How to link Point to Null

[asadss]

Hello all ,

Please i want to know if there is any way to link a point to null for example : I create a square and it has 4 points and I want to link one of his points to Null and With the possibility of controlling the path of other points in normal

Thank you

test file .ae

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AsWsbi63c96Kt1EKjadl-CsKC4LQ

[Roei Tzoref]

I recommend you ask here: After Effects Expressions

[P.M.B]

If you have the latest version of AE you can use the Create Nulls From Paths tool What's NEW in Adobe After Effects CC 2018! (October 2017 Update) - Create Nulls From Paths Feature -...

[Roei Tzoref]

Op is aware since he supplied a CC2018 project that already uses this script. He is asking for a way to attach one point to a null while leaving others free to manipulate as paths and not have them locked by the expression which seems to be the case.

since the expression language refrences for this new feature are complex and more importantly- new in Ae, it will take some time for us to get the hang of it. Expression wizards might be more useful to him.

[asadss]

Thank you for understanding what I want

I motion the characters and I need to manipulate the path and move the keyframe animation in frame by frame

This feature is excellent for connecting in but I want to solve the remaining points and manipulate them freely

Please Solution We have waited for this feature a lot

Thank

Matthew McConaughey updated After Effects on Vimeo

[Roei Tzoref]

I motion the characters and I need to manipulate the path and move the keyframe animation in frame by frame

This feature is excellent for connecting in but I want to solve the remaining points and manipulate them freely

for now it seems you can choose to control the points with a null or the path. maybe there's some expression to enable you to use both we'll have to wait and see. if you just want to move the character why not just connect the shape to a null by simple parenting?

[P.M.B]

My bad.    Been playing around with the points to nulls functions and it seems the dev team has done a half baked job.  The solves are highly inaccurate.   This is most apparent on the "trace" function.   I guess (like you say) we'll have to wait for some expression & coding wizards to finish what the team started.   Maybe they don't need be wizards.  Maybe they just need to give a shoot.

[P.M.B]

I think Bao makes a plugin already that does what Adobe has attempted here but in a smart, thought out & accurate way.

What is the problem with AE's dev team?   If third party plugins can do things right (VCP,Boa,Red Giant, Superluminal, Etc...) Why can't They?  Lack of time?  Lack of resources? .....?

[asadss]

Thank you

Gutter-Fish

I wish Adobe to improve this addition and develop the team for the better

and It is necessary to inform the development process

[pconigs]

asadss The setup you have actually should work, but there's two issues to work around…

1.) You need to disable the expression in order to set keyframes on the path itself. Annoying, but possible.

2.) In the AEP you provided, the rectangle converted to a bezier path runs into the First Vertex bug where if you keyframe the path, it interpolates very oddly. The fix is to explicitly set a first vertex before keyframing (or in the case attaching points to the nulls).

Here's what I did to get it working…

1.) Disable the path expression

2.) Right-Clicked on the upper-right vertex and selected Mask and Shape Path> Set First Vertex.

3.) Keyframes the path.

4.) Re-enabled the expression.

[asadss]

here is the animation i did and i like it , but i want to connect one point to null on the character shoulder ,I don't want to disable the expression .

because it will brake the animation.

and there is problem with the create null form path script : the null get away from the shape when i use it  >>>> it should remain in the same place , and it doesn't... especially if the shape comes from adobe illustrator , or if i create any shape by simple drag in the work space

test file

Microsoft OneDrive - Access files anywhere. Create docs with free Office Online.

[pconigs]

If you want to add one more controller, you can duplicate one of the nulls (and probably rename for clarity), then go to your main shape layer and duplicate one of the layer controls, then renaming to  "bodey: Path 1 [1.5.1.X]" where "X" is the number of the point you want to attach. The expression is built to be flexible in that way.

The nulls being away from the shape layer is due to the Transform: Position on the shape group (s). There's definitely a limitation in that the script doesn't take into account transform properties within groups, partly because it can be a rabbit hole of nested groups and complicated matrix transforms with skew, rotation, etc. I've definitely found the script works best with all zeroed-out transforms in shape groups and trying to stick to simple hierarchies when applying it.

I do know there's lots of other people working on similar/better scripts and extensions to help with linking points to nulls.

[asadss · Accepted solution]

Create Nulls From Paths Extended - YouTube
Here we can control the point and add handles to control the curves ,That so good but it make a lot of layers , not easy for animating, it's hard to do the work .Your tool (Create Nulls From Paths )very nice and Light , But there is a one problem your tool locked all the points ,Please I need your help , I want to use your tool on the shape path without need to disable the code , because i want the animation as it without the need to disable the expression to allow me to select and control the point curve as general .

I will wait to update this feature eagerly as it will be changing a lot in my work tasks

Thank you Adobe team

[stefanomalerba]

Hi!

I have the same problem.

For me the solution could be that:

When you use the script "Nulls from Paths" into the layer mask path (or shape layer path) you have this expression:

var nullLayerNames = ["LAYERNAME: Mask 1 [1.0]","LAYERNAME: Mask 1 [1.1]","LAYERNAME: Mask 1 [1.2]"];

var origPath = thisProperty;

var origPoints = origPath.points();

var origInTang = origPath.inTangents();

var origOutTang = origPath.outTangents();

var getNullLayers = [];

for (var i = 0; i < nullLayerNames.length; i++){

    try{ 

        getNullLayers.push(effect(nullLayerNames)("ADBE Layer Control-0001"));

    } catch(err) {

        getNullLayers.push(null);

    }}

for (var i = 0; i < getNullLayers.length; i++){

    if (getNullLayers != null && getNullLayers.index != thisLayer.index){

        origPoints = fromCompToSurface(getNullLayers.toComp(getNullLayers.anchorPoint)); 

    }}

createPath(origPoints,origInTang,origOutTang,origPath.isClosed());

Now, for animate the path without disable the code I found this solution, linking the "var originPath" to a copy of the layer mask path and than animate this path, that don't have any code.

I mean, we can not animate the path directly but we can animate the copy and have the changes in the path with the code really fast with this trick.

Sorry for my english, I hope it's understandable!