Layer Ordering

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 11:39 am

I was setting up a character the other day in Moho when I realised that a function I take for granted in other animation software is completely lacking in Moho, namely the ability to switch around layer orders during a scene.

At present, the order is fixed for the whole scene.
There are various ways of working round this, but they are fiddly.

I'd like to be able to drag layers up and down at different frames and have their orders change accordingly. Does anyone else think this would be useful?

Jeff

kdiddy13 · Post by **kdiddy13** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 5:06 pm

That would be really awesome! I'd love to be able to have a character move his hand from behind something to in front of it. Right now you could do it with duplicate layers and keyed visibility, but then if you needed to change anything, you'd need to reduplicate and key.

This would ROCK!

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Ipad Guide

TheTallGuy · Post by **TheTallGuy** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 7:26 am

Yeah, it would be cool if you could simply drag a layer up in the timeline while holding a modifier key, and it split somehow. Though my eyes start to cross when I think about how you actually represent that in the user interface.

Right now, I believe you can do something very much like that by adjusting the layer depth, which is keyable. On the timeline, the hand layer will still look like it's behind the body, but in the preview it will pop in front.

kdiddy13 · Post by **kdiddy13** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:49 pm

I suppose it's as easy as trying it myself, but since I'm at work and can't try until later (and I just can't wait). Can you key layer depth on a layer that's being controlled by a bone?

For instance, say your characters hand moves behind a table, then you want him to put it on top of the table. Is it as simple as using the depth settings? Oooh, I'm giddy just thinking about the possibilities! So simple and clean.
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MONTE CARLO

TheTallGuy · Post by **TheTallGuy** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 7:23 pm

I believe that layer depth is totally independent of bones. I haven't used it for ages, though, so it's worth double checking this yourself.

Post by **Lost Marble** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 8:11 pm

Yes, layer depth is independent of bones. So, the sub-layers within a bone group can have different depths. These depths can change over time, and using depth sorting they can move in front of and behind each other.

kdiddy13 · Post by **kdiddy13** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 8:24 pm

Sweet! That is a perfect solution to the hand in front of and on top of the table. Any other solution (like keying layer order) would probably make things more complicated.

Is there anything Moho can't do?!? I love it!

Thanks!
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Vaporizer wholesaler

TheTallGuy · Post by **TheTallGuy** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:40 pm

Be sure to go into File/Project Settings and turn on "Sort Layers By Depth." Otherwise, I don't think you'll get the results you expect.

Post by **Lost Marble** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:25 pm

Actually, if you go to File->Project Settings and turn on "Sort layers by depth", Moho will sort the top-level layers. If you just want to sort the lsyers within a single group (or bone) layer, double-click that group layer. Then in the Layer Settings dialog, go to the "Depth Sort" tab and turn on "Sort layers by depth".

Also, if you still have version 4 around, check out Tutorial 16 in the manual.