Creating and Deleting Layer Folders

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Complex movies contain dozens of layers . Viewing and navigating such hefty Timelines can get tedious and confusing. Layer folders help keep the Timeline organized. You might want to keep all the layers related to one character or element together in one folder, for example. Flash considers a folder to be another type of layer, and the methods for adding and deleting layer folders are similar to those for adding and deleting layers. Layer folders do not hold content, however, and no keyframes are associated with them in the Timeline.

To create layer folders:

1. In the Timeline, select a layer (or layer folder).

   Flash always adds a new layer folder directly above the selected layer (or folder). Note that the selected layer doesn't wind up inside the new folder, you must place this layer inside the new folder yourself. You'll learn to do that later in this chapter.

2. Do one of the following:

   • From the Insert menu, choose Layer Folder (Figure 5.7).

     Figure 5.7. Choose Insert > Layer Folder to add a new folder to your Timeline.

     

   • In the Timeline, click the Insert Layer Folder button.

     Flash adds a new layer folder and gives it a default name for example, Folder 6 (Figure 5.8).

     Figure 5.8. Flash places new layer folders above the layer you selected. Flash names new layer folders based on the number of layers and folder layers that have been created in the current scene of the movie.

     

     Because Flash considers layer folders to be a type of layer, Flash bases the default name on the number of layers that have been created in the movie.

To delete layer folders:

1. In the Timeline, select the layer folder you want to delete.

2. Click the Trash icon.

   or

   Control-click (Mac) or right-click (Windows) in the selected layer.

   The contextual menu for layers appears.

3. Choose Delete Folder.

   A dialog box appears, warning you that deleting the layer folder will also delete all the layers it contains.

4. To delete the folder and its layers, click Yes.

   or

   To cancel the delete operation, click No.

Tip

• All the instructions and tips for deleting multiple layers work on layer folders as well (see "Creating and Deleting Layers" earlier in this chapter).

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