Move mask with traditional X,Y position instead of mask path

[Richard Garabedain]

really the only way i couid see that working is if you double clicked the mask and then moved it…that kinda does what your asking it to do

[Filip Vandueren]

Put an Effect -> Expression Controls -> Point Control on your layer.

Then give your mask’s Mask Path-property this expression:

xy=effect("Point Control")("Point").value;
createPath(points().map(pt=>pt+xy), inTangents(), outTangents(), isClosed());


That would simply add the point’s x and y to every vertex.

Alternatively, this version forces the mask to move so its center is around that point-control:

xy=effect("Point Control")("Point").value;
pts=points();
avg = pts.reduce( (acc, pt) => acc+pt, [0,0]) / pts.length;
pts=pts.map(pt=>pt+xy-avg);
createPath(pts, inTangents(), outTangents(), isClosed());


[Simon Ubsdell]

You could always make the mask into a Shape Layer instead and use Set Matte on the layers you want it to apply to. That way you can simply animate the position of the Shape (= Mask).

Or would that not work for you?

Simon Ubsdell

hawaiki

[Filip Vandueren]

Depends, that would imply that the mask is only used for masking, could also be used for another effect (stroke, fill, reshape,…), or need to intersect with other masks,..
Masks are also applied before effects while track mattes are applied after effects.
So while track matting is a great tool in the arsenal, it’s not always an ideal replacement for masks

It also doubles the amount of layers needed, which can be a drag. (Not that having every mask controlled by an expression is without its downsides…)

[Simon Ubsdell]

Yes, but it well might be the right way to go in this case. And a lot more economical than a laborious expression.

Simon Ubsdell

hawaiki