Apple Motion 4 - Manual (Page 755)

Using Text as Particle and Replicator Source Objects
Text layers can be used as source cells for particle emitters and replicators to quickly
create stunning graphics. If you later modify the source text, Motion automatically
updates the replicator and particle system. If the text used as a cell source has applied
behaviors or filters, the effect is carried over into the replicator or particle system.
Setting Motion Preferences for Text
Before you start any project, you should set up Motion Preferences according to your
project requirements. You can set the layer duration preferences so that an object (text
layer) is created at the current frame (the frame where the playhead is positioned at the
time you add the text). Alternatively, you can specify that the object is created at the start
of the project. By default, layers are created at the current frame. You can also specify a
default duration for any created layer.
Note: Layer duration preferences apply to all layers created within Motion, including text,
shapes, masks, particle emitters, and replicators.
To set the layer duration preferences
1 Choose Motion > Preferences (or press Command-Comma).
2 Click the Project icon.
The Project Preferences pane is displayed.
3 In the Still Images & Layers section, set the Default Layer Duration preference:
• To create text that is the length of the project, select “Use project duration” (the default
setting). This means that if you are working in a 300-frame project and you create text,
the duration of the text is 300 frames.
Note: If you have Create Layers At set to “Current frame,” and you create text at frame
50, the text exists from frame 50 to frame 300.
• To create text that is a specific duration, select “Use custom duration.” Next, enter a
value in the text field, then choose Frames or Seconds from the pop-up menu.
All layers you created are set to the entered duration by default.
4 Set the Create Layers At preference:
• To create text at the current location of the playhead, select “Current frame.”
755 Chapter 13 Creating and Editing Text