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Activity Forums Adobe After Effects Expressions Convert 3D position to 2D Comp coordinates on a 3D layer with auto-orient.

  • Convert 3D position to 2D Comp coordinates on a 3D layer with auto-orient.

    Posted by Noel Powell on January 10, 2024 at 10:16 pm

    I’ve used layer space transforms for years, but never was great at it, and now I’m stumped. I have a Radial Shadow effect on a Solid layer. I am trying to attach the effect’s “Light Source” property to a Light layer. Dan Ebbert’s expression from motionscript.com is the natural place to start:

    L = thisComp.layer(“Light 1”);
    L.toComp([0,0,0]);

    However, this doesn’t work when the Solid layer has different dimensions than the comp, so then I used this:

    fromComp(thisComp.layer(“Light 1”).toComp([0, 0, 0]));

    That works until I make the Solid layer 3D. When the layer is 3D, not only is the “Light Source” property in a different location than the Light layer, but it moves when I rotate the layer. Is there an expression to always attach a 2D effect on a 3D layer to a Light layer, regardless of the 3D layer’s dimensions, distance from camera, or rotation? And possibly making this even more complicated… the Solid layer has “Auto-Orient Towards Camera” turned on.

    Thank you.

    Noel Powell replied 2 years, 7 months ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
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