Using a script to add an expression to a layer?

[Filip Vandueren]

Hi John,

there’s no problem in setting an expression from a script, you can for example use this in a script:

app.project.activeItem.layer(1).text.sourceText.expression = “timeToCurrentFormat(time)”;

[John Wilkins]

Thanks Filip, thats a great help!

One quick query though, could you advise me how I could re-phrase the script to create a new layer rather than replace the (1) layer.

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.

John

[Filip Vandueren]

OK,
I’m no scripting expert but I think something like this should work:

{
activeComp=app.project.activeItem;

T=activeComp.layers.addText();
T.name = "Timecode Burn";
T.startTime = 0;
T.outPoint = activeComp.duration;
T.text.sourceText.expression = "timeToCurrentFormat(time)";
T.transform.position.setValue([100,80,0]);
}

Please note that you can’t set the style of the text via scripts or expressions (the Font, size, kerning, colour, etc.)
It will use the current settings, so first make a textlayer using the style you want, delete it and then you can run the script.

[John Wilkins]

Thanks great Filip – just what I needed. Thanks again!

John

[Ted Mihu]

Hello, I was wondering how I can add an expression to an Audio Amplitude null through scripting. I want to add a smooth expression to the “Both Channels” slider effect of the null.

[Xavier Gomez]

app.project.activeItem.layer(1).effect("Both Channels")(1).expression = "smooth(0.2, 5, time);";

See this: https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/2/911517 to see how smooth works.

Xavier

[Ted Mihu]

Thank you so much!!

Any chance you know how to access the anchor point of a layer in script? I can’t find any help online, and since it’s two words, I’m having trouble.

[Dan Ebberts]

Try this:

app.project.activeItem.layer(1).property(“Anchor Point”).setValue([0,0])

Dan

[Dave Jackson]

I know this is years later and its annoying to keep adding to an old thread but it’s along the same lines:

How would you target a selected property to add the expression to, in order to make it more versatile?

this works:
app.project.activeItem.layer(1).property(“Position”).expression = “wiggle(2,2)”;

but this would be more useful, and doesn’t:
app.project.activeItem.selectedLayers.property.expression = “wiggle(2,2)”;

cheers

[Dan Ebberts]

I guess I’d do something like this:


props = app.project.activeItem.selectedProperties;
for (var i = 0; i < props.length; i++){
if (props[i].canSetExpression){
props[i].expression = "wiggle(2,2)";
}
}


Dan