Tutorial Error: Object of type layer found where...

[Lost_Star]

Upon launching AE, it presents a tutorial to step through. When I reach the point where an "Effect --> Distort --> Mirror" is to be added, the following steps are mentioned. When I do them, I promptly get the error shown further below. Essentially having read through the error 10 times, it does not like the value "thisLayer" that shows up on the left of the expression when I drag the pick whip onto the composition (or thisComp.layer("APEAK_Logo.ai") as I tried a few different ways to get it to work).

Error images attached below. Any hints on how to fix? Thanks.

[Mylenium · Accepted solution]

Without any idea on what tutorial you are following we can't realyl tell you much, but based on what you have provided in your screenshots it simply seems you are not correctly targeting another property and the code always ends up referencing itself. In any case, just referencing thisLayer() or thisComp.layer() by itself does not do anything. They are just objects/ methods to actualyl access the project structure. Only actual properties can have and respond to expressions. Instead of blindly following the tutorial it might be a good idea to read the relevant sections of the online help to understand how expressions work in general, specific issues in your project notwithstanding. Everything else will require more info.

https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/expression-basics.html

Mylenium

[Lost_Star]

Mylenium, Thanks your answer worked indirectly. Watching a video on the link you provided, the person directed the pick whip differently to another another object on the timeline than the ask in the tutorial. Tried a few variations of that and it worked. Now I have a mirror effect running down the center of the "forest" image in the background; forest is mirrored on either side of it. The final expression value that I ended up with was thisComp.layer("APEAK_Logo.ai").transform.anchorPoint.

Thanks for the link though; will go through it. All the best.