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Move created layer below selected layers
I have a script that does some stuff to a selection of layers, then parents them to a newly created null object. I want to position this null object below the selected layers, but I don’t know how to set that up. I’m familiar with the moveTo commands, but not sure how to move something that isn’t part of the original selection. Basically the script creates the null, adds the expression sliders It needs to have, then moves it to below all the selected layers (Note: this is different from moving the null to the very bottom of the composition).
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6 Replies
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Before you create the null, you could save the selected layer with the highest index (not tested, but should be close):
var maxIndex = -1;
for (var i = 0; i < myComp.selectedLayers.length; i++)){
maxIndex = Math.max(maxIndex,selectedLayers[i].index);
}
var lastSelectedLayer = myComp.selectedLayers[maxIndex];Then after you create the null, you could do this:
myNull.moveAfter(lastSelectedLayer);
Dan
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No go after testing. I also noticed it looks like there was an extra “)” after myComp.selectedLayers.length; i++. I took that out since it was first getting hung up over that. After removing that, I get a new error: “Unable to execute at line 29. Unable to call “moveAfter” because of parameter 1. undefined is not of correct type”.
Here’s the portion of my script that is handling this for your reference.
//Define project and active items
var proj = app.project;
var theComp = proj.activeItem;
var selectedLayers = theComp.selectedLayers;//Count number of selected layers
var maxIndex = -1;
for (var i = 0; i < selectedLayers.length; i++){
maxIndex = Math.max(maxIndex,selectedLayers[i].index);
}
var lastSelectedLayer = selectedLayers[maxIndex];//Create Null Object to act as controller for items
controlNull = theComp.layers.addNull();
controlNull.source.name = "Logo_Controller";
controlNull.moveAfter(lastSelectedLayer);
Thanks for your help.
EDIT:: Line 29 is referring to the line that starts with “ControlNull.moveAfter”
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I warned you that it wasn’t tested . 😉
Try changing this line:
var lastSelectedLayer = selectedLayers[maxIndex];
to this:
var lastSelectedLayer = theComp.layer(maxIndex);
Dan
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Ah, I should have noticed that your “myComp” was essentially the same thing as my “theComp” variable. They were calling the same thing, just broken out more.
What is the difference though between .layer[maxIndex] and .layer(maxIndex)? I don’t follow why the change in brackets to parenthesis.
Thanks again for your help on this Dan. I always greatly appreciate your support.
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In the first go at it, I was using maxIndex as an array index into the selectedLayers array, but it’s really a layer index, so instead of
selectedLayers[maxIndex]; // indexing into array of selected layers
it should have been
theComp.layer(maxIndex); // indexing layer within comp
I think (not sure though) that you can actually use array indexing to access layers, but I never do it that way.
Dan
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Ah, makes sense. Thank you for the explanation!
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