Digital Workshop

I am having some problems with vectors and animating those vectors.
I currently have a curly drawn line, I want that line to curl in and out depending on a mouseover trigger.

Let's say we have a button. On mouseover, I want a drawn vector to reveal itself, and then hide itself when the mouse is off.

The problem with using transitions to achieve this effect is that the transition reveals the whole curl instead of following the curl.

I was wondering if it's possible by drawing the url in opus script or whether there is some way to mask the vector.

I have attached a .imp with a curl and button to test on.

Thank you.

Oh, also.. I must mention that I'm trying to achieve this as a flex publication.. this may make things a little harder.

M,

The solution depends on what you are trying to accomplish. As you'll see in many posts here, there are often several ways to solve a thing.

If this is ONE stylized logo... then you can take a simple approach. If this is something to be applied to many different "curls", then something more programmatic.

Most complex: create clones of 'pieces' of the curve. Then you can control visibility of each clone object.

Simplest: Create a Path along the curve and move a very small object along the path. Use a Collision trigger (or in OpusScript, a Loop plus "IsIntersecting( someObject )" to Show() segments of the Curl or alternatively to Hide() Frames that initially cover the Curl.

Another approach: use OpusScript to DrawLine() and AddPoint() or RemovePoint() as you want. This is easier than it sounds.... create a "mock-up" of your Curl as you have done. In Opus editor... mouse over different points along the curve. Look at the lower 'status bar' and write down several points along the curve... code these as X,Y coordinates into your Add/Remove points command.

Let us know what a little more if this is one-off or something to be replicated/coded. Lots of creative minds here to lend a hand.

There will be a total of 6 or 7 different curls, so something programmatic would be great.

"Most complex: create clones of 'pieces' of the curve"
Would this run smoothly? I'm imagining it in my head and I'm visualising blocks of my curls appearing instead of a nice smooth sweep.

"Simplest: Create a Path along the curve and move a very small object along the path."
Same with the above but I'll give it a shot.

"Another approach: use OpusScript to DrawLine() and AddPoint() or RemovePoint() as you want."
Would my curl be jagged or would it still retain a nice shape?

Thanks. :3

M,

On 2nd thought, DrawLine and Add/Remove points are probably not features available in Flex -- if I recall.

Cloning and/or runtime "Drawing" take some CPU power. Generally not a problem with today's machines... but then you never know what system power a user may have, or what processes are running concurrently. There are some Pubs in the Showcase forum area... you'll see clone there. Etc, etc.

To the related question... 'yes', chopping up the graphic curl could get to less smooth visual.

Opus has a sizable number of standard "transitions" that might just fit your needs, depending how complex the curl shapes get. Some transition effects are tied to object properties (thus its method of appearing/disappearing). Or, transitions may be applied as animation effects.

I've done a mock-up of another approach. Again, this was fairly quick. You may find it works for you, or it might not be good enough for your other 'curls'. (if poss. useful, read up on Frames, "fix object to page', and resizing Frame with Ctrl key held down).

Aha!
I was trying to find out some information on frames, since I was fairly certain that something like that could be done. I tried to find it here on the forums but to no avail (probably searching the wrong things).

I will try this and the .imp you attached when I get home to see if it works as I expect.

Thank you, Lar, for your help so far, I'll get back to you with a result.

Okay, so I tried the attached .imp, but was not satisfied by the look of the curl. However, I did do some work on my other 7 final curls and I have come up with a solution, a solution that works with a spectacular result.
Once I have finished all 7 curls, I will post it up so you can have a look at it.

Thank you again for your help. Knowing that it was Ctrl + Drag to resize the frames around the contents was a great big help!

I'll get back with the new .imp for users to have a look at as soon as I finish work and get back home. :3

Well, time has passed and I haven't gotten anywhere on my curls.. especially since I tried to export the pub as a swf and was really not happy with how the vectors looked. It's as if they were lacking certain coordinates making them slightly out of place and jagged.
I'm a perfectionist trying to get something to look pleasing as a web site homepage, and if I don't get this right, I won't be happy.

I managed to get one curl working.. kinda... and the more I try to battle with Opus, the more I get tired of it and want to just rack my brains, recreating it in Flash.

Have a look at the attached .zip/.imp for your viewing.

As you will see, the curls (link1 is the only one that works so far) appear as though they fill up the tubes (the effect I was looking for). They do tend to destroy themselves and muck up if you mouseover then mouseexit before the tube fills completely, and also doesn't show properly unless you wait 2 seconds before refilling.

You will also see the difference between exporting to exe and swf.

I'm sorry I have to say this, but I have to abandon opus for this project, since it cannot cater for my needs like it should. (or at least I can't make it cater for my needs)
I would like to say thank you again, Larry, for your help so far. It'll certainly come in handy for future projects.

If somehow, someone manages to make the curls work perfectly when exported to swf, then... then..... then I will eat my hat.

This did very strange thing to my XP and had to reboot.

The IMP opened OK but wouldn't preview.

[EDIT] Had a look at this again this morning and the Pub Type is set to DX which the graphic card in this machine doesn't like with Opus

With DX off the publication runs very smoothly and looks good. I see the problem of mouse over / out but you should be able to do several things such as stop & reset all animations on mouse out or check if the animation is still running before commencing with mouse out.

Mack