simple expression question!

Question

Hi there! I'm working with someone's AE file, and I need to understand something.

A shape layer has a Group that contains multiple dashed strokes that all move along the line ... and loop.

They're using an expression on the Offset property on each stroke:

one stroke will have:

-time * 24 * 6 + 25

then the one below will have:

-time * 24 * 6 + 250

And the next one will have:

-time * 24 * 6 + 1000

Can someone break this down for me?

ShiveringCactus · Answer

Looking at the expressions, my guess is the comp is 24 frames per second. That explains the 24. Times 6 is a liitle odd:

If time = 1 (1 second) set the value to be 144 + 25
If time = 2, set the value to be 288 + 25

The plus (+) values are just offsetting the starting positions, so the second expression offsets the value by 225 from the first.

-time is setting the values into the negative, so it's offsetting the strokes by -144 etc...

A simpler way to code this would have been to have had the expression on one stroke, (time*-144)+25, then pickwhip this value for the second stroke and add the difference., e.g. "strokeoffset"+225.

The brackets are not "needed", but add clarity.

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