Anchor Point

[Mylenium]

Something really weird seems to me seems to be the behavior of the anchor- point in AE.
With the "Y-Tool" you can`t set it properly( for example if you want to center it), at least in a 3D- Comp, but you have this compensation, so that your layer stays where it`s at.
If you type it manually you can place everything fine, but the compensation is gone.
Is there no in between?

moyo

What in-between? Alt-dragging the pan behind tool will also move your layer without compensation, but there's really not much more to this tool. And no, that behavior is not strange, since the anchor point is always treated relative to the layer coordinates. It's not much different in 3D programs or other apps. If you're having a specific problem, working with parenting or a simple expression might help, but you would have to reveal more details.

Mylenium

[pixelAffairs]

Hm, no.
For example, if you want to center the pivot(anchor point) of a layer, then you could type in the coordinates of the anchor point based on the height and width of the layer or simply doubleclick the "Y-Tool"( Auschnitt-Werkzeug, if you know the german version), but that will move the layer accordingly which of course is a normal behavior.
If you use the just the "Y-Tool" this leaves the layer where it is, because the position values are also altered.
Of course i donot want the (relative) position of the layer to change in my composition.
So, i wonder if the there is a way to center the pivot exactly without moving the layer.

To reveal more details:
I imported a maya- file and i replaced the null-objects with my footage, by ALT- dragging the footage on the null`s layer.
Now the pivots are on the footage`s corner, which is no fun...

moyo

[Mylenium]

To reveal more details:
I imported a maya- file and i replaced the null-objects with my footage, by ALT- dragging the footage on the null`s layer.
Now the pivots are on the footage`s corner, which is no fun...

moyo

So what? Just type in the negative values of your anchor point positions in the position fields to compensate and substract them from the original values. You know, AE allows basic math operations in every input field even without expressions, does it not? ;-) AE will always use the top left corner to calculate its stuff - it's one of the basic principles of it (just like most image formats are coded this way), so you will always run into trouble if you do not keep this in mind and adjust your workflow. And for the next time remember to use solids instead of Null objects.

Mylenium

[pixelAffairs]

Hm, sure i could calculate it, but its a bit tedious.

"And for the next time remember to use solids instead of Null objects."
I mean, i simply used locators(trabsformNodes) in maya and imported them, which AE interprets as solids.
What do you mean with solids?
Thx.

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