Adobe After Effects CS4 - Manual (Page 367)

361 USING AFTER EFFECTS CS4
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Last updated 12/21/2009
Random Seed Calculates the randomized order of a range selector when the Randomize Order option is set to On.
When Random Seed is zero, the seed is based on its animator group. If you want to duplicate an animator group and
retain the same randomized order as in the original animator group, set Random Seed to a value other than zero.
Wiggly selector properties
The Wiggly selector includes the following properties, in addition to properties common with other selectors:
Max Amount and Min Amount Specifies the amount of variation from the selection.
Wiggles/Second How many variations from the set selection occur per second.
Correlation Correlation between variations for each character. At 100%, all characters wiggle by the same amount at
the same time, and at 0%, all characters wiggle independently.
Temporal and Spatial Phase (revolutions + degrees) The variation of wiggle, based on the phase of your animation in
time (temporal) or per character (spatial).
Lock Dimensions Scales each of the dimensions of the wiggled selection by the same value. This option is useful when
wiggling the Scale property.
Random Seed See “ Randomness and random seeds ” on page 396.
Expression selector properties
Expand the Expression Selector property group and the Amount property group to reveal the expression field in the
Timeline panel. By default, the Amount property begins with the expression
selectorValue *
textIndex/textTotal .
Expression selectors allow you to express the selector values for each character. The expression is evaluated once per
character. Each time it is evaluated, the input parameter
textIndex is updated to match the index of the character.
Apply the Text Bounce or Inch Worm animation preset to a text layer to see how expression selectors can be used. To
see all expressions on a layer, select the layer and press EE.
In addition to the expression elements you use elsewhere, you can use the following attributes to animate selections in
any number of interesting ways:
textIndex Returns the index of the character, word, or line.
textTotal Returns the total number of characters, words, or lines.
selectorValue Returns the value of the previous selector. Think of this value as the input from the selector above the
expression selector in the stacking order.
Note: The attributes
textIndex , textTotal , and selectorValue can be used only with the expression selector. Using
them elsewhere results in a syntax error.