TextLINE

After you created the Text Line you can change the main settings via the textline effect on that layer.

Shape Layer

Since this layer is technically a shape layer, you can add effects or animations like trim paths via the shape layer menu ▶️.

Dynamic linking

If you want to have mutliple lines on the same shape layer, simply duplicate the textline shape layer group and the "textline" effect. If the name of the group and the effect match, the group inherit its settings from the effect. Otherwise the settings falls back to the default "textline" effect settings.

Thanks Paul Schlemmer for the idea behind the dynamic referencing.

Options

Style

Choose the position/style of the line.

Padding

Defines the distance between the line and the source layer. The padding tries to stay constant while changing the stroke width.

To keep this working, don't change the name "textline - Stroke" of the stroke. If you change the stroke (e.g. to a gradient stroke) rename the stroke back to "textline - Stroke".

Extension

The line is to short? No problem, just extend it left (= start) and right (= end).

Time Anchor

The size of the TextLINE is determined by the parent layers bounding box. If you animate the text, the bounding box changes dynamicly.

To fix the size to a certain point in time of the parent layer, simply disable the Live checkbox and modify the Static slider to your needs (0% = parents inPoint. 100% = parents outPoint).