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Enable/Disable a layer’s effects with expressions(checkbox)
First of all, I want to apologise if this question is too simple or has been asked before(if it has, I could’nt find it).
I am quite new to AE and the expression language, and what you can and cannot do with it.
So…
I have a text layer with the effect “Bad TV Old” applied to it.
I want to be able to switch this effect on and off with a checkbox and therefore, with keyframes.
I have added a checkbox expression(effect) and attempted to add some expression script to enable and disable each effect in the layer.
Is this even possible? I have searched for examples and info, but can’t find any for the methods I need. The effects have no properties like “Opacity”, that I can manipulate to get an on/off effect(e.g.”Wave Warp”). The kind of code i feel comes to mind is something like the following(as you can probably see, I’m used to C#):
_checkBox = effect("Enable Effects")("Checkbox");
if (_checkBox.value == 1)
{
thisLayer.effects.enabled = true;
}
else
{
thisLayer.effects.enabled = false;
}or
_checkBox = effect("Enable Effects")("Checkbox");
if (_checkBox.value == 1)
{
thisLayer.effect("Wave Warp").enabled = true;
}
else
{
thisLayer.effect("Wave Warp").enabled = false;
} -
4 Replies
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Each effect will need its own expression. I think as of AE CC 2014, all the effects now have Compositing Options, which include Effect Opacity, which you should be able to tie to your checkbox control like this:
_checkBox = effect(“Enable Effects”)(“Checkbox”);
if (_checkBox.value) 100 else 0Dan
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Hi Dan,
Thanks for your answer, but it’s CS6 and there is no compositing option for the effects.However, you did point me in the right direction; I researched the compositing effects option and found that the outcome is similar to the “Blend with original”(“Blend”) effect, which I then applied to the layer. I can now control the effects on/off with the 0-100% slider which I can control with keyframes.
I wonder if you help me with one more thing, Dan?
Everything was ok for the first few hours, then all of a sudden the text moved to the top-left corner, with the container still centre!(‘undo’ does nothing)
If I disable the Blend effect, it moves back to centre.The “Blend” properties are:
Blend with Layer : [5.Text Layer(this)]
Mode : [Crossfade]
Blend with Original : [0.0%]
If Layer Sizes Differ: [Centre] (or [Stretch to Fit])Do you have any insight into this problem?
Thanks -
Sorry, I have no idea. I don’t think I’ve ever used the Blend effect, so I’m not sure what the issue could be.
Dan
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Ok thanks Dan, I reloaded the project and its back centered. Must be a bug or something.
All Sorted. Thanks for your help.
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