• Adobe After Effects Expressions

  Automated shape layer connect to text

  Posted by Chris Meadmore on November 8, 2014 at 3:29 pm

  Hi,

  I am trying to create a dynamic shape layer which links to length of text. I have seen a number of solutions which involve calculating the text box with an additional layer but none of them have been elegant enough for my needs.

  Currently I have a centre aligned text layer, which when changed will automatically push two caps aligned left and right… this works perfectly but I now need the two caps to ‘stretch’ the x scale of a centre layer… preferably live as you type.

  I’ve attached an image to explain.

  Any advise would be appreciated!

  

  Chris Meadmore replied 11 years, 5 months ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  Dan Ebberts

  November 8, 2014 at 9:12 pm

  As far as I know, there is currently no elegant, expression-based solution for this. There’s the horribly inefficient sampleImage() hack,
  the inaccurate base-it-on-the-number-of-characters method, or the elaborate use-a-table-of-character-widths method.

  Far better, IMO, to use a script UI for this.

  Dan
• 

  Chris Meadmore

  November 8, 2014 at 9:19 pm

  Haha, thanks Dan… wishful thinking on my part?

  Will look into those options and see if anything suits my elegance!

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