Getting a shape to move in relation to typed characters

[Chris Voelz]

You can use SourceRectAtTime to calculate the size of the text box. Once you get that you will be able manipulate the shape to move with the length of the text.

[Kevin Camp]

As Chris points our, sourceRectAtTime() is the way to go. Here is how I normally do it.

First I parent the shape layer to the text layer and then set the shape layer’s position to 0,0.

Then in the shape layer’s path size try this expression:

rect = parent.sourceRectAtTime() ;
pad = 20 ; //set this as needed to create pad around the text
x = rect.width + pad ;
y = rect.height + pad ;
[ x, y ]

And in the path position (this is the contents>shape>path>position, not the transform>position you zeroed earlier) try this expression:

rect = parent.sourceRectAtTime() ;
x = rect.width / 2 + rect.left ;
y = rect.top / 2 ;
[ x, y ]

You may find that you want the hight to be fixed, particularly if you are using lowercase or have punctuation that extends bellow the baseline (like most commas). If that is the case, set the y-value in the first expression to a fixed value, like y=60+pad, for example.

[Graham Quince]

Alternatively, there’s another approach, where you apply effects to the text layer to draw your text box’s background:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjxGLOWrmD4

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