Saving Shapes and Shape Styles
Like all objects in Motion, shapes and shape styles (a custom gradient fill and outline, for
example) can be saved to the Library. This allows you to add to the content that Motion
provides to create a library of your own custom objects and styles, including customized
behaviors and filters or whole project groups. Content you put into the Library is available
to every project in Motion.
Custom shapes (including masks) can be saved in the Shapes, Favorites, or Favorites Menu
categories of the Library. Custom shape styles, which are saved via the Shape Style pop-up
menu, are saved in the Shape Styles category. You can create your own folders in the
Library categories or subcategories to better organize your effects.
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Each customized shape or shape style saved to the Library is saved as a separate file in
the Motion folder of the Application Support directory. For example, a saved custom
shape named “red heart” in the Shapes category of the Library appears in the
Users/username/Library/Application Support/Motion/Library/Shape Styles/ folder.
Items saved to the Library appear in the Finder with a .molo extension (“Motion Library
object”). These items cannot be opened from the Finder.
Saved Shape Positions
When you drag a custom shape from the Library to the Canvas, the center of the shape
is dropped where you release the mouse button. If you use the Apply button in the
preview area to add the shape, the shape is added at the center of the Canvas.
When you drag shapes that were saved with the “All in one file” option to the Canvas,
the shapes are dropped where you release the mouse button and are positioned
according to their arrangement when originally saved to the Library. If you use the Apply
button in the preview area to add the shapes, the shapes are added at the center of
the Canvas.
When you drag a custom mask from the Library into a project, the mask retains the
position with which it was saved (relative to the image or footage on which it is dropped).
To save a shape to the Library
1
Open the Library and select the Favorites, Favorites Menu, or Shapes category.
2
Drag the shape you want to save from the Layers list or Timeline into the stack at the
bottom of the Library.
Shapes saved to the Favorites Menu category can be added to a project via the Favorites
menu.
The saved custom shape appears in the Shapes category of the Library in the
Users/username/Library/Application Support/Motion/Library/Shape Styles/ folder.
To save multiple shapes to the Library
1
Open the Library and select the Favorites, Favorites Menu, or Shapes category.
2
In the Layers list, select the shapes to save, drag them to the stack, and hold down the
mouse button.
3
When the drop menu appears, choose “All in one file” or “Multiple files.”
“All in one file” saves the shapes together, and they are listed as one item in the Library.
“Multiple files” saves the shapes as individual objects in the Library.
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4
To rename the file, do one of the following:
• Control-click the icon, choose Rename from the shortcut menu, then enter a descriptive
name.
• Select the icon, click the current name, then enter a new descriptive name.
Note: When you Control-click the icon, the Edit Description option becomes available.
This is a handy tool that allows you to enter custom notes about an item saved in the
Library. After you choose Edit Description, enter your notes in the text field and click OK.
To save a shape style to the Library
1
With the shape selected, choose Save Shape Style from the Shape Style pop-up menu in
the Style pane of the Shape Inspector (or in the Shape HUD).
2
Enter a name for the style in the Save Preset to Library dialog and click Save (or press
Return).
The custom style is saved to the Library in the All subcategory of the Shape Styles category
by default. You can move the preset into an existing subcategory, or create your own
folders to organize your custom styles (see below).
When the style is selected in the Library stack, a preview is displayed in the Preview pane.
The new preset now appears in the Shape Style pop-up menu in the Style pane of the
Shape Inspector.
The saved custom shape style appears in the Shape Styles category of the Library in the
/Users/username/Library/Application Support/Motion/Library/Shape Styles/ folder.
To apply a shape style to a shape
Do one of the following:
µ
With the shape selected, click the Style pane in the Shape Inspector (or in the Shape
HUD), then choose a style from the Shape Style pop-up menu.
µ
Drag a shape style from the Library to a shape in the Canvas, Layers list, or Timeline.
µ
Drag a stylized existing shape onto another shape in the Layers list, hold down the mouse
button, and choose Copy Style to Shape from the drop menu.
To create a folder in a Library category
1
Open the Library and select the Shapes, Shape Styles, Favorites, or Favorites Menu
category.
2
Do one of the following:
• Click the New Folder button (+) at the bottom of the window.
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• Control-click an empty area of the Library stack (the lower section of the Library) then
choose New Folder from the shortcut menu.
Note: You may have to expand your stack window or use icon view to access an empty
area.
The new untitled folder appears in the Library stack. The new folder does not appear
in the Library sidebar.
3
Double-click the name of the folder, enter a new name, then press Return.
To create a folder in a Library subcategory
1
Open the Library and select a subcategory, such as the Fauna subcategory of the Content
category.
2
Do one of the following:
• Click the New Folder button (+) at the bottom of the window.
• Control-click an empty area of the Library stack (the lower section of the Library), then
choose New Folder from the shortcut menu.
Note: You may have to expand your stack window or use icon view to access an empty
area.
The new untitled folder appears in the Library stack. The new folder does not appear
in the Library sidebar.
3
Double-click the name of the folder, enter a new name, then press Return.
To move a shape to a custom folder in a Library category
µ
Drag the shape to the new folder in the Library sidebar.
The custom preset is added to the new folder and to the All subcategory.
To move a shape to a custom folder in a Library subcategory
µ
Drag the shape to the new folder in the Library stack.
The custom preset is added to the new folder and to the All subcategory.
To move a shape style to a custom folder in a Library category
µ
After you save the new preset via the Shape Style pop-up menu in the Style pane of the
Shape Inspector, drag the custom preset from the All subcategory in the Library stack to
the new folder in the Library sidebar.
The custom preset is added to the new folder.
Note: Because shape styles are saved via the Shape Style pop-up menu in the Style pane
of the Shape Inspector, they cannot be dragged to the Library.
To delete a custom shape or shape style
µ
Control-click the custom item, then choose Move to Trash from the shortcut menu.
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To delete a custom folder from a subcategory in the Library stack
µ
Control-click the folder in the Library stack, then choose Move to Trash from the shortcut
menu.
Note: You can also delete the folder from the Finder. The folder is stored in the
Users/username/Library/Application Support/Library/ folder.
Important:
Deleting a custom object or folder cannot be undone.
To delete a custom folder from a category in the Library sidebar
µ
In the Finder, navigate to the Users/[username]/Library/Application
Support/Motion/Library/ folder, Control-click the folder, then choose Move to Trash from
the shortcut menu.