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NiklasKLarsen
Participating Frequently
September 26, 2018
Answered

Can you make an object follow a text length?

  • September 26, 2018
  • 3 replies
  • 11193 views

Can you make an object follow the end of a text? I need to make the green dot (look at picture) follow the end of the text. I want it to work, so no matter how long or short the text is, the green dot will continue to be the same distance from the text.

It sounds a lot like some kind of expression. But is it possible?

I use this template daily at work and would love to make an essential graphic. But right now I have to move the dot manually every time i write a new text or change the text.

The reason why it's not just a normal dot, is because the dot is animating.

Hope someone can help.
Thanks in advance!

PICTURE:

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Martin_Ritter

I can confirm, that it works the way I said - just tried it.

I used this expression on the position of the dot:

x=thisComp.layer("SText").sourceRectAtTime(time,true).width + thisComp.layer("SText").transform.position[0] + effect("x Offset")("Schieberegler");

y=thisComp.layer("SText").sourceRectAtTime(time,true).height + thisComp.layer("SText").transform.position[1] + effect("y Offset")("Schieberegler");

[x,y];

I added two slides on the dot for x- and y-Offset and I added the position data of my text. Somehow (depending on anchorpoint and individual positions), the dot was displaced in y-axes, but that's what are the offset-sliders are for.

I've created a new textfield with more content, duplicated my dot and edited the names of the layers, so the new dot gets connected to the new, longer text. Once everything is aligned properly, it works for every text length.

You can download the project file here:

Dropbox - DottyDot.aep

Notice that you have to change "Schieberegler" in the expressions to "slider", when you are have installed an english version of AE.

Cheers,
Martin

3 replies

R
Community Expert
Rick GerardCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 26, 2018

What do you mean when you say the dot is animating? If the dot is stationary or you want the dot to move as the text animates on you can fix the position using this an expression. The method  can be found in about 10 seconds by typing "text size expression" or something similar in the Search Help field at the top right corner of After Effects and then searching the Expression Language page for "text":

sourceRectAtTime(t = time, includeExtents = false)

Return type: JavaScript object with four attributes: [top, left, width, height]. Extents apply only to shape layers, increasing the size of the layer bounds as necessary, and paragraph text layers (After Effects 15.1 and later), where it returns the bounds of the paragraph box. Example: myTextLayer.sourceRectAtTime().width.

You will have to take into account the anchor point and position of the text layer. For example, if the text layer was one layer below the dot layer this:

w = thisComp.layer(index + 1).sourceRectAtTime().width;

would return the width of the text layer at the current time. All you then have to do take into account the text layer's position, anchor point, paragraph style, and baseline shift. The easiest way to do that would be to make sure the anchor point of the dot layer is centered on the dot and use a value + statement for both X and Y like this:

w = thisComp.layer(index + 1).sourceRectAtTime().width;
[value[0] + w, value[1]]

If the paragraph style is centered then you would have to divide w by 2.

If you want the position to be automatic then you'll have to add in calculations and links to the text layer's position, anchor point (if changed) and you'll have to consider or add in a text animator for baseline shift.

That should get you started anyway.

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NiklasKLarsenAuthor
Participating Frequently
September 27, 2018

This works the same way as martinr's suggestion. Read my answer above... But the same is happening with your suggestion. I dont comepletely understand how to fix this, even though i can see you triede to explain that to me

Martin_Ritter
Martin_RitterCorrect answer
Legend
September 27, 2018

I can confirm, that it works the way I said - just tried it.

I used this expression on the position of the dot:

x=thisComp.layer("SText").sourceRectAtTime(time,true).width + thisComp.layer("SText").transform.position[0] + effect("x Offset")("Schieberegler");

y=thisComp.layer("SText").sourceRectAtTime(time,true).height + thisComp.layer("SText").transform.position[1] + effect("y Offset")("Schieberegler");

[x,y];

I added two slides on the dot for x- and y-Offset and I added the position data of my text. Somehow (depending on anchorpoint and individual positions), the dot was displaced in y-axes, but that's what are the offset-sliders are for.

I've created a new textfield with more content, duplicated my dot and edited the names of the layers, so the new dot gets connected to the new, longer text. Once everything is aligned properly, it works for every text length.

You can download the project file here:

Dropbox - DottyDot.aep

Notice that you have to change "Schieberegler" in the expressions to "slider", when you are have installed an english version of AE.

Cheers,
Martin

Martin_Ritter
Martin_Ritter
Legend
September 26, 2018

Yes, you can and it's quiet easy!

As you pointed out, it's a matter of an expression:

thisComp.layer("YOUR TEXT").sourceRectAtTime(time,true).width + OFFSET;

This snippet gives you the width of your textbox. With the OFFSET, you can fine tune the position.

A complete control over x and y values would look like this:

x=thisComp.layer("YOUR TEXT").sourceRectAtTime(time,true).width + xOFFSET;

y=thisComp.layer(("YOUR TEXT").sourceRectAtTime(time,true).height+ yOFFSET;

[x,y];

Cheers,

Martin

    N
    NiklasKLarsenAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    September 27, 2018

    Okay, so this works like the way i want to... BUT. The dot is moving slower than the text. So when i write a longer text, the dot automatically moves into the text. Watch picture:

    D
    Dave Merchant
    Legend
    September 26, 2018

    See this thread for a similar question and the expressions to use:  https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2255778

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