Adding In/Out Effects to Objects

In/Out effects are visual effects that occur when an object is first made visible (In) and when and object is hidden (Out). This usually occurs when an object's page is loaded or transitioned away from, but it can also occur when actions are used to hide and show the object. Examples of effects include fading in, moving across the screen, or having a pattern briefly appear over the object. In/Out effects are an easy way to add visual dynamism to your projects. In addition, you can add sounds to play as the object appears/disappears.

Each object can have its own In/Out effect (pages can also have their own effects. For more information, see Adding In-Out effects to pages). The effects are managed in the Object Properties dialog box under the Effects tab.

To add an In/Out effect to an object

1. Right-click the object and click Properties in the context menu.
2. In the Object Properties dialog box, go to the Effects tab.
3. Adjust the settings as you desire and click OK.
4. The Effects tab is divided into two sides: one for the In effect and another for the Out effect. The two sides are identical but can be set independently.

The Effects tab settings are listed below.

The Effects tab settings

1. Type: Click the Type box to open the Effect Properties dialog box and choose your effect. There are two types of effects: program effects and graphic effects. Program effects involve moving an object and changing its size. Graphic effects involve overlaying an object with a pattern or shape and making it partially transparent. The illustrations give an idea of what the effect will look like. Click on one to choose it. If there is no effect, you will see an illustration with the word 'none' on it.
2. Step: This controls how many frames of animation the effect will be composed of. A low number will produce a very choppy animation, whereas a high number will produce a smooth animation. The number must be between 1 - 64.
3. Delay: This determines the speed with which the effect is executed. A high number causes the effect to be very slow while a low number produces a quick effect. The number must be between 0 - 1000.
4. Before In: Use this setting to prevent the effect from beginning immediately after the page is loaded. Select Wait Time from the drop-down list to wait for a certain amount of time. The amount of time is determined by the value entered in the field on the right. This value represents the number of 1/10ths of a second that the program will wait after the page is loaded to begin the effect. Select Wait Key-In to wait until the enter key has been pressed after the page has been loaded.
5. Direction: This controls the direction of graphic effects. Click for the original, default direction. Click to reverse the direction. This setting does not apply to program effects.
6. Softness: As the name indicates, this controls how soft the effect appears. A high value creates a soft effect, and a low value creates a rough effect. The value must be between 1 - 32.
7. Sound: Here you can add a sound that will play as the effect occurs. Click to open the File Open dialog box and choose a file and adjust the settings. For information on how to choose a sound effect, see Using the Open Sound File dialog box.