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Is there a way to store expressions in separate layers? Like named functions?
Hello!
I’m fairly new to expressions in AE, I did some scripting in 3ds max though so I have some idea about how it works.
I recently had to apply an expression to over 100 layers. It was a value for the “posterize time” filter that used “seedRandom(index,true)” to differentiate between layers. And later (suprise!) I had to make some changes in these expressions;).
So the question is: can I “store”(name?) an expression in say, a null layer, and then “link”(call?) values in many layers to the “parent” expression, while retaining layer-specific things like “seedRandom(index)”? So that I could only edit that single “parent” expression when needed?
If not, is there a way to search all/selected layers for strings of text with a replace option?
I sure know that you can copy and paste, I also found the topic with the “copy expression only” suggestion that helped a lot, but still these are not fast solutions.
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4 Replies
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The closest you can come to calling another expression would be to put the expression in a text layer and use JavaScript’s eval() function to execute it from other expressions.
I think I disagree with your characterization of Copy Expression Only as not being fast. I use it all the time and find it be a very fast and convenient way to globally update expressions. That being said, it is certainly possible to come up with a script to let you edit the expressions in all/selected layers (there may already be one).
Dan
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Indeed Copy Expression Only is a viable option, however not as automated as I’d like.
Your suggestion about using a text layer and JS eval() is most interesting, however I’m not sure how that should work. I tried making a text layer with a simple “i=15;” statement in it and then tried to evaluate it from another layer’s rotate property:
eval(thisComp.layer(“SCRIPT_LAYER”).text.sourceText)
and AE says that “a Number, Array or Property is needed” while it gets TextProperty instead.
Can you tell me how the line of code should look like?
Regards,
Thomas -
Try it this way:
eval(thisComp.layer(“SCRIPT_LAYER”).text.sourceText.value)
Dan
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This worked! Even layer-specific stuff like seedRandom(index) is working as expected!Thank you Dan!
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