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Attaching a graphic (within another comp) to a moving text title banner
Hi,
I need to attach a part of a bird which is contained in a separate comp (as it is animated) to the start of a text title which moves from left to right on the screen.
One bird carries the first letter with its feet and the second carries the final letter with its beak.
If there a way to attach an anchor point of the bird to the moving title so it always moves exactly with it (even if I apply an easy ease) wherever it moves on the screen. The titles moves on its own motion path (on curves then straightens out) but the birds need to be attached to the top of the letters.
Basically it is a moving banner held up with flying birds. Can I create a point on a letter and attach a anchor point from another layer to it?
Thanks in advanced!
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4 Replies
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you can use expressions to link properties of a layer or effect to properties on another layer in another comp, but there can be issues if the comps are not the same size. or, since your bird comp lives ins the same comp as the layer’s you are linking to it, if you have manipulated the transform (like scale, rotation, position) properties of the nested bird comp (no pun intended) within the main comp there could also be issues.
but to give it a try, open both comps, then drag the bird comp timeline tab to the bottom of the other timeline (it will highlight the bottom edge) then release. now you should see both timelines. select the layer of the bird that that has the position that you want to follow and type ‘p’ to see the position property.
in the other timeline select a layer that you want to attach to the bird position and type ‘p’. select that position property and choose animation>add expression. then click the expression pickwhip (the spiral icon that shows up when the expression is added) and drag it to the position property of the bird layer in the bird comp.
that layer should now follow the bird. you can adjust the anchor point of the letter layer to adjust where it connects to the bird.
Kevin Camp
Senior Designer
KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW -
Parenting is another option for you. Kevin’s suggestion should work too – except that instead of moving the anchor point of the letters, I would move the anchor point of the 2 bird layers. This way, you can use the script for both bird layers, with each offset by their respective anchor points.
HTH
RoRKIntensive AE & Mocha Training in Singapore and Malaysia
Adobe ACE/ACI (version 7) & Imagineer Systems Inc Approved Mocha Trainer -
Thanks to you both! Two questions, I attempted Kevin’s suggestion but do individual letters have anchor points? I have had a play but cannot figure out how to link an individual letter anchor point? Unless I am silly 🙂
How would go about partnering?
Thanks again
Steven
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Each Text Layer has a single Anchor Point. Hence, individual characters do not have Anchor Points, as we know it. Well, there is but its available internally, within the Text Tool’s Engine.
I believe what Kevin recommended was to adjust the ANchor Point of each bird layer and not the text layer nor its individual characters.
As for Parenting, I am assuming that the bird precomp is stationary and that only the text layer in the final has position KFs. If such is the case then move the Timeline Indicator such that the first and last characters of the text layer are fully visible. This is to allow you to position the bird layers accurately.
After placing the bird layers into their respective positions, relative to the text characters, select both layers and Parent them to the text layer. That’s all there is to it. The bird layers will now move in unison to the text layer.
HTH
RoRKIntensive AE & Mocha Training in Singapore and Malaysia
Adobe ACE/ACI (version 7) & Imagineer Systems Inc Approved Mocha Trainer
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