Help!
I am trying to do one of two things:
1. Import symbols that I created in one scene, to show up in a NEW scene.
2. If that is not possible or easy to do, I would like to know how to take the drawings that I made in those symbols and just make them a flat drawing and use that for my puppet instead of the symbols.
also, does anyone know if there is an easy way to select all of the drawing layers and flatten them to create one layer?
Hi,
You need create a template with his symbols. Templates can be open in others scenes and contains all you are selected when created it. For do this, go to library, unlock animate library folder, with right mouse, click: right to modify, then select all contents you need in timeline frames side, and drag them into the right library window, when a dialog box open, name his template.
You can´t flat drawings but, a symbol make a similar work, because you can create a symbol with many layers, and then, drop it in timeline as single layer, or convert it in template for other projects or scenes. If you expand the symbol in timeline, you can recover the original drawings layers attached in the symbol layer. Hope that helps.
Yoryo
Hi Yoryo,
Thanks for your input. Are you saying I should convert each separate body part which is a symbol, into a template? Take the different mouth symbols, make it a template and drag into the library?
I did try to make a template of my puppet, with all of the frames that included the symbols I needed…but it did not save them all when I went to a new scene. For instance, The main head and body, arms legs, etc (which are symbols) DID show up, but the frames I set up which included the other angles of the head, different mouths, etc. DID NOT show up in a new scene.
I will try to save them separately and hope that helps…
Thanks again
No, I can said that with all symbols of the puppet in timeline you go to create a template that include all positions. The symbols, as box mode, contains all drawing included in each ones. (expose with swapping) . Open the upper timeline brackets in order to contain all the art, select from the first frame of the first layer to the last frame of the last layer, and drag all into the Animate library. The brackets of each symbol timeline needs be open to cover just the drawings created into.
Too, there is a checking box in paste special window (Alt+drag): paste all frames of the symbol that needs be enabled to expose all symbol contents.
(may be this cause the fault of exposure) If you expose into other similar templates check the exposure modes avaiables in paste special window. Good Look.
Yoryo
HI,
Again thank you for your time in trying to help me…however I’m still very lost and having trouble getting this right. I tried making a template that includes all of the frames with their included symbols, but it didn’t work. I don’t know what “box mode” is, or where to find it? I also don’t know what you mean when you say “the brackets of each symbol timeline needs to be open”. I’m wondering if you have a screen shot of how it SHOULD look, for I am much more a visual learner. Or, if you know of any tutorial links that involve this specific problem? Again, I appreciate your help. I do need to figure this out soon or I am in trouble. Thanks!
Hi Animated4life,
Ok, when i said that a symbol is a box, I can explain you the concept. A first classic action would be, in a drawing element you select a frame 1 and in camera (or drawing view) you draw something. You can draw on frame 2,3 an so on, different positions. This is a pure drawing element and is contained for the scene only in main timeline. If you convert the entire drawing exposure selecting these cells and press F8, you copy these drawing element in a new symbol, allocated into symbols library. You can reload it in main timeline and delete the original drawing art. This symbol contains all the drawings into, and you can see it as a box container of his drawings. You can edit it, add new positions, add new a layers for patch in joints in other z level, as example.
In the upper rigth zone of the timeline, you have the framed timeline and the small black triangles and the red marker that open or close the segment exposed. If you have five drawing positions open these brackets just covers frame 1 to 5, not more.
In main timeline, working with these symbol, you can expose the symbol content as you want, selecting the symbol cell when you can change the position, swapping it. (Library left thumnails window) or clicking the double arrow circle in the upper feft side timeline and opening the slider)
If you make a template with it, but select only one symbol exposure and drag it into Animate library, the template, when you reload it in timeline, shows one frame exposure, but if you extend the exposure to frame 5 (F5), and swap each consecutive symbol frame, according with the original drawing position, you can expose all these positions, this means a box.
This is not possible in a pure drawing, when you need select all exposure of the drawing positions for make a symbol or template, if not you reload only the selected one and ignore the others. It´s ok?
And the other instance, that is working loading a symbol consecutive to other, but, for expose all symbol content (Full movie), you need drag the symbol to the timeline pressing Alt, and set: paste all frames of the symbol, if not a one frame symbol exposure is done, and regarding the create exposure mode enabled.
Hope that I can explain clearly this procedure, if not you can go to F1 and learn about these topics in user guide or may be in the video tutorials. Good luck again, and make a comment if you can solve the problem.
Yoryo
Yoryo,
I see what you are saying. Unfortunately that isn’t working for me. I understand it would have been better if I started out by just drawing the puppet’s parts and saving a template just as you explained. The problem is, I already created the puppet parts, made them into symbols separately, and THEN I put them together and saved them as a template. Unfortunately, even when I save all the exposed symbols in the time line, when I open a new scene, symbols are STILL missing. For instance, the body will be there but the head will be missing, the arm, etc. It’s not loading them in the new scene even though I did expose them and saved a template. I don’t want to have to start over and draw everything all over again. Thanks for trying to help me though I appreciate it.
Ok, just discovered something interesting…
I tried to take the already existing symbols of the puppet parts and save it again as a template, with all frames exposed. I opened a BRAND NEW BLANK scene, that had no existing symbols in it…and EVERYTHING SHOWED UP!
BUT then I tried opening an already existing scene to drag the SAME puppet on the camera again…and the same thing happened…the mouths didn’t show up on the face. I then looked in the symbol library of this scene. There was already some sort of mouth symbol there. I deleted it, and then tried dragging the puppet again onto the camera. EVERYTHING APPEARED! So I’m guessing I was having a problem with conflicting symbol names and therefore messed the puppet up somehow. I’m going to continue to work on this and if anything else comes up i’ll let you know…
I want comment you, and hope that no be obvious, but I go ahead with.
Had you probe dragging the symbol with Alt key pressed and enabled: Add/Remove exposure/Always create drawings? This prevent name conflicts creating a new numbered set of contents.
Other thing, working in the same scene, is duplicating the symbol to make a copy that not overwrite the drawings name in the original to prevent any name conflict. Is very used when paste symbols in the same symbol layer with previous contents.
Had you checked the function curves to compare if the keyframes has different values where would be the same as the original?
The first point you appointed is correct, and the template appears with all attributes as the original in the new scene (without previous symbols created), but, if you done the template in the original scene ouside any previous template created or any peg, it means, in its proper layers without influence of parents layers, the result would be correct as well.
You need make various simplified test with variations to encounter the conflictive situation. Support can also contribute with his experience. Please comment if any way solve the issue. Regards.
Yoryo
What I do, which I’m sure isn’t the most streamline way, is I convert all my images into symbols. After that, I clear the whole timeline and replace all the old layers with new, empty drawing layers. I place each Symbol on its own layer and then, from the timeline -not the stage, I drag the small square into the Animate Pro Library. I’m then prompted to rename it as a template. After that, I have them in my permanent library.
I hope this helps. If anyone knows a faster way, please post it.
It is easier to do if you don’t create symbols because they require an extra step to edit (you need to enter the symbol first to access the drawings within).
Normally all you need to do is make a template of your element in order to access this element from a different project. Drag the template into the timeline or network of the new project and that’s it. Be aware that bringing the template into a new project will create a local instance of this element. Any changes you make to the element in a new scene/project will affect only this scene; not the original scene nor the template itself. To edit the template you would need to use the “edit template” feature from the library. This is handy for templates that are built-up with new assets over time.