[york28]

What I want to do is have some text 'write' itself on the page. I was going to try to use flash to make this, but I can't quite figure out how. One idea was to have a mask on the layer that is just a line that covers the letters, and have it shorten, but I can't conceptualize of how to implement this.

Otherwise I could use a gif but I'd rather avoid it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

[wallinbl]

Are you looking to have it look like it is being typed letter by letter? You could do that with JavaScript. I'm sure Flash can do it was well, I just don't know much about Flash.

[Simon Mundy]

There's no real shortcuts if you want to make it look 'authentic' (well, as authentic as fake handwriting can!)

I'd just convert the handwritten text to a shape instead of editable text, and have a series of layer masks that use the frame transforms to slowly reveal each part of the letter over time. Only have one letter reveal at a time, say, covered by a mask, until it is fully revealed, then add it to a static layer so it remains untouched by any further masks.

I'd work backwards - create a mask for each character then slowly remove bits of it as you create each keyframe. Make sure it looks smooth and natural - perhaps also use a round paintbrush to create the mask so it looks like it's flowing.

I sure hope you're not revealing a paragraph of text...

[york28]

I dunno, I was only going to have it write out a line or two, but after thinking about the amount of time involved, just for some intro page thing, I decided t wasn't such a great plan.

And actually in the past week I've actually changed my mind about the whole concpet of the site I was working on, so I don't think it would even fit in anyway.

Thanks for the help tho.

[skalie]

A mask that uses the handwriting as a path?

[redJag]

Even though he decided not to do it:

I think the general response would agree with my solution.
Write out what you want and scan it in to your computer (or just type using a handwriting-like font). Then cover all the handwritten text with a mask so that you can see the rest of the Flash movie where it is. Then every keyframe, remove a small portion of the mask as you would in a penstroke. It would take awhile, but Flash development always does (for me, at least).

Travis
forté web design