Link Text width to Mask Shape

Hey there,

I'm trying to create template in which a mask changes if text is changed (gets shorter or longer).

So I created a shape layer wit a mask and a text layer. I applied the "link" (I guess that's what its called in the english version) to the shape layer. And here's where problems start: There are no text-parameters that I could choose to make the mask recognize the length of my text. Anybody got an idea how to do that?

Maybe there is a work-around. If I could tell the anchor point of my text layer to always stay on the right edge of my text-area, then I could use the anchor point as a reference and link my mask behaviour to that anchor point.

What Mark says is as always exactly right but there is a workaround that I exploited in this template that works as you are wanting it to.

http://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/344/5962

It uses the Simple Border filter to create the box but with some extra complications in order to keep everything resizing proportionately.

Simon Ubsdell
http://www.tokyo-uk.com

Hi Mark

Here you go.

3923_tkysubtitlereffect.zip

I'm honoured that you should think it worth a look!

All the best.

Simon

Simon Ubsdell
http://www.tokyo-uk.com

Thanks :)

Simon Ubsdell
http://www.tokyo-uk.com

OK, I'll try to explain.

Make your text layer.

Make a clone of the text layer (not a duplicate) and put it below the main text layer.

Apply a Simple Border filter to the cloned text layer. Set the colour to something you can see - the default is black so if your background is black you want know what's going on!

Set the Simple Border width parameter to 100.

You will now have a box that exactly matches the main text layer whatever you do to that layer, whether it's inputting different text or scaling it or whatever.

The only problem is that it exactly fits the text object with no extra space but that's easily fixed. All you need to do is go into the properties for the clone layer and set the scale and position parameters to whatever you want.

If you want to be perfectionist, you need to offset the anchor point Y position so that any scaling you do is proportional, otherwise you will need to keep adjusting the position as you adjust the scale. If you set the anchor point right you can adjust the scale only and the position will take care of itself.

That's it.

I forgot to add that you'll need to set your text justification to centred for obvious reasons.

Simon Ubsdell
http://www.tokyo-uk.com

Hi Stefan

It looks as though you have misunderstood the instructions - I didn't say anything about doing this with a link behavior.

The effect is achieved using a Clone of the original text layer.

To make a Clone select the text layer and hit "K". or Right Click and select Make Clone Layer. (This is the important part. The Clone will precisely match the original layer whatever you do to it. Read up about Clones in the manual as these are very useful and very powerful.)

Next apply the Simple Border filter to the Clone layer and set the Width value of the Simple Border filter to 100. Make sure the color of the Simple Border is something you can see - make it blue for example - just while you set up the effect.

Make sure the Clone Layer is below the original text layer.

This is all you have to do to get the basic effect. Read my earlier instructions for more details.

Simon Ubsdell
http://www.tokyo-uk.com