[David Cabestany]

I have 2gb.
I’ll check with VCP too, but there’s other E3D layers in the same file that are rendering ok.

[David Cabestany]

I haven’t. I own several of Lloyd’s scripts but not that one, I’ll check it out.

So here’s one other thing Adobe claims its software does but when you need it, it doesn’t.

Thanks.
D.

[David Cabestany]

Errrr, somewhat related, although much simpler (I think) thatn your original quesiton, but really really hoping that someone can help me.

I’m trying the expressions below and so far I haven’t been able to do so, the try/catch reads the error message, but that’s about it, I haven’t been able to read the contents of my variable.

The second expression (Harry Frank’s) it’s returning the following errors:
Expected ;. Error occurred at line 1.

After I put the requested semicolon I get this:

Illegal use of reserved word. error occurred at line 3.

All I got at line 3 is the word else.

Weirdest of all is that I have used this expression in the past and it worked perfectly, in fact I just tried it in a different computer and it worked, both machines are running AE CS6 and are macs, the only difference is the offending one is running on Mountain Lion, whereas the one that worked is running on Snow Leopard.

If anyone can help me solve this would be enormously appreciated, I have over a 100 captions to deliver tomorrow.

Thanks,
David.

try
{
myPath="~/Desktop/captions.txt";
$.eval(thisComp.name)[0];
}
catch
(err)
{"missing";
}

if ($.os.indexOf("Mac") != -1)
myPath = "/Expressions/";
else
myPath = "file://c:\Expressions";
myPath += "data.txt";
$.evalFile (myPath);
eval(thisComp.name);

[David Cabestany]

Precisely what I need.

Thanks!

[David Cabestany]

Hey Javier I just tried the expression that you kindly wrote, it works perfect! Thanks a lot, you just saved me a ton of keyframe, if at all possible to keyframe that!

Best,
David.

Below is the revised version to drive the text, in case anyone needs it.

posterizeTime(10);
target = thisComp.layer("beam");
P = thisComp.layer("beam").effect("Beam")("Ending Point");
alpha = target.sampleImage(P,[.5,.5],true)[3];

if (alpha==1)
{

n=random(-16,24);
n.toFixed(3)+" dB]";
}
else{
0+"dB]"
};

[David Cabestany]

I don’t know either, but that’s what’s happening, as soon as I change the = to ==, >= or <= the value drops to 1.
I checked the point form where I’m sampling by zooming in as much as I could and reading the alpha value on the info panel, I’m getting absolute 0.
The point I’m sampling is the only thing on the null and I even tried it on a dummy comp with nothing more but a solid, no matter where I placed the point I wasn’t able to get the expected readings, yet I imported an older project with a similar expression but applied to an optical flare and it works as expected.

I’ll try your revised expression first thing tomorrow, thanks a lot for taking the time.

I can post the project if anyone wants to take a look.

I’m completely puzzled about this.
David.

[David Cabestany]

Thanks Xavier, I added the extra = sign but no luck, it change the return value to 1% but that was it, it still doesn’t change over time.

My new expression reads like it’s shown below.

Best,
D.

target=thisComp.layer("beam");
alpha=target.sampleImage((thisComp.layer("target pos").effect("Point Control")("Point")),[.5,.5])[3];

(alpha==1) ? 100:0;

[David Cabestany]

I think I got the syntax right, but the behavior is still not as expected, I now the expression is functional because if I change the value of alpha to 0 the layer reacts to it, it’s just not changing each frame as I ned it to.

target=thisComp.layer("beam");
alpha=target.sampleImage((thisComp.layer("target pos").effect("Point Control")("Point")),[.5,.5])[3],(postEffect=true);

if
(alpha=1)
{
100
}
else
{
0
}
;

[David Cabestany]

The object I’m trying to make transparent is an audio spectrum, I might change the expression to drive the height of the peaks instead of the transparency of the layer instead, the same beam also drives an if/the expression on text, when it’s fully opaque it shows some random reading but when it’s transparent it needs to show 0, so a track matte is not helpful in this case.

Thanks,

[David Cabestany]

Thanks Dan, much appreciated as always.
How do I add that parameter, I tried typing it after the point control and before the arrays but didn’t work, can you tell me its exact syntax?

I checked your blog as well Adobe’s entry on sampleImage but I’m not very clear on where to include the third and fourth parameters.

Again, thank you very very much.


alpha=target.sampleImage((thisComp.layer("target pos").effect("Point Control")("Point"))(postEffect=true),[.5,.5])[3];