Interpolated switch layer: Make new layer from keyframe

[Nimphaea]

Hello everybody, it's me again !

I'm making an animation and I'm using a switch layer. This switch layer is interpolated.It contains a side view from a body and a three-quarter view from a body, and it blends very nice to make a neat turn.

I would like to make an additional layer in my switch layer folder, consisting of an interpolated frame between these two states. I can't figure out how to do this...

I'm not familiar with blendshapes, but I tried to make blendshapes of the two existing layers. That didn't work. I assume you can only make blendshapes from one same layer, and that it's not possible two blend different layers from a switch layer.

Is there another way?

I really hope so...

I'll post my progress on this animation in the "show your work" section, so that you can see what I'm making after all my questions . I'll add the link to the topic when it's ready.

Thanks in advance!

[Nimphaea]

As promised, I've created a topic where you can see the animation I'm working on:

viewtopic.php?p=96143

[heyvern]

It is very easy to create new switch layers from "between" two switch layers. If you select a layer in a switch group and go to a frame during the "transition" between switches you can "see" the point motion on that layer. If you select all points and use the translate point tools to create a point motion key frame you have keyed that transition.

The tutorial below was demonstrating how to create point motion layer from switch layers but works for what you want as wa ell. This is a VERY old tutorial done in "Moho", the name of Anime Studio before it became Anime Studio. It looks a bit different but the concepts are the same. You duplicate a switch layer which will become the NEW switch layer and key the points in the switch transition.

http://www.lowrestv.com/moho_stuff/swtichpointcopy.html

At the end of this tutorial I move the new layer out of the switch layer group. To create a new switch layer instead you leave the layer in the switch group and key frame a spot between the two keys of that new layer, copy that key frame to frame 0 and then delete all the other keys for that layer.

-vern

[Nimphaea]

Wow Heyvern, that's GREAT! Thanks a LOT!

Actually I already started using ASP when it was still called Moho. I have to confess I actually still call the software Moho (I like the name). You can read from my registration date on this forum that I'm a longer-time-user. It's a pity I still don't have much knowledge about the software, and not a lot of time to use it, but these forums are the best and I hope I can keep coming back for this kind of wonderful help.

Can I ask you another question...?

I'm trying to export the animation to swf. I know that the swf export isn't very fluid, but most of the times I can work around that. But this time, it doesn't work... My swf file can't be imported into Flash, Flash crashes... What could the cause be...?

Is the swf export better in the new version of ASP? I was already very happy to learn that in ASP6 you can export variable line widts to swf... That is really amazing. Can you tell me if there are any improvements on swf export in version 7? I'm still wondering if I should upgrade or not...

Thank you very much, Im really grateful!

[heyvern]

Can't say what might be causing the Flash import problem. What version of Flash are you using? It could be that the SWF from AS was updated to a new version of the format. Just guessing.

I don't do very much SWF export so I don't know exactly what has been improved or changed with the export in the new version. I thought that the SWF export always had variable line widths (setting in the export window). I am almost certain of that.

-vern

[DarthFurby]

You might be overloading Flash with too much info, try importing your AS project in smaller chunks, possibly layer by layer, 10 frames at a time, depending on complexity. Also vector shapes with holes in them, sloppy shape construction, or shapes that overlap themselves will likely cause issues.

[slowtiger]

SWF import to Flash can crash from a lot of reasons. Some I found:

- overall number of points too big. Test this with creating an SWF where you have switched off half of your layers.
- points on top of each other, or shapes on top of each other. This is hard to find, again with switching off layers one by one, exporting to SWF, and try to import them.

It's a good idea to shorten your file first, to 1 second (test if this crashes as well first!), then do all the layer visibility magic.

This is nothing special to AS or Flash, it can happen to AI files or QuarkXPress in printing as well. The most common cause is some leftover single points or an extremely small shape hidden somewhere in the file.