Adobe After Effects CS4 - Manual (Page 366)

360 USING AFTER EFFECTS CS4
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Last updated 12/21/2009
Original (left) and with VEN selected by the range selectors, Based On set to Character, Shape set to Triangle, and Scale set to 40% (right)
Range selector properties
Range selectors include the following properties, in addition to properties common with other selectors:
Start and End The beginning and end of the selection. You can modify the Start and End properties by dragging the
selector bars in the Composition panel when the selector is selected in the Timeline panel.
Offset The amount to offset the selection from the selection specified by the Start and End properties. To set Offset in
the Composition panel while you edit the Start or End values, Shift-click the Start or End selector bars with the
Selection tool.
Shape Controls how characters are selected between the Start and End of the range. Each option modifies the selection
by creating transitions between selected characters using the chosen shape. For example, when animating the y
Position values of text characters using Ramp Down, the characters gradually move at an angle from the lower left to
the upper right. You can specify Square, Ramp Up, Ramp Down, Triangle, Round, and Smooth.
Original (left) and after selecting the entire word, setting Based On to Characters, animating the y Position value so that the word is at the
bottom of the frame, and setting Shape to Ramp Down (right)
Using different Shape options, you can greatly change the appearance of an animation.
Setting Shape to Triangle
Smoothness Determines the amount of time the animation takes to transition from one character to another when
you use the Square shape.
Ease High and Ease Low Determines the speed of change as selection values change from fully included (high) to fully
excluded (low). For example, when Ease High is 100%, the character changes more gradually (eases into the change)
while it is fully to partially selected. When Ease High is -100%, the character changes quickly while it is fully to partially
selected. When Ease Low is 100%, the character changes more gradually (eases into the change) while it is partially
selected to unselected. When Ease Low is -100%, the character changes quickly while it is partially selected to
unselected.
Randomize Order Randomizes the order in which the property is applied to the characters specified by the Range
selector. (By contrast, when you use the Wiggly selector, the value of the animator property is randomized.)