mask anyone?

[malder]

I am developing my flashing skills and have a really general questions about masks - What are they, what do they do and how do they work.

I was trying to figure it out on my own, but when I just get a blank movie... nothing happens. Thanks!

Matt

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[jydnas]

Using mask layers
For spotlight effects and transitions, you can create a hole through which the content of a layer underneath shows using a mask layer. You can group multiple layers together under a single mask layer to create sophisticated effects. You can also use any type of animation, except motion paths, to make the mask move. You cannot mask layers inside of buttons.

This is part of the help file on Mask Layers

Go read all the help files there are some really good examples.



<EMBED src="/cgi-bin/ubb/Members/sigs/00000085.swf" quality=high WIDTH=500 HEIGHT=60 TYPE="application/x-shockwave-flash" PLUGINSPAGE="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"> </EMBED>

[malder]

Thanks a lot for the help.

If there are any sites that make really good use of masks, so I can see them in action, I'd love to take a look.

Matt

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[Relman]

Matt,
I think the best way of really learning something new is to see how its put together.
Download any example about masking that you find and think is cool.
Break it apart and see how it was made,
Thats how i learned,
I'm no pro or anything, I still have much to learn, this is the way i'm doing it and i've learned so much.

later

[autoplayer]

You can do some really neat stuff with masks, but simply, how they work is whatever you put in a mask layer will become the area that is displayed in the masked layers below it. Masks dont notice alpha effects, or tint, so you might as well make them all the same color and just use the outlines. To preview how your mask will look, just lock the mask and masked layers. Here is a neato thing I did with some sophisticated use of a mask: www.northeastmagic.com/pngexp.html this file is more complicated than the one I posted here at flashkit, see if you can tell the differences!
Cheers!
Ryan Cameron
(autoplayer)


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