Adobe Flash Professional CC 2014 v.13.0 - Manual (Page 32)

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When you create a motion tween, Flash Pro converts the layer containing the object you selected to tween into a tween layer. The tween layer has
a tween icon next to the layer name in the Timeline.
If other objects are present on the same layer as the tweened object, Flash Pro adds new layers above or below the original layer as needed. Any
objects that existed below the tweened object on its original layer move to a new layer below the original layer. Any objects that were above the
tweened object on its original layer move to a new layer above the original layer. Flash Pro inserts these new layers between any pre-existing
layers in the Timeline. In this way Flash Pro preserves the original stacking order of all the graphic objects on the Stage.
A tween layer can contain only tween spans (contiguous groups of frames containing a tween), static frames, blank keyframes, or empty frames.
Each tween span can contain only a single target object and an optional motion path for the target object. Because you cannot draw in a tween
layer, create additional tweens or static frames on other layers and then drag them to the tween layer. To place frame scripts on a tween layer,
create them on another layer and drag them to the tween layer. A frame script can only reside in a frame outside the motion tween span itself. In
general, it is best to keep all frame scripts on a separate layer that contains only ActionScript.
When a document has several layers, tracking and editing the objects on one or more of them can be difficult. This task is easier if you work with
the contents of one layer at a time. To hide or lock layers you are not currently working on, click the Eye or Lock icon next to the layer name in the
Timeline. Using layer folders can help you organize layers into manageable groups.
Distributing objects to layers for tweened animation
Flash Pro automatically moves an object to its own tween layer when you apply a motion tween to the object. However, you can also distribute
objects to their own separate layers yourself. For example, you can choose to distribute objects yourself when you are organizing content. Manual
distribution is also useful for applying animation to objects while maintaining precise control over how they move from one layer to another.
When you use the Distribute To Layers command (Modify > Timeline > Distribute To Layers), Flash Pro distributes each selected object to a new,
separate layer. Any objects that you don’t select (including objects in other frames) are preserved in their original layers.
You can apply the Distribute To Layers command to any element on the Stage, including graphic objects, instances, bitmaps, video clips, and
broken-apart text blocks.
About new layers created with Distribute to Layers
New layers created during the Distribute To Layers operation are named according to the name of the element that each contains:
A new layer containing a library asset (such as a symbol, bitmap, or video clip) receives the same name as the asset.
A new layer containing a named instance receives the name of the instance.
A new layer containing a character from a broken-apart text block is named with the character.
A new layer containing a graphic object (which has no name) is named Layer1 (or Layer2, and so on), because graphic objects do not have
names.
Flash Pro inserts the new layers below any selected layers. The new layers are arranged top to bottom, in the order that the selected
elements were originally created. The layers in broken-apart text are arranged in the order of the characters, whether left-to-right, right-to-left,
or top-to-bottom. For example, suppose you break apart the text FLASH and distribute it to layers. The new layers, named F, L, A, S, and H,
are arranged top to bottom, with F at the top. These layers appear immediately below the layer that initially contained the text.
Distribute objects to layers
1. Select the objects you want to distribute to separate layers. The objects can be in a single layer, or in several layers, including non-
contiguous layers.
2. Do one of the following:
Select Modify > Timeline > Distribute To Layers.
Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Macintosh) one of the selected objects, and select Distribute To Layers.
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