AE ENHANCERS

Thanks for all ur effort and time, to explain this to me, now i think i get the right way to use ur script, and about the render time, i was used to 30min-1hour maximun.

Again thanks for all u work ^^

Ok thanks paul, I just made the actual preset I'm trying to use, and I got the point control and keyframes doing what they should (made the point control 1st effect and used the built-in to make a fill color change with the preset). My other problem is now rearing its head tho, when I run the script with the preset it stops importing the subs after several syllables. At the point where it stops I had a blank syllable, so I thought that was the problem; after filling the blank with a letter it still stops right after that one. Maybe it has something to do with using plugins?

Here's the preset in question: http://www.sendspace.com/file/8o77ot
(uses trapcode's "shine" plugin)
And the resulting project: http://www.sendspace.com/file/kbay97

Just tried using a non-plugin preset, still stops at the same point.
Non plugin preset: http://www.sendspace.com/file/nvqzru

The problem appears to be caused by a bug in CS3. The script varies the duration of a preset's keyframes by timestretching the layer before applying the preset, then re-stretching the layer back to 100%. Unfortunately, a lot of these presets produce an error if AE tries to apply them to a text layer that has been timestretched to 405% or greater. The error message is: "After Effects error: overflow converting ratio denominators. (17 :: 19)"

The workaround right now is to use AE7, which doesn't appear to suffer from the same problem.

Thanks again, I tried AE7 and it doesn't cut short anymore, but once again I have a new problem =/. For the preset using the point control, it works great on the first line of text, but after that it reverts back to the static position when I saved the preset. Any ideas? Then the other thing I thought of, since I can't move the text layers after importing (without messing up the point control), how can I get them in the right position since they always are imported right in the center of the composition? (I want to move them to the top)

Here's the preset and resulting project: http://www.sendspace.com/file/ie8rze
Sorry to keep troubling you paul but after getting this far, I really want to get this working/figure it out ^^;;

I'd made a mistake in the script which meant the Point Control only worked on the first line. Here's a new version that should work properly:
(link removed, download from link on first post)

If you want to move the text, put your comp into another comp and reposition it in there.

There is any way to create a rotacion in Y, without activating the 3d layer?? when i done the effect with 3d layer activate, my pc dies xD... i was wondering if scale can work, but i found it a little fake... i have to ajust the control point???

Edit: i think i find a way, start 100 y scale, middle -100, end 100, its look almost the same, maybe should use shake to make it more realistic....^^

Nice, works great now thanks =) I have just one more question regarding the script. I wanted to add a fade to each syllable after they end, but I want it to be constant. I just tried adding a 1-second fade and it ends up scaling the fade to the syllable's duration. Is there someway to make it constant?

The only way i found is activated the fixed duration when u load ur script, i do it for a leaf fall effect and work nice.

Yes but I want the syllables themselves to have their regular duration as per the timed subs, but then after their duration is over I want a uniform 1-second fade, so basically I need both stretched times and fixed times. I haven't tried it but I thought using the fixed duration setting will make all the times fixed starting at their start time, I want it fixed starting at their end times

Not really, if u make in u preset a keyframe with the opacity control and the time that u want, in the moment that u use fixed, the preset is gonna respect the 1 seg of the opacity control. like i say i doit with a fall effect, because the time was to short so i make a 2sec fall.^^

I hope this can help u...

afx_fan,
As you said, the best / only way to get something that looks like a 3D Y rotation is to do a Y scale instead.

balgus,
It may be possible to add an (advanced) expression to an opacity control in your preset that calculates a fade out of a fixed duration from the last keyframe. But generally, you have to choose either a variable duration, or fixed duration from the start time.

Ok maybe I'll try that for next time. Also, with the vertical text, I imported some timed kanji and tried to add a simple color change with the built in animator, but it gave me a whole new line where each color change was supposed to take place. I'm assuming it has something to do with the range selector. Is there a way to use the vertical text option but still have effects work the same as horizontal? Or is it not supposed to do that?

Well, the Vertical Text option is a bit of a hack. Scripting doesn't have access to things like the Vertical Text or Paragraph Mode options, so with my method the text is still horizontal but I've added a line return after each character. So I wouldn't be surprised if things don't work quite as you'd expect. If you want to send me your project, I'll take a look and see if there's an easy fix.

Hi Paul !
I found your Script just a few days ago,
and I think it is just amazing !

However, I am trying to use it in Hebrew language, and that made me a small problem...
Hebrew is written from right to left, thus the script writting from left to right actualy writes it in the wrong direction...
I saw that you had made changes for your original script to even work vertically !
Could you do something that it would work (horizontaly) from right to left ...?
The order of all letters should also be reversed...

Thanks,
Koby.

This could be tricky, but I'll look into it. You may be able to fix it manually for now. I'm not sure exactly how the text needs to be reversed, but give this a try:

1. Create some hebrew karaoke text using the AE script.
2. Twirl open one of the layers Text properties in the Timeline.
3. From the "Animate:" pulldown in the Timeline, choose Scale.
4. Flip the horizontal scale by setting the values to -100, 100.
5. Twirl open the main Transform properties and set Scale to -100,100 too.
6. Check if the word now looks correct, you could try changing the "Anchor Point Grouping" from Word to Character.
7. Select all three properties you just edited, copy them, then select the other layers and do a paste.

Let me know if any of that works. Also can you send me some stuff to help me test it (send to paul.tuersley@btinternet.com ).
1. I'll need an SSA file with at least one line of Hebrew text timed out.
2. An After Effects project with that same line of text.
3. A JPEG of that AE frame.
4. If possible, some advice on what I need to do to work with Hebrew text on OS X.

Paul