Understanding the Range selector

The Range selector is the default selector for all animator groups. You can add additional Range selectors to an animator group or add multiple animator properties that use the same Range selector.

The Range selector includes the following properties (including Advanced properties):

Start and End

Specifies the beginning and end of the selection (relative to the number of characters, words, or lines as specified by the Units and Based On properties). For example, if you set Start to 0%, and set keyframes for End for 0% at 0 seconds and 100% at 4 seconds, the animator property will gradually take effect over those 4 seconds.

Offset

Specifies how much you want to offset the Start and End of the selection. This property is useful for animating the selector "through" the text, because the value you specify moves the Start and End values equally, saving you the trouble of animating them both exactly the same way. To set the offset in the Composition window while you edit the Start or End values, Shift-click the Start or End selector bars.

To learn how Offset works, see Offsetting characters.

Units and Based On

Specifies the units for Start, End, and Offset. You can use either the percentage or index units and base the selection on the characters, characters excluding spaces, words, or lines. If you select characters, After Effects counts spaces and effectively pauses the animation between words as it animates the spaces between words.


Original (left) and with "VEN" selected by the range selectors, Based On set to Character, Shape set to Triangle, and Scale set to 40% (right)

Mode

If you have only one selector, Mode specifies the interaction between the selector and the text. With one selector, you can use the Subtract mode to invert the selector; other modes do not have an effect on the layer. If you have multiple selectors, Mode specifies the way each selector combines with the selectors above it, similar to how multiple masks combine when you apply a Mask mode. For example, if your first Range selector includes characters 20-80 and is set to Add mode and your second Range selector includes characters 50-55 and is set to Subtract mode, the resulting selection includes only characters 20-49 and 56-80, subtracting 50-55 from the range.

Amount

Specifies how much you want the range of characters to be affected by animator properties. At 0%, the animator properties do not affect the characters. At 50%, half of each property value affects the characters. This option is useful for animating the result of animator properties over time.

Shape

Controls how characters are selected between the Start and End of the range. Each option modifies the selection by creating gradual transitions between selected characters using the chosen shape. For example, when animating the y Position values of text characters using Ramp Down, the characters gradually move at an angle from bottom left to upper right. You can specify Square, Ramp Up, Ramp Down, Triangle, Round, and Smooth.


Original (left) and after selecting entire word, setting Based On to Characters, animating the y Position value so word is at the bottom of the window, and setting Shape to Ramp Down (right)

To learn how these properties work, see Working with animator shapes.

Smoothness

Specifies the amount of time the animation takes to transition from one character to another when you use the Square shape.

To learn how Smoothness works, see Creating a write-on animation.

Ease High and Ease Low

Specifies the speed of change as selection values change from fully included (high) to fully excluded (low). For example, when Ease High is 100%, the character changes more gradually (eases into the change) while it is fully to partially selected. When Ease High is -100%, the character changes quickly while it is fully to partially selected. When Ease Low is 100%, the character changes more gradually (eases into the change) while it is partially selected to unselected. When Ease Low is -100%, the character changes quickly while it is partially selected to unselected.

To learn how these properties work, see Working with animator shapes.