GYROGRAPHER
by Vincent Rubinetti
(C) 2009 Vincent Rubinetti


INTRODUCTION

These scripts allow Gyrographer images to be used within Adobe After Effects 
in a wide variety of ways. Most of what they do can also be accomplished by 
opening images Adobe Illustrator, then copying the figures straight into AE 
as a mask or motion path, but they were written simply to not exclude those 
who own AE but not AI.



AE_import_position_keyframes.jsx
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Description		
		Reads xy point data from a text file and imports it as 
		position keyframes for the selected layer.

Operation		
		Select one layer. Position property does not need to be 
		selected. Keyframes will be automatically put in the 
		Transform->Position property.				

		User is prompted to open a text file with data points. The 
		file should be formatted as such:
			30.2340 230.3092
			23.1234 847.4800
			etc...
		where each line is a single point. The two numbers on each 
		line are the x and y coordinates of the point, and are 
		separated by a space.

		User is asked if aspect ratio should be maintained. If 
		"Yes", user is then prompted for a single scale factor. If 
		"No", user is prompted for separate x and y scale factors.

		Entering a positive number will scale (multiply) the data 
		points by that number. Entering a negative number will 
		calculate a scale that fits the figure to the comp size. 

		User is asked to enter in x and y offsets for the figure.
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AE_import_property_keyframes.jsx
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Description		
		Reads xy point data from a text file and imports it as 
		keyframes for the selected properties for the selected 
		layer.

Operation		
		Select one layer. Select two properties that can be 
		keyframed. X coordinates will be keyed to the first selected 
		and y coordinates will be keyed to the second.
			
		... same as AE_import_position_keyframes.jsx ...

Note		
		This script was written to be used with effect plugins that 
		use separate x and y properties for position, but it may be 
		used with any two keyframe-able properties.
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AE_import_mask.jsx
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Description		
		Reads xy point data from a text file and imports it as a 
		mask for the selected layer.

Operation		
		Select one layer. 
				
		... same as AE_import_position_keyframes.jsx ...
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AE_evenly_space_keyframes.jsx
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Description		
		Evenly spaces the selected keyframes over time.

Operation		
		Select one layer. Select a series of keyframes. The first 
		and last selected keyframes remain unchanged will the script 
		makes all keyframes between them equidistant.
				
Note			
		If copying and pasting a Gyrographer figure from Illustrator 
		into AE as a motion path, AE will space keyframes non-
		equidistantly, such that the object traveling on that path 
		remains at a constant speed. As a result, the fluidity of 
		the curve is lost; the path does not slow down around 
		corners, as the natural motion of the circles would produce.
		This script will space keyframes evenly over time, and thus 
		restore the motion that Gyrographer naturally exports.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES
	If using Trapcode Particular, use AE_import_position_keyframes.jsx, 
	then copy and paste the position keyframes to the emitter's position 
	property.
	
	AE_import_position_keyframes.jsx first centers the figure to the 
	comp view, before prompting for aspect ratio, scale, and offset.
	AE_import_property_keyframes.jsx does not do this, since it can be 
	used with any properties. It may not make sense to "center" the 
	values if the properties selected are "Scale" and "Rotation", for 
	example. Even if dealing with another type of position property, it 
	wouldn't be wise: AE's "Position" property defines 0,0 at the upper 
	left corner, but CC Particle World defines 0,0 at the center of the 
	comp.
	

	If using AE_import_property_keyframes.jsx with CC Particle World, 
	and the emitter cannot be seen (out of view), try using a scale of 
	0.05 or lower, and moving the camera back (-z) or moving the emitter 
	forward (+z).