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Example: animate text with multiple selectors – Adobe After Effects CS3 User Manual

Page 305

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AFTER EFFECTS CS3

User Guide

300

7

Move the current-time indicator to 5 seconds and drag the start selector in the Composition panel to the right

edge of the text (the value will be 5).

8

Preview the composition.

Note: By default, the Smoothness property is set to 100%. To create a typewriter appearance, expand the Advanced
property and set Smoothness to 0%.

See also

“Create a composition” on page 108

“Enter point text” on page 274

“Work with selectors” on page 289

“Set keyframes” on page 187

“Preview video and audio” on page 120

Example: Animate text with multiple selectors

This example uses the

selectorValue

parameter with the Wiggly selector to make a string of characters flash on

and off randomly.

1

Create a new composition.

2

Create a new text layer.

3

In the Timeline panel, choose Opacity from the text layer’s Animate menu.

4

Expand the text layer and its animator in the Timeline panel.

5

Select the Range Selector and delete it.

6

Choose Add > Selector > Wiggly next to the text layer’s Animator property group.

7

Choose Add > Selector > Expression. If the Wiggly selector doesn’t come before the Expression selector, drag the

Wiggly selector above the Expression selector.

8

Expand the Expression Selector.

9

Expand the Amount property to reveal the expression. The following expression appears by default:

selectorValue * textIndex/textTotal

10

Replace the default expression text with the following expression:

r_val=selectorValue[0];

if(r_val < 50)r_val=0;

if(r_val > 50)r_val=100;

r_val

11

Set the opacity to 0%, and preview the composition.

See also

“Create a composition” on page 108

“Enter point text” on page 274

“Work with selectors” on page 289

“Set keyframes” on page 187

“Preview video and audio” on page 120