Rotate many objects with Null around their own axle?

[Simon Bonner]

You could add an expression to the rotation property of each of your layers that references the rotation of the null. Then they will all rotate in the same way as the null, but around their own anchor points.

Select the null and hit R to reveal the rotation property. Select one of your layers in the timeline and hit R. Hold down Alt and click on the stopwatch. Use the expression pickwhip (the curly line – click and drag) to reference the rotation of the null. Select the rotation property of the layer you just added the expression to, hit ctrl+C to copy it, then select all your remaining layers and hit ctrl+V to paste the expression to them all in one go. Voila!

Simon Bonner

youtube.com/simonsaysfx

[Simon Dybeck]

thank you very much, works perfectly

oh and one more thing, is it possible by these expressions to change so that half of the objects rotate the other way than the other half?

[Mark]

Yes, you need to reverse the expression by adding something like *-1 to the rotation of those that you wish to rotate negatively…I am not sure if that is the exact language to be used, but from memory I think it is.

Mark

Mark Harvey
Senior Editor
Le Réseau des sports

[Simon Dybeck]

ok thanks, not really sure exactly how i should put it in.

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

After you’ve pickwhipped to create an Expression, you’ll get a line of script that says something like –
———
thisComp.layer(“Null 1”).transform.rotation
———
All you have to do now, to get an inverse relationship going is to multiply that script by -1. The easiest way is to encapsulate the entire line in paranthesis and put a negative sign at the front. Like this
———–

-(thisComp.layer(“Null 1”).transform.rotation)
———–

HTH
RoRK

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