Randomize Layer Order

[Dan Ebberts]

The only thing I can think of is that some editors have trouble with the “<=” when it’s copied from a web page. Other than that, I have no idea.

Dan

[S.j. Deluise]

Wow, first time ever using the script editor, didn’t even know it existed.

I cut and pasted below, saved it and ran it.
It’s highlighting line 7 with a message at the bottom “expected ;”

Cut and past from the browser to textedit, then to the script editor

{
var myComp = app.project.activeItem;
var n = myComp.numLayers;
var myLayers = [];
var myIdx = [];
for (var i = 1; i
myIdx[i-1] = i;
myLayers[i-1] = myComp.layer(i);
}

var idx;
var temp;
for (var i = 0; i
idx = i + Math.floor(Math.random()*(myIdx.length - i));
temp = myIdx[i];
myIdx[i] = myIdx[idx];
myIdx[idx] = temp;
}
for (var i = 0; i
myLayers[myIdx[i]-1].moveToBeginning();
}
}


People say my motion graphics are moving.

[Dan Ebberts]

You only have part of the script pasted in. Pay particular attention to lines 6, 13, and 19 because those are likely to get mangled along the way.


{
var myComp = app.project.activeItem;
var n = myComp.numLayers;
var myLayers = [];
var myIdx = [];
for (var i = 1; i <= n; i++){
myIdx[i-1] = i;
myLayers[i-1] = myComp.layer(i);
}

var idx;
var temp;
for (var i = 0; i < myIdx.length; i++){
idx = i + Math.floor(Math.random()*(myIdx.length - i));
temp = myIdx[i];
myIdx[i] = myIdx[idx];
myIdx[idx] = temp;
}
for (var i = 0; i < myIdx.length; i++){
myLayers[myIdx[i]-1].moveToBeginning();
}
}


Dan

[S.j. Deluise]

That works great. So incredible. Sure beats randomly dragging layers around.
Thanks Dan!

People say my motion graphics are moving.

[Scott Skaja]

tried this but had an error in line 7. Any thoughts?

scott skaja
tangletown post – edit•animate•design•composite•color correct
tangletownpost.com

[Dan Ebberts]

What was the error message? Did you have a comp selected?

Dan

[Juan Ibanez]

Hello Dan, maybe you know how to order the layers by taking into account their “in” time, I mean, I want to order my layers so that the ones that are “new born” are on top. I know new layers are created on top, but the thing is that I want to do this after creating a bunch of layers and having them arranged in time.

Thank you so much.

[Dan Ebberts]

See if this does what you want:


{
function compareInPoints(a,b){
return a.inPoint - b.inPoint;
}
var myComp = app.project.activeItem;
var myLayers = [];
for (var i = 1; i <= myComp.numLayers; i++){
myLayers.push(myComp.layer(i));
}
myLayers.sort(compareInPoints);
for (var i = 0; i < myLayers.length; i++){
myLayers[i].moveToBeginning();
}
}


Dan

[Peter Stone]

How would I use this to randomize the order of groups within the contents of a shape layer instead of layers within a comp? Seems like it should be the same principle but I am new to scripting.

Thanks,
Peter

{
var myComp = app.project.activeItem;
var n = myComp.numLayers;
var myLayers = [];
var myIdx = [];
for (var i = 1; i<= n; i++){
myIdx[i-1] = i;
myLayers[i-1] = myComp.layer(i);
}

var idx;
var temp;
for (var i = 0; i < myIdx.length; i++){
idx = i + Math.floor(Math.random()*(myIdx.length – i));
temp = myIdx[i];
myIdx[i] = myIdx[idx];
myIdx[idx] = temp;
}
for (var i = 0; i < myIdx.length; i++){
myLayers[myIdx[i]-1].moveToBeginning();
}
}

[Dan Ebberts]

If it’s a property type that can be moved, you should be able to use moveTo(). For example, I just used this to move a rectangle to the top of a stack of shapes:

app.project.item(1).layer(1).property(“ADBE Root Vectors Group”).property(2).moveTo(1)

Dan