Trigger comps on timeline in a random sequence

[Dan Ebberts]

Something like this time remapping expression maybe:

dur = 5; // play each clip 5 seconds
seed = 1103; // change this to get different result
m = marker;
val = time;
if (m.numKeys > 0){
  period = Math.floor(time/dur);
  t = time%dur;
  seedRandom(seed+period,true);
  n = Math.floor(random(m.numKeys)) + 1;
  val = m.key(n).time + t;
}
val

[mat taylor]

Thankyou, that works perfectly.

To expand on this idea; Is it possible for the seed to change each time the comp loops around to the start again? Or each time the comp is played?

[Dan Ebberts]

Actually, I don’t think you even need the markers. If you set the precomp up so it is the exact length you need to encompass however many 5-second clips you have, then time remap it in the main comp and drag the outpoint to the end of the main comp, this time remapping expression should take care of it:

dur = 5; // play each clip for 5 seconds
seed = 1103; // change this to get different results
nTot = Math.floor(source.duration/dur);
n = Math.floor(time/dur)
seedRandom(seed+n,true);
tStart = Math.floor(random(nTot))*dur;
tStart + time%dur

[Brie Clayton]

Thank you for solving this, Dan!

[mat taylor]

Again this works perfectly. Thanks for helping me out with this one, I’ve wanted to do a project with this kind of random functionality for a long time but I do not have the skills to solve it like this!