Repeating an animation comp along a path

[Matthew Wigdahl]

Hi!

I am trying to run a full (like, 2 seconds) comp, repeating in place along a path at given intervals. I could stagger copies of the comp at the spots needed, but that would be a lot of editing, and what I am after is/ can be even intervals along a simple path or circle. 

I tried cycling the comp and positioning it along a path, but then the comp runs and moves as it animated. I want it to run to completion in place once at each interval, and then run again to completion at the next interval. Think of steps landing in shallow water and making ripples. Or, like, a stone skipping across a pond. Each expanding ring runs at its spot along a path.

I have to believe there is also an expression or combo of settings I am not considering.

I think I am overlooking an obvious solution and/or not knowing the correct terms to search. Thanks for any advice you can offer!

[Mylenium]

Time-remapping with a loopOut() or valueAtTime() expression most likely, but rather than trying to explain the colors of the rainbow, why not simply show us a screenshot or two so we can advise?!

Mylenium

[Matthew Wigdahl]

OK Thank you!

Right now, I am simply repeating a scaling transparent ellipse (comp 2) at different positions across the screen. I am wondering if I can instead connect this animation to a path in some way and ask it to repeat. What I have is simple enough, because it is linear and the position increases regularly at both axes. I'd *like* to make a far more complex path for the animation. 

[Dan Ebberts]

If your path layer (named "Shape Layer 1" in this example) is the layer #1 and and the rest of the layers are your animation comp layers, a position expression like this should distribute them along the path:

pathLayer = thisComp.layer("Shape Layer 1");
path = pathLayer.content("Shape 1").content("Path 1").path;
firstLayer = 2;
myIdx = index - firstLayer;
n = thisComp.numLayers - firstLayer;
pct = (n == 0) ? 0 : myIdx/n;
pathLayer.toComp(path.pointOnPath(pct))