This was written right-quick on a subway trip, but consider something along the lines of...

startTime = this.inPoint;
transDur = 30;
startX = 0;
xOffset = 1000;

linear(time, startTime, startTime + framesToTime(transDur), startX, startX + xOffset)

Where transDur is the duration of the transition, startX is the beginning X value and xOffset is the amount to move X.

On Aug 29, 2012 4:57 PM, "Teddy Gage" <teddygage@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks Chris! Both the suggestion and the script are very close to what I want and solve a bunch of problems (like having the back page color or page turn width changes ripple through the project). My only issue now is that by key-framing the page turn, the instanced effect creates the transition on a new layer where it is in time on the original layer. I need these layers staggered in time so that's not going to work. Could anyone figure out an expression to change the fold position on the x-axis as a function of the layer's in point? I know there's an auto-fade opacity by layer in/out expression, maybe telling it to take 30 frames from layer in to travel 1000 units in X would work. Then I could instance that effect with the expression and maybe it would change the rest of them at the same time...?

On Wed, Aug 29, 2012 at 4:39 PM, Chris Meyer <chris@crishdesign.com> wrote:

If you make one instance of this - a master control layer, and slave layer with expressions that point back to the control layer - then you can select the effects, expressions, etc. on the slave layer and save it as an animation preset. Then when you apply that animation preset to a new slave layer inside the same composition, it too will point to the same master as the original. (Same will happen if you just duplicate the slave layer, then swap out its source.)

If these slaves will be in other compositions, then when you create your first slave, put it in another composition, pointing back to the master layer in the master comp. You can wire expressions across comps by having both Timeline panels open at the same time (just drag one timeline's tab above the others, and a new frame will be created in the UI), then follow the above.

What might also be of use is someone has created a script that creates an "instance" of an effect where every parameter of an effect applied to a slave will be attached to every corresponding parameter of a master - saves a lot of pick-whipping if you need to set up a lot of parameters, instead of just a few expression controls. Let me see what that thing was called…here it is: http://aescripts.com/ft-effect-instance/

good luck -

Chris

P.S. Our books, if you have them, tend to show examples of having one master layer control multiple slave layers using expressions.

On Aug 29, 2012, at 2:20 PM, 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