Path Property¶

thisLayer.mask("Mask 1").maskPath

thisLayer.content("Shape 1").content("Path 1").path;

Note

This functionality was added in After Effects 15.0 (CC)

This category contains information relating to mask & shape paths.

Info

On this page, we're going to use thisLayer.mask("Mask 1").maskPath as a sample on how to call these items, however note that any method that returns a Path will work.

Attributes¶

name¶

thisLayer.mask("Mask 1").maskPath.name

Description¶

Returns the name of the property.

Type¶

String

Methods¶

PathProperty.createPath()¶

thisLayer.mask("Mask 1").maskPath.createPath(points=[[0,0], [100,0], [100,100], [0,100]], inTangents=[], outTangents=[], is_closed=true)

Description¶

Creates a path object from a set of points and tangents.

The points(), inTangents(), outTangents(), and isClosed() methods of a path can be passed into the points, inTangents, outTangents, and is_closed parameters to duplicate a path.

The points and tangents of the same path can be passed into createPath() with modifications to generate a different result.

Parameters¶

Parameter

Type

Description

points

Array of number pair arrays

Optional. An array of number pair arrays representing the [x, y] coordinates of the points. The array must contain at least 1 item, and can be of any greater length. Defaults to [[0,0], [100,0], [100,100], [0,100]].

inTangents

Array of number pair arrays

Optional. An array of number pair arrays representing their [x, y] offset coordinates. The length of this array must be exactly the same as the points parameter. Defaults to [].

Coordinate values are offset relative to the parent point's coordinates. i.e. The value [0, 0] creates no curvature at the incoming tangent.

outTangents is_closed

Array of number pair arrays Boolean

Optional. See inTangents. Defaults to []. Optional. Defaults to true.

Returns¶

Path

Example¶

For example, the following expression will remove curves from Mask 1 by not passing the inTangents or outTangents parameters:

const myMask = mask("Mask 1").path;
myMask.createPath(myMask.points());

The following example passes the points and tangents of Mask 1 and converts it to an open path by setting is_closed to false:

const myMask = mask("Mask 1").path;
myMask.createPath(myMask.points(), myMask.inTangents(), myMask.outTangents(), false);

PathProperty.inTangents()¶

thisLayer.mask("Mask 1").maskPath.inTangents([t=time])

Description¶

Get the [x, y] coordinates of the incoming tangent handle for all points on a path.

Tangent coordinate values are offset relative to the parent point's coordinates (i.e. the value [0, 0] creates no curvature at the incoming tangent).

This method can be passed into the createPath() method for the inTangents parameter when duplicating a path.

Parameters¶

Parameter	Type	Description
`t`	Number	Optional. The specified time (in comp seconds) to sample the tangents. Defaults to `time` (the current comp time, in seconds).

Returns¶

Array of number pair arrays, rounded to the fourth decimal place

PathProperty.isClosed()¶

thisLayer.mask("Mask 1").maskPath.isClosed()

Description¶

Determines if the path is open or closed. Returns true if the path is closed, false if the path is open.

This method can be passed into the createPath() method for the is_closed parameter when duplicating a path.

Returns¶

Boolean

PathProperty.normalOnPath()¶

thisLayer.mask("Mask 1").maskPath.normalOnPath(percentage=0.5, t=time)

Description¶

Get the calculated [x, y] coordinates of the normal for an arbitrary point along a path.

Coordinate values of normals are offset relative to the parent point's coordinates (i.e. the value [0, 0] is the same as the parent point).

The normal's parent point is expressed as a percentage of the arc-length of the path. Read the description of the pointOnPath() method for details about arc-length percentage.

The linear distance between the parent point's coordinates and normalOnPath() coordinates will always be 1.

Parameters¶

Parameter	Type	Description
`percentage`	Number	Optional. The percentage along the path at which to sample the normal. Defaults to `0.5` (50%).
`t`	Number	Optional. The specified time (in comp seconds) to sample the path. Defaults to `time` (the current comp time, in seconds).

Returns¶

A number pair array

Example¶

Sample a normal and make it longer:

myPath.normalOnPath() * 100

PathProperty.outTangents()¶

thisLayer.mask("Mask 1").maskPath.outTangents([t=time])

Description¶

Get the [x, y] coordinates of the outgoing tangent handle for all points on a path.

Tangent coordinate values are offset relative to the parent point's coordinates (i.e. the value [0, 0] creates no curvature at the outgoing tangent).

This method can be passed into the createPath() method for the outTangents parameter when duplicating a path.

Parameters¶

Parameter	Type	Description
`t`	Number	Optional. The specified time (in comp seconds) to sample the tangents. Defaults to `time` (the current comp time, in seconds).

Returns¶

Array of number pair arrays, rounded to the fourth decimal place

PathProperty.pointOnPath()¶

thisLayer.mask("Mask 1").maskPath.pointOnPath([percentage=0.5][, t=time])

Description¶

Get the [x, y] coordinates of an arbitrary point along a path.

The point is expressed as a percentage of the arc-length of the path. 0.0 (0%) is the first point and 1.0 (100%) is the last point. When the path is closed, 0% and 100% will return the same coordinates.

Info

Percentage of arc-length is used to ensure uniform speed along the path.

Other than 0% and 100%, percentages do not necessarily correlate with the Bezier points on the path. (i.e., For a path with three points, the second point will not necessarily be at 50%.)

This also means that for an open path and closed path with identical points, the percentage along the open path will not return the same coordinates as the closed path due to the additional length of the closed path.

Parameter	Type	Description
`percentage`	Number	Optional. The percentage along the path at which to sample the point. Defaults to `0.5` (50%).
`t`	Number	Optional. The specified time (in comp seconds) to sample the path. Defaults to `time` (the current comp time, in seconds).

Returns¶

A number pair array

PathProperty.points()¶

thisLayer.mask("Mask 1").maskPath.points([t=time])

Description¶

Get the x,y coordinates of all points on a path.

The returned values are relative, depending on the context: - Coordinates for layer mask path points are relative to the layer's origin in its upper-left hand corner. - Coordinates for Bezier shape path points are are relative to the anchor point of the path's shape group - (ex., "Transform: Shape 1 > Anchor Point"). - Coordinates for brush stroke path points are relative to the start of the stroke; the first point is [0,0]. - This method can be passed into the createPath() method for the points parameter when duplicating a path.

Parameters¶

Parameter	Type	Description
`t`	Number	Optional. The specified time (in comp seconds) to sample the path. Defaults to `time` (the current comp time, in seconds).

Returns¶

Array of number pair arrays, rounded to the fourth decimal place

Example¶

Read the coordinates of the first vertex of Mask 1 on Dark Gray Solid 1 and converts them to composition coordinates.

Apply this to a 2D point control of an effect, such as Write-on or CC Particle Systems II, to make the effect trace or track the first point of an animated mask.

Duplicate the effect and change the path points index value ([0]) to trace or track the other points of the mask.

const myLayer = thisComp.layer("Dark Gray Solid 1");
myLayer.toComp(myLayer.mask("Mask 1").maskPath.points()[0]);

PathProperty.tangentOnPath()¶

thisLayer.mask("Mask 1").maskPath.tangentOnPath([percentage=0.5][, t=time])

Description¶

Get the calculated [x, y] coordinates of the outgoing tangent handle for an arbitrary point along a path.

Tangent coordinate values are offset relative to the parent point's coordinates (i.e. the value [0, 0] creates no curvature at the outgoing tangent). Values will differ from those returned by outTangents() if a user-defined point also exists at that arc-length pecentage.

The incoming tangent handle is the inverse of this value (multiply the [x, y] coordinates by -1).

The tangent's parent point is expressed as a percentage of the arc-length of the path. Read the description of the pointOnPath() method for details about arc-length percentage.

The linear distance between the parent point's coordinates and tangentOnPath() coordinates will always be 1.

Parameters¶

Parameter	Type	Description
`percentage`	Number	Optional. The percentage along the path at which to sample the tangent. Defaults to `0.5` (50%).
`t`	Number	Optional. The specified time (in comp seconds) to sample the path. Defaults to `time` (the current comp time, in seconds).

Returns¶

A number pair array

Example¶

Sample a tangent and make it longer:

myPath.tangentOnPath() * 100

Example¶

Writes the list of point and tangent coordinates from Path 1 of Shape 1 on layer Shape Layer 1, at time=0, into a string.

Apply this to the source text property of a text layer for a readout of the coordinates and incoming and outgoing tangents of the shape.

let pointsList = "";
const sampleTime = 0;
const myShape = thisComp.layer("Shape Layer 1").content("Shape 1").content("Path 1").path;

for (i = 0; i < myShape.points(sampleTime).length; i++) {
    pointsList += "c: " + myShape.points(sampleTime)[i].toString() + " i: " + myShape.inTangents(sampleTime)[i].toString() + " o: " + myShape.outTangents(sampleTime)[i].toString() + "\n";
}

pointsList;