Pathfinder

Intro

Move or deform closed Shapes along a path.

UI

Common Attributes +

Behaviour

Travel - Move the Shape along a percentage of the Input Shape’s length.

Loop - When checked, a Shape will return to the beginning of the Path and continue animating. When unchecked a shape will continue in the direction of the first/ last point.

Reverse Input Path - Reverse the direction of the Input Path.

Input Shape - Connect a Shape to position/deform the Shape along.

Deformer

Taper Graph - Create a taper along the length of the Input Shape.

Path Offset - Move the Shape away from the Input Shape.

Flip - Flip the Shape along its x axis. This is particularly useful for Text.

Value

Rotation Offset - Add an offset to the Rotation.

Rotation (read only) - Outputs the rotation along the normal of the Input Shape. Connect this to the Rotation attribute of another Shape.

Example (Deformer)

1. Create a Rectangle.
2. Set the Edge Divisions for the Rectangle's Width (W) to 20.
3. Click the + icon next to Deformers on the Rectangle and add a Pathfinder.
4. Draw a path with the Pen tool.
5. Connect path.id→pathfinder.inputShape.

Example (animate along a path)

1. Create an Ellipse.
2. Draw a path with the Pen tool.
3. Create a Pathfinder.
4. Connect path.id→pathfinder.inputShape.
5. Connect pathfinder.id→ellipse.position.

info

Use the Align behaviour to pin Shapes to their top/ bottom/ left/ right edges before adding a Pathfinder to deform shapes on the inside or outside of the Input Path.