The easiest way to apply animation to content in a Multi-state Object (MSO), is to add the animation prior to creating the MSO:

  1. Select the content.
  2. Apply the desired animation preset in the Animation panel.
  3. Group content as needed to become separate object states.
  4. Select all the content (and/or content groups).
  5. Click the Convert selection to multi-state object button in the Object States panel.


If you would like to apply animation to content in an MSO after the MSO has been created, make sure that you add the animation to the content in the object state as opposed to the object state itself.


You can see the difference between what has been selected in both the Object States panel and the Layers panel. 


In the following screenshots, you can see that State 1 (but not the content in State 1) has been selected. In the Object States panel on the left, the icon to the right of the selected state shows a bounding box only, and at the bottom of the panel, "State selected" is displayed. In the Layers panel on the right, you can see that blue box to the right of State 1 inside of Multi-state 1 is selected but not the content inside State 1.


If you have the state selected, select the content in the state before applying animation.



In the screenshots below, you can see that the content of State 1 has been selected. In the Object States panel, the icon to the right of the selected state shows the bounding box with a solid rectangle inside of it, and at the bottom of the panel, "Object in state selected" is displayed. In the Layers panel, you can see that blue box to the right of State 1 inside of Multi-state 1 is selected as well as the object inside State 1.



To select the content in the object state, do the following:

  1. Select the desired state in the Object States panel
  2. Twirl open the MSO in the Layers panel
  3. Twirl open the state in the Layers panel
  4. And click on the dot to the right of the content (or Shift + click for multiple elements)


Once you've selected the content in the object state, add animation to it through the Animation panel.


For more information about working MSOs and adding animation, see Creating Dynamic Content with Multi-State Objects and Making Things Move with Animation.