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Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:03 pm
by synthsin75
It's not so easy to explain step-by-step, which is why I ask for an example of the problem. For a specific file, I could explain how I find and fix it, but these bad shapes can be anywhere. It's just a matter of being able to hunt through them, which really isn't so hard.
p.s. Once you know what makes a bad shape, it is much easier to just not make them rather than hunt for them later.
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:19 pm
by DK
I was hoping you could give me a shortcut to tracking those bad shapes down synthsin75. They get so time consuming.
Here are a couple of examples of bad and good shape export from AS. The second cartoon is a final Flash composite complete with frame masking. You'll need to click the play button to watch it
Bad shape export sample
http://www.wienertoonz.com/bananas/STRIPA.swf
Final export sample
http://www.wienertoonz.com/bananas/STRIPB.swf
Cheers
D.K
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:34 pm
by synthsin75
I just really don't see how this is such a big deal. I find it pretty easy to find these bad shapes. Just track the artifact back to the same color shapes it intersects. See, I don't think that really explains much.
Rules for good shape creation:
1. Do not delete points from a created shape. If so, recreate that shape. I've never had trouble with adding points to shapes.
2. Only create shapes while the whole shape is visible in the workspace.
3. Do not create shape fills unless the entire closed outline is selected. AS will occasionally allow 'cut off' fills (where the fill just ends at a line between two points even though there is no vector edge there).

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:41 pm
by DK
The problem for me is......the bad shapes don't show up until you import the .swf file directly into flash. For some reason Flash player previews the swf files perfectly when they are generated from AS you get no indication that there are bad shapes at all. It's a real pain when you have to keep exporting/importing through both apps just to track the bad shapes down.
D.K
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:54 pm
by TheChewanater
That's not quite the problem I was having. Never mind this, I'm contacting the Ming people.
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:56 pm
by synthsin75
Bad shapes should show up in AS render. But that's why I've asked for an example AS file several times. There could be something I'm missing here, but I have no files with this problem.
I just need to see this for myself before I'll concede that it is a serious bug rather than just bad shapes. Most everyone says that it has to do with bad shapes, and these I can find and fix.

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:00 pm
by DK

....Sorry Did'nt mean to hijack the thread. I just thought while we were on the topic.....Any which way, it's clear there are swf export issues with AS. Fingers crossed for V6.
Cheers
D.K
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:07 pm
by TheChewanater
Hey, an idea occurred to me that will probably be shot down immediately, but what about a collaborative open-source external renderer for Anime Studio files? You know, just a program to read .anme files and export to Flash. Maybe with a different swf creation library.
Or, another idea that'll be shot down, what if it could add a simple preloader and replay screen to the files it exports, for those who don't have both Flash and Anime? I don't think that could happen soon, but I just wanted to throw the idea out there.
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:08 pm
by DK
Hi sythnsin75.
For the sake of keeping the thread going here's my file. The shape on the truck and car are the culprits. Not sure why.
http://www.wienertoonz.com/badshapes.zip
Like I said the bad shapes do not show up in the AS Flash player preview only when imported into Flash.
Cheers
D.K
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:40 pm
by synthsin75
Chew,
You should really try to follow through with your problems. I assume the problem Vern was advising you on was the one in this thread?
viewtopic.php?p=70851&highlight=#70851
If you remove the the image from that file, you'll see (with a broken link image in AS) that your problem there is where the image's transparency is left covering part of the render area. Running off to complain to Ming developers won't help if you haven't really figured out what was wrong in the first place. Aside from not changing anything until the next version of AS, at best.
--------------------------------------------------------
DK,
That looks like flash isn't understanding the AS shapes with holes in them. That's just a guess, as I don't have flash. I don't know how you fixed it, but I'd have tried it with two separate shapes to surround the windows of the vehicles instead of the holes in the shapes.
Since I don't have flash, this is just a guess based on it having the vehicle body colors where the window hole should be. Let me know if that's correct.

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:35 pm
by TheChewanater
synthsin75 wrote:Chew,
You should really try to follow through with your problems. I assume the problem Vern was advising you on was the one in this thread?
viewtopic.php?p=70851&highlight=#70851
If you remove the the image from that file, you'll see (with a broken link image in AS) that your problem there is where the image's transparency is left covering part of the render area. Running off to complain to Ming developers won't help if you haven't really figured out what was wrong in the first place. Aside from not changing anything until the next version of AS, at best.
Okay, I'll try making the image invisible. But I think there's something wrong, maybe they're using the library wrong because Pencil does that too, but sometimes with simple shapes, not just complicated ones.
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:37 pm
by DK
Thanks for looking at that synthsin75. The way I fixed it was to redo the vehicle shapes. Flash had no probs with the holes in the second lot so I think it may have had something to do with attached line data. The old shapes had some linework welded to various parts of the car so I left that off and the problem vanished.
Cheers
D.K
Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:13 am
by Skipper
Thank you all!!!
TheChewanater wrote:synthsin75 wrote:According to the About AS, it does use Ming, but I'd still like to see one of these.

Also, once it's over and it loops
(why must it loop!?) it seems that any object on the screen at the end stays there the second time around.
This problem I could manage by checking the Extra SWF frame in the project setting panel.
Maybe its a shame, but i dont know what is flash creation library and I cant tell you what is used by the Falsh, but probably you're right, it would explain, and it semms a good idean to take it to the bug reports.
synthsin75: as i see this is not a one minute job to track down this shapes. You really would do it? I would really appreciate if you could just tell me how to do it quickly, what is the best way!
Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:36 am
by Skipper
upps, sorry I just didnt noticed that there are a second page.

Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 10:29 am
by Skipper
Thank you all for the help!!! It will work!