follow the leader Expression(s) for 3D position and rotation(s)

[Dan Ebberts]

I think if you change your template keyframes to roving it will solve the spacing issue. You should be able to use pretty much the same expression for the rotation properties:

strt = 0; //start time of template motion
end = 4.0; //end time of template motion

t = thisComp.layer(“template”);
offset = (t.effect(“offset”)(“Slider”)/100)*(index -1);
travel = linear(t.effect(“travel”)(“Slider”)/100,strt,end);
t.xRotation.valueAtTime(travel – offset)

Notice that I changed “start” to “strt” (that’s an error I need to fix on my site) and “position” to “xRotation”.

Hope that helps.

Dan

[Mike Feu]

Wow thanks for the Sunday reply…

Let me start by saying I’m kind of a novice with expressions so forgive me if I seem a little ignorant as to how best to apply the expression…

I’ve applied the expression to the y-rotation property and ended up with this error… (I changed ‘xRotation’ to ‘yRotation’)

“AE warning: Class ‘Layer’ has no property or method named ‘yRotation’ Expression disabled”

THere is a y rotation property on the template layer and it is animated…
I’m not sure if I just applied it wrong…

thanks again
mike

[Mike Feu]

Hey Dan,

So I’ve been fiddling around am just making things a big mess

When I add a layer (or remove one) from the comp everything goes haywire….
It looks like I’ll need to do this within a pre-comp so there are no layers being added/subtracted in the herarchy during the process of development….

The files don’t seem to be respecting the 3D? My start Keyframe is close to camera but does not seem to be being recognized as such…

I’ve uploaded my project files (kind of big – 107meg)… If you have a moment and would be able to have a look I’d be eternally grateful 🙂
It’s the ‘–TestDan’ comp

https://www.animationage.com/Test-for-dan-folder.zip

These are the slaves to the ‘template’ expression layer
HD Footage Mortis 100
HD Footage Mortis 101
HD Footage Mortis 102
HD Footage Mortis 103
HD Footage Mortis 104
HD Footage Mortis 105
HD Footage Mortis 106
HD Footage Mortis 107
HD Footage Mortis 108
HD Footage Mortis 109

Layer ‘9 MASTER’ is pretty close to what I’m trying to make happen…(it can be used as the master layer if we can create the ‘train’ around it….)

I can see how this is doable I just don’t have the chops to even come close…

Thanks again again 🙂

Mike

[Dan Ebberts]

The expression assumes that the “train” layers will be at the top of the layer stack (layers 1 through n). I’m curious as to why you have the train layer anchor points moved so far from the layers?

Dan

[Mike Feu]

When i started out i was going a different (much simpler) route – Parent all the screens to a null and then rotate the null – the problem was that i couldn’t get the path right using that technique (I was stuck in a perfect merry-go-round circle) I never returned the screens to a basline anchor point…. I wonder if that is causing me some issues…

Kool on the layers as top of the stack

any thoughts on the files not respecting the 3D position as seen in Layer ‘9 MASTER’? This is the path i’m really trying to create…

or on the rotate script giving me the error?

whoo hoo
Mike

[Dan Ebberts]

The error is my bad – it should be:

t.transform.yRotation.valueAtTime(travel – offset)

I’m not sure what you mean about the files not respecting the 3D position unless it’s the offset anchor point issue.

Dan

[Mike Feu]

NICE! the rotation seems to be working 🙂

The 3D thing is that the train doesn’t seem to start near camera…
I’m going to try to rebuild without the Anchor points being so out of whack… I’ll bet that will resolve the issue….

Thanks so much for your help with this
I’ll let you know how it works out…. I’ll probably be up until the wee hours fiddling….

thanks again

You da man!
Mike