• Adobe After Effects Expressions

  Creating a simple loop

  Posted by Mike Derk on November 26, 2007 at 5:37 pm

  I’ve been over in AE Basics trying to get some help with “loopOut()” but I can’t get even this simple expression to do anything. (CS3, G5 Quad Mac)

  All I would like to do is create a simple loop, ten frames long, that plays over and over.

  So far I have:
  1. imported a .mov file, 12fps, and split the layer to get my ten frames, then enabled time remapping, added the loopOut() expression, added a keyframe at the split, deleted the left-most keyframe (leaving only two) and moved the right-most keyframe to the end of the comp. Result: not a change.

  2. Drawn ten frames in Photoshop. Imported them. Lined them up and precomposed them. Brought them into a new comp, or left them in the same comp. Tried time remapping both with a split and without a split. Result: nothing.

  By shoving the keyframes around, I can make time get all screwy, I just can’t get it to loop.

  And, I figure if I can’t do this, I will never be able to use an expression that isn’t aided by the pick whip.

  So, what am I doing wrong?

  Thanks,

  Mike

  Mike Derk replied 18 years, 6 months ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  Dan Ebberts

  November 26, 2007 at 6:29 pm

  Asumming you wanted to loop the first ten frames – just enable time remapping, set a keyframe at the last frame you want, move forward one frame and set a keyframe with value 0, delete the keyframe on the right, and add a loopOut(“cycle”)expression.

  You shouldn’t need to split the layer.

  Dan
• 

  Mike Derk

  November 26, 2007 at 9:29 pm

  Ah, this did not work, but I figured it out, so I figured I’d tell you why it didn’t work:

  You: “Asumming you wanted to loop the first ten frames…”

  Actually, I wanted to loop the *only* ten frames (which I didn’t make clear to you). And even if you extend the composition to infinity, once the footage runs out on the given layer, it stops looping.

  So, I had to add to the duration and precompose it (moving all attributes), and then add the loopOut() expression. Then, I could make it repeat ad infinitum.

  So, at the end of the day, you solved the problem. Thanks!

  Mike

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