Using bounding box in extendscript (and using it to create a mask path)

[Dan Ebberts]

Are you talking about scripting or expressions? With expressions you would just click on your vector layer with the pen tool to create a mask point and add an expression something like this to the Mask Path:

r= sourceRectAtTime(time,false);
p = [[r.left,r.top],[r.left+r.width,r.top+r.height/5],[r.left,r.top+2*r.height/5],[r.left+r.width,r.top + 3*r.height/5],[r.left,r.top+4*r.height/5],[r.left+r.width,r.top+r.height]];
createPath(p,[],[],false)

It would be similar but a little more involved with scripting.

[Emre Mutlu]

Thank you Dan. I tried your way and it worked.

I was talking about scripting. I post here because can’t find a scripting topic. How could i do it with script? Could you please explain the logic in this so that i can understand it 🙂 Also is there a way to create the mask point without using pen tool?

[Dan Ebberts]

<div>The script version would be like this:</div>

var myLayer = app.project.activeItem.layer(1);
var r = myLayer.sourceRectAtTime(0,false);
var myMask = myLayer.property("Masks").addProperty("Mask");
var myPath = myMask.property("Mask Path");
var myShape = myPath.value;
myShape.vertices = [[r.left,r.top],[r.left+r.width,r.top+r.height/5],[r.left,r.top+2*r.height/5],[r.left+r.width,r.top + 3*r.height/5],[r.left,r.top+4*r.height/5],[r.left+r.width,r.top+r.height]];
myShape.inTangents = [];
myShape.outTangents = [];
myShape.closed = false;
myPath.setValue(myShape);

Basically you’re just using the layer’s left, top, width, and height extents as provided by sourceRectAtTime() to calculate where you want the mask vertices to be. I just took a shot at it based on your diagram. Since the mask is all corner points, you can provide empty arrays for the in and out tangents.

[Emre Mutlu]

Thank you very much. This has been extremely helpful.