How to hide frames/make them not show up (Flash Professional CS6)

[Blucatt]

Hello there, again with another very amateur question. So basically, I'm creating an animation for my youtube channel, but I've only used Flash a few times, so I'm unfamiliar with some of the important mechanics needed to make a full-length video. here, I'm trying to put more than 1 frame in the same layer, but put  space between them. That way, I can put something in between those two frames, but on a separate layer. But whenever I try to do that, it automatically inserts a long blank layer in between. Below I uploaded a video to hopefully clear up what I'm trying to say. But I've been trying to find a solution for a few hours now, and nothing. Is this even possible? Is there a more logical solution that I just haven't thought of? I'd appreciate it if someone with more knowledge could help me out.

[ClayUUID]

Blucatt  wrote

here, I'm trying to put more than 1 frame in the same layer, but put  space between them. That way, I can put something in between those two frames, but on a separate layer. But whenever I try to do that, it automatically inserts a long blank layer in between.

Frames don't go into layers, the only thing that can go between frames is more frames, and yes, layers exist for the entire length of a timeline. That's why they're called layers. You don't "hide" frames in Animate. If you want there to be a frame that shows nothing, then set keyframes so that nothing is visible in that frame.

Seriously, go watch some YouTube videos on how to animate in Animate (formerly Flash). It sounds like your mental model of how Animate works is way off base.

[Blucatt]

  wrote

   wrote

here, I'm trying to put more than 1 frame in the same layer, but put  space between them. That way, I can put something in between those two frames, but on a separate layer. But whenever I try to do that, it automatically inserts a long blank layer in between.

Frames don't go into layers, the only thing that can go between frames is more frames, and yes, layers exist for the entire length of a timeline. That's why they're called layers. You don't "hide" frames in Animate. If you want there to be a frame that shows nothing, then set keyframes so that nothing is visible in that frame.

Seriously, go watch some YouTube videos on how to animate in Animate (formerly Flash). It sounds like your mental model of how Animate works is way off base.

Well that's one way to talk to people I guess.

I didn't know if the problem was a simple fix or something more complicated. I was watching tutorials about using flash earlier and I thought I got everything I need to know; apparently I was wrong. So my solution is to insert blank keyframes where I don't want a soecific layer to show up?

[_keyframer]

Correct. You can insert a blank keyframe (F7) where you don't want anything visible on the stage.

[ClayUUID · Accepted solution]

Blucatt  wrote

So my solution is to insert blank keyframes where I don't want a soecific layer to show up?

You don't "make a layer not show up" in Animate. Layers are neither visible nor invisible. They are strictly an organizational concept within the editor.

What you want is to hide the content of a layer, aka a graphic or movieclip or, generically, a symbol. There are a few ways to do this:

You can add keyframes around the frame you don't want the symbols to appear, then delete the symbols between the keyframes. This is the easiest way.

If the background is a flat solid color, you can just cover them up with a shape the same color as the background. This can even be animated for a primitive wipe effect.

You can add a mask to the layer. This is more resource-intensive and probably overkill, but it is a way to do it.