Need to trigger animation any time there is a marker.

[Dan Ebberts]

Probably something like this, but I’m not sure what the “nomal” (non-animating state) should be (set by the last line):


m = thisComp.marker;
n = 0;
if (m.numKeys > 0){
n = m.nearestKey(time).index;
if (m.key(n).time > time) n--;
}
if (n > 0){
t = m.key(n).time;
ease (time,t,t+1,-200,0);
}else
0


Dan

[Kavon Zamanian]

This is perfect. Thank you so much!

[Kavon Zamanian]

Hey Dan,

I realized I’m still missing something and was wondering if you could help further. One of my animations would have 3 keyframes which I don’t think I can apply to a kind of 3-stage ease expression (perhaps I’m wrong). Regardless, I think the better approach would be to apply it to a time-remapped composition in hopes of every marker re-triggering that composition playback.

https://forums.creativecow.net/docs/forums/post.php?forumid=227&postid=38304&univpostid=38304&pview=t

I found this thread where you helped someone do something similar, but I’m having trouble tweaking the code accordingly. Thoughts?

Thanks again

[Dan Ebberts]

Like this maybe:


m = thisComp.marker;
n = 0;
if (m.numKeys > 0){
n = m.nearestKey(time).index;
if (m.key(n).time > time) n--;
}
if (n > 0){
t = m.key(n).time;
time - t;
}else
0


Dan

[Kavon Zamanian]

Again, perfect. This project wouldn’t be possible without you.

Cheers.

[Paul Roper]

I realise this post was from some time ago, but I have a similar question, but simpler:
All I need to do, is get the index of a marker AT THE CURRENT TIME, not that fairly annoying/useless “nearestKey” thing, which changes whenever the current time is kinda near the marker, not ON the marker. I’m guessing the (somewhat convoluted) way of going about it would be:
1. Get the TIME of the nearestKey

2. When the current time >= the nearestKey’s time, use that nearestKey’s index

…or something. Basically, all I want to do is be able to control the appearance, word-by-word, of a text layer, and be able to trigger that by hammering in a load of markers (easily done with a text animator/opacity/based on words). But getting the “nearestKey” to be “exactKey” is a right pain!
Any ideas/help would be greatly appreciated, please!

~ Paul

UPDATE: From a bit more hunting around here, I found something by @Meng Zhiqun, and pinched a bit of expression from there. It generates an error if the time is before the first marker, but I can live with that:

n = 0;
if (marker.numKeys > 0) {
    n = marker.nearestKey(time).index;
    if (marker.key(n).time > time) {
        n--;
    }
marker.key(n).index
}
else {0}

All seems quite convoluted to just get the index of the current marker!

[Julian Chojnacki]

Hi Dan, this expression is a gem for subtitles! I’m curious, is it possible to use the next marker as an endpoint for the ease animation instead of using “t+1”?

[Dan Ebberts]

Sure, but what should happen at the last marker?

[Julian Chojnacki]

Thanks for the fast reply!

Basically, I’m using the expression below to animate subtitles with text animators using Source Text keyframes. It works perfectly! On single words to be specific. But when it comes to longer sentences, I’d love to have the ability to stretch the ease animation to the next sentence/Source Text keyframe, so that the text is roughly synced with the audio. The ease expression values are driving the range selectors “Start”.

Best
Julian

m = text.sourceText;
if (m.numKeys > 0){
n = m.nearestKey(time).index;
if (m.key(n).time > time) n--;
}
if (n > 0){
t = m.key(n).time;
t2 = n + m.key(n).time;
ease (time,t,t+.5,0,100);
}else
0

[Dan Ebberts]

This would animate between the keyframes, except for the last one, where it would use your previous timing:

m = text.sourceText;
if (m.numKeys > 0){
  n = m.nearestKey(time).index;
  if (m.key(n).time > time) n--;
}
if (n > 0){
  t1 = m.key(n).time;
  if (n < m.numKeys){
    t2 = m.key(n+1).time;
  }else{
    t2 = t1 + .5;
  }
  ease (time,t1,t2,0,100);
}else
  0