~:~ Setting Preferences in Animation Shop ~:~

I have seen many tutorials out there on the web that will tell you to NEVER set your Animation Shop Preferences to "keep layers as separate frames". They will try to tell you that "merge layers into a single frame" is the ONLY box you should ever check. That is incorrect information. Jasc would never include this option if there wasn't a use for it!!   ;-)

You can choose EITHER preference, both are correct! It just depends on the image you are creating at the time. Sometimes our preference is to have each layer in our image become a frame in our animation. In another animation, we may want to change this setting back to 'merge layers'. This is a mini tut explaining how to change your Animation Shop Preferences...and why.

"Keep layers as separate frames" is the setting I use most of the time. It is my preferred setting because I can create layers and frames at the same time! This may not be suitable 100% of the time....sometimes there's a need to change back and forth! Check whether the tutorial you are working on calls for separate layers or merged layers.

When the Preference settings are set to "Keep layers as separate frames":
Animation Shop will know, when opening a .psp file containing multiple layers, to keep every layer separate....each layer will become a separate animation frame. Layer#1=Frame 1, Layer#2=Frame 2, etc. This setting must be used when animations are created from a single multi-layered image.

When the Preference settings are set to "merge layers into a single frame":
Aniamtion Shop will open your file with all layers merged into a single animation frame. This setting is often used when animations are created from multiple images.

Note: If your .psp file has any layers that are 'hidden' ...whatever is on those layers will not appear as a frame in the Animation Shop filmstip.

To verify your own Animation Shop preferences, go to File>Preferences>General Program Preferences.   Under the Layered Files tab, make sure the button is checked next to "keep layers as separate frame" ...if that is your current preference. Whether to have it checked or unchecked could vary from project to project.

Note: These options will be found in Animation Shop Preferences ...NOT Paint Shop Pro Preferences!

Paint Shop Pro X users: "Update Back to Animation Shop" is included in the update/patch 10.02 for Paint Shop Pro X (at corel.com). It is available as an 'Unused Command' that can be restored as a menu item using the Customize dialog.

Users of Paint Shop Pro 8 and newer: The .PSPIMAGE file format used in newer versions of Paint Shop Pro is not compatible with the currently released version of Animation Shop (v.3) and users of Paint Shop Pro 8, 9 and X (10) must change the FILE TYPE when saving an image for use in Animation Shop. If you are using Paint Shop Pro version 8.01, select the OPTIONS button, then select the radio button to 'save as Paint Shop Pro 7 compatible'. If you have a newer version ...Animation Shop has been added as a 'file type'. Use the SAVE AS command and the dialog box will give you the option to change the FILE TYPE to Animation Shop.

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