After Effects Template with Auto Trace

[Filip5FC6]

Hey Community,

I am pretty new to AE and wanted to create a Laser Text Animation Template for Premiere. I created a composition for the Text, which I will later drop into the Essential Graphics Panel, to allow me to change it in Premiere. In another composition I used Auto Trace for the Laser Animation. Everything went well until I noticed, that if I change the original Text, I need to Auto Trace it Again and delete the old mask. 

I think that I have to use expression on this point, but the only expression which I know is the if...else expression...

Can anyone help me with scripting the expression?

Thank you so much!

[Mylenium · Accepted solution]

There is no way to set something like that up with expressions. And honestly: Why would you? Typically you would want to clean up and simplify the paths to avoid jitter and odd kinks, change their starting points and directions, control the individual timing based on the complexity of the shapes and so on. This is one of those things that is way too complex to pack into a template. If at all I would imagine that with a plug-in like Plexus one could come close to some form of automation, but apparently that costs extra and even then there are limitations. So for what it's worth, you are looking to automate something that more or less makes little sense from a practical standpoint. Rather focus your energy on streamlining the process in AE itself as much as you can and then generate individual compositions to be linked in your Premiere stuff based on your prototype comp(s).

Mylenium

[ShiveringCactus]

I'm not sure you can do this without using the auto-trace script.  I take it using a linear wipe and a lens flare to hide the wipe wouldn't be sufficient for the laser effect?  That would give you the flexibility.