Problem with the Brush tool

[patach]

I've been using the Brush tool just fine as a secondary stroke function for quite a while on my Flash MX 2004 program.

However, today I started working on my animation project and all of a sudden my brush tool wouldn't work. I would draw the stroke and it would disappear.

I checked and checked and it turned out that I was using a correct non-locked layer to draw on, so this shouldn't be a problem.

On further investigation I noticed that my brush tool, if I was to draw in a circle would make a circle FILLED by the brush color. So apparently I had to draw in circles for the brush stroke to show similar to how Illustrator works.

But I don't want it to do that, is there a way I can make it go back to a secondary "stroke" tool?

[ReNaeNae]

if you're using MX... there's an "options" pop-up at the bottom of the tools pallet when the brush is selected. The options are: Paint Normal, Paint Fills, Paint Behind, Paint Selection, Paint Inside... sounds like you have it set to Paint Selection... or something.

[patach]

Now it's become worse. I selected the 'paint selection' and began my brush strokes on one of my symbols. The first brush stroke went fine and I thought everything was solved.

The 2nd brush stroke crashed the Flash program.

I rebooted the Flash program and did it again. Same thing, program crashes on the 2nd stroke.

What is going on? Somebody help me with this

[ReNaeNae]

...does it crash with Paint Normal?

[patach]

No, in "Paint NOrmal", the brush strokes can't be drawn unless I draw it into a circle or something like in Illustrator.

Paint Selection is the one I selected so that the brush stroke would work. Unfortunately, after the first stroke the program crashes. This problem has just happened today and I have done no major changes to my system.

[ReNaeNae]

I don't know what to tell ya... did you try it in a brand new doc with the same results? ...or is there a way to delete the preferences or something?!? ...'cuz I'm just guessing at this point... sorry!

[patach]

It does seem to work on a new document. I wonder what the problem is. Any suggestions?

I don't want to throw away a flash file I've worked weeks into.

[ReNaeNae]

...did you try a "Save as" with a new name? or backsaving it to MX? (not sure if that will hurt it, but it's worth a shot.) Maybe that would 'flush out' the weirdness.

[patach]

Hmmm... think I figured it out.

I flipped the symbol on stage and tried to edit it. It wouldn't work well so I made a new symbol as a flipped image.

So now the program doesn't crash and paint normal is working again.

Thank you anyway, Sha.