# Shape tweening

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-tweening/5601>\
**Category:** flash\
**Created:** [September 17, 2002, 12:07pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-tweening/5601 "2002-09-17T12:07:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![3ghosts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/bc8723/32.png) [@3ghosts](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/3ghosts)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2002, 12:07pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-tweening/5601/1 "2002-09-17T12:07:30Z")

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hi i’ve problems with shape tweening

has anyone a tutorial for this

i used this tuorial  
it’s in dutch so i’ll translate it

make some text  
break it apart(ctrl+B)  
make another keyframe at 40  
make another text  
select the gum tool(the erase tool)  
en erase a little point in the middle of the transformation  
as little as possible  
then create a shape tween i did this by right click the frame and then(create motion tween)  
and changed it into shape(i used flash mx of course) but that was a flash 5 tutorial so can someone help me

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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:** [September 17, 2002, 12:30pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-tweening/5601/2 "2002-09-17T12:30:33Z")

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Well briefly shape tweening is done in a similar way to motion tweening. You specify a start state and an end state, and Flash will ‘fill in the gaps’ for you when you apply the tween.

However, there are some differences you should be aware of.

First, you can tween symbols. No go, it just won’t do it. You have to get the actual fill / text / shape in the movie, not an instance of it. So yes, if you’re using text, you’ll need to break it apart twice (once into each letter, then again to get the fills).

Secondly, shape tweening is not the most precise tool there is going. If you’re tweening a complex shape, you might find it all goes a bit wonky in the transition - you lose the shape. To avoid this, use the shape hints tool to pick out key places in your tween that you don’t want to become amorphous blobs. This way you should keep the rough shapes of the images while it plays.

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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:** [September 17, 2002, 1:05pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-tweening/5601/3 "2002-09-17T13:05:38Z")

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first make sure that you break the text into fills!  
secondly DO NOT create the shape tween by right-clicking and choosing motion tween and then changing it!  
(flash converts the text automaticly into graphic symbols and you can’t shape tween it later)  
here’s a better way of shape-tweening it:  
click once on the first frame and from the properties panel …or whatever it is choose shape tween. (from where you changed it from motion to shape before)

I hope that helped!

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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:** [September 17, 2002, 1:10pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/shape-tweening/5601/4 "2002-09-17T13:10:45Z")

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the 1st one from angel i didn’t get  
but syko thanx super