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Text on a circular path becomes jumbled

Hi Everyone!


Well, I’m stuck and I’m not even sure I’m doing this the right way, anyways.  I’m hoping you all will be able to give me some guidance.  I’ve searched around for the answer – but I’m either not wording the question right or there’s nothing out there.  I don’t know. (Fyi if needed: running Motion 15.9 and Sequoia 15.2 on a Mac Studio)


First, this is just an experiment to see if I can make this work.  So far, I’m not. I want the words "made in USA" to follow along the inside of the gear as it turns – sort of like it is engraved on the gear.


As you can see by my layers panel, I have the text set on a path using a circle the same size as the gear and I’ve used the geometry setting for the path shape.   It works pretty much how I want it too...it goes around the circle following the gear, but the word gets kinda wonky around the bottom area.  But I think that can be fixed with some keyframing. (obviously this still needs work to make it look like some kind of engraving...any suggestions on that are welcome too!) :)


The real problem is in the letters of the word itself.  They get jumbled as they go around as you can see by my screenshots.  It starts out perfect – goes wonky – then goes back to perfect again.  Do I need to somehow keyframe this as well, or is there a setting/behavior I am missing somewhere? Thank you!


Posted on Jan 12, 2025 11:09 AM

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User profile for user: fox_m
fox_m
User level: Level 6
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Posted on Jan 23, 2025 11:33 PM

Text properties are rather difficult to explain (probably why the documentation sucks...) The best way to tell which property to use is to add a Link to the specific property and see how Motion lists it in the compatible parameters options. Parameters in the Text > Advanced section (and others, where allowed) are referenced as "Styles.Style." which is confusing but something you'll just have to get used to. For the most part, it's just the Text parameters that are this "unfriendly".


As for tutorials: you won't really find any more than you can get out of the documentation. Making use of them, actually working through the projects is a pretty quick way to pick up Motion techniques... Good practice so to speak. After all: there is no "one right way" to do anything in Motion (99%+ of the time). The more you do, the faster you'll pick it all up. The worst thing to do is let yourself get frustrated getting stuck on some of the more advanced things in the beginning. Truth be told, your exercise for this topic was the first time I dealt with rotating text along a circle to match the rotation of a separate object. My text on a circle projects usually utilize the Path Offset parameter (and generally not animated.) When that didn't pan out (Path Offset % doesn't really match Rotation degrees), I knew I had to find an alternative method. :D

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User profile for user: fox_m
fox_m
User level: Level 6
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Jan 23, 2025 11:33 PM in response to Creator_needs_help

Text properties are rather difficult to explain (probably why the documentation sucks...) The best way to tell which property to use is to add a Link to the specific property and see how Motion lists it in the compatible parameters options. Parameters in the Text > Advanced section (and others, where allowed) are referenced as "Styles.Style." which is confusing but something you'll just have to get used to. For the most part, it's just the Text parameters that are this "unfriendly".


As for tutorials: you won't really find any more than you can get out of the documentation. Making use of them, actually working through the projects is a pretty quick way to pick up Motion techniques... Good practice so to speak. After all: there is no "one right way" to do anything in Motion (99%+ of the time). The more you do, the faster you'll pick it all up. The worst thing to do is let yourself get frustrated getting stuck on some of the more advanced things in the beginning. Truth be told, your exercise for this topic was the first time I dealt with rotating text along a circle to match the rotation of a separate object. My text on a circle projects usually utilize the Path Offset parameter (and generally not animated.) When that didn't pan out (Path Offset % doesn't really match Rotation degrees), I knew I had to find an alternative method. :D

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fox_m
User level: Level 6
12,865 points

Jan 12, 2025 8:59 PM in response to Creator_needs_help

Your 'made in USA' link is set to Properties.Transform.Rotation.Z... This rotates the entire Text Object.


This is the Path I instructed you on:




This is what the Link should look like:



You can change this value by selecting the following Target Parameter:



This rotation rotates each individual character on its baseline, which should keep the proper orientation to the Circle's curvature.




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Creator_needs_help Author
User level: Level 1
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Jan 12, 2025 6:43 PM in response to fox_m

Hi Fox! Happy New Year!


Well, that is certainly better...but it still isn't quite solving the whole problem.


Why don't the letters stay looking the same way they do when they are resting at the top position on the gear?


And I seriously can't believe I was only one step away from completion! I might be getting just a tiny bit better, cuz I really thought I went about this all the wrong way to begin with. Even if I did get a lot of help from Ripple Training on this particular exercise. ;)


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Creator_needs_help Author
User level: Level 1
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Jan 12, 2025 8:15 PM in response to fox_m

Ok.  Deleted the Rate behavior on the Circle 1 layer.  The screenshot shows it is linked to the Gears 3 layer...well not exactly – but that is what I linked it to because that is the gear that the letters are on.


I did a screenshot of the Link I put on the Made in the USA layer that shows it is linked to the Circle Path Properties.  But you can see the letters are still getting jumbled and even looking italic toward the bottom of the rotation.


Otherwise, it is acting exactly like I want it to.  


Oh, and the Ripple tutorial I went off of was the “Animating with Behaviors in Apple Motion” – Lesson 9 Link Behavior.


Screenshot of Link Behavior to Made in the USA layer

Screenshot of Circle 1 Link Behavior

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Creator_needs_help Author
User level: Level 1
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Jan 13, 2025 6:21 PM in response to fox_m

Of course you are right! I got totally confused. I'm sorry. And I really was trying to go step by step on your instructions. I just didn't recognize that I wasn't on the Text panel. Thank you for showing me with your screenshots.


But I just don't understand what I am doing wrong now though. I'm seriously lost. As you can see I do have my link behavior mirroring your screenshots now. But when I play the project, the word completely spreads out and is no longer aligned with the circle. I'm thinking I must still missing some kind of parameter setting. I've been going through and messing with all of them but I can't find it.


I'm so sorry. I feel very stupid right now and almost didn't write back. But I thought I would bother you one last time because well, I'm stubborn and I don't want to admit defeat. I am sending each and every one of my Inspector settings for the Made in the USA text layer. If you would be so kind as to troubleshoot with me one last time?? After that, I'll just sit on it for awhile and see if it will come to me at some point in time. Thank you Fox...you know how much I appreciate your time.







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User profile for user: fox_m
fox_m
User level: Level 6
12,865 points

Jan 12, 2025 2:41 PM in response to Creator_needs_help

You're one step short of finishing this:


You need to apply a link to the Text Object > Format > Advanced > Rotation Z and link it to either the Circle rotation or the original 3d shape rotation.


Also, you can simply Link the Circle Rotation Z to the 'Gears' Rotation Z instead of having to match 2 Rate behaviors.


HTH

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User profile for user: fox_m
fox_m
User level: Level 6
12,865 points

Jan 12, 2025 7:22 PM in response to Creator_needs_help

I don't see a Link on the "made in USA" text object. If you Link the rotation of the Circle to the original Gears character, then you do not need the Rate behavior — it should be turned off or deleted.


The Link for 'made in USA' needs to go to the Circle path Properties > Transform > Rotation.Z. Start from the 'made in USA' text object > Format > Advanced > Rotation.Z and add the Link there. You should see "Apply To Styles.Style.Rotation.Z" in the Link behavior.


Which Ripple Training exercise did you use?



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Creator_needs_help Author
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Jan 23, 2025 8:30 PM in response to Creator_needs_help

Hey Fox...you still there to ask a question about this?


If so, I have something that keeps bothering me, because I don't understand it. How do you know which parameter setting to use when? You told me to use Styles.Style.Rotation Z for the link behavior on the Circle I used to link the word to.

Honestly? I would have never figured that out. And why did you use "Style" and not say Object or Properties? (Although I did see no Rotation settings for Object) And even worse there are two different Rotation settings under Style. Is this something I will learn in time from people like you who are willing to help? Because wow...the more I delve into this the more complicated it seems to get! And no tutorial goes that deep into these kinds of settings....Thanks!

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Text on a circular path becomes jumbled

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