I’ve created a timeline that swaps out active / inactive buttons in a menu (the button arrangement for scene one is at button timeline 0 sec., scene two is at button timeline 1 sec., etc.).
I want the timeline to be a persistent symbol to control the menu for each scene. I’m not sure what to select. If I select the keyframes in this timeline, create a symbol and assign the symbol to be persistent, I get a resizable gray object with text about the symbol (why resizable?), but the timeline does not appear in any but the first scene. This is confusing. I don’t need a gray box in front of everything. What does the shape and position of the gray box represent? Is this supposed to be resized and aligned with the menu bar?
The documentation says that a timeline can become a symbol and what it can do, but it does not say how.
First of all I suggest not drinking while reading as this will undoubtedly make it fuzzy
ok now I’ll be serious …
What you need to do is select all your objects (the ones you want in your symbol) and choose symbols ->New Persistent Symbol from selection.
Now that you have a symbol with all your elements in it you need to double click it (to get inside) and you will see your timelines, if you haven’t any then you can create timelines (think of the symbol as a mini Hype document).
Once you’re done creating timelines and doing whatever you need to do in the symbol. Click the X next to the symbol name (above the timeline in a nice pink) and now you have a symbol that plays when you load your document. (notice the keyframe and line for your symbol in the timeline area)
You can resize the Symbol how you want (can even make the overflow invisible … handy for some situations) This won’t effect the elements inside (unless you’re resizing from the top or left sides)
Advanced**
Don’t forget you can delete the keyframe in the Main Timeline if you don’t want your symbol to play automagically. Also when using any javascript you have to create a symbol object (use the Hype API) and manipulate the timelines using this variable.
You can also look into custom behaviours too. There are many posts on this here in the forum.
