[Darby Edelen]

[chewbacca] “if(p_act <= 0 && B = 0) //if its zero and B(beat) is zero too, so stay put"

One note on this: = is an assignment operator and == is the comparison operator. When I first started programming this was one of the early hard lessons =)

if(p_act <= 0 && B = 0) will always evaluate to false (0) because you're telling B to equal zero, not asking AE if B is equal to 0. Also, is AE letting you get away with not using semi-colons at the end of your assignments? Because it really shouldn't =O After those basic syntax issues, I don't think there's a good way to do what you're attempting using only keyframed audio and expressions. You might try looking into an effect from Trapcode called Sound Keys: https://www.trapcode.com/movies/beat_explode.mov

[Darby Edelen]

It’s been a little while since I’ve brought paths in from PS to AE, but I’m pretty sure that if you import your PSD as a Composition it maintains any vector masks as masks in AE (note that it has to be a vector mask on a layer, it doesn’t import paths that aren’t assigned to layers as masks). From there you can set a keyframe in the mask’s Mask Shape property, copy this keyframe and paste it into your position property to get position keyframes. I think this copy/paste technique defaults to 2 seconds of animation but you can select the keyframes and use opt-drag (alt-drag) to extend the animation out while maintaining the keyframes’ relative position.

You may not like this technique as much, but it avoids having to go between different pixel aspect ratios (which is the bane of my existence).

[Darby Edelen]

[agent2a03] “You can run Macdrive on the XP side to access your OS X partition”

I use MacDrive as well, and I like the added functionality it gives me… but I have experienced issues with file names from time to time, I recommend setting file names to be “Most Compatible.” Although this will sometimes change the names of your files when you view them in XP it’s better than not being able to open the files! =O

[Darby Edelen]

Oh, the other little detail that I must have left out is that like any other layer: you can only paste into the mask channel if it’s visible.

[Darby Edelen]

[Airbrush Art] “I do use levels all the time but why do I need to adjust a B&W line art ? Its already very black.”

I assumed that your line art was from a scan, in which case it most likely is not very black. For this to work your lines must be pure black and your background must be pure white (with some gradation allowable between) before you invert the colors.

When you have your inverted layer you copy and paste it into a new layer’s mask channel (it must be masked before you can do this, Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All). Note that until that layer has something in its RGB channels you won’t see anything (a transparent layer masked is still a transparent layer), so you could fill your new layer with red and then paste the black and white image into the Mask Channel.

If you’re not familiar with Layer Masks this is probably where you’re having trouble.

[Darby Edelen]

You need to set a target for the motion tracker, then when you’re satisfied with the tracker’s data you Apply it to the target.

[Darby Edelen]

I don’t have a sure fire way to fix the problem you’re experiencing, but I did change the expression you were using slightly to automatically determine the correct speed based on the composition’s frame rate. This should give you similar results to what you already had, only hopefully more accurate. Change the first value of s to alter the speed at which the text scrolls (1 is 1 pixel per frame, 2 is 2 pixels, etc.):

s = 2;
s = Math.ceil(s) * (1 / thisComp.frameDuration);
tempX = transform.position[0];
tempY = transform.position[1];

tempY = transform.position[1] – ((time – inPoint) * s);

[tempX, tempY]

[Darby Edelen]

You must have pasted the ‘negative’ onto a layer instead of into a layer’s mask.

The part where you add a Layer Mask to the layer and select that mask’s channel (in the channels tab in the layers palette) before you paste is of supreme importance =)

[Darby Edelen]

Well, something that always helps for any interlacing issues at all is Reduce Interlace Flicker under Effect > Blur & Sharpen. I usually use a value below 0.5

[Darby Edelen]

[Airbrush Art] “Maybe this can’t be done.”

This can definitely be done.

Duplicate your line art so that you can maintain your source. Desaturate your duplicated layer (cmd-shift-u, ctrl-shift-u)Then apply a Levels adjustment to it, if you’re not familiar with this adjustment it should become readily apparent what it does if you play with it a bit (or you can bug me and I can talk about it in more detail). When you’re applying your Levels adjustment keep this in mind: when we’re done the black areas will be visible on the layer we’re going to apply the mask to, white will be transparent and anything in between will be semi-transparent.

When you’re done with your Levels adjustment hit cmd-I (ctrl-I) to invert the colors, white will become black and black will become white. Now select the entire layer (cmd-A, ctrl-A)and copy it (cmd-c, ctrl-c). Now select the layer you want to apply the mask to and go to Layers > Layer Mask > Reveal All. Now click on the Channels Tab (next to the Layers tab in the layers pallette). Select the last entry (should be “Layername Mask”) and paste (cmd-v, ctrl-v). This should apply the copied mask to the layer.

Sorry if I left anything out, I don’t have photoshop open and I’m trying to relate this from memory. There are probably at least a dozen other ways to accomplish this, but mine is my favorite (;