Text source using frame number starting at previous marker

[Dan Ebberts]

Like this:


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


Dan

[Barend Onneweer]

Hi Dan, thanks, but I keep getting “0” as the output when I paste this into the source text expression.

Barend

Raamw3rk – digital storytelling and visual effects

[Barend Onneweer]

Ah.. waitaminute, it was set to work with layermarkers and I was using comp markers. No problem, it works now.

Another question.

Let’s say I’d like to get some more data rendered into text, like source clip names for top layers and comp timecode. I can use multiple text layers of course, but how would I go about combining for instance timecode and the clip frame counter into one?

Thanks,

Barend

Raamw3rk – digital storytelling and visual effects

[Barend Onneweer]

To be more precise: I’ve got this expression working that displays layer name and source name, but how do I get the framecounter to work in this scheme?

layer_name = "";
for (i = 1; i <= thisComp.numLayers; i++){
if (i == index) continue;
my_layer = thisComp.layer(i);
if (! (my_layer.hasVideo && my_layer.active)) continue;
if (time >= my_layer.inPoint && time < my_layer.outPoint){
try{
layer_name = my_layer.name;
}catch(err1){
layer_name = my_layer.name
}
break;
}
}

source_footage_name = "";
for (i = 1; i <= thisComp.numLayers; i++){
if (i == index) continue;
my_layer = thisComp.layer(i);
if (! (my_layer.hasVideo && my_layer.active)) continue;
if (time >= my_layer.inPoint && time < my_layer.outPoint){
try{
source_footage_name = my_layer.source.name;
}catch(err1){
source_footage_name = my_layer.name
}
break;
}
}

layer_name + " " + source_footage_name

Raamw3rk – digital storytelling and visual effects

[Dan Ebberts]

You should be able to just replace the last line with this (not tested):


n = 0;
if (marker.numKeys > 0){
n = marker.nearestKey(time).index;
if (marker.key(n).time > time){
n--;
}
}
if (n > 0){
t = time - marker.key(n).time;
f = timeToFrames(t);
}else{
f = 0;
}
layer_name + " " + source_footage_name + " " + f


Dan

[Barend Onneweer]

Works like a charm… Thanks!

Greedy as I am I’m now wondering if I can burn in things like the AE project name and possibly the current date… But I’m guessing that expressions don’t have direct access to things like that?

Barend

Raamw3rk – digital storytelling and visual effects

[Dan Ebberts]

I don’t think there’s any way to get the project name, but you can get the current date, like this:

D = new Date(Date(0));
dateStr = “” + D.getDate() + “/” + (D.getMonth()+1) + “/” + D.getFullYear()

Dan

[Barend Onneweer]

Ha! That’s actually more than I expected, so thanks again. Being able to burn project name into the picture would also be helpful, but this is not bad for a start. Now that I do a lot of work in Assimilate Scratch, After Effects looks somewhat metadata-impaired…

Barend

Raamw3rk – digital storytelling and visual effects