Participating Frequently

Answered

How to make an object, lets say a circle, move along a path, while always being tangential to path

10 replies
2166 views
Translate

Hello, like the title says, how do u make a shape or object be tangential to the path at every point of the path, regardless of the shape of the path?

This topic is closed to new replies. Start a new post to keep the conversation going.

R

Rick GerardCorrect answer

Community Expert

If you have a motion path you want to follow, Shift + Parent a null to the motion path, set the Null to Auto Orient to the motion path, then Shift + parent the Circle to the Null and offset the Y position of the circle by the radius of the circle.

If you want to follow a shape layer path or a mask path, select the path in the timeline, open Window/Create Nulls From Paths.jsx and select Trace Path, then Shift + Parent the Circle (with the anchor point in the center) to the Trace null and offset the position by the radius of the circle.

Syntax_One

Known Participant

Copy the path proprety of the path and paste it in the circle's position property.

Translate

R

Rick Gerard

Correct answer

Community Expert

If you have a motion path you want to follow, Shift + Parent a null to the motion path, set the Null to Auto Orient to the motion path, then Shift + parent the Circle to the Null and offset the Y position of the circle by the radius of the circle.

If you want to follow a shape layer path or a mask path, select the path in the timeline, open Window/Create Nulls From Paths.jsx and select Trace Path, then Shift + Parent the Circle (with the anchor point in the center) to the Trace null and offset the position by the radius of the circle.

Translate

S

ShinyDawn999Author

Participating Frequently

awesome, works like a charm. thank you so much.

Translate

Warren Heaton

Community Expert

Layer > Transform > Auto-Orient... (Option + Command + O, macOS)

Translate

S

ShinyDawn999Author

Participating Frequently

that doesnt seem to work. to be clear, i have made a custom path with the pen tool, then a circle shape on a new shape layer. i set the anchor point of the second shape layer to be in the center of the circle and i copied the path property of the first layer to the position property of the second. this made the circle center coincide with the starting point of the path, where i want to make the circle be tangent to the path.

Translate

Warren Heaton

Community Expert

Auto-Orient works based on the Motion Path of the Layer's Position property.

For what you have described, you'll need to keyframe the Rotation of the circle such that it coincides with the motion.

Translate

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.