Tranforming text

[georox]

Hi All,
I would like to transform a text from an initial frame to an final frame. For example, the text 789 should become 200, is that possible with AS8?
Up until now I simply removed the initial text and replaced it with the new text in the middle of the two frames, but a linear transformation would be more atractive.
Thanks in advance.

[slowtiger]

Common ways to go from one word/number to another are:
- the cut
- the dissolve
- moving in/out (like numbers in a mechanical meter)

I wouldn't bother with morphing one number into another when I'm not explicitely dealing with numbers like in a Sesame Street clip.

[georox]

Hi slowtiger,
When you say "cut", "dissolve" and "moving in/out" what AS commands do you exactly mean?
Sorry for my ignorance, I'm a AS beginner.
Thanks for your help.

[hayasidist]

one option:
in a blank vector layer draw a path for each of the digits 789 and create shape with stroke only. Put a couple of extra points in the 7 in the midddle of each line - make the curvature of the "extra" point in the vertical "peaked". Don't weld points in the x-over in the 8. Don't weld points where the upper loop of the 9 "closes - instead weld the loop to the base (so you have 2 lines along the up-stroke), add a couple of extra points / change curvature to make the shape ok, and hide one line.
duplicate this layer, and MOVE the points (do not add or delete any points) to change the path to be the fugures 200. (the hidden line stays hidden - move the end points over each other to close the loop of the 0
create a switch layer and put the two vectors in it - set the switch option to interpolate sub-layers.
in frame 1 select the 789 text
in frame xx select the 200 text.

if you don't like the transition add some intermediate variants - for example
frame 1: 789
farme 5: inter1
frame 10: inter2
frame 15: 200


Interpolate gives a smooth transition, but only works when the layers have the same number of points.

As SlowTiger says, you can use cut/dissolve -- you don't need to stick to just "original" and "final" - you can design intermediates and cut through those e.g. orig -> inter1 -> inter2 -> target (

[slowtiger]

I thought cut and dissolve were basic filmmaker's vocabulary ...

[georox]

If I understand, dissolve seems to be what I need. I image that I could create two layers, one containing 789 and another containing 200. Then I should be able to smootly dissolve the first layer and make the second visible.
The problem is that I can't find any Dissolve command in AS, where is it?
Also, is there the opposite of Dissolve? I mean, while the first layer is dissolving, the second one smootly takes place?
Thanks a lot for your patience.

[Víctor Paredes]

The problem is that I can't find any Dissolve command in AS, where is it?
Also, is there the opposite of Dissolve? I mean, while the first layer is dissolving, the second one smootly takes place?
Thanks a lot for your patience.

You must animate the opacity of the layer you want to disolve. For that, go to the layer proprieties (double click on the layer to open it) and on the general tab check "allow animated layer effects". Then, each time you modify the opacity value (it's in the same tab) and press Ok or Apply, an opacity keyframe will be created in the current frame.

[georox]

Solved, thank so much.