Using valueAtTime expression with a position

[Greg Burrus]

I think you maybe be able to use expression timeline script https://aescripts.com/expression-timeline/. Another option would be to right a if statement to tell it to on work up to a certain frame which is essentially what the script does but automatically.

However I’m thinking that when you switch it off the layer following may jump to the position it was at originally before it started following. So you may want to try another approach that will let it stay at it’s last position.

hope this helps

Greg

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[Dan Ebberts]

Something like this, probably:


timeToStop = 5;
if (time < timeToStop){
(your expression goes here)
}else{
value
}


Dan

[Craig Ricker]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Ok so I want to make it a little more complicated and I wonder if this is possible.
What I would like is this.

Object A follows object B using
timeToStop = 6.5;
if (time < timeToStop)
{thisComp.layer(“Shape Layer 1”).transform.position.valueAtTime(time-1)}
else{
}
At 6.5 Object A continues on, and I would like Object B to follow but I would like it to gradually (say over the next 1 second) add 5 to the x value of the position of Object B.

So at 6.5 seconds the following would be true
Object A position [0,0]
Object B position [0,0]

And at the end of that next second (7.5) the following would be true
Object A position [5,10]
Object B position [10,10]

How can I go about gradually incrementing the X position of object B whilst still having it follow Object A?

[Dan Ebberts]

So after 6.5 seconds the follower is still following but acquires a 5-pixel x offset over one second, is that correct? If so, that could look like this:


timeToStop = 6.5;
if (time < timeToStop){
thisComp.layer("Shape Layer 1").transform.position.valueAtTime(time-1)
}else{
xOffset = ease(time,timeToStop,timeToStop+1,0,1);
thisComp.layer("Shape Layer 1").transform.position.valueAtTime(time-1) + [xOffset,0]
}


But this is simpler and does the same thing:


timeToStop = 6.5;
xOffset = ease(time,timeToStop,timeToStop+1,0,1);
thisComp.layer("Shape Layer 1").transform.position.valueAtTime(time-1) + [xOffset,0]


Dan

[Craig Ricker]

Brilliant! Learning heaps, thanks!