How to stop nulled object from rotating

[janies79616316]

Simple question, I want to animate a pencil drawing a heart. I have a heart object that i outlined and set the path to a null object (create nulls from path), which i linked the pencil to. 

The problem i'm running into though is that the pencil rotates along the path, and i would like it to stay at the starting angle throughout the movement. How do i do this? 

Thank you 

 

[Rick Gerard]

If you copied the path and pasted it to the null's position property all you have to do is turn off auto orient to path in the transform properties of the null (Alt/Option + Ctrl/Cmnd + o):

If you have some other workflow I would have to see your comp with the modified properties of the layers giving you problems showing. Press uu and post a screenshot.

[janies79616316]

Thank you, these are the layers. Auto orient is off in the null, but i didn't copy + paste the path to the null's position property, it doesn't seem to work correctly. Edited with more detailed screenshot:

[Rick Gerard]

If you do not move, rotate or scale a layer with a vector path you can get the position of another layer or element to accurately follow that path by simply setting a path keyframe, cutting it, then paste the data to the position property of another layer or element. Setting a single keyframe and cutting it assures you that you have actually copied the vector path at the current time.

You are still not showing everything that is controlling the Null d7 (Layer 1). The expression for Trim Paths is pointing to a layer named Trace heart: Path 1[1.1] that has Trace Path progress applied to the path. the screenshot only shows the source name, not the layer name. I'm assuming that the Trim Paths animation preset was applied to Null 7 and that you renamed Layer 1 to Trace heart: Path1[1.1]. If that is the case then the expression is just animating the trim paths and I don't see what is animating the position of layer 1 (Null 7). I don't see any position information to the parent layer for the pencil (layer 1 - Null 7)

A more complete workflow description is necessary. I need to see what is moving Layer 1.

[janies79616316 · Accepted solution]

Okay, I finally figured it out! The rotation on the null had an expression enabled to follow the progress + trim path. I disabled that specific expression, set the anchor point to the tip of the pencil, and rotated the object (pencil) to the position i needed. it's static now.

[Bengi0D4C]

What exactly was the expression?

[Rick Gerard]

Bengi0D4C, select the Trace null and the Pen layer, press "p" to reveal the position properties of both, Alt/Option-click on the Position property of the Pencil layer to start an expression, then use the pickwhip to point to the Position property of the Trace Null. 

Without knowing your layer names, I can't give you the exact expression, but it would look something like this:

thisComp.layer("Trace Shape Layer 2: Path 1 [1.1]").position

I uploaded a sample AE Project file.