Layer Parenting Toggle (SMR)

Commands / Layer Parenting Toggle (SMR)

17 September, 2020

Tags: command, help, Layer Parenting, parented layers, SMR, support, v.7.0

by nick

This is a multifunction command, part of the Smart Magnet Rig workflow

Functionality

Toggles ON or OFF Layer Parenting, based on the current selection and the existing hierarchy of a Smart Magnet Rig.

Layer mode
Based on the current state of Layer Parenting in the current Keyframe either parents or unparents the whole layers. This can work with either a vertical Timeline selection that includes one Keyframe or a Stage selection.
A prefix PL_ is added to layer names as a visual indicator of their current state.

Frame block mode
Based on a frame block selection in the Timeline either parents or unparents the layers within the span, based on the state of the first Keyframes in the selected block. The spans are marked with //PL comments*.

Suggested use

Layer Parenting can be useful, because symbols on parented layers (PL) tween along arcs. It can be a fast and efficient way of cleaning up animation.

Where does it work?

Stage, Timeline, multiple layers, Frame block selection
(Layer Parenting is only available in Animate 2019 and newer.)

EDAP Tools shortcut

; (Layer mode); Alt+; (Frame block mode)

Notes

*Due to a bug in some versions of Flash and Animate comment labeling of frames is switched off by default as it may negatively affect timeline playback. You can enable comment labels from EDAPT Control Panel > Miscellaneous > Settings > Label processed Keyframes.

Known Issues

Due to severe bugs in Animate, in EDAP Tools v.6.6 Layer Parenting integration has been disabled by default. Read more…

Video demonstration

All our videos are 1080p. If for some reason full HD is not available here, try watching them on YouTube.

This command is part of the Flanimate Power Tools package. Get the latest version from Downloads.

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I’m finally using your Flash Power Tools, and they’re fantastic. Just one suggestion – put a “donate” button on your site! Or a Flattr button, or something. I like to support Free software, even if it’s with just a few bucks.

The Electric Dog Flash Animation Power Tools (EDAPT for short) is a new technique for rigging character within Flash that dramatically speeds up animation workflow. ... With the old way of animating in Flash you would have to select each individual piece and move it into position on every frame. This gets even more messy if you were to add a tween to those objects. With the old method, if the arm was hanging beside the character, and he raised it up into the air, all of the pieces would move in a straight line from point A to B. ... With the Magnet rig setup all you have to do is go to one of those in between frames. Set a keyframe, and hit the ~ key and it will snap all of the objects back into place! Read More...

Amazing tools. Changed the way I use Flash from fun but frustrating, to just pure fun

Sebastian Zegers Risopatron

This looks very thorough, thanks a lot! it's very hard to find articles that are as in-depth and professional as this, great work!

I found this site by accident but I'm glad I did. Thanks a ton this will really help me. I'll be coming back!

A gift from the heavens! Next Frame in Symbol/Prev Frame in Symbol shaved eons off from the animation process!

This is one of the most useful tools for flash animation. Makes character animations a breeze. The learning curve is pretty small, and once you get used to it – you can’t live without it…at least in Flash Very good work gents, thank you!

I am an artist and a 2d animator and have been using Aftereffects and Flash for my character animations. Your toolset and this help article is AWESOME! Thanks a lot

You’re the best! Perfect Tools. Thanks!

Wow, EDAP tools is an incredible find! So many scripts that speed up my animation workflow! It allows me to focus more on my animations, and less on the technical side of character rigs! Also, the developers respond to feedback/bugs immediately! Thank you so much for creating this package! I’ll be sure to spread the word!

Great job on the Electric Dog Flash Animation Power Tools – this is one complete set of tools that I use a lot for my flash animations. I’ve tried a lot of individual plugins and they work well on their own but it’s so good to have a solid base of components in one package.

Thank you so much for this insightful compilation! I normally do 3d animation, but had to transition into 2d for a project I’m working on. This lesson probably improved my upcoming project 10-fold, and made the subsequent projects infinitely easier. Wonderful work!

David Jablonski

Electric Dog Flash power tools really make Flash work so much friendlier than Adobe thought it should. It really solves so many of Flash's symbol short comings. Smart transform and the magnet rigs really speed up the animation process, and I know for a fact I couldn't have hit a few deadlines without these swell tools. It wasn't too hard to learn and the personal help I got when I couldn't get things to work was amazing. I just updated to Flash CC on a new computer without the EDAPT plug in and I only made it about an hour using plain old Flash before I had to stop, and get these power tools set up. Once you use these tools, you will not want to go back. And they're Free! Stop swearing at Flash and use it the way it was meant to be used. I'm a total cheapwad and even I had to donate a couple bucks because of all this product has done for me. Check it out!

Just wanted to say thanks for such a comprehensive run down of an efficient Flash workflow. It was a huge help.

Massive help to my Flash work in UNI. Thanks so much for this brilliant learning resource, there’s nothing like this out there.

Ajit Pratap Singh Rajput

is this EDAPT tool supporting in flash cs6? if yes then how?

Jesse Cunningham

Nothing but crashing for me. Animate CC 2017. Im not even able to make a magnets work lol. Need a clearly more introductory level tutorial. I would pay to get this to work as smooth as you guys do in the videos. This sucks hard!