Type On plug-in
Type On produces the effect of a person typing on a computer, rather than a computer displaying type. The plug-in gives you a high degree of control over how and when text appears on screen. The main setting is Completion, and controls like Cursor and Blink Speed reinforce the typing-on animation.
Which plug-in to use? Creating one line at a time
Text Hacker, TypeOn and Screen Text all create the effect of one line overwriting another. Which plug-in you use depends upony the exact effect that you want.
Options Box
This is where you tell Type On what font to use and what specific text to display. Tye text into the input field or click the Load button to import a text doc. Alternately, you can generate words randomly by leaving the input field blank.
See Common controls, Options Box
Character Attributes> Font Size, Font Size Randomness
Main Setup> Position
Hinting checkbox
Composite on Original checkbox
See Common controls, Font & Character
Main Setup> Alignment pop-up
Line Spacing> Tracking, Tracking Randomness
Line Spacing> Leading, Leading Randomness
Color
Color 2
Color Blend
Random Color
See Common controls, Color & Rotation
Type and Cursor Setup group
This group sets the behavior of the typing effect and its cursor. Something to note is that text displays differently when you are typing on a computer vs typing on a typewriter.
On a computer, the characters get added from left to right, and the cursor moves to the right across the screen. When you get to a new line, the cursor jumps back to the left margin. If you're trying to emulate a computer, set TypeOn to Normal.
On a typewriter, your cursor is the spot where the keys hit the page (anyone remember?). The cursor is locked in place and the paper moves to the left as you type, propelled by the roller. This results in your text moving from right to left as the paper roll carries it. If you're trying to emulate a typewriter, set TypeOn to Lefty.
Type and Cursor Setup> Completion, Completion Randomness
This is the most important control since this is how Type On animates text. By animating Completion, your text will be typed onto the screen, simple as that.
As Completion animates from 0 to 100%, the characters type themselves onscreen. It doesn't make any difference how much text there is; 100% will always result in all of the text being typed on. The more text you have, the faster it will type on in a given time period. Completion can be keyframed to easily mimic the uneven typing rate of someone using a keyboard by simply setting keyframes at uneven intervals, with Completion values that do not interpolate linearly.
Completion Randomness produces a somewhat odd effect. It causes the completion percentage to jump around causing the text to jump on and off the screen. This can be useful if you want a random, chaotic animation with text typing itself on and off. It's not super useful for normal situations, but it can produce a neat effect.
Type and Cursor Setup> Type On pop-up
Aligns the rows of text. Once Completion hits 100%, all the characters will be onscreen.
Type and Cursor Setup> Overwrite checkbox
When turned on, as the first line of text disappears, the next line will start to appear. If you have multiple lines of text, as one line gets completed, the next line will overwrite it.
When turned off, as it is by default, the text will scroll up to make room for the new line.
Type and Cursor Setup> Don't Scroll checkbox
Turned off by default, which means if you have multiple lines of text, a new line will push the old line it is replacing up the screen. This is similar to the behavior of typing commands at the bottom of a shell window. As you type one line, all the lines above it are shifted up one to make room to display the new line or results from the command.
When turned on, new text lines will be created underneath old ones, and the old ones will remain where they're at. This is useful if you want to simulate someone typing at the top of the shell window.
Type and Cursor Setup> Text Blink Speed
Sets the speed of blinking text. Set in frames, so a value of 5 tells the text to be on for 5 frames, then off for 5 frames. Anything that says "Danger!" should always blink. Sorry, we didn't make the rule. It's just the way it is.
Type and Cursor Setup> Invert checkbox
When turned on, a block appears around each character and the character is inverted within the block. If you've been around computers for awhile, you'll recognize this old school computer look. Very useful when you want to give the text the look of importance. If blinking text isn't enough for you, nothing says"'Danger!" like blinking, inverted text.
Color 2 sets the background color that appears if the text is inverted.
Type and Cursor Setup> Cursor pop-up
Gives visual options for a UNIX-style cursor in front of your typing text.
Type and Cursor Setup> Use Cursor Color checkbox
When turned on, this activates Cursor Color. When turned off, as it is by default, the cursor will use the color of the text.
Type and Cursor Setup> Cursor Color
Sets the color of the cursor. This color does not affect the color of the text, which is set with the Color box, although it is often nice to match them.
Type and Cursor Setup> Cursor Blink Speed
Sets how fast the cursor blinks. Set in frames, so a value of 2 tells the cursor to be on for 2 frames , then off for 2 frames.