Create Frame Sequence extension for Flash
In collaboration with Guy Watson (my idea, his coding), Create Frame Sequence is a handy (and free) .jsfl extension for Flash MX 2004 that takes a selection of keyframes, and moves them -- in the order in which they were selected -- into individual keyframes in a new layer.
The need to do this arose when I imported nearly 50 symbols from Illustrator that needed to be placed one after the next in a single layer. By default, Flash imports a series of symbols and places them on top of each other in one frame. Flash's built-in "Distribute to Layers" command helps organize the symbols by moving each symbol into its own layer, but what if your symbols are part of a sequence, or a state of (for example) a rotating 3D object? You would need the symbols next to one another, in the order in which you imported them -- not on top. "Create Frame Sequence" accomplishes that task by moving the symbols back into a single layer, but this time in sequential order.
So if you had a group of images, swfs, or other assets you needed placed sequentially in a single layer, you would first import the clips, use "Distribute to Layers" to move each symbol into its own keyframe, select the frames in the order in which you want them sequentially organized, then select "Create Frame Sequence."
My thanks to Guy for taking the idea and making it a reality.
Comments
This is a great idea. I haven't had a chance to test it out, but later today I'll definitely put it through a few tests on my Flash install as this has been a pain in the past. Thanks!
Posted by: Patrick Bennett at March 9, 2004 12:13 PM
This is wonderful! how many countless times have I imported AE comps for buttons and had to drop them from the library and align them across 50+ frames? Too many. This is going to be a life-saver.
Posted by: lincoln at March 9, 2004 12:28 PM
Seems this has been on the mind of a few people.
Below was posted on the Flash Extension mailing list by Dolce, I hope you don't mind the post here, but this one is cool as well, doing just about the same thing.
::
I have been using this quite a bit lately, but was being pretty lazy on packaging it. But Guy extension inspired me to get off my ass and package it up. Basically it's the same as Guy Create Frame Sequence
extension but this one uses selected Library Items instead of selections on the stage. Which is by far way cooler if you ask me.
You can get it here.
http://www.tupperwareforanation.com/CreateSequence.mxp
Posted by: lincoln at March 9, 2004 2:17 PM
This functionality is possible by default in Flash. If you have a sequence of images in the same folder named for example:
image001.jpg
image002.jpg
image003.jpg
and import image001.jpg Flash will ask you if you would like to import the sequence of images. Once it does this, you simply select yes and it places the images one after another on a single layer.
It's been in Flash at least since MX, but I am fairly sure it's been there all the way back to Flash 4.
Posted by: Marcus Vorwaller at March 9, 2004 3:23 PM
This functionality is possible by default in Flash.
That's true, if Flash *recognizes* a pattern in your file naming. If it doesn't see a pattern, it lumps all your stuff together in one frame. Plus, this extension sequences your assets according to how you want them to be sequenced, regardless of file name.
Posted by: Todd Dominey at March 9, 2004 4:46 PM
Very true. Which is why apps like CKRename exsist, to make renaming a bunch of files with a number sequence quick and easy.
Don't get me wrong, I think the extension for Flash is a great idea, I'm just pointing out that it is possible to do it without any add-ons.
Posted by: Marcus Vorwaller at March 9, 2004 5:10 PM
Great idea, i would love to try it out but refuse to upgrade to MX04 for a number of reasons i cant even begin to count ;)
Sounds like a good idea tho :D
Posted by: mdipi at March 9, 2004 5:16 PM
Fantastic!
Posted by: Paul Mayne at March 9, 2004 6:37 PM
very cool
pankaj parikh
http://www.armortgage.net
Posted by: Pankaj Parikh at March 10, 2004 9:04 AM
