You can use variables. For example, when press the punching key, change animation to punching, and also set the variable "punching" to true. Then, in the collision, check if the variable "punching" is true. When the punching animation finishes, set the variable to false.
If you need the collision to be only in the player hand, instead of the whole sprite, you can create an invisible object, and always set its position relative to the player position.
wow thank you so much, it really means a lot to actually get to talk to the developer. I'm surprised that you responded also im surprised more ppl don't already know about this. I love watching apps and ideas grow from the ground up you have an amazing product its complicated because in new, but still very user friendly. I'm telling everyone I know about this so i can have bragging rights. I absolutely will try this.
sorry to bother you Gamemaker, I tried to do what you said but very difficult, I'm very very new to this. I actually found out that it's not that the punching animation didn't work it's that I have to many animations for the same direction competing for priority. I have a walking, punching, and idol animations for when the object moves in a specific direction, however they overlap, and I don't know how to prioritize the animations.
To export to JSON format, click on the "Export" button, and then click in the "Download JSON".
To send me the JSON... I think it's not possible to send attachments here in "itch.io", but you can send me in Discord (https://discord.com/invite/2ueUqGBMYE). Or you can send it to Filebin (https://filebin.net/) and share the URL here.
