September 13, 2002, 1:29pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/10 "2002-09-13T13:29:07Z")
Works perfectly! ---
**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:** [September 13, 2002, 3:27pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/11 "2002-09-13T15:27:56Z")
Hurrah! ---
**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:** [September 14, 2002, 7:20pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/12 "2002-09-14T19:20:22Z")
Yipee! ---
**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:** [September 15, 2002, 5:31am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/13 "2002-09-15T05:31:52Z")
> \*Originally posted by Kitiara \* > \*\*Um… It’s a posh English term meaning “slightly drunk”. 🙂 So like when your shape goes all funny… Er… \*\* i learn something new everyday at the kirupa boards 🙂 ---
**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:** [September 15, 2002, 8:08pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/14 "2002-09-15T20:08:52Z")
Same with me: tergiversating, demystification, extrapolating… pom 😛 ---
**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:** [September 15, 2002, 8:14pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/15 "2002-09-15T20:14:07Z")
And remember Ilyas, no cutting of the limbs. Limb removal is bad…very…bad. ---
**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:** [September 15, 2002, 8:15pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/16 "2002-09-15T20:15:37Z")
Limbs? ---
**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:** [September 15, 2002, 8:17pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/17 "2002-09-15T20:17:40Z")
Yes limbs, like arms and legs on a human body. ---
**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:** [September 16, 2002, 1:06am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/18 "2002-09-16T01:06:31Z")
One thing I’ve found the more you use shape hints, the better at selecting the best parts you become. I’ve got complicated shapes down to only needing 2 sets of hints. Yay for me. 🙂 ---
**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:** [September 16, 2002, 8:44am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/19 "2002-09-16T08:44:46Z")
Hehe - you gotta love Dr Evil. 🙂 ---
**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:** [September 16, 2002, 9:55am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427/20 "2002-09-16T09:55:15Z")
Oh behaaaave, baby! [Next page](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-hints/5427.md?page=2)