Manipulate shape layer vertices via script

[Charlie Laud]

Or better yet –

Is there a way to create a “custom” shape from an array of points? That way I could copy the values from an existing shape, and create a new shape with slightly modified versions of those values.

[Dan Ebberts]

Here’s an example that creates a rounded rectangle shape layer:


var myComp = app.project.activeItem;
var myShapeLayer = myComp.layers.addShape();
var myShapeLayerContents = myShapeLayer.property("ADBE Root Vectors Group");
var myShapeGroup = myShapeLayerContents.addProperty("ADBE Vector Group");
var myShapeContents = myShapeGroup.property("ADBE Vectors Group");
var myPathGroup = myShapeContents.addProperty("ADBE Vector Shape - Group");
var myPath = myPathGroup.property("ADBE Vector Shape");

var myWidth = 300;
var myHeight = 200;
center = myShapeLayer.property("anchorPoint").value;

myShape = myPath.value;
var vertex0 = [center[0] - myWidth/2, center[1] - myHeight/2];
var vertex1 = [center[0] + myWidth/2, center[1] - myHeight/2];
var vertex2 = [center[0] + myWidth/2, center[1] + myHeight/2];
var vertex3 = [center[0] - myWidth/2, center[1] + myHeight/2];

myShape.vertices = [vertex0, vertex1, vertex2, vertex3];
myShape.inTangents = [[-30,30],[-30,-30],[30,-30],[30,30]];
myShape.outTangents = [[30,-30],[30,30],[-30,30],[-30,-30]];
myShape.closed = true;
myPath.setValue(myShape);

var myFillColor = [.45,.75,.90];
var myFill = myShapeContents.addProperty("ADBE Vector Graphic - Fill");
myFill.property("ADBE Vector Fill Color").setValue(myFillColor);


Dan

[Charlie Laud]

Perfect! Thanks for your help Dan!!

[Charlie Laud]

Alright, so far so good!

Now I need to find a way to access the transform properties of the shape itself (not the layer transforms) to copy that data into the new shape as well. (i.e. take the shape Position and Anchor Points and add them to the new shape.)

What would the code for that be? I’ve been trying to use the documentation to help with this, but it doesn’t seem to provide a clear enough picture of how these hierarchies are structured, so thanks in advance for your help!

[Dan Ebberts]

Assuming you built it as above, the shape’s Anchor Point, for example, would be:

myShapeGroup.property(“ADBE Vector Transform Group”).property(“ADBE Vector Anchor”).value;

You need to get your hands on Jeff Almasol’s wonderful rd_GimmePropPath.jsx script from his site:

https://www.redefinery.com

Dan