Tweening in Flash CS4

What's changed in Flash CS4? It seems like in Flash CS3, there is a line with an arrow when I motion tweened a movie clip. The motion tween will show its tweening when I scrub through the timeline but that's not the case in Flash CS4. What's going on? If I scrub through the timeline, there is no tweening showing in the stage.

Hi aljCharlie,
You do not need to use the Motion Editor with new tweens, although it is the only place you'll be able to use some of the new features (pretty much easing).  Other operations, and a simple ease, can still be done in the main timeline.
You can use F6 with the new tweens, although it will put a property keyframe on all properties. This may not be what you're after, but is essentially like a classic tween in that it "locks" a new keyframe for all properties at that location. If you, for example, only want to tween the position but not the alpha between two keyframes, then you would want to put only position keyframes at that point on the span. To do this in the main timeline/UI you can just change the X/Y on the stage, or whatever property you're changing in the Property inspector / Transform panel (etc). Just like you always did. That will only insert the keyframes on the properties you change the value for. If you want to lock every property, then you use F6 as per usual.
For more information on this topic, see http://flashthusiast.com/2009/01/09/flash-cs4-using-f6-with-new-motion-tweens/ .
For an article specifically on this topic, migrating from classic tweens to new motion, see http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/articles/motion_migration_guide.html.
Jen.

Similar Messages

  • Problem with motion tweening in Flash CS4

    Hi !
    I tried to refresh my little flash knowledge -- but I stumbled upon a problem with the new Flash CS4!
    When I try to make different blur or alpha effect on one keyframe I got after making the motion tween -- Flash adjust the other keyframe as well (got the same reaction on both keyframes as if it was the same instance of movie clip -- and not as in old flash; the keyframes created separated or independent instances)
    The only thing working for me is when I move the movie clip out of the stage on the first keyframe -- and it correctly move its position.
    What's wrong?
    Kind Regards
    Maria Olsen

    Hello Maria,
    You sort of answered your own question:)
    "got the same reaction on both keyframes as if it was the same instance of movie clip"
    That is exactly right and is the proper way of looking at new motion tweens. It is one instance of the movieclip for the duration of the tween. It takes awhile to get used to this.
    New motion tweens allow you to set up a a very simple tween initially without keyframing ending values / position. Once you start making changes after the tween is set, you are going to have to get familiar with adding "property keyframes". Property keyframes are displayed with those little diamond icons in the timeline. Poperty keyframes allow you to "lock in" certain specific properties at key points in your animation without affecting other properties. With the old classic keyframes, a keyframe placed mid-tween would create a whole new instance of a symbol with all properties (rotation, scale, alpha etc) set in stone for that point in time. The benefit was that you could easily have all properties tween TO and FROM that keyframe if that's what you wanted. Now you can make adjustments to a symbol mid-tween and only specifically adjust a single property. So you can adjust the alpha of an object mid-tween without interrupting say a rotation that you wanted to happen all the way through.
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    -keyframe frame 10
    -in frame 10 move the symbol to the right
    -add classice tween
    Ok, that works, now add alpha fade in
    -go back to frame 1 and set alpha to 0
    -classice tween automatically adjusts alpha from 0 in frame 1 to 100 in frame 10.
    -done
    MOTION TWEEN
    -place symbol on stage
    -create motion tween
    -playhead jumps to last frame
    -move symbol to the right (no need to f6 / keyframe)
         Flash automatically adds something called a "position" keyframe (notice the little black diamond)
    Ok, that works, now add alpha fade in
    -go to frame 1 and set alpha to 0
    -test movie
    -oops - wrong. As you noted the alpha will stay at 0 throughout the whole tween.
    -you need to additionally go to the last frame and set the alpha back to 100
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    When just doing this now I noticed something odd as well
    As soon as I do the position change and move the symbol to the right, if I try to add the "color keyframe" on the last frame of the tween, I am not allowed to do so. "color" and "filter" are greyed out. I would prefer to lock the alpha at 100 in the last frame while the playhead is in position before setting it down to 0 in frame 1. Oh well.
    Seems you are forced to
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    -then go to the end and manually bring the alpha back up.
    hmm maybe i'm missing something too:)
    the best way to do this would be to have the foresight ahead of time to do the alpha
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    -alpha 0
    -add motion tween
    -in last frame move the symbol  set alpha to 100 (alpha and position keyframes are automatically set)
    So if you do it right the first time, its easy. If not, well.
    Keep in mind an object will maintain the properties it has set in frame 1 unless a subsequent property keyframe enforces some adjustment.
    If you have have an object that is moving from point a to b to c to d:
    If you alter the alpha at point b, the alpha will tween from point a to b, but will maintain the new alpha to c, to d.
    If you scale the clip by 200% at point, its scale will tween from point a all the way to point d, NOT just from c to d
    To scale from point c to d only, set a "scale" property keyframe at point c (this will lock the objects scale at 100) THEN scale to 200% at point d
    It takes a good deal of practice. I found the hard way that you just can't "wing" it. It isn't very intuitive coming from a classic tween approach.
    These articles really helped me:
    http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/articles/motion_migration_guide.html
    http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/learning_guide/animation/
    Take note of the tips on "cntr-clicking" frames and "shift-dragging". You have to really get used to a few keyboard modifiers when editing the timeline.
    Stick around the forums. A lot of good info comes through daily.
    Carl

  • How to move a keyframe from a Motion Tween in Flash CS4

    I understand that motion tween is a new form of tween in CS 4 however  I am unable to move a keyframe within the time line? am I missing something? I would hope I could select the keyframe (diamond  shape) and move it around the timeline but apprently Im missing something.. I am not able to do a cut and copy either... is this normal behavior?
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    cheers
    stephan

    Thank you so much for getting back to me so quick. Work is chaotic right now or I would have replied sooner.
    Anyway, my lines aren't actually 3D at all. Everything, including the box, are 2D. But that does give me an idea, once I'm more proficient in Flash if I decide to make this animation even better in the future.
    I attached a screenshot of my homepage. You'll see a set of lines on the left side that surround a square with Sarah Knouse LeCroy inside. (That square is what I was referring to as a 'box'...probably not a good description.) I want that square to move down to the bottom left corner when you click on Portfolio, Contact or Resume. As it moves, I want the lines to collapse and fold together so that it looks like they're all neatly getting 'packed away' so that all that's left when viewing, say Portfolio, is an empty page with the square down in the lower left corner.
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    The last problem I'm having is an issue with getting this animation to play only when you leave the homepage and click to Portfolio, Contact or Resume.
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    Thanks so much!

  • Shape Tween in Flash CS4

    I am trying to make a shape tween by importing to stage 2 different shapes from Illustrator. Each shape is made out of 2 or 3 groups of shapes which may be my issue. I am not allowed to make a shape tween. When I the replicated the shapes in Flash (I simplified them so they where no longer groups- just one continuous shape), I was able to make the shape tween but the first shape that morphs into the second shapes appears again at the end of the tween. I would much rather import to stage from illustrator. Can someone advise in each different scenario? I am working on a MAC, Operating system 10.6.6.  Thank you.

    Hi there,
    The frames in question are the ones that were highlighted on the "J morph" and "K morph" layers, correct?
    Classic tweens and shape tweens are not supported on tween layers. They cannot be created on these layers, and if they're dragged or pasted there, they'll turn static (an undo is needed to move them back).
    So my guess is that it may have been done before the save, as I can't imagine how that would have occurred between saving and reopening. The fix would be to put those two shape tweens on their own layers (which is a preferred practice anyway) and see if that fixes things.
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    in as3, you should use:
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  • Flash CS4 Tween Migration

    Hi,
    I just wanted to get the thoughts of the expert here. I played around with the new tween tool in CS4, and it seems that the difference is I dont see the tween arrow anymore in the timeline; and there is an easing in the property that has been added. How this has changed from the old concept finally?
    I see this just like putting some icing on the cake, and nothing would wow me to use this tool.
    Please correct me if I am wrong, especially those of you who have utilized this tool in a different manner.
    Looking forward for an open discussions.
    Thank you
    uxk

    Hi Uxk,
    I'm actually glad that you're finding the workflow similar - because it's actually a rather massive two-cycling change behind the scenes, and we typically hear something a bit different. Here are some of the changes and benfits between old and new:
    you cannot break a new motion tween - no more “dashed arrows”
    as such, new tweens are easier to use: you directly manipulate objects on the Stage without needing to always think about keyframes. You don’t even need to add keyframes - just manipulate the object and the keyframes are inserted for you.
    granular control over each part of a tween.
    motion paths are shown right on the Stage for all tweens. Highly visual, and directly editable.
    you can use the new Motion Editor with new tweens
    as such, the Motion Editor means tweens are more powerful in general: each property and keyframe on each property is accessible and editable independently. You can tween alpha separately from rotation separately from scale (etc).
    in that Motion Editor you can edit individual properties on a graph
    you can use the new 3D model with new tweens
    you can give your tween an instance name and then give other instances that same tween at runtime
    new tweens are easy to stretch by just dragging the span in the timeline
    new tweens have new eases, which have advanced (and very cool, better, enhanced) eases
    you can create/apply custom eases that do not need to end at 100%
    you can save a tween as a preset and reuse it in that or other documents
    new tweens are easy to move now - either on the timeline (drag the tween span around), or on the stage by selecting the motion path and just moving it on the Stage (lets just say it is WAY easier than edit multiple frames).
    motion paths in general are easier, and you no longer need motion guides. The motion path for a tween is attached right to the tween.
    you can apply a new instance to an existing tween by just pasting it onto a tween to swap it out, drag a new instance from the Library, or use Swap Symbol. you can even have a tween without an instance applied to it, and all properties of that tween will be saved until you apply an instance to it.
    (From my blog post here: http://flashthusiast.com/2008/09/22/the-new-way-of-tweening-in-flash-cs4-or-new-motion-in- flash-cs4-makes-your-animations-better-faster-stronger/)
    You may want to check out the Motion Migration guide here: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/articles/motion_migration_guide.html  -- this article outlines the changes between the two models.
    Some of the bigger new features to check out are: Motion Presets (pre-made and custom), the Motion Editor (it ain't small...), preset eases (these made a radical difference in how quickly I could do certain animations), and tween instances (tons of new capabilities here, and reductions in amt of scripted code you have to write). Here are some blog posts on them:
    Tween instances:
    http://flashthusiast.com/2008/12/10/flash-cs4-example-spray-brush-tween-instance-new-motio n-as3-fancy-jsfl-profit/
    http://flashthusiast.com/2008/10/12/new-motion-and-tween-instances-flash-cs4-presentation- flashcamp/
    Motion editor and custom eases:
    http://flashthusiast.com/2008/11/20/flash-cs4-modifying-and-applying-a-custom-ease-in-the- motion-editor/
    You may also want to adapt how you use F6 with tweens:
    http://flashthusiast.com/2009/01/09/flash-cs4-using-f6-with-new-motion-tweens/
    Entire Animation guide:
    http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/learning_guide/animation/
    Let me know if you have any questions,
    Jen.

  • Basic Flash CS4 Dilemma 0_o

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