• Adobe After Effects Expressions

  Why all layers are parented to a guide layer in some After effects templates ?

  Posted by Jayanta Boruah on February 23, 2019 at 4:58 pm

  Recently I have done backward engineering of an After effects project file for the learning purpose. I have found a guide layer at the bottom of the composition with expression applied to the Anchor, Scale and Position property and all the other layers are parented to this guide layer.

  The expressions are like

  FOR ANCHOR POINT
  [50,50]

  FOR POSITION
  x=thisComp.width/2;
  y=thisComp.height/2;
  [x,y]

  FOR SCALE
  x=thisComp.width;
  y=thisComp.height;
  [x,y]

  Can someone explain why these expressions are applied to the guide layer and why all the layers are parented to it. I have noticed that after parenting the layers, each layer scale value changes to 5.2,9.3%

  Arthur Hakhverdian replied 7 years, 1 month ago 2 Members · 1 Reply
• 1 Reply

• 

  Arthur Hakhverdian

  March 21, 2019 at 9:15 am

  The expression applied to the Anchor Point, presumably that of a null, which is essentially a solid of a default size of 100×100, will lock the Anchor Point in the center.

  The expression applied to the Position will lock it to the center of the comp.

  The expression applied to the scale beats me, but, again, if it’s a 100×100 null, in which case in effect it’s scale would correspond to it’s pixel dimensions, setting it to that of comp height and width will create a solid that is forced to always assume the size of the comp.

  I haven’t seen your template, so I venture to make assumptions as to the type of that guide layer.

  “Can someone explain why these expressions are applied to the guide layer and why all the layers are parented to it. I have noticed that after parenting the layers, each layer scale value changes to 5.2,9.3%”

  Beats me. No idea. Sorry. I’d have to see.

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