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Global vars / instances
Hi guys
Ok …this is somehow hard to describe.
I have many layers (50+) in 3D space all doing the same thing but at different times (getting scaled up from 13% to 26% in a time of 15 frames).
Problem is that the values might get changed and changing it for all layers by hand takes ages.
So my question is, if there’s is a way to make the scaling values somehow like globar variables like s1= 13, s2=26 so that every layer is taking these values for scaling?
The layers are not lined up in time! If they were I could easily make a slider and keyframe it like I want and then pickwhip it but they are not lined up. The scaling appeares for each layer at a different time, though the animation (scale up from s1 to s2 in 15 frames) is the same for all of them.
Is there a way to do this? I really hope so since it could save me a ton of time later, because they are not just scaling, they are moving and rotating, too! Again same animation but different times!
Here’s a screenshot of my timeline. There you can see how all blue layers have the same chunk of keyframes at a different point
Thanks alot!
Dino Muhic – Media Producer
VFX – Motion Graphics – Web-Design – Or just ART
http://www.dinomuhic.com -
4 Replies
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Try this. Add a null named “control” and apply 2 slider controls to it named “s1” and “s2”.
Then add this expression to the scale property of one of your 3D layers:
if (numKeys > 1){
s1 = thisComp.layer(“control”).effect(“s1”)(“Slider”);
s2 = thisComp.layer(“control”).effect(“s2”)(“Slider”);
linear(time,key(1).time,key(2).time,[s1,s1,s1],[s2,s2,s2])
}else{
value
}Then select that layer’s scale property and do Edit > Copy Expression Only. Then select all the other layers and Edit > Paste.
Then you should be able to adjust all the layers at once with the sliders, but keep the timing of each layer’s keyframes.
Dan
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Wow, thanks alot Dan!
I’ll try it as soon as possible.
I looked over the code to find out how you did it, because I want to understand it….
linear(time,key(1).time,key(2).time,[s1,s1,s1],[s2,s2,s2])
so key(1) is the first keyframe applied on the layer and key(2) the second?
So that’s how I can access specific keyframes on a layer?
What does the linear stand for? Keyframe interpolation?Thanks alot again
Dino Muhic – Media Producer
VFX – Motion Graphics – Web-Design – Or just ART
http://www.dinomuhic.com -
> so key(1) is the first keyframe applied on the layer and key(2) the second?
Yes.
> So that’s how I can access specific keyframes on a layer?
Yes, that’s one way. Another is nearestKey.
> What does the linear stand for? Keyframe interpolation?
linear() is an interpolation method. Others are ease(), easeIn(), and easeOut(). They can interoplate a range of values (in this case between [s1,s1,s1] and [s2,s2,s2]) based on two other numbers (in this case the time of keyframe 1 and the time of keyframe 2). The numbers needn’t be associated with keyframes though.
Dan
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Thanks Dan, it worked well! I love AE and I love this forum! 🙂
Dino Muhic – Media Producer
VFX – Motion Graphics – Web-Design – Or just ART
http://www.dinomuhic.com
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