how do I move layers within the animation?

[humanistheart]

I have an object I want to rotate around another object. I have seen it where a dog runs around a tree and the tree layer is below the dog when the dog runs in front of it then shifts to being above the dog when the dog turns and runs behind it. I would like to do the same thing, but cannot figure out how.

-thankyou

[funksmaname]

if you put two layers into a group (or bone), in the group settings you can enable 'animated sort order'. Once you tick that, any changes you make on frames OTHER than 0 will be keyframed.

You can do a similar thing with animated shape order on a single vector layer, but this may be more complicated for your particular needs.

[Greenlaw]

Funksmaname's suggestion is probably going to be easier but if you don't want to animate the layer order for some reason, here's an alternative method: You can place a rectangular mask that's the width of the tree bark in the same group as the dog, and simply slide the mask into place or keyframe its visibility to occlude the dog whenever it needs to pass 'behind' the tree. The mask should, of course, be the bottom most layer in the group and the appropriate mask settings should be set for the mask and each layer above it. (It might be easier to put the dog in its own group above the mask.)

Just mentioning this to show that there is usually more than one way to get the same or similar result, and some methods may be more appropriate for different situations.

G.

[funksmaname]

a 3rd way would be to make a reference layer of the tree above the dog layer and have it hidden, then animate its visibility.

A plethora of ways to skin a cat.

[hayasidist]

... or (assuming the camera is not following the dog round the tree) because the dog is running round the tree it will be facing a different way when running in front and behind the tree - have the (e.g.) left facing dog with a transition via forward facing to right facing below the tree and the right-facing dog with a transition via rear-on to left facing in front of the tree and turn the dog layer visibility on / off as needed

[humanistheart]

Ok, I think I figured it all out, thanks so much all of you for the responses!