This is one area that I preferred the Fireworks interface for. Creating gifs in Fireworks is incredibly easy. Each layer is independent unless you mark it as active across all frames (good for static backgrounds).

Anyway, quick version of what you described (I hope). Could be smoother but I only had 5 minutes.

go thru the options in the tweening panel, you'll see there's one that lets you edit a layer but affect only that frame.

so if i wanted to create something like that i would not have to make three layers one for each cirlce i.e circle 1,2,3 i could just make a layer with a green ball on it, export to image ready and then make a new layer and move the ball up slightly on each one.

I would have made three layers one with the ball in each position then created six frames with each layer hiding/ showing accordingly.

Are both ways possible or only the second? firsts definitly easier...

you are correct, both ways will work. but one ball and just moving it in each frame, is not only easier, but it wont cost as much in file size.

This is why I like Fireworks over ImageReady. I actually only had ONE layer and four frames set to loop at 33/100 of a second each. The frame with ball #2 is duplicated so that it appears before and after the frame with ball #3.

So it's lik-a-dis-here:

Frame 1 - Ball #1
Frame 2 - Ball #2
Frame 3 - Ball #3
Frame 4 - Ball #2

That's it.

I'm sure there are other ways of doing it. This was just the way I knew how to do it.

Just don't ask me to do anything good when it comes to gifs. That's Shaman and Couldb's territory.

this was 4 frames #2 was duplicated twice.
only 2 balls used, because I wanted the bottom one to show some distortion for the bounce, and 3 shadows in total.

how do I save them?? ahh its 7MB and won't even play out of imageready

It took me FOREVER to make my first crappy GIF and it won't even save/play haha

any help would be appreciated!

thanks!

here try this (or for anyone else who wants it)
http://www.box.net/shared/m7o2t0esnp

its one of my gifs from here. Its the whole thing, settings should all be OK, just download it and bring the .psd into image ready.
try to match what I've got going.
if you still cant get yours to work, we'll go from there...
Sean

Thanks a bunch shaman thats really helped seeing that psd. I see its a combination of the two methods i mentioned. Ill have a go and making a gif thats not just text and see what i can come up with.

THanks for the help guys especially shaman. Its helped loads i made a gif and im really happy with it did everything i wanted. heres what it looks like:



only 56kb...

thanks alot and heres my psd if anyone would like to see it:

http://www.mediafire.com/?52mzymln1nk

this only took me about 10 mins total aswell cheers

m@

source: http://gallery.hd.org/_c/baby/_more2006/_more01/baby-girl-5-five-weeks-old-active-on-playmat-playgym-baby-gym-colourful-mat-and-toys-closeup-8-JR.jpg.html?sessionVar=spider&sessionVarLocale=es