decorative banner

Unifying and matching layers rollovers and animations


    By default, changes you make to layers using Layers palette commands and options--including layer visibility, position, and style--apply only to the frame or state (unless you are working with the Normal state or Frame 1). However, you can use the unify buttons in the Layers palette and the Match command to apply changes to all states in a rollover and all frames in an animation:

    • The unify buttons determine how the changes you make to a layer in the active state or frame apply to the other states in a rollover or frames in an animation. When a unify button is selected, changes apply to all states and frames; when a button is deselected, changes apply to only the active state or frame.
    • The Layer > Match command lets you apply the layer attributes for an existing state or frame to other states in a rollover and frames in an animation.

To unify layers in rollover states and animation frames:

    Select one or more unify buttons in the Layers palette:

    • Unify Layer Position button Unify Layer Position button to apply changes you make to a layer's position to all states in a rollover and all frames in an animation.
    • Unify Layer Visibility button Unify Layer Visibility button to apply changes you make to a layer's visibility to all states in a rollover and all frames in an animation.
    • Unify Layer Style button Unify Layer Style button to apply changes you make to a layer's style to all states in a rollover and all frames in an animation.

To match an existing layer across rollover states and animation frames:

  1. In the Rollovers palette, select the state or frame with the layer attributes you want to use.
  2. Select the layer you want to match in the Layers palette.
  3. Choose Layer > Match, or choose Match from the Layers palette menu.
  4. Select one of the following:
    • Current Animation to apply layer attributes for the selected frame to all frames in the animation.
    • Current Slice/Image Map's States to apply layer attributes for the selected state to all states in the rollover.
    • All Rollovers to apply layer attributes for the selected state to all states in all rollovers in the image that include the layer.
  5. Select the layer attributes you want to match, and click OK.
  6. Note: Choose Propogate Frame 1 Changes from the Layers palette pop-up menu to dynamically update all rollover states and animation frames, based on a change in the first frame's position, visibility, or layer style.