• Adobe After Effects

  AE Expressions: Refercing a code block

  Posted by Sven Flesch on January 3, 2012 at 6:52 pm

  I have a block of code that needs to run in multiple layers. So far I’m copy and pasting. That’s bad enough. However, when I change the code I need to go through all the layers and make the change or re-paste it. A better solution would be to reference the entire block of code from a single location or an extra layer that just contains the code. Is that possible in AE?

  Roland R. kahlenberg replied 14 years, 7 months ago 3 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  Dan Fredley

  January 4, 2012 at 1:32 am

  You can store basic expressions in layer names and use eval() in the actual layer. For example name a layer with this:

  x=Math.PI; y=2; z=thisLayer.width

  Then create a text layer and put this as the expression in the “source text”:

  
myLayer = thisComp.layer("x=Math.PI; y=2; z=thisLayer.width");
eval(myLayer.name);
x*y+z


  Unfortunately, I don’t think it goes beyond numbers and simple expressions. You can only use “thisLayer” as well–no referencing other layers. Plus layer names don’t update as well as you’d like when you change the expression.

  Another option is to use scripts:
  Zorro the Layer Tagger combined with Expression Toolbox from aescripts.com

  Dan Fredley
• 

  Roland R. kahlenberg

  January 4, 2012 at 1:37 am

  Re-pasting isn’t as difficult if you first select the source property and choose Edit>Copy Expression Only. Then simply select the target layers and CTRL+V, to paste the Expression.

  You can group layers in the Timeline, using the similar colors for each layer’s Layer Color Tab. Then right-click on the color tab of one of the layers and select, Select Label Group.

  HTH
  RoRK

  Intensive AE & Mocha Training in Singapore and Malaysia
  Adobe ACE/ACI (version 7) & Imagineer Systems Inc Approved Mocha Trainer

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