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DSudric
Participant
November 28, 2023
Answered

Enveloping Multiple Frames/Layers

  • November 28, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 1038 views

This isn't so much a question as a request, a PLEA.

PLEASE bring back the ability to envelope multiple frames! It was a feature I used constantly and was available up until Adobe Animate CS4. The functionality of using envelope on multiple frames was disabled upon that version, but you could at least cheat a workaround up until at least Adobe Animate 2017. After that, even the workaround no longer worked.

 

Previous to CS4, you could very easily select multiple frames, even multiple layers at once and apply an envelope easily. I have no clue why Adobe would lose the ability to include that. If Macromedia's versions and even Adobe's earlier versions could offer it, I don't see how it was ever a problem in need of removal.

 

I'm asking now because a task that would have literally taken a minute will now take me potentially a couple hours while not looking nearly as good because this feature is no longer available.

 

Please consider including this feature again in future releases. It's not even a matter of designing it, it's simply reintroducing a previously existing feature. Even if the feature only allowed enveloping multiple frames on the same layer, I could at least work with that.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Mario_CR

Oh yeah, forgot to specify. Yes, only with raw vectors and was fully available in versions like Flash 8 like you mention. CS3 was the last one where it reliably worked. Was really handy for stuff like mouthpack builds, could make a character's lineread a little more bespoke.


I found a way to replicate it in Animate 24.0.

Turn on Edit Multiple Frames (EMF), select everything with the free transform tool, turn off EMF, select another tool then select the free transform tool again, change mode to envelope, turn on EMF again.

If you only do it once, it will snap back to normal mode after moving a single handle/point but if you do the steps a second time it will let you edit it indefinitely.

Here's a video demonstration ↓

2 replies

Mario_CR
Community Expert
Mario_CRCommunity Expert
Community Expert
November 28, 2023

That's interesting, what was the workaround in earlier versions?

    D
    DSudricAuthor
    Participant
    December 6, 2023

    If I remember correctly, you select Edit Multiple Frames, allow it to select the frames and layers you want, turn off Edit Multiple Frames, go to the Envelope tool while everything is still selected, then toggle Edit Multiple Frames back on. It only allows you to do the enveloping in that one instance, if you need to undo, you have to start over the process. Its been several years but I think that's how I used to trick it, it involved toggling stuff off and on in a certain order.

      n. tilcheff
      n. tilcheff
      Legend
      December 6, 2023

      Just to confirm.

      With raw vector shapes, Envelope distort works with Edit Multiple Frames in Flash 8.

      It just works. No special workaround is necessary.

       

       

      Nick - Character Designer and Animator, Flash user since 1998 | Member of the Flanimate Power Tools team - extensions for character animation
        kglad
        Community Expert
        kgladCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        November 28, 2023

        for applicable apps, use https://helpx.adobe.com/ie/x-productkb/global/how-to-user-voice.html

         

         

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