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| Hi, It does make sense, and what I'm suggesting could do that but coming from the problem in a different way. What is possible (I have done this many times) is to set up a single point of control in the composition (an expression slider) that sets the time-remapping for the pre-comp. This control then has an expression applied to it to read the last two or three numbers of the composition name (using the subsrt function). You would name the composition something like Pageturn_001. All you have to do is create one composition, set up your keyframes, then duplicate it 200 times, and because After Effects will increment the number at the end of each duplicated composition, you will end up with 200 unique compositions that has a different image in it. No more work required. If you need to change or alter the animation, you would delete the 199 compositions, change your original, and then duplicate it 200 times again. This may not suit you - this approach only works in certain situations- but I have used it successfully many times. Another completely different alternative is to set up your transition on an adjustment layer, and then precomp it. If you want three different transitions, you can set up three different precomps that have nothing in them except an adjustment layer with the effect applied to it. Then just drag the precomp on top of your images and enable 'collapse transformations' so the effects work in the main comp. If they're different durations, you can still use a time-remapping on the precomp to match the duration each image (which can itself be automated with an expression). Changing the adjustment layer in the precomp will effect every instance of it in your main composition. Sounds like you're getting there anyway but this is all food for thought, -Chris -----Original Message----- From: Teddy Gage [mailto:teddygage@gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2012 08:26 AM To: 'After Effects Mail List' Subject: Re: [AE] building a dynamic node-like effect in AE Ah that's not quite what I meant, although it brings up an interesting idea for further automating the project. I'm placing the image layers in sequence by hand. But I want an effect on each layer that says "starting at the in-point of this layer, move the cc page turn fold position 1000 units left to right relative to the anchor point over 30 seconds." Then ideally I could add this effect to hundreds of layers, but then at the end be able to change the transition time from 3 seconds to 1 second for all layers by just changing a single variable. Chris solved half the problem (the static variables) with a reference to an effect instancing script. But I still need to be able to change the timing without moving 200 keyframes by hand. Does that make any more sense? On Wed, Aug 29, 2012 at 6:01 PM, Chris Zwar <chris@chriszwar.com> wrote: > Hi, > > It's difficult to offer advice without seeing exactly what you're trying > to do, but I think that I would suggest you consider using time-remapping > as a tool to select which image you want to use in each comp. > > Rather than have a preset which you drop onto a layer, I would put all of > your source layers into one composition. If they're stills - great, > sequence them with 1 second durations. If they're video, then sequence > them with even spacings (the duration of your longest clip, rounded up to > the nearest second). > > Build your effects using this pre-comp as your main layer, and use > time-remapping to control which still or video you can see. You can use > the layer as many times as you need to, and link the time-remapping value > of each instance to a master slider. > > This way, instead of having 3 presets, you will instead create 3 template > compositions. All you need to do is duplicate the one that you want and > change the slider value so it's working on a different source image. If > you want to add more images or video, just add them to the end of your > sequence in the pre-comp that contains everything. > > Hope this makes sense, > > -Chris > > On 30/08/2012, at 6:20 AM, Teddy Gage wrote: > > Hello, I have a project which is basically a glorified power point > presentation. I say node-like because I want one effect instance to change > multiple layers with the effect, like in a node based compositor. I have > hundreds of images that come onscreen more or less one-by-one, many of > which will use pretty basic transitions. My desire is to build a few nice > "stock transitions" (like 3) using expressions, and anywhere I drop these > on a layer, its properties can be controlled by a single set of sliders or > keyframes. For example, I have CC page turn on many of them, and I want to > animate the fold position moving in. I want to be able to drop this effect, > or effect + expression or preset, onto any layer, and have it automatically > begin the transition from the layer in-point. Additionally, every instance > of the effect in the project is controlled by a master slider or master set > of keyframes in case the client wants to tweak the timing. This way it will > ripple through my 100+ layers instead of having to manually change every > keyframe. I have some basic expression knowledge, but every time I think > I'm close to figuring this out it eludes me. This may be way more > complicated than I'm thinking, or way less. Thanks, > TG > > -- > Animator & Editor > www.teddygage.com > Brooklyn > > > -- Animator & Editor www.teddygage.com Brooklyn |
