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Finding the edges of text and shape layers just got a lot easier
With the latest AE release (CC 2014.2) expressions now have a long-awaited feature that allows them to find the edges of text and shape layers without having to do the sampleImage() hack. It’s sourceRectAtTime(), and it works the same as it does in scripting. Here are some general purpose examples for aligning a layer with the left, right, top, and bottom edges of a text layer:
// right edge
gap = 10;
L = thisComp.layer(“some text”);
r = L.sourceRectAtTime(0,true);
x = L.position[0] + (r.left + r.width – L.anchorPoint[0])*L.scale[0]/100 + scale[0]*width/200 + gap;
[x, value[1]]// left edge
gap = 10;
L = thisComp.layer(“some text”);
r = L.sourceRectAtTime(0,true);
x = L.position[0] + (r.left – L.anchorPoint[0])*L.scale[0]/100 – scale[0]*width/200 – gap;
[x,value[1]]// top edge
gap = 10;
L = thisComp.layer(“some text”);
r = L.sourceRectAtTime(0,true);
y = L.position[1] + (r.top – L.anchorPoint[1])*L.scale[1]/100 – scale[1]*height/200 – gap;
[value[0],y]// bottom edge
gap = 10;
L = thisComp.layer(“some text”);
r = L.sourceRectAtTime(0,true);
y = L.position[1] + (r.top + r.height – L.anchorPoint[1])*L.scale[1]/100 + scale[1]*height/200 + gap;
[value[0],y]Dan
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10 Replies
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Hey Dan, i have a problem, and is related to the Text “Anchor Point” Alignment.
With “sourceRectAtTime()” expression, between a Shape and a Text.
I need that the Text always stayed on top of the Shape, but as the expression is very sensitive to the letters, variations occur, and make the text is misaligned.
I can post a link of Adobe Forum here?
To show my problem with more details.Thanks.
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I posted something in the other forum–hope it helps.
Dan
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Thank you, Dan!
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Hi Dan,
This works really well, thank you for sharing!
I was wondering if it was possible to align a layer to the top/right using these examples?
I’ve tried combining the top edge and right edge code but I’m a beginner when it comes to expressions so haven’t had much luck.
Many thanks,
Adam -
Upper right corner would be something like this:
gap = 10;
L = thisComp.layer(“some text”);
r = L.sourceRectAtTime(0,true);
x = L.position[0] + (r.left + r.width – L.anchorPoint[0])*L.scale[0]/100 + scale[0]*width/200 + gap;
y = L.position[1] + (r.top – L.anchorPoint[1])*L.scale[1]/100 – scale[1]*height/200 – gap;
[x, y]Dan
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Hi Dan. I’m wonder what the original ” sampleImage() hack” was?
sourceRectAtTime() is great but I am also trying to find the edges of a raster layer, not shapes or text. -
Hey Dan!
Is there a revised version of this expression for newer versions of after effects? For some reason, when I add the “right edge” expression, even with the gap at 0, its WAY off to the right. No other expressions or parenting. Using on 2 text layers.
Cheers!
Another note: not sure why this happens, but when I copy and paste expressions, AE gives me errors. I just retype the whole expression myself exactly the way it was copied and it ends up working. Very odd!
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About the errors: the post is old, and when the forum changed, some texts got reformated. Your errors are probably because most quotes are different.
About the expression not working.
You probably have a paragraph text, and not a point text. In order to ignore the empty parts of the paragraph text, you should use sourceRectAtTime with the second argument as false.
// right edge
gap = 10;
L = thisComp.layer("some text");
r = L.sourceRectAtTime(0,false);
x = L.position[0] + (r.left + r.width - L.anchorPoint[0])*L.scale[0]/100 + scale[0]*width/200 + gap;
[x, value[1]] -
Thanks Andrei, unfortunately, still way off for some reason!
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Does something need to happen with Anchor point?
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