• Adobe After Effects Expressions

  Countdown Timer in After Effects- Trying to remove the movement of digits

  Posted by Geoff Mclarty on July 15, 2015 at 3:37 pm

  So I’ve read through many of the forum posts about countdown expression. I know how to create a countdown. Right now, I’m looking to trouble shoot an issue I see with every expression I’ve used. When the digits change (for example: 10 to 9) there is a shift in the characters from left to right. It’s more noticeable with different fonts. I’m looking to eliminate this shift. I don’t want the character moving. I’d like them to be fixed. How do I accomplish this with the expression I’ve posted? Or is there another expression that would work better?

  rate = -1;
clockStart = 900;

  function padZero(n){
  if (n < 10) return "0" + n else return "" + n
  }

  clockTime = Math.max(clockStart + rate*(time - inPoint),0);

  t = Math.floor(clockTime);
min = Math.floor((t%3600)/60);
sec = Math.floor(t%60);
min + ":" + padZero(sec)

  Kevin Camp replied 10 years, 10 months ago 3 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  Declan Smith

  July 15, 2015 at 5:24 pm

  Try the following. This will force a 2 digit pad on both minutes and seconds. The font will move it a little but each character location should be in a fixed position as per below:

  

  function padZero(str) {
while (str.length < 2) {
str = '0' + str;
}
return str;
}

  rate = -1;
clockStart = 900;
clockTime = Math.max(clockStart + rate*(time - inPoint),0);
t = Math.floor(clockTime);
min = padZero(''+Math.floor((t%3600)/60));
sec = padZero('' +Math.floor(t%60));
min + ":" + sec


  Declan Smith
  https://www.madpanic.tv
  After Effects CS6/ FCS3 / Canon XLH1 / Canon 7D / Reason / Cubase

  “it’s either binary or it’s not”
• 

  Kevin Camp

  July 15, 2015 at 7:00 pm

  if you issue is the proportional spacing differences between numbers, then i can only think of 3 ways tp fix it.

  easiest: use a fixed width font (like courier)

  medium: you might be able to use the numbers effect (it has an option to turn off proportional spacing for any font). you’d probably need to try one of the timecode options for formatting and then use a track matte of linear wipe to remove the number fields that you don’t need.

  hardest: use separate text fields for each digit. I think i’d use the text layer that you have already, and then link the individual text layers for each digit to the sourceText of your current time using substr() to isolate the digit.

  to get the first digit (from the 10s value for minutes):

  txt = thisComp.layer(“MyTime”).text.sourceText;
  txt.substr(0,1);

  and use that for each digit’s text layer, modifying the substr() value as needed.

  Kevin Camp
  Art Director
  KCPQ, KZJO & KRCW

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