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expression to link a mask vertex to a null object position
Hi all,
I am trying to find a way to link a mask vertex to a null object’s position. I found CR Green’s script to do this, but I’d like to find a way to do it “live”, so that I don’t have to re-run the script each time I change the motion path of the null object. In looking at that script, it appears to be calling bits of data from the program with references like “ADBE Mask Shape” and “ADBE Mask Atom”. Is there any way to reference these in the expressions language?
Thanks for your help,
Steve -
7 Replies
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i haven’t tried it in cs5, but in previous versions you cannot add an expression to a mask path.
so i think the script is the only way to do it.
Kevin Camp
Senior Designer
KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW -
You can apply an expression to a path, but you can only link it to another path. You can’t get at or specify the control points.
Dan
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That has been my experience as well. Does that mean the only way to access the control points of a path is through a separate .js script file? Did Adobe do something to kill that functionality in the expressions language, or is it a question of being limited by the interface?
FWIW, I’ve already put in a “Feature Request” with Adobe for “animated mask points” that would more or less eliminate my problem – is there a known reason why they only allow you to animate the entire path, and not the separate points? I’m not a hacker by any means, but it seems like a fairly simple proposition to write the program so that if you have a mask, you can twirl it open and get a bunch of mask points with keyframe stopwatches, and each of those can be twirled open to give access to the bezier control points, also keyframable.
I’m sure I’m revealing my ignorance here, at the very least…
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Yes, you can only access the control points via scripting (or a plug-in).
I know it’s a feature that has been often requested, but I’m sure its unavailability doesn’t have anything to do with Adobe wanting to limit the functionality of expressions. My guess is that it would be a fair amount of work to expose paths to expressions and it’s just not high enough on the priority list.
Dan
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The way to move a feature request up the priority list is to have more people request it. Here’s the page to do so.
– The Great Szalam
(The ‘Great’ stands for ‘Not So Great, in fact, Extremely Humble’)No trees were harmed in the creation of this message, but several thousand electrons were mildly inconvenienced.
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simply edit green’s script so that it detects a change and runs itself live. scripts can call scripts. he might even do it for you if you ask.
https://technicolorsoftware.hostzi.com/
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There is no ignorance here, in fact a software like 3Ds max allows you to animate every single point on a line including the bezier points. also there is a built in tool to link a point/group of points to another object.
So keep requesting, it’s not a dream.Always Trying
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