Forum Discussion
Rotating an Image using States
I have question regarding states:
I want to create a dial that rotates according to a variable value. I have the variable working well, but want to rotate the pointer using the states feature. When I edit states, then add a new state, I am unable to rotate the pointer object that I had created. I can get it move to different places on the slide, but the rotate option is grayed out. I also note that "free rotation" function I use in PowerPoint is also not supported.
Any suggestions?
Hi Doug! You should be able to do this with a little trickery. It's true that when you edit the state on the original object, Storyline doesn't provide a rotation option on that object. However, what you could do is insert or paste a duplicate of the same object, and rotate that (since any new object you add to a state does allow the rotation option). Once you've inserted/rotated the duplicate, you can delete the original from the state. Attached is a rough example. Keep in mind, though, that if you later want to modify the look of your object (such as resize it or change text/color/etc.) you'll need to make the change on each state, since Storyline will consider the objects separate. Hope this helps!
Michael, thanks for sharing your file. To get a really smooth rotation, this should probably be done in Flash or as a 3D rendered video from some3D software. But doing this in Storyline doesn't look too bad either. I updated your file to have the various rotation states for one of the models as custom states, rather than in separate layers and replaces the two arrow buttons with a slider, which (somewhat) mimics a 'swipe'. See attached file and here is the published version. Hope that gives you some ideas.
Hi everyone! This thread has been so helpful to me. I am trying to create something just like Michael's swipe effect using several states which correspond to a slider. I want to create a swipe effect and make an image look like it's rotating.
However, my issue actually lies in getting the images required to set these custom states. For example, my project requires a 3D cube to rotate on the slide. Each side of the cube will have a different pattern. I want the student to be able to use the slider bar to view all sides of the cube by creating a rotation effect. I figure I will need some 3D software to render out the images I need, i.e. several images of the 3D cube at different points in the rotation. I've heard that people have used Blender to render out a 3D shape at different points in the rotation but the software looks complicated and I'm not sure if I'll be able to learn how to use it in the project timeline. I don't have any experience in 3D software and seem to be hitting a wall on how to achieve this and get the images I need to make this interaction work.
Any advice or links greatly appreciated!
Laura
Hey Charles,
You could do something like the attached. I added some layers on your slide, and each layer shows the shapes in a different position on the circle. A trigger on the rotation arrow in the middle causes the appropriate layer to show. Preview the file in Storyline and click the rotation arrow in the center to move the shapes clockwise, one position at a time.
how do you rotate objects in a circular manner without having to create buttons with triggersi.e. captions move in a clockwise manner when they are clicked on?
Hey Charles - I'm having a hard time picturing the effect you're wanting to build. Would you be able to attach a story file with an example so that we can better help you out?
hi jeanette...my file is attached. What i desire is a situation where those shapes A-D can move up and down the circle using triggers or otherwise without having to see any buttons on the page.i.e. once the learners hovers/clicks the shapes rotates clockwise round the circle.
thanks jeanette...it worked prefectly and you perform wonders.lol
Great thread! I was just starting to play around with "3d rotation", hoping to be able use some "smoke 'n mirrors" to produce a rotation sequence. Any ideas on how to create a swipe feature rather than having to click the arrows? ( I know I'm encroaching on adobe AIR/Flash, but it would be a nice feature to have )
Nice example, Michael - thanks for sharing!
Hey Michael,
I'd made a note last week that I wanted to take a look and see how you did this. Very cool! Took me a bit to see where the hotspots were placed in relation to each other, since they were totally transparent, so I made them somewhat green again (any reason you did that?).
Definitely putting this in my toolkit. Tx so much for sharing!
