Klaytn
asked on
Why is this simple, masked Flash animation flickering?
I'm working on animating a pie chart. I've started with a hypothetical 60% chunk. Here's the fla... it's pretty simple, but in order to mask more than 180 degrees I had to use a movie clip for a mask, which seems to work fine but for one small thing... no matter how many timelines I put a stop action on, I get a repeating flicker that looks like looping to me at the end.
I've got a stop at the end of every timeline involved – even single-frame ones. I've put a trace on all these as well to make sure they're being hit, and they are.
Maybe my brain fell out, but I can see no earthly reason for the flicker on the swf upon export. I suspect the cause is simple, and am prepared to feel like an idiot (too late). Please, experts, tell me what's up here!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/k0a7u5x7vu6yh8l/chart-animations-working.fla.zip?dl=0
EDIT: Here is a link to the offending swf:
http://ilium.com/test/chart-animations-working.html
chart-animations-working.swf
I've got a stop at the end of every timeline involved – even single-frame ones. I've put a trace on all these as well to make sure they're being hit, and they are.
Maybe my brain fell out, but I can see no earthly reason for the flicker on the swf upon export. I suspect the cause is simple, and am prepared to feel like an idiot (too late). Please, experts, tell me what's up here!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/k0a7u5x7vu6yh8l/chart-animations-working.fla.zip?dl=0
EDIT: Here is a link to the offending swf:
http://ilium.com/test/chart-animations-working.html
chart-animations-working.swf
ASKER
Thanks for replying. This is done in Adobe Flash CC 2015, the latest version.
ASKER
In throwing myself at this repeatedly, I've discovered this may have something to do with my having used Movie Clips versus Graphics for my symbols.
I'm able to get rid of the first flicker if I convert the movie clip at the end of the tween in the 'mask-half-to60' symbol to a graphic. However, it continues to flicker after that. If I convert the movie clip in the first frame of the tween in this symbol to a graphic (in addition to having converted the last), the first flicker returns and I'm back where I started.
Tried converting every symbol to Graphics and giving them all exactly 30 frames and setting them to 'play once', but the flicker either stays the same or flickers in different parts. Can't seem to spot a logical pattern to it.
I dunno, but I have suspicions that the answer might lie somewhere in this movie-clips-versus-graphic s deal.
I'm able to get rid of the first flicker if I convert the movie clip at the end of the tween in the 'mask-half-to60' symbol to a graphic. However, it continues to flicker after that. If I convert the movie clip in the first frame of the tween in this symbol to a graphic (in addition to having converted the last), the first flicker returns and I'm back where I started.
Tried converting every symbol to Graphics and giving them all exactly 30 frames and setting them to 'play once', but the flicker either stays the same or flickers in different parts. Can't seem to spot a logical pattern to it.
I dunno, but I have suspicions that the answer might lie somewhere in this movie-clips-versus-graphic
To be clear, did you both create the FLA and convert it to SWF in Adobe Flash CC 2015?
Btw, that is not the latest version. They recently released Adobe Animate CC, which is the renamed version of Flash. Here are a couple of links for it:
http://blogs.adobe.com/animate/welcome-adobe-animate-cc-a-new-era-for-flash-professional
http://www.adobe.com/products/animate.html
You may want to give that a spin to see if it produces an SWF without the problem. Regards, Joe
Btw, that is not the latest version. They recently released Adobe Animate CC, which is the renamed version of Flash. Here are a couple of links for it:
http://blogs.adobe.com/animate/welcome-adobe-animate-cc-a-new-era-for-flash-professional
http://www.adobe.com/products/animate.html
You may want to give that a spin to see if it produces an SWF without the problem. Regards, Joe
ASKER
Yes, everything was done in Flash. Animate was not in the picture.
I'll give it a shot. Thanks for the tip.
I'll give it a shot. Thanks for the tip.
ASKER
I'm currently stuck downloading the update on a very slow connection. In the meantime, will I need to recreate the file from scratch, or can I open the existing .fla in Animate?
You'll be able to open the existing FLA in Animate, but keep in mind that the problem may be that the FLA itself is bad, which is why the conversion created a bad SWF. But it doesn't hurt to try with the existing FLA in Animate, since the FLA may be good but the conversion to SWF by Flash CC 2015 is the culprit. But if the resulting SWF from Animate is still bad, I'd be tempted to create the FLA again in Animate.
Btw, I missed your post about using "Movie Clips versus Graphics" until just now (I had been writing a reply to your previous post and missed seeing that one). Your suspicions could be right, but I can't help you with that, as I have no experience with the issue.
Btw, I missed your post about using "Movie Clips versus Graphics" until just now (I had been writing a reply to your previous post and missed seeing that one). Your suspicions could be right, but I can't help you with that, as I have no experience with the issue.
ASKER
Well, the .swf came out the same in Animate, so I set about recreating and immediately ran into trouble. I presumed the experience would be largely the same as in Flash, but I'm finding some show-stopping differences – or software bugs? – in play.
Here's the process I followed:
Suddenly the center point in the half circle resets to the center of the symbol, the default position. Huh? Then I click back to the first frame, and that center point has reset as well. Um, what?
Flash would have given me the symbol in the same state as it was in the first frame. I even tried option/dragging frame 1 to frame 15, with the same result. Obviously, I need the transform point to remain where I put it, otherwise it's useless to me.
What began as a relatively simple task is turning into a nightmare! Argh!
Here's the process I followed:
I create a half circle shape
I convert to symbol
I move the transform/center point to the center of what would be a whole circle (again, I'm using this shape as a mask to reveal portions of a pie graph).
I create a keyframe at frame 15
Suddenly the center point in the half circle resets to the center of the symbol, the default position. Huh? Then I click back to the first frame, and that center point has reset as well. Um, what?
Flash would have given me the symbol in the same state as it was in the first frame. I even tried option/dragging frame 1 to frame 15, with the same result. Obviously, I need the transform point to remain where I put it, otherwise it's useless to me.
What began as a relatively simple task is turning into a nightmare! Argh!
Klaytn,
I'm taking a look at your fla now. Will report back soon :)
Rob
I'm taking a look at your fla now. Will report back soon :)
Rob
ASKER
Since I've been trying to use Animate CC instead, I'm getting a different issue that so far is preventing me from getting very far rebuilding the file to see if that ameliorates the problem (see my bit about the self-resetting transform point above). It also seems to be losing track of exactly which symbol I'm editing when I create the end keyframe, replacing the symbol name in "instance of" with three dashes. Here's a screen cap vid.
https://youtu.be/93bvVfuNodw
https://youtu.be/93bvVfuNodw
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Okay, figured out my transform point reset problem (via the Adobe boards, amazingly).
I brainlessly had two instances of the symbol in the frame, one pasted in place and hiding the other.
That said, I'm still interested in why my original .fla was misbehaving... sorry to throw the thread off track there.
I brainlessly had two instances of the symbol in the frame, one pasted in place and hiding the other.
That said, I'm still interested in why my original .fla was misbehaving... sorry to throw the thread off track there.
Hopefully you've seen my comment just before yours ;)
ASKER
Agh! That's it, Rob. For the life of me I have no idea why I didn't see that keyframe hanging out there. I knew it (and I) had to be simple. I'm back in business. Thank you!
Yeah it took me a while to find as well! *phew* eh? :D
ASKER
Thanks, Rob. The ol' ego stings a bit due to my lack of observational skills, but it's a small price to pay. ;)
Rob,
Very well done! Cheers, Joe
Very well done! Cheers, Joe
Klaytn, not a problem and that's what we're here for :) can't tell you how many times I've done the exact same thing :)
Cheers Joe!
Cheers Joe!
I am glad to hear a solution was found, Klaytn! Have a good one and contact us as Support any time. :)
What software did you use to create the FLA? What software did you use to generate the SWF from the FLA? Regards, Joe