Re: FLASH: Everything on a different layer?

[John Croteau]

Hi Jayse,


> Should EVERY different element be on a different layer?

Not necessarily, there are some items that are require a separate layer,

some that should be in separate ones and others where it doesn't matter.


Additional layers cost nothing and separating symbols into separate

layers adds nothing to the file size.


1) Items that are to be Tweened require a separate layer. This is how

Flash determines which items are to be tweened.

2) Items that come in at different times should be placed on separate

layers to make editting easier and safer.

3) Items that start in the same frame can be placed in the same layer.


To explain why I suggest not being Layer Frugal I'll explain how Flash

handles graphics.


You have 5 frames, one layer and 5 symbols. Each symbol onced placed

will remain until the end. A new symbol will be placed in each frame. So

frame one will have 1 symbol, two will have 2 symbols, etc. 


Symbol one will be in each frame of the five frames and Flash will

recognize it as the same Instance as long as it is in exactly the same

spot in all 5 frames. If you touch the symbol in one of the frames and

move it one pixel you now have at least 2 and more likely 3 Instances of

that symbol. Placement costs may be relatively small (18 bytes for a

Graphic symbol) but can add up quickly when you do a lot of changes. You

also add jerkiness that may be hard to locate and correct.


If you want to move that one symbol you need to move the symbol in all

five copies in all 5 frames. You can do this with Edit Multiple Frames

but it can be a real pain.


By putting items on separate layers you eliminate the two problems

above. If you move a symbol that is in a separate layer since it appears

only once you may move it out of place but you can't create new

Instances or jerkiness. If you have to move it you only have one place

to go and one thing to move and don't have to resort to using Edit

Multiple Frames where it is easy to make a mistake and move only some of

the copies.

 

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John Croteau

croteauerols [dot] com (mailto:croteauerols [dot] com)

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