I can't find the "cityscape" icon

[howardc5156088]

Where is Animate CC's "cityscape" icon that Adobe's instructions will allow me to change the transparency (alpha setting) of a symbol that will allow me to use a motion tween to make it face in or out?

[_keyframer]

"cityscape" icon I have never heard of before.

Select the instance of your symbol and in Properties Panel look in the "Color Effect" section. Use the Style drop-down to select alpha. Adjust to suit your needs.

[howardc5156088]

Many thanks, _keyframer. That's totally helpful. As for the "cityscape" term, here it is as seen in the Animate CC's own instructions:

"...Select the cityscape instance on the Stage.... In the Properties inspector, choose the Alpha option for Color Effect...." Adobe should hire you to write their software instructions.

[_keyframer · Accepted solution]

They already do hire me

So I think in this example, the term "cityscape" refers to what they named their symbol. I can see how that can be misleading.

General rule of thumb with Animate is, select any object, graphic symbol, movie clip, bitmap, button, sound etc, and the properties panel will update to reflect setting for what you selected. Alpha, tint and other settings that you want to animate through the use of tweens are applied to what's called the 'instance' of a symbol, that being the symbol on the stage. It doesn't effect the artwork inside the symbol, it just effects the symbol that houses the artwork. In other words, it's non-destructive to the contents inside the symbol yet allows you to change and animate the appearance of the symbol over time through the use of tweens.

[ClayUUID]

howardc5156088  wrote

"...Select the cityscape instance on the Stage.... In the Properties inspector, choose the Alpha option for Color Effect...." Adobe should hire you to write their software instructions.

It very clearly says "instance", not "icon".

[howardc5156088]

I’m fuzzy on Animate's technical meaning of “instance” as it applies to manipulating a symbol in the timeline.

[_keyframer]

The "symbol' resides in the document's library. Open that up and you'll see all the imported assets and symbols you've created.

If you drag a symbol from the library to the stage, what's on the stage is referred to as an 'instance' of the Library symbol.

When you apply color effects to an 'instance' you are not editing the art inside the symbol. Think of it as if you walk up to a department store window. You see the mannequins in the window on display. These mannequins are your artwork. if you want to apply a color effect, it would be as if you pulled out a spray can and sprayed the outside glass a different color. The mannequins are untouched inside the store. The glass color has changed and thereby making them look different from the outside looking in.

That may be a bit of a stretch analogy-wise but hope it helps you understand.