How Do You Make An Animation from Photoshop Layers?

I'm a klutz at this, but hope to gain familiarity with the program through and
exercise like this to be better prepared for the class I will be taking after
the first of the year.

When I dragged the photoshop layer files onto the stage they came through and
distributed out of order. After fiddling with the layers for a moment, all
their names turned into 'background.'

I'm an out-of-control destroyer right now.


Thanks for your help and patience with me on this.


Ken
 >> Stay informed about: How Do You Make An Animation from Photoshop Layers? 

hmmm, did you import your graphics to the library first?

How large is each of your layers?

When dragging them all onto the stage from your library, first select the last
graphic, then scroll up to the first graphic, shift + click on the first one,
and then drag your graphics onto the stage. (I find that selecting the last
and then going up to the first seems to keep the proper order)

One more thing: Make sure you have the stage the exact size you want it
before doing anything. After you have dropped them onto the stage, use the
align to stage feature to get them all positioned properly. THEN right click
and distribute to layers.

Hope this helps,

P
 >> Stay informed about: How Do You Make An Animation from Photoshop Layers? 

Dear Mr. Peanut,

First of all, I am working on a Mac, but that is okay because I can hold down
the control key and get the same menu as a right-click in Windows. That being
said, I am a little thrown back by your terminology. You are much more advanced
at this than I am. This is my first try so I need help with everything it seems.

You seem to know exactly what steps I missed (because I don't know the process
yet) and the first thing was getting the files into the Library. I imagine the
library is similar to Final Cut Pro or Dreamweaver where you have an area to
collect files that can be used in the Stage. I will now go back to the program
and study the interface and be sure I know where the Library is.

Each layer is from 52 to 92k, medium small I think, but I can go back through
them and optimize them to get a much smaller file size if needed at this point.

Thank you for indicating the order of selection which will best keep the
layers in their right order.

I have the stage sized to the Photoshop document size for the animated bar I
am creating which is 900 pixels wide by 10 pixels high. The bar has a moving
lens flare to give it a shiny look when viewed as an animation (I hope.)

I'll go examine things more closely now, according to what you have said here.

Thank You,


Ken
 >> Stay informed about: How Do You Make An Animation from Photoshop Layers? 

One step at a time here, I will not give up (talking to myself.)

I imported the layer files from Photoshop, I saved them in Photoshop format.

When the files came into the library there were 137 items: all 45 layers, a
folder with the layer name, and inside each folder for each file, the same
layer file again but probably converted to a flash layer? and also one layer
called 'symbol 41 which I don't know where that came from.

If this seems normal, I don't know. There are no files in the upper split
window in the library window, all of them show in the lower portion right now.
 >> Stay informed about: How Do You Make An Animation from Photoshop Layers? 

Sorry for the confusion, Ken.

I made a couple of assumptions about your experience. I hope it all worked
out for you so far. Let me know if you need any more help. I'm new to this
type of thing, too, so it may not be the best way of doing things, but I found
it at least worked for me when I tried doing something similar.

You definitely want to make your graphics smaller, if possible. Around 10k, I
would guess.

I'd love to see your final work, as I have tried with no success to do a lens
flare effect only using Flash8. Photoshop seems like the better option,
though.

Cheers,

P
 >> Stay informed about: How Do You Make An Animation from Photoshop Layers? 

Also, at the beginning menu, I am choosing to 'Create New' and 'Flash File
(ActionScript 3.0)

I mention this because there are so many choices at the opening menu I wanted
to make sure I got the right one.
 >> Stay informed about: How Do You Make An Animation from Photoshop Layers? 

If it weren't for helpful people and these forums, I don't think we would get anywhere. I hope someone will come along and give us both more insight.

Thanks,


Ken
 >> Stay informed about: How Do You Make An Animation from Photoshop Layers? 

Sound okay to me - but ... I can't help you too much with Flash CS3... sorry, I
only have Flash8. I'm sure things will work very similar, if not the same as
how I outlined them.

Let me know.

P
 >> Stay informed about: How Do You Make An Animation from Photoshop Layers?