Using Expression ControlsIn After Effects 5.5, six new effects reside in the effects category Expression Controls. They do not actually affect the footage you apply them to; instead, they provide controls to which you can refer in any expression. A single control affects several properties at once. You apply these effects to a null layer, and name the layer and effect to clarify their purpose. For example, you can name the null layer "Controls," apply a slider effect to it, and name the effect "Springiness." You can then refer to the layer and effect in an expression on another layer as, for example: spring = this_comp.layer("Controls").param("Springiness"); Expression Controls consist of the following: Slider Control Contains a slider with a default value range of 0-100. To change the slider range, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the underlined slider value and choose Edit Value from the context menu. Type the new values in the Slider Range text box. Angle Control Contains an angle adjustment control. Checkbox Control Contains a single checkbox. Color Control Contains a color swatch control and an eyedropper. Point Control Contains an effect point control. Layer Control Contains a layer menu that lists all of the layers in the active composition. |