• Adobe After Effects Expressions

  Parent Source Text and Text Properties

  Posted by Jon Mendo on April 20, 2020 at 1:41 pm

  I am creating an essential graphics for a church client. I am trying to create a scripture lower third. There are 2 main parts. The reference & the scripture. The reference text has to be dynamic in x-scale to accommodate the variance in size. For example “John 1:1” vs “Matthew 16:1”. Due to that impact, I have 3 layers to support that.

  1. The Reference Text Layer
  This layer is the reference layer for the text in the Essential Graphics Package.

  2. The Reference Text Shape Parent
  This layer references the above layer to inform the bottom shape layer.

  3. The Background Shape Layer
  This layer is referencing layer 2. via the below expressions to match the size.

  My problem:
  If I change the text kerning, font, etc. on layer 1 it is not effecting layer 2. It is only parenting the copy. Are there any expressions that would help me replicated all the properties. The theory is that all the properties would be editable in Premiere.

  here is a screen capture of the animation/project:
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u2NSB80XUvcLT11UNZ_tL5Wu3Fh4DlU6/view?usp=sharing

  Reference Background Layer > Transform: Rectangle1
t = thisComp.layer("Reference Text Shape Layer");
tRect = t.sourceRectAtTime(time,false);
tUL = t.toComp([tRect.left,tRect.top]);
tLR = t.toComp([tRect.left+tRect.width,tRect.top+tRect.height]);
myRect = sourceRectAtTime(time,false);
myUL = toComp([myRect.left,myRect.top]);
myLR = toComp([myRect.left+myRect.width,myRect.top+myRect.height]);
margin = effect("Padding")("Slider");
[(tLR[0]-tUL[0] + 2*margin)/(myLR[0]-myUL[0]),(tLR[1]-tUL[1]+ 2*margin)/(myLR[1]-myUL[1])]*100

  Reference Background Layer > Position
t = thisComp.layer("Reference Text Shape Layer");
tRect = t.sourceRectAtTime(time,false);
tUL = t.toComp([tRect.left,tRect.top]);
tLR = t.toComp([tRect.left+tRect.width,tRect.top+tRect.height]);
tCenter = (tUL + tLR)/2
myRect = sourceRectAtTime(time,false);
myUL = toComp([myRect.left,myRect.top]);
myLR = toComp([myRect.left+myRect.width,myRect.top+myRect.height]);
myCenter = (myUL + myLR)/2
delta = myCenter - tCenter;
value - delta

  Jon Mendo replied 6 years, 4 months ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
• 0 Replies

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