Expressions & Snippets

Here are list of useful expressions I curated and written. This page is currently being sorted into the pages under Cookbook & JSX Cheatsheet

Transformation

Constant Value Drift and Motion

1. Linear Value Drift Over Time

value + time * 50;

2. Apply Value Drift to Array Element eg. Position Y

value + [0, time * 5];

3. Constant Horizontal Motion From Layer's Start Point

offset = (time - inPoint) * -10;
x = position[0] + offset;
y = position[1];
[x, y]

Align to X-axis or Y-axis

X-Axis

This expression references the X position of the layer above in the Composition panel and adds a fixed increment, resulting in a row of evenly spaced child layers.

var xOffset = 350;

var prevLayerX = thisComp.layer(index - 1).transform.position[0];

[xOffset + prevLayerX, value[1]];

Y-Axis

var yOffset = 350;
var prevLayerY = thisComp.layer(index - 1).transform.position[1];
[value[0], yOffset + prevLayerY];

Changing anchor point

var s = sourceRectAtTime();

// Top left ↖
[s.left, s.top] // 

// Top center ↑
[s.left, s.top] + [s.width / 2, 0];

// Top right ↗
[s.left, s.top] + [s.width, 0];

// Center left ← 
[s.left, s.top] + [0, s.height / 2];

// Center
[s.left, s.top] + [s.width, s.height] / 2;

// Center right → 
[s.left, s.top] + [s.width, s.height / 2]

// Bottom left ↙

[s.left, s.top] + [0, s.height]

// Bottom center ↓ 
[s.left, s.top] + [s.width / 2, s.height]

//Bottom right ↘
[s.left, s.top] + [s.width, s.height]

Random positioning XYZ

A series of duplicated layers with random position values

// Seed for randomization
var seed = 20;

// Define the minimum values for randomization
var minX = 25;
var minY = 25;
var minZ = -1900; 

// Define the maximum values for randomization
var maxX = thisComp.width;
var maxY = thisComp.height;
var maxZ = 50;

// Set the random seed
seedRandom(seed, true);

// Generate random values within the defined ranges
var randomX = random(minX, maxX);
var randomY = random(minY, maxY);
var randomZ = random(minZ, maxZ);

// Create an array with the random values
[randomX, randomY, randomZ];

Alternatively, you can use array variables for a preferred and shorter expression.

// Seed for randomization
var seed = 20;

// Define the minimum and maximum values for randomization
var minValues = [25, 25, -1900]; 
var maxValues = [thisComp.width, thisComp.height, 50];

// Set the random seed
seedRandom(seed, true);

// Create an array with the random values
random(minValues,maxValues)

Scale

Maintain Scale When Parented

Both

var scaleFactor = [];
var parentScale = parent.transform.scale.value;

for (var i = 0; i < parentScale.length; i++) {
    scaleFactor[i] = (value[i] * 100) / parentScale[i];
}

scaleFactor;

uniform

arr = value;
ps = parent.transform.scale.value;
ratio = 100/ ps[0];

arr*ratio;

Implementation

• Scaling Radial Grid Expression · After Effects Tutorial · Master study: José Peña's "Creativity"

Rotation

Aim constraint by Kevin Camp / Dan Ebberts

no parent

target = thisComp.layer("Null 1"); // set this to the layer to aim at
p = position - target.position;
radiansToDegrees( Math.atan2( p[1], p[0] ) )- 90

w/ parent

target = thisComp.layer("controls"); // set this to the layer to aim at
p = thisLayer.toWorld(anchorPoint) - target.position;
radiansToDegrees(Math.atan2(p[1], p[0])) - 90

3D layers

target = thisComp.layer("Null 1");// set this to the layer to aim at
lookAt( position, target.position )

Retrieving auto-orientation rotation value

L = thisComp.layer("Null 1");
v = L.toWorldVec([1,0]);
radiansToDegrees(Math.atan2(v[1],v[0]))

Auto-orient along path by Videolancer

try{
cornerEase = 3;
p = transform.position;
t = Math.min(Math.max(time,p.key(1).time+.001),p.key(p.numKeys).time);
pre = position.valueAtTime(t-thisComp.frameDuration*cornerEase);
post = position.valueAtTime(t+thisComp.frameDuration*cornerEase);
delta = post-pre;
orient = radiansToDegrees(Math.atan2(delta[0],-delta[1]));
value+orient+180
}catch(err){value}

Ignore Parent Rotation

value – parent.transform.rotation

Opacity ✅

Flickering / Strobe

// VARIABLES
    minSeg = 1.5; //minimum interval (must be > 0) 
    maxSeg = 2.5; //maximum interval (must be > minSeg) 
    
    // flickering duration
    minFlicker = .5; //must be less than minSeg 
    maxFlicker = 1; // must be less than minSeg 
    flickerDur = random(minFlicker,maxFlicker);
    
    //initial conditions
    segEndTime = 0; 
    i = 1; 

// Continuous loop: create a fixed random segment value and add to segEndTime
while (time >= segEndTime){ 
    i += 1; 
    seedRandom(i,true); 
    segEndTime = segEndTime + random(minSeg,maxSeg); 
} 

// Switch back to use the current time as input to the random seed.
seedRandom(1,false); 

// As time > threshold, flicker
if (time > segEndTime - flickerDur){random(0,100) }else{ 100 }

// Source: http://www.motionscript.com/expressions-lab-ae65/swinging-light.html
// Also see: http://www.motionscript.com/mastering-expressions/random-3.html

Random opacity wiggle

// control = thisComp.layer("control"); // connect to null layer with sliders
freq = 1;
amp = 100;
octave = 1;
amp_mult = 3;

wiggle(freq, amp, octave, amp_mult, time)

Random opacity wiggle with flicker

// control = thisComp.layer("control"); // connect to null layer with sliders
freq = 1;
amp = 100;
octave = 1;
amp_mult = 3;

opacity = wiggle(freq, amp, octave, amp_mult, time)


// VARIABLES
minSeg = control.effect("minSeg")("Slider"); //minimum interval (must be > 0) 
maxSeg = control.effect("maxSeg")("Slider");; //maximum interval (must be > minSeg) 

// flickering duration
minFlicker = control.effect("minFlicker")("Slider");; //must be less than minSeg 
maxFlicker = control.effect("maxFlicker")("Slider");; // must be less than minSeg 
flickerDur = random(minFlicker, maxFlicker);

//initial conditions 
segStartTime = 0;
segEndTime = 0;
i = 1;

// Continuous loop: create a fixed random segment value and add to segEndTime
while (time >= segEndTime) {
    i += 1;
    seedRandom(i, true);
    segStartTime = segEndTime;
    segEndTime = segEndTime + random(minSeg, maxSeg);
}

// Switch back to use the current time as input to the random seed.
seedRandom(1, false);

// As time moves threshold, flicker
if (time > segEndTime - flickerDur) {
    random(0, 100)
} else {
    opacity
}

Random opacity with sin function

// Mass flickering
vel = 50;
seedRandom(0,true);
Math.sin(time*vel+random(index))*100;

// 'Wave flickering'
vel = 50;
seedRandom(0,true);
Math.sin(time*vel+index)*100;


// Combining 
bool = 1
;
vel = 50;

seedRandom(0,true);

wave=Math.sin(time*vel+index)*100;

rand =Math.sin(time*vel+random(index))*100;


bool==0 ? wave : rand;

Random opacity turn on

seed = 29;
threshold = linear(time,0,thisComp.duration,0,100); // or Connect to slider to animate switch on & off

seedRandom(seed,true);
randValue = random(0,90);

if(randValue < threshold){
    100;} else 0

Random opacity fade on

v1

seed = 29;
seedRandom(seed,true);
delay = random(0,1);
t = framesToTime(20) // or usethisComp.duration

linear(time, 0+delay,t+delay,0,100)

v2

//VARIABLES
fadeDuration = 1;

maxDelay = .5

//SETUP

seedRandom(index,true);

delay = random(maxDelay);

t = time -(inPoint + delay);


// EXECUTION
linear(t,0,fadeDuration,0,100);

Distance-based opacity fade by Animoplex

// Distance Based Opacity Fade
// Original: https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/expression-examples.html
// Full Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-Acdl_l9G0&t=14s

startFade = 500;
endFade = 3000;
try {
    C = thisComp.activeCamera.toWorld([0,0,0]);
} catch(err) {
    w = thisComp.width * thisComp.pixelAspect;
    z = (w / 2)/Math.tan(degreesToRadians(19.799));
    C = [0,0,-z];
}
P = toWorld(anchorPoint);
d = length(C, P);
linear(d, startFade, endFade, 100, 0)

Transparent backside of 3D layer

if (toCompVec([0, 0, 1])[2] > 0 ) value; else 0;

Colour

Hexcode from text to color

txt = thisComp.layer("Text").text.sourceText;
c = parseInt(txt,16);
r = c >> 16;
g = (c & 0x00ff00) >> 8;
b = c & 0xff;
[r,g,b,255]/255

Random fill

// Apply on Color Controls
seed = 20;
seedRandom(seed,true); // change true to 0 for constant change
random([0,0,0,1],[1,1,1,1])

Camera

Smoothing rotation of auto-orient along path

x-rot

f = 2; // number of frames before and after to average
v = [0,0];
for (i = -f; i <= f; i++){
v += position.velocityAtTime(i*thisComp.frameDuration + time);
}
v /= (f*2+1);
a = Math.atan2(v[1],v[0]);
radiansToDegrees(a)

// turn off auto-orient

y-rot

//y-rotation for 3d layers

f = 2; // number of frames before and after to average
v = [0, 0, 0];
for (i = -f; i <= f; i++) {
    v += position.velocityAtTime(i * thisComp.frameDuration + time);
}
v /= (f * 2 + 1);
a = Math.atan2(v[0], v[2]);
radiansToDegrees(a)

Motion

Wiggle

// frequency by amplitude = how fast by how much
wiggle(20,30);

[value[0], wiggle(20,30)[1]] // wiggle y-axis only 


// Smooth wiggle — freq,amp,octave,amp_mult
wiggle(20,30,1,2,time)


// Jumpy Wiggle 1 (moves at a random FPS) Makes wiggle skip and hold rather than move fluidly.

v=wiggle(5,50);
if(v < 50)v=0;
if(v > 50)v=100;
v;

// Jumpy Wiggle 2 (moves at a defined FPS)
fps=5; //frequency
amount=50;  //amplitude
wiggle(fps,amount,octaves = 1, amp_mult = 0.5,(Math.round(time*fps))/fps);

• Looping wiggle

Inertial Bounce / Overshoot

// Inertial Bounce (moves settle into place after bouncing around a little)
// // Source: https://forums.creativecow.net/docs/forums/post.php?forumid=227&postid=19145&univpostid=19145&pview=t
amp = .05;
freq = 4.0;
decay = 2.0; // springyness
n = 0;
if (numKeys > 0){
n = nearestKey(time).index;
if (key(n).time > time){
n--;
}
}
if (n == 0){
t = 0;
}else{
t = time - key(n).time;
}

if (n > 0){
v = velocityAtTime(key(n).time - thisComp.frameDuration/10);

value + v*amp*Math.sin(freq*t*2*Math.PI)/Math.exp(decay*t);
}else{
value;
}

Constant move in either x or y axis / Random walker

WIP---
choice = Math.floor(random(0,2));
seedRandom(0,false);
stepx = random(0,50);
stepy = random(0,20);
if(choice ==0){
	value + [stepx,0];} else if( choice ==1){
	value +[0,stepy];}

Carousel

2D

3D

/*  There needs to be two layers named 'startCard' & 'endCard'
    This allows rotation value to dynamically change when layers are inserted or removed.
    All duplicates need to be placed within these two layers
*/

//anchor point
radius = 500
value+[0,0,radius]

// Y rotation

startIndex=thisComp.layer("startCard").index; 

endIndex = thisComp.layer("endCard").index;
numpt = startIndex-endIndex+1; // total number of layers


myIndex = index-startIndex;


angle = 360/numpt


myIndex*angle+

Linking layers' rotation with opacity

Using distance & vector position

// Make sure there is a camera 

//Opacity
startVal = 0;
endVal = 100;
fadeAngle = 180;

v = toCompVec([0,0,1]); // layer position to comp position in Z
d = length(toWorld(anchorPoint),thisComp.layer("Camera 1").toWorld([0,0,0]));
c = v[2]/d;
ease(c,Math.cos(degreesToRadians(fadeAngle)),1.0,startVal,endVal)

Using rotation

angle = transform.yRotation%360;
minAngle = 0;
maxAngle = 360;
mid = (maxAngle+minAngle)/2;
if (angle < mid)
  linear(angle,minAngle,mid,100,0)
else
  linear(angle,mid,maxAngle,0,100)

Responsive Systems / Setups

Dynamic-sizing text box / lower-third (depreciated, see new code)

// Create two text layers named "DATA1" & "DATA2"
// Variables
pad = 50;
xPad = 15;

yPad = 15;


seed = 1 // allow you to change between two text layers

// Making it work
if(seed==1){
	
    src = thisComp.layer("DATA1")
    }else {
		
        src = thisComp.layer("DATA2")
		
        }; 


box = src.sourceRectAtTime(time-src.inPoint); 

[box.width + pad + xPad, box.height+pad +yPad];

Slider with center fade on

v = transform.position[0] // x 

d = length(v,thisComp.width/2);

maxDist= 960;


ease(d,0,maxDist,100,0)

Time Remapping / Playback ✅

Random frame playback

// Source Dan Ebbert

fr = 12; // frame rate;

numFrames = 8;

seedRandom(index,true);

seg = Math.floor(time*fr);

f = Math.floor(random(numFrames));

for (i = 0; i < seg; i++)

  f = (f + Math.floor(random(1,numFrames)))%numFrames;

framesToTime(f);

Random delayed/advanced layer playback

seedRandom(index,true);
myDelay = random(1,10);
time + myDelay;

Play one frame at a time (without 'float time')

fps = 1;

x = framesToTime(Math.round(time*fps))
//There probably is a better way but I cannot figured it out right now.

Random still frame (Good for spriting)

//Apply this to a composition with a image sequence inside
seedRandom(0,true);

t= random(0,72);

framesToTime(t);

Playback at every nth frames

n = 3 // frames
time*n

Hold and play every nth frames [source]

n = 3;  // play every __ frames
m = 3; // hold each frame ___ times 

f= timeToFrames(timeRemap);

p=Math.floor(f/m);

framesToTime(p*n);

Triggering animations with marker

Workflow

1. Create a preComp with all the different types of animation

2. In the main Comp, put an expression on the time remapping of that preComp

3. Add markers to trigger animations

4. Learn more

   • Animoplex tutorial

//https://gist.github.com/animoplex/cecf1c64aec4f2733ecd0edbebf4786d

Staggering animations

// Copying animation of a layer, and start it at inPoint of layer
thisComp.layer(index+1).transform.position.valueAtTime(time-inPoint)

// Using delay
offset = 1;
thisComp.layer(index+1).transform.position.valueAtTime(time-offset)    

Radial scale up staggering ✅

nsc

// VARIABLES + SETUP

target = thisComp.layer("master").transform.scale; 

maxDist = 1000;

maxDelay = 1;


dst = length(transform.position,[thisComp.width/2,thisComp.height/2]);

delay = linear(dst,0,maxDist,0,maxDelay);



// EXECUTION

target.valueAtTime(time-delay)

OF

//apply to scale
target = thisComp.layer("fade");
fade = target.effect("scale")(1);
delay = target.effect("delay")(1)*thisComp.frameDuration;
dist = length(thisLayer.toWorld(thisLayer.anchorPoint), target.toWorld(target.anchorPoint));
seed = seedRandom(15, true)
randomRange = target.effect("random")("Slider");
rand = (random(-randomRange, randomRange))*thisComp.frameDuration;
offset = delay/dist;
s = fade.valueAtTime(time - offset - rand);
[s,s]

Effector opacity fade on ✅

nsc

//Create a null named "EFFECTOR" 
//Add 2 Slider Control Effects renamed to "maxDist" and "delay"


// EXECUTE
target = thisComp.layer("EFFECTOR").transform
maxDist = thisComp.layer("EFFECTOR").effect("maxDist")("Slider");
maxDelay = thisComp.layer("EFFECTOR").effect("delay")("Slider");

dst = length(transform.position, target.position);
delay = linear(dst, 0, maxDist, 0, maxDelay);

// EXECUTION
target.opacity.valueAtTime(time - delay)

OF