How to offset rotated shape layer duplicates by rotation amount

Question

Hi All!

I hope my subject makes sense, but if not, I've attached a picture below. I'm 99% sure there is a way to do this without an expression, but I can't for the life of me remember how to do so... Something along the lines of creating one duplicate layer, setting the desired rotation manually, and then each subsequent layer duplicated will start setting the rotation based on the layer duplicated..

In the image, you'll see 3 individual shape layers created with the pen tool. There's a 22.5 degree rotation between each sequential layer. I feel strongly that there was a process I used in the past where I could duplicate these shape layers and the 12.5 degree rotation will be referenced from the previous layer.

Anyone out here know what I'm referring to? I could've sworn this process was in AE.

Many thanks all!

O

Rick Gerard · Answer

There are two ways to create a uniform rotation with shape layers. The first is to draw the first shape, position the Shape Anchor Point (not the layer anchor point) appropriately using Shape 1/Transform Shape/Anchor Point, then add a repeater and pick rotation and the number of copies.

The other is to properly position your first layer with the Anchor Point at the center of rotation. Name the layer something like "Master Shape," Then the layer and add this simple expression to Rotation to the layer under the first one;

r = index - thisComp.layer("Master Shape").index;
a = 12.5;
r * a;

Now duplicate the layer with the expression as many times as you like. The layer number will be equal to the number of layers the additional shape layers are below the "Master Shape" layer.

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