• Adobe After Effects Expressions

  Pin Parenting

  Posted by Matt Orfalea on October 25, 2007 at 3:09 am

  I’ve noticed that when I start puppeting a layer, it stops parenting. Are there any ways around this? Is there an expression I can use that will have a layer “be parented by” (follow) a specific pin? And I’m working with 3D layers.

  Thanks!
  Matt Orf

  Dan Ebberts replied 15 years, 11 months ago 3 Members · 3 Replies
• 3 Replies

• 

  Dan Ebberts

  October 25, 2007 at 1:18 pm

  Do you want a layer to follow a pin on another layer? If so, you should be able to do it like this:

  L = thisComp.layer(“puppet layer”);
  L.toWorld(L.effect(“Puppet”).arap.mesh(“Mesh 1”).deform(“Puppet Pin 1”).position)

  Dan
• 

  Daniel Gies

  May 28, 2010 at 5:12 pm

  Hey I was just wondering if anyone would be able to explain the logic behind this. I don’t really understand why it works the way it does.

  Body = thisComp.layer(“FlyingBoobies”)
  Body.toWorld(Body.effect(“Puppet”).arap.mesh(“Mesh 1”).deform(“ShoulderR”).position);

  I guess I am not understanding how Body.toWorld(“”); workds. What does having the layer “Body” before toWorld do. I read the help files on the expresison and I guess I am not understanding how the relationship is influenced by placing the layer object before the “toWorld” funciton.

  No rush on thhis, just curious. I would like to understand this so that I dont have to search for it everytime I need to use something similar.
• 

  Dan Ebberts

  May 28, 2010 at 6:01 pm

  toWorld() translates coordinates from layer space to world space. If you don’t specify a layer object, AE assumes you mean the layer with the expression, which is not what you want in this case.

  Dan

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