[Jamie Bradshaw]

Just in case you weren’t aware and they of any help, you can also use these.

thisLayer.outPoint;

or

thisComp.duration;

JimJam•Graphics
https://www.jimjamgraphics.com/

[Jamie Bradshaw]

Hi Ted.

I actually found your tutorial as I started to google for help after first I ran into trouble. Unfortunately though it didn’t seem to work for me. Not sure if I was doing anything wrong, but I still encountered the same camera rotation problem.

Many thanks,
Jamie

JimJam•Graphics
https://www.jimjamgraphics.com/

[Jamie Bradshaw]

Okay so I have been trying to dig further into this problem. I found this previous thread:

https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/227/8461#8465

… and from which this code looks like it might be close to what I need:

//
L = thisComp.layer(“Layer 1”);
u = L.toWorldVec([1,0,0]);
v = L.toWorldVec([0,1,0]);
w = L.toWorldVec([0,0,1]);

sinb = clamp(w[0],-1,1);
b = Math.asin(sinb);
cosb = Math.cos(b);
if (Math.abs(cosb) > .0005){
c = -Math.atan2(v[0],u[0]);
a = -Math.atan2(w[1],w[2]);
}else{
a = Math.atan2(u[1],v[1]);
c = 0;
}
[radiansToDegrees(a),radiansToDegrees(b),radiansToDegrees(c)]
//

(obviously I can then use radiansToDegrees(a) for the Psunami Tilt and radiansToDegrees(b) for Pan etc)

It certainly feels like I’m getting closer with it but still not there. I have a sneaky feeling it has something to do with a different rotation order from the AE camera and the Psunami camera.

For example, it I rotate the AE camera just on the x-axis it works fine, but as soon as I add any rotation on the y-axis it starts to break (and vice-versa).

Any help would be massively appreciated as I have been trying to solve this issue for a long time now. I’d even appreciate if someone with more knowledge on such things could suggest if they think I am on the right tracks or if they think it is even possible.

Thanks,
Jamie

JimJam•Graphics
https://www.jimjamgraphics.com/

[Jamie Bradshaw]

Hi Wolfgang.

Not sure if this will help or not, but I have noticed a similar issue when I had an expression that was looking at the properties of a Light layer. When the Light layer was turned off (by clicking on the eye) it didn’t work, but when it was turned back on, it did work.

Not sure if this is at all relevant to what you are doing, but it might be worth while just seeing if you have any layers that are turned off and seeing if turning them on helps.

Jamie

JimJam•Graphics
https://www.jimjamgraphics.com/

[Jamie Bradshaw]

Oops forgot to mention that I am using CS5 10.0.0.458 if that is any help.

JimJam•Graphics
https://www.jimjamgraphics.com/

[Jamie Bradshaw]

Aha! Caught it!

For anyone who might be vaguely interested it was because I needed to declare the var pArray_2 = new Array(); inside the first for loop. I’m guessing so that it could clear the previous info stored in the array which it wasn’t doing if I didn’t normalize the vector.

Here is the working code with added comments to maybe make it clearer.


seedRandom(index , true);

// The variables
parentType1 = [0, 0, 0]; //define the parent type, in this case a 3d vector
parentAmount1 = 4; //define how many original parents
minMax1 = [-1, 1]; //define the min and max range of random values
normalise1 = true; //normalise the vector or not
generations1 = 20; //how many generations or iterations to calculate

pArray1 = generateParents(parentType1, parentAmount1, minMax1, normalise1);

// generate the debug text so I can assess what's happening
str1 = "";
for (n1 = 0; n1 < parentAmount1; n1++) {
str1 += "Parent " + n1 + "\r";
for (n2 = 0; n2 < parentType1.length; n2++) {
str1 +=
"\t" + "[" + n2 + "]: " + pArray1[n1][n2] + "\t" + "\r";
}
str1 += "\t" + "length: " + length(pArray1[n1]) + "\r" +
"\r";
}

// ***FUNCTIONS***

// this function returns an array of original parents
function generateParents(pType_1, pAmount_1, minMax_1, norm_1) {
var pArray_1 = new Array();
var pType_3 = new Array();
for (n_2 = 0; n_2 < pAmount_1; n_2++) {
var pType_2 = new Array();
for (n_1 = 0; n_1 < pType_1.length; n_1++) {
pType_2[n_1] = random(minMax_1[0], minMax_1[1]);
}
if (norm_1 == false) {
pType_3 = pType_2;
} else {
pType_3 = normalize(pType_2);
}
pArray_1[n_2] = pType_3;
}
return(pArray_1);
}

JimJam•Graphics
https://www.jimjamgraphics.com/

[Jamie Bradshaw]

Hi Marcel.

I’m guessing that the issue here is not the expression but the way Particular works.

Which version of Particular do you have?

Do you have the Particular effects on two separate layers or on just one?

Are you aware of the Obscuration Layer under the Visibility section on the Particular effect?

Cheers,
Jamie

JimJam•Graphics
https://www.jimjamgraphics.com/

[Jamie Bradshaw]

Hi Michael.

Just to update (for anyone who might be interested or going through a similar dilemma)

I took your advice and basically instead of using a Null layer, I’ve used an expression on the sourceText of a text layer to store a data string that holds the index and time of both the previous and next markers as well as the the marker comment. I then extrapolate this data string to use on other expressions. It works a treat!

It might seem like a convoluted way of going about things, but it’s massively cut down the render time (a previous 8 hours render now down to ~30mins).

Thanks for your help on this.

Jamie

JimJam•Graphics
https://www.jimjamgraphics.com/

[Jamie Bradshaw]

Thanks for your help Filip.

Do you have to have the paid for version to actually edit a .js file on the iPhone? I downloaded the free version but can’t find a way of editing. Am I missing something? I’m just after a nice editor for writing some expressions when I’m on the move.

Thanks,
Jamie

JimJam•Graphics
https://www.jimjamgraphics.com/

[Jamie Bradshaw]

Thanks again for your help on this Michael. The reason for me having so many markers is that I’ve developed what I find to be a very good process for using After Effects for making music videos. I use an audio editing package to put all my markers in and then import them into AE to control and manipulate many things. I’d be more than happy to supply you with my project file for this if that helps?

JimJam•Graphics
https://www.jimjamgraphics.com/