how to make switch layers work?
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how to make switch layers work?
how to make switch layers work? i understand what their intended role is but i can't seem to put them in to effect, and thank you vern for all the help i really appreciate!!
hello people!
1. At frame 0, make several vector layers (you could also use image layers).
On each vector layer, in about the same place, have different versions of the same thing - you might have several versions of a hand, or a face, or eyes, or mouths.
Name the layers appropriately e.g. fist front, fist back, pointing, open hand; or happy, sad, afraid; etc.
2. Still at frame 0, create a switch layer.
3. Drag the vector (or image) layers onto the switch layer, making them "children" of the switch layer (they will be indented under the switch layer and the little control triangle/arrow beside the switch layer will hide/show all the children).
4. Now you can "animate" by switching between the child layers.
Change to a different frame on the timeline, right click on the switch parent layer in the Layers window/panel, then choose a child layer.
Change to a different frame, and repeat choosing a different child layer.
Play back the animation or scrub through the timeline and observe how the keyframes define which child layer is visible at each frame.
More switch tips:
If you select the switch parent layer in the Layers window, and the Switch tool in the toolbar (Layers section), when creating keyframes you can choose your switch child layers from a drop-down list at the top of the main workspace rather than right-clicking on the switch layer in the Layers window. Mac users still using single-button mice may find this easier.
To move an entire switch layer and all it's child layers with a single bone, bind the switch parent layer to the bone.
See Tutorial 5.1 for creating automatic loudness-based switch keyframes using a sound file.
See Tutorial 5.2 for importing switch keyframes created in a lipsynch program like Papagayo.
Scaling/translating/rotating a parent switch layer also does the same to all child layers.
Advanced tips (understand basic switch layers before applying these tips):
If you create one vector layer then duplicate it you can interpolate (morph) between the vector layers.
Switch layers are now a subset of bone layers, and can have bones that apply to all child layers.
Regards, Myles.
On each vector layer, in about the same place, have different versions of the same thing - you might have several versions of a hand, or a face, or eyes, or mouths.
Name the layers appropriately e.g. fist front, fist back, pointing, open hand; or happy, sad, afraid; etc.
2. Still at frame 0, create a switch layer.
3. Drag the vector (or image) layers onto the switch layer, making them "children" of the switch layer (they will be indented under the switch layer and the little control triangle/arrow beside the switch layer will hide/show all the children).
4. Now you can "animate" by switching between the child layers.
Change to a different frame on the timeline, right click on the switch parent layer in the Layers window/panel, then choose a child layer.
Change to a different frame, and repeat choosing a different child layer.
Play back the animation or scrub through the timeline and observe how the keyframes define which child layer is visible at each frame.
More switch tips:
If you select the switch parent layer in the Layers window, and the Switch tool in the toolbar (Layers section), when creating keyframes you can choose your switch child layers from a drop-down list at the top of the main workspace rather than right-clicking on the switch layer in the Layers window. Mac users still using single-button mice may find this easier.
To move an entire switch layer and all it's child layers with a single bone, bind the switch parent layer to the bone.
See Tutorial 5.1 for creating automatic loudness-based switch keyframes using a sound file.
See Tutorial 5.2 for importing switch keyframes created in a lipsynch program like Papagayo.
Scaling/translating/rotating a parent switch layer also does the same to all child layers.
Advanced tips (understand basic switch layers before applying these tips):
If you create one vector layer then duplicate it you can interpolate (morph) between the vector layers.
Switch layers are now a subset of bone layers, and can have bones that apply to all child layers.
Regards, Myles.
"Quote me as saying I was mis-quoted."
-- Groucho Marx
-- Groucho Marx
I don't use switch layers as much as I use to.
One thing I do though is create my switch layers with ONE layer first. This is for interpolated switches.
Create the different "layers" on different point motion keys in the time line of one layer.
When finished drag that layer into a switch, duplicate it as many times as you need and just copy/paste/delete the different point keys to frame 0.
The main benefit of this is "accidental point order corruption".
Interpolated switch layers require that all the layers be EXACTLY THE SAME. Even if the points are in the identical position they may not be in the same "order" breaking the smooth interpolation. Many times while working on individual layers within a switch I might inadvertently mess up the points or want to reorganize shapes by copy/paste.
If I am working on keys of ONE LAYER I don't have to worry that the resulting switch layers won't be exactly the same. If I copy and paste shapes to duplicate or change the stacking order the point motion keys are copied as well.
At the end of the process keep a "back up" of the original layer with the keyed motion in case you want to make "extreme" edits or create new switch layers. You can even maintain the switch key frames as long as you drop in new layers into the switch with the exact same name.
-vern
One thing I do though is create my switch layers with ONE layer first. This is for interpolated switches.
Create the different "layers" on different point motion keys in the time line of one layer.
When finished drag that layer into a switch, duplicate it as many times as you need and just copy/paste/delete the different point keys to frame 0.
The main benefit of this is "accidental point order corruption".
Interpolated switch layers require that all the layers be EXACTLY THE SAME. Even if the points are in the identical position they may not be in the same "order" breaking the smooth interpolation. Many times while working on individual layers within a switch I might inadvertently mess up the points or want to reorganize shapes by copy/paste.If I am working on keys of ONE LAYER I don't have to worry that the resulting switch layers won't be exactly the same. If I copy and paste shapes to duplicate or change the stacking order the point motion keys are copied as well.
At the end of the process keep a "back up" of the original layer with the keyed motion in case you want to make "extreme" edits or create new switch layers. You can even maintain the switch key frames as long as you drop in new layers into the switch with the exact same name.
-vern