Random Font for every Text Layer

[Dan Ebberts]

Expressions can’t access/change fonts. You can do it with a script, but it wouldn’t be live, so you’d get your comp set up and then run the script.

Another possibility would be to have multiple text layers parented together in a group, each with a different font, a source text expression linking them together, and a random opacity expression making only one layer of each group visible.

Dan

[Dean Gregory]

Hi there Dan,

Thanks so much for your reply. The 2nd option does seem like a workaround.
But was toying with a similar idea in Photoshop and decided to use Math.random to randomly select some fonts from an array.

The code snippets are below.

However, when trying similar code in AE, I can’t seem to make it happen.

Is the “.font” possible in AE or is there another word for it like fontName or something?

var fontArray = [
"Tahoma",
"Verdana",
"Georgia",
"Courier",
"Default"
]

txtRef.font = fontArray[Math.random()*fontArray.length|0];

[Dean Gregory]

Hi there Dan,

Was able to script it out. Got some clues from

https://blogs.adobe.com/toddkopriva/2010/04/scripting-changes-in-after-eff.html

the ‘.font’ works.
Able to set up other attributes as well. Forgot about the ‘setValue’at the end hence it wasn’t showing up.

Wish the new scripting guide would be out soon 🙂

Cheers,

Dean

[Dan Ebberts]

I assume you’re talking about scripting now, and not expressions. Font access came in with AE CS4. Todd’s blog has a description of how it works:

https://blogs.adobe.com/toddkopriva/2008/12/after-effects-cs4-scripting-ch.html

Dan

[Dean Gregory]

Hi Dan,

Thanks a ton for sending me the link. Have bookmarked it! Great help!!

Cheers,

Dean

[Justin Stephenson]

I am trying to accomplish something similar here and I wanted to see how this might me done:

“and a random opacity expression making only one layer of each group visible.”

Any help would be appreciated.

– Justin

————————-
Design, Animation, Editing, Color for Cinema, Broadcast, Web and Installation.

Gear: 2 X Macpro 8 Core Nehalem, ATTO R380, Proavio EB8MS, nVidia GTX-286, Blackmagic Decklink Studio, AJA LHi, FSI LM-2461W, Tangent Wave, Yamaha HS50Ms W HS10w Sub

Tools: Avid MC 5.5 (formerly FCP), CS 5.5, C4D13, Resolve 8.1, VDMX, Quartz Composer, Processing, Cubase 5.

[Dan Ebberts]

Say you have a control layer (null) with a slider on it. You could use an opacity expression like this on each of your text layers:

ctrl = thisComp.layer(“controls”).effect(“Slider Control”)(“Slider”);
if (Math.round(ctrl) == index) 100 else 0

Whichever layer index matches slider will be visible, the others will not. That should get you started.

Dan