Ticking Clock

Adobe After Effects Expressions

Ticking Clock

Posted by Jim Digiovanni on May 5, 2015 at 6:33 pm

We have all seen the old clock rotation expression where you create a rotation for the second hand and then tie the minute hand to the rotation with an expression so that it moves at 1/60th the speed to simulate minutes and seconds right?

I am trying to create something similar but with a ‘ticking’ clock like a timex watch on the second hand so that it ticks along. tick, tick, tick, tick instead of the smooth rotation. I have worked that out using this expression tied to rotation:

var tick = time*6;
Math.floor(tick)

But what I want to happen is now to have the minute hand ( separate layer ) tick over 6 degrees every minute. In other words, it holds for 59 seconds and then jumps 6 degrees in 1 second.

I can’t figure that part out. Any ideas?

Thanks

Jim DiGiovanni
MotionGraphicsAcademy.com

var tick = time*6; Math.floor(tick)

Jason Jantzen replied 11 years ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
4 Replies

Toma Ever
May 6, 2015 at 2:13 am

Math.floor(time/60)*6 ?
Jason Jantzen
May 6, 2015 at 5:33 pm

I’m curious what you figure out. On the other hand, why do you want it to behave like that? No analogue clock works like that.

I have this cool ticking script that overshoots the second hand like a real ticking clock would.

ttf=timeToFrames(t = time + thisComp.displayStartTime, fps = 1.0 / thisComp.frameDuration, isDuration = false); compFrameRate=15; angle=Math.floor(ttf/compFrameRate)*6; if (ttf % compFrameRate == 0) { angle+=.5; } else if (ttf % compFrameRate ==1) { angle-=.5; }

Jason Jantzen
vimeo.com/jasonj
Jim Digiovanni
May 6, 2015 at 7:09 pm

Jason:

That is really nice movement! Very realistic! I have never played with the timeToFrames expression before. I am not sure if I understand everything that is happening in that script.

I am going to repaste your script below, with my comments and maybe you can tell me if I understand what you have done here.

I am going to just go ahead and say thanks in advance if you read through my comments and my muddled understanding of your elegant script.

Thanks

Jim

var ttf = timeToFrames (t = time + thisComp.displayStartTime, fps = 1.0 / thisComp.frameDuration, isDuration = false);
/* I get that the time to frames is converting each frame to 1 second. I don't understand this part of it / thisComp.frameDuration, isDuration = false); */ compFrameRate=15; /* Is this a variable? I always add the var in front of my variables to help me recognize them */ angle=Math.floor(ttf/compFrameRate)*6; /* OK, here with the Math.floor function you are saying 'rotate this object a minimum of 1 frame per second divided by 15fps multiplied by 6 ( to give us the 6 degrees of rotation per second. Is that correct? */ if (ttf % compFrameRate == 0) { angle+=.5; } else if (ttf % compFrameRate ==1) { angle-=.5; } /* This section above, the if / else section, I see that is how you are getting the angle +.5 overshoot, I just don't understand how this works. */
Jason Jantzen
May 6, 2015 at 7:32 pm

Hey Jim, sorry, I didn’t write that. I just saved it from this thread here:

https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/227/25456#26611

Jason Jantzen
vimeo.com/jasonj

Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up

Creative Communities of the World Forums