DOWNLOAD MOTIONTRAILS

After purchase you will receive a download link via email containing MotionTrails.jsx.

INSTALL THE SCRIPT

Copy MotionTrails.jsx to your ScriptUI Panels folder:

Mac:

/Applications/Adobe After Effects [version]/Scripts/ScriptUI Panels/

Windows:

C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects [version]\Support Files\Scripts\ScriptUI Panels\

ALLOW SCRIPTS TO WRITE FILES

This is required for saving presets.

Go to After Effects > Preferences > Scripting & Expressions and enable:

Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network

RESTART AFTER EFFECTS

Close After Effects completely and reopen it.

OPEN MOTIONTRAILS

Go to Window > MotionTrails.jsx

The panel will open and can be docked anywhere in your workspace. On first launch it automatically creates your preset library with six built-in factory paths ready to use.

The panel is organised into four sections:

PATH PRESETS

Create and manage reusable path shapes. Choose from the built-in factory presets or save your own. Use the ⚙ button to access Save, Delete, Import, Export, and Reset to Factory options.

MOTION TRAILS

The core workflow section. Attach any object or icon to a path with one click. Control auto-rotation, trim path sync, and stroke cap style. The Quick Attach buttons create and attach icons instantly without needing a separate object layer.

TAPER SETTINGS

Add a taper effect to the stroke of any shape layer. Control start length and apply or clear with dedicated buttons.

DASHED LINE

Apply dash and gap values to the stroke of any shape layer. Enable the checkbox first, then set your Dash and Gap values using the sliders before applying.

STATUS BAR

The line above the copyright footer shows live feedback after every action — green for success, red if something needs attention.

BUILT-IN FACTORY PRESETS

MotionTrails includes six ready-to-use path presets:

• Gentle Wave – Subtle multi-peak wave, ideal for broadcast lower-thirds

• Broadcast Wave – Bold two-peak wave for large motion graphics

• Circle (Closed) – Smooth closed circular path

• S-Curve – Classic flowing S for sweeping animations

• Arc – Simple single arc for clean directional movement

• Loose Wave – Wide, relaxed wave for natural organic motion

All presets are automatically scaled to fit your composition with a 90% margin, so they always look right regardless of comp size.

CREATING A PATH FROM A PRESET

1. Open or select a composition

2. Choose a preset from the dropdown

3. Click Create Path

4. A new shape layer is added to your comp, centred and scaled to fit

5. The status bar confirms the layer name

SAVING YOUR OWN PRESET

1. In your comp, draw or select any bezier path on a shape layer

2. Select the path or the shape layer

3. Type a name in the Name field

4. Click ⚙ > Save Current

5. Your preset is added to the dropdown and saved to your library file on disk

You can save as many custom presets as you like. The library is stored locally and persists between After Effects sessions.

PRESET ACTIONS (⚙ BUTTON)

Save Current – Saves the selected path as a preset using the name in the Name field. If a preset with that name already exists it will be overwritten.

Delete Current – Removes the currently selected preset from your library.

Import – Load presets from a .json file shared by another user or exported from another machine.

Export – Save your entire preset library as a .json file for backup or sharing with your team.

Reset to Factory – Restores the original six built-in presets. Your custom presets will be replaced, so export first if you want to keep them.

This is the core feature of MotionTrails. It connects any object layer to a path so it travels along it automatically, with keyframes already set.

ATTACH ANY OBJECT

1. Create or select a path layer in your comp (use Create Path or draw your own)

2. Select both the path layer and the object you want to animate — two layers total

3. Click Attach & Animate

4. MotionTrails will:

• Add a Trace Path Progress effect (0 to 100) with Easy Ease keyframes across your work area

• Add a Tail Length effect (default 10%) controlling the trim start

• Add an Arrow Heading Offset effect for fine-tuning rotation

• Apply position and rotation expressions linking the object to the path

• Apply a synced Trim Paths to the trail layer if Sync Trim Path is checked

The object will now animate along the path from start to finish across your work area. Adjust the keyframes in the Timeline to change speed or timing.

QUICK ATTACH WITH ICONS

For instant results without needing a separate object layer:

1. Select your path layer (one layer only)

2. Click ▲, ●, or ★ in the Quick Attach row

MotionTrails creates the icon shape layer and attaches it to your path in a single step. Triangles automatically get a 90° heading offset so they point forward along the path.

OPTIONS

Auto-Rotate — When checked, the attached object rotates to follow the direction of the path using the tangent. Uncheck for objects that should stay upright.

Sync Trim Path — When checked, a Trim Paths effect is added to the trail layer. The end follows the object's progress and the start follows at a distance controlled by Tail Length, creating a true trailing effect. Uncheck if you want a static full-length path with only the object animating.

UNLINK

To remove all expressions and effects applied by MotionTrails without deleting the layers:

1. Select the object layer, the trail layer, or both

2. Click ↯ Unlink

All expressions are cleared and values are baked at their current position. The layers remain intact and fully editable.

The three cap buttons in the Motion Trails section set the stroke cap style on all strokes within the selected shape layer simultaneously.

◼ Butt Cap — The stroke ends exactly at the path endpoint. Clean and precise.

● Round Cap — The stroke has a rounded end extending slightly beyond the path. Softer feel, common for organic motion trails.

⊞ Projecting Cap — The stroke extends beyond the endpoint by half the stroke width. Useful for dashed lines or precise join alignment.

TO APPLY

1. Select one shape layer in your comp

2. Click the cap button for your desired style

3. All strokes on that layer are updated instantly

Taper tapers the stroke width along the path — thin at the start, full width at the end — giving trails a natural, organic feel.

Note: Taper is a feature of After Effects' shape layer stroke system. Your stroke must have Taper enabled in the layer's Stroke properties before MotionTrails can control it. If the Apply button has no visible effect, open the stroke in the timeline, expand Taper, and enable it manually first.

APPLYING TAPER

1. Select Enable Taper checkbox

2. Use the Start Length slider to set how far along the path the taper extends (0–100%)

3. Click Apply Taper

4. The taper is applied to all strokes on the selected layer:

— Start Width set to 0 (fully tapered at the beginning)

— End Width set to 100 (full stroke width at the end)

— Ease High and Ease Low both set to 50 for a smooth curve

CLEARING TAPER

Click Clear Taper to reset all taper values to their defaults, restoring a uniform stroke width across the full path.

Add a dash pattern to the stroke of any shape layer directly from the panel.

Note: After Effects adds the Dashes group inside the stroke in the timeline. If your values don't respond after applying, open the layer in the timeline, expand Stroke > Dashes, and ensure the Dashes property is enabled. Then use the panel controls to apply again.

APPLYING DASHES

1. Check Enable Dashes

2. Use the Dash slider to set the length of each dash (1–1000px)

3. Use the Gap slider to set the space between dashes (0–1000px)

4. Click Apply Dashes

The values are applied to all strokes on the selected shape layer. The status bar will confirm the dash and gap values applied.

CLEARING DASHES

Click Clear Dashes to set both Dash and Gap values to 0, effectively removing the dash pattern.

TIPS

• Round Cap combined with a small dash value and equal gap creates a dotted line effect

• Butt Cap with a longer dash value and larger gap gives a classic dashed line

• Animate the Offset property on the Trim Paths or Dash Offset in the timeline for a travelling dot or marching ants effect

WORKFLOW ORDER

For best results follow this order:

1. Create or select your path layer

2. Set stroke width and cap style

3. Attach your object or use a Quick Attach icon

4. Adjust keyframe timing in the Timeline

5. Apply taper or dashes if needed

6. Refine the path shape in the comp viewer — expressions update live

ADJUSTING SPEED AND TIMING

After attaching, find the Trace Path Progress effect on the object layer. The two keyframes (0 at start, 100 at end) control the animation. Move, add, or adjust these keyframes exactly as you would any other keyframes. Use the Graph Editor for speed ramping.

TAIL LENGTH

The Tail Length effect on the object layer controls how far behind the object the trail fades. A value of 10 means the trail starts 10% behind the current position. Increase it for a longer trail, decrease for a tighter follow.

CHANGING THE PATH AFTER ATTACHING

Because expressions drive the position, you can edit the shape of the path at any time and the object will follow the new shape automatically. No need to re-attach.

MULTIPLE OBJECTS ON ONE PATH

Repeat the Attach & Animate process for each object. Each object gets its own Trace Path Progress effect, so you can offset their timing independently in the Timeline.

WORKING WITH YOUR OWN PATHS

Any shape layer with a bezier path group works with MotionTrails. Draw your path freehand in After Effects, convert text to shapes, or paste a path from Illustrator — then use Attach & Animate as normal.

SAVING FREQUENTLY USED PATHS

If you find yourself drawing the same path repeatedly across projects, save it as a preset. It will be available instantly in any future project without redrawing.

"No Path found in the selected shape layer"

The layer selected as the trail layer does not contain a bezier path group. Make sure you are selecting a layer created with Create Path or a shape layer with a Path drawn inside a group. Ellipse, star, and rectangle shapes created directly (not inside a group with a Path property) are not currently supported as trail paths.

"Select exactly 2 layers: path + object"

Attach & Animate requires exactly two layers selected — one path layer and one object layer. Deselect all, then Command/Ctrl-click to select just those two.

"Neither layer contains a path group"

Both selected layers contain only primitive shapes (ellipse, star, etc.) rather than bezier path groups. Use Create Path to generate a compatible trail layer first.

Expression errors in the Timeline

This can happen if a layer is renamed after attaching. The expressions reference the layer name at the time of attaching. Either rename the layer back, or use Unlink and re-attach after renaming.

Taper has no visible effect

Taper must be enabled on the stroke in the timeline before MotionTrails can control it. Expand the stroke properties, enable Taper, then click Apply Taper again.

Dashes not responding

Expand the stroke in the timeline and check that the Dashes group is present and enabled. If not, toggle the Dashes switch on inside the stroke panel manually, then use the panel controls again.

Script does not appear in the Window menu

Confirm the file is in the ScriptUI Panels folder, not the Scripts folder. These are two different locations. See Installation above.

Presets are not saving

Go to After Effects > Preferences > Scripting & Expressions and ensure Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network is enabled.

SUPPORT

If you experience any issues not covered here, please get in touch:

Email: hello@thecreativesupply.com

All MotionTrails updates are free for existing customers.