Flash animation: how to let an object follow a curve?

[Joly]

Hi,

Hoping this is the right place to post this question

I was wondering how I can animate an object along a curve.
E.g. a bal coming in the picture, bounces and leaves the drawing-area.

Is there somebody who can help me with this one?

Looking forward to it

Kind regards,

Joly

[Soquili]

Hi Joly,

Welcome to Talkgraphics.

Are you using Xara Xtreme?

Do you want to create the animation as animated gif or as a flash animation?

[Joly]

Hi,

I'm using Xtreme Pro 5.
I prefer Flash, but animated GIF is also OK.

Kind regards,

Joly

[Soquili]

There are always several ways to do most things in Xara Xtreme.

See the small screen captures of the first 4 frames of the first example animation.

Begin by starting a New Animation.
Create your ball object and have it off the drawing area.
Copy the frame then move your ball object to a point within the drawing area.
Copy the frame then move the ball object again.
Repeat until you have the ball bounce then move out of the drawing area.

Because we are working with flash, you can skip some of the intermediate steps and have only 3 frames. This will be a much faster animation and the ball actually moves in straight lines rather than in a curve.

The second example animation uses the 3 frame method.

[Joly]

Hi,

I did my animation the same way, but I was hoping there existed an easier way or method.
In fact I have to create as many frames as I need to have a fluent/smooth curve.
OK, I can live with it, but maybe this should be a nice feature in a next release, don't you think?

Thanks again.

Kind regards,

Joly

[gwpriester]

Welcome to TalkGraphics Joly.

CorelDRAW can convert a blend into an animation. Maybe Xara will figure out how to do this as well. Though I am not sure if Corel can turn a blend into a Flash animation. It has been too long since I used it.

[Egg Bramhill]

Hi Joly and welcome. It's far easier to do in Flash itself were you can get an object to follow a path but it can be done as Bill points out.

Here's an alternative method. The xar is best viewed in wireframe as it uses some 99% transparencies.