Importing Predrawn Character Angles into a Switch Layer

laniangeline · Post by **laniangeline** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 1:10 pm

I've predrawn five angles into a character and tried to import them into a switch layer but I can't seem to get them to animate as if on one layer. I've even tried copying and pasting the images from one file to another. I've even looked through the tutorial.

Please help me and can you tell me step by step on how to do this

laniangeline

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 1:59 pm

Can you explain what you mean by "animate as if on one layer"?

-vern

slowtiger · Post by **slowtiger** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 3:47 pm

1. Create a switch layer.
2. Put one layer for each view into the switch layer. (into = drag it on top of the switch layer until this turns red, the release.) It doesn't matter if these layers are vector layers or images or groups or bone layers.
3. All those layers need to be visible.
4. Choose a timeline position other than 0, right-click on the switch layer. You'll get a menu of all possible layers to choose from.

laniangeline · Post by **laniangeline** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 5:47 pm

I want to put all the drawings on the same layer in the timeline as if all of them are keyframes in the animation

slowtiger · Post by **slowtiger** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:03 pm

The switch layer has only one timeline, where the keys for the switches are placed. Other than that, it doesn't have functionality.

If you want to move one of the views of your character, you have to go inside the switch folder to that specific layer which has its own timeline.

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:25 pm

I understand now.

You can't do what you are describing. You have to use the switch layer the way it is described in the help... exactly as slowtiger described.

You can't "paste" or apply different vector artwork in a keyframe of another vector layer. The vectors of each layer exist through that time line. There is no way to have one set be "replaced" by another. If you paste artwork onto another layer it is there along with anything else that was there originally. AS doesn't work like Flash or other animation programs that can have different images or art on different keyframes of one layer. What ever is on a layer can't be "replaced" on keyframes.

Switch layers will do what you need to do but not in the way you think. Also you won't get smooth interpolation if the multiple steps for the artwork was imported from and EPS or AI file or is an image file. Those files are "different" from each other and will not "match" when imported. Smooth interpolation in a switch requires that all the points of each vector layer are exactly the same.

-vern

laniangeline · Post by **laniangeline** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 11:11 pm

I tried Slowtigers method and it worked.

Now I have to figure out how to smooth the head turn I did out. Thanks alot heyvern, slowtiger.