Coming from Flash 4 into MX has been a bit of a struggle, particularly with the Alpha feature. I’ve been experimenting with many of the tips offered here, but I’m still unable to Alpha text successfully.
I establish the text, convert it to a movie clip, and am able to Alpha at this point. Upon F6-ing on the destination frame, the option to Alpha goes dim. Ahhh! :-\ Driving me C-R-A-Z-Y!!
I’ve used different font types (device to others). It seems I’ve exhausted all options? Please help!
When you place the second keyframe with the F6 button, do you see all of the frames including both keyframes as light blue, and is there an arrow starting at the first keyframe and ending at the next?
If this isn’t what you see then you haven’t added a motion tween. I know it seems silly to use a ‘motion’ tween to tween an effect like alpha but that is the case.
Place the text on a frame. Select the keyframe that is produced by placing the text there. Choose menu option “insert/create motion tween”. You can THEN place your second keyframe with the F6 key and do whatever effect you like on each keyframe.
moving the playhead through the frames by hand you should see the transition effect take place.
I took your advice, speeding over to my computer and vigorously working to make alpha magic. I followed your recommendation, but am still unable to access the Alpha option on the F6 attempt. The entire Property panel changes, with the original Alpha dropdown disappearing and the Effect option dimming out. Do I have some Flash Font settings messed up? I haven’t tried Alpha tweening any images yet.
I would definitely try to alpha tween both a plan circle of fill, and an image before I did the text. Truthfuly though there isn’t much difference.
how about that blue keyframe arrow that I was talking about. Do you see that between the first and the last frame?
(btw we should really move this to the MX forum. We’re much more likely to get help on it in there than in here.)
(ps I don’t actually have MX. Hopefuly if I’m wrong about anything one of our MX users will correct me. I believe though, that the way tweens are set up is the same in both MX and 5.0)
And david, I think 5 and MX work the same with tweening. Except the colors for tweened frames are purple (the shape tweened frames are green) and the color of non tweened frames are grey.
truthfuly… after what I just learned about MX and XML… I think I am buying the package tomarrow. If the XML change over is that dramatic, you are correct when you say it will take very little time for it to be the version to use on the web.
I’m getting the ERROR symbol, in the Property Box’s Tween section, that when presses, gives me:
“Motion tweening will not occur on layers with ungrouped shapes or on layers with more than one group or symbol.”
ok… a motion tween can only be done on ONE graphic symbol or movie clip PER LAYER. Youv’e got something else on that layer other than the object you’re trying to tween.
David … I’m not sure how there may be other items in the layer. I’ve started with NEW movies and NEW layers, simply following the advice from you guys and the tutorial.
As if one issue isn’t enough … How do I take a movie and convert it to a movie clip to be used in a different movie? I’m using the “Mouse Over Alpha” tutorial and it works GREAT in it’s own application. When I copy the information into a movie clip (into the main movie), it simply shows the first pic, with no fade.
Flashville is brutal territory over here today. =)
I followed the fading text tutorial exactly, starting with a new document and everything came out perfectly for me.
In order turn an animation into a movie clip you need to first create the movie clip and then create the animation inside the clip.
Let me see if I can explain how to create fading text from scratch.
Start a new document, any size. Use the text tool and type whatever you want. Click on your text and press CTRL+F3 to open up the properties window. Make sure your text property is set to “Static Text” not “Dynamic Text”.
Right click on Frame 20 (or whichever you choose) and select “Insert Keyframe”. Now right click on frame 40 (or whichvever you choose here) and repeat the process. Right click in both of the long blank grey areas and choose “Insert Tween”. Do this on the last frame also.
Click on Frame 1 and select your text area. Open up the properties window and where there is a drop down box that says “None” you will need to select “Alpha” and alpha that to 0%. Repeat this process for Frame 40 (or your last frame)
Problem solved! I did some digging and found the following advice …
***** Sometimes when you’re doing everything correctly, and the text still will not fade, it’s because the text is not embedded. Select CHARACTER in the Properties box, select EMBED FONT OUTLINES FOR ALL CHARACTERS. You may have to convert the Static Text to Dynamic Text to see this option. *****
I made the change, restarted Flash MX, and I’m tweening like a pro. Whew. I was a tween monster in Flash 4 ---- I was beginning to question my touch. LOL!
Thanks for all your help, guys! Much appreciated. I love this Kirupa site.
Creating engaging and entertaining content for designers and developers since 1998.
more money out the door…)
Whew. I was a tween monster in Flash 4 ---- I was beginning to question my touch. LOL!