[Andy_beet]

Hi,
I am having trouble working out exactly what is happening behind the scenes when dynamic menus/ submenus get displayed with some effect.

I am able to read in an xml file, create a menu, and display submenus on a rollover event. The submenus appear immediately, all at once, with the execution of the rollover event. However i want the submenu items to appear with some effect.

For example, i would like the submenu to gradually appear smoothly showing the top item in the submenu first then the second, ..., to the last.

Eventually i want a long thin sidebar on the far right of my movie that when rolled over a bunch of thumbnails pop out (smoothly) from this location toward the center of the movie.

How should i be thinking about doing this?
Do you use masks? or is there something a little more sophisticated?

cheers
Andy