Linking Shape vertex to Null

[Dan Ebberts]

You can’t create a live connection between a vertex and a null with an expression. The best you can do is create your animation, then run a script that will set keyframes to match the null with the vertex (or vice-versa).

Dan

[Adam Levine]

Thank you Master Dan. What do you think about the script that I mentioned above.

expression page
https://aexpressions.ru/ae_scripts/shape-tracker/

expression download link
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xyate7ok6qsy7fy/shapeTracker.zip

[Dan Ebberts]

I don’t have any experience with it–sorry.

Dan

[Adam Levine]

Master Dan, I really appreciate you for your quick answers.

[Kalleheikki Kannisto]

The only similar thing I’ve found are these scripts which claim to attach a mask point to a null or vice versa:

https://www.crgreen.com/aescripts/ie/

No idea if they work. Or if they work for anything above AE CS 3.

—

Puppet pin tool is a pretty good option for many cases.

[Kalleheikki Kannisto]

Dan,

Is it possible to write a script that takes a set of animated null positions over time (each frame) and creates an animated mask from them? Or do the mask points become inaccessible the moment you create the mask, so you can’t modify them in the next frame?

[Dan Ebberts]

A script can use setValueAtTime()to animate a mask, so yes, you could have a script match a mask’s vertex points to a null’s animated position.

Dan

[Kalleheikki Kannisto]

Thanks Dan! That’s good news. Will have to give it a try then.

[Adam Levine]

Kalle,

The script that you gave works fine. But that’s not what I’m seeking for. That script makes keyframes for vertex point’s every positions for the duration of the composition and transfer that keys to our linking Null or layer.

Thank you for your help.

[Kalleheikki Kannisto]

I would try and approach it with a mask instead of a shape, but it will require a deeper knowledge of scripting than I currently have. Or more spare time than I currently have 🙂