# Rebuild task: the "Latest donations" card-carousel animation in After Effects

You are a motion engineer expert in Adobe After Effects ExtendScript. Your one and only deliverable is **a single complete .jsx script**. The user will run it in AE 2022+ via File > Scripts > Run Script File, and it must build the animation described below from scratch in one shot. Every number in this document comes from frame-by-frame measurement of the original video and from one already-verified successful rebuild — **copy them as-is; do not "improve" them and do not invent elements this document doesn't list**.

## Hard output constraints (read all of them before writing code)

1. **Output exactly one code block** containing the full runnable script. No ellipses, no "repeat for the other five cards" — the six cards MUST be generated by a **for loop over data arrays** (the data below is already loop-friendly), which keeps the script both complete and un-truncatable.
2. **ExtendScript is ES3**: `var` only; no `let/const`, no arrow functions, no template literals, no `Array.map/forEach`, no `JSON.*`. Expression strings run in AE's expression engine (also treat as ES3), and **never put `//` comments inside an expression string**.
3. The script must open with a save guard so no modal dialog can block it:
   `if(app.project.file!==null){app.project.save();}` then `app.newProject();`
4. **Creation order = layer stacking order** (later-created sits on top). Follow the "Layer list" section order exactly.
5. **Create `AI_DONO_CTRL` and each card's own `Slot` / `Tilt Jit` sliders BEFORE assigning that card's expressions** — an expression referencing an object that doesn't exist yet gets silently disabled by AE.
6. **For widgets: set `parent` first, THEN `setPosition`.** In AE, assigning `layer.parent=` preserves world position (AE back-computes local position), so you must assign the parent first and only then call `position.setValue(localCoords)`. Reversed order pins the widget in world space instead of riding its card.
7. Build hearts from "two circles + one diamond" as three Add masks — **never use emoji fonts** (they silently fail to render from scripts). Use `ADBE Brightness & Contrast 2` for the distance dim — **never the Fill effect** (known to white-out entire cards).
8. **Every hold segment needs explicit anchor keyframes at BOTH ends** (flat value, speed 0, influence 20). The keyframe tables below already include these anchors — keep every one of them, otherwise ease handles extrapolate into the hold and the whole deck silently drifts and swings back.
9. End with `app.project.save()` (on a fresh project the first save opens a Save dialog for the user to pick a path — that's normal). Optional: wrap a few `comp.saveFrameToPng()` calls in try/catch to capture frames f10/f44/f80/f125 as acceptance stills (older AE versions lack this API — fail silently).

## The motion model (understand it before copying)

A right-to-left "spotlight conveyor": six square cards spread along a horizontal line; the center seat (744,446) is largest and carries a neon-green border. Each swap advances the **Advance slider by +3**: the featured card exits left, two cards sweep through the center WITHOUT stopping, and the third parks as the new featured card. Each card's seat coordinate is `u = ((Slot - Advance + 3) mod 6) - 3`; the mod-6 wrap means Advance going 0→3→6 lands back on the initial arrangement — a seamless 161-frame loop. All motion (position / scale / tilt / opacity / brightness) is computed live by expressions; timing lives entirely in the 12 keyframes on one Advance slider on `AI_DONO_CTRL`.

## Comp spec

- Comp name `DonoCarousel_ref`, **1496×924, 30 fps, duration 5.36667 s (161 frames)**, `comp.motionBlur=true`, background color `[0.9922,0.9961,1.0]`.
- Time conversion: this document speaks in frame numbers f; in JSX use `t=(f-1)/30`.
- All pixel values assume 1496×924; for any other size, scale everything proportionally.

## Layer list (create in THIS order; totals: 1 Null + 6 text + 13 solids)

1. `BG` solid 1496×924, color `[0.9922,0.9961,1.0]`
2. (Optional) reference guide layer: if the user supplies a reference-video path, importFile it, then `guideLayer=true`, Scale 200%, Opacity 50, locked — the house rule for any replication is to overlay the reference and compare frame-on-frame
3. Six text layers (see Text table): `header`, `date`, `capA_name`, `capA_sub`, `capB_name`, `capB_sub`
4. `AI_DONO_CTRL`: Null (`enabled=false`), add an `ADBE Slider Control` renamed **Advance**
5. `featured_border` solid 500×500, color `[0.8667,0.9529,0.2667]`, position `[744,446]`, masked with the 500/R46 iOS round-rect
6. `card_s0`…`card_s5` — the six cards (loop-generated; see Card system)
7. `bubble0`, `bubble1`, then `heart0`, `heart1`, `heart2` (see Widget tables)

## Text table (font "Helvetica-Bold", fall back to "ArialMT" in a catch around setValue; ink=[0.118,0.118,0.125], gray=[0.478,0.478,0.502])

| Layer | Content | Size | Color | position | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| header | Latest donations | 56 | ink | [116,84] | LEFT_JUSTIFY |
| date | 04/24 | 40 | ink | [1348,82] | RIGHT_JUSTIFY |
| capA_name | Daniel Petersen | 32 | ink | [763,788] | CENTER_JUSTIFY |
| capA_sub | $100 donation   •   10m ago | 31 | gray | [763,832] | CENTER_JUSTIFY |
| capB_name | Amy Stockton | 32 | ink | [763,788] | CENTER_JUSTIFY |
| capB_sub | $200 donation   •   11m ago | 31 | gray | [763,832] | CENTER_JUSTIFY |

(The sub-line separator is "three spaces + • + three spaces". Set text via TextDocument: `resetCharStyle()` first, then fontSize/fillColor/font/justification, `applyStroke=false`.)

## Card system (the heart of the motion)

Each card: `addSolid(color, "card_sN", 484, 484, 1)` → apply the 484/R39 iOS round-rect mask → add two Slider Controls (names must be exact): **Slot**=N and **Tilt Jit**=value from the table → add `ADBE Brightness & Contrast 2` → `threeDLayer=true; motionBlur=true` → assign the 6 expressions → add `ADBE Drop Shadow` (Opacity 38, Direction 180°, Distance 8, Softness 40).

| Card | Color [r,g,b] | Hex | Tilt Jit |
|---|---|---|---|
| card_s0 | [0.2824,0.2863,0.9725] | #4849F8 | 5 |
| card_s1 | [0.9294,0.9137,0.5255] | #EDE986 | 5 |
| card_s2 | [0.5765,0.6706,0.8510] | #93ABD9 | 7 |
| card_s3 | [0.9490,0.3804,0.6118] | #F2619C | 5 |
| card_s4 | [0.6706,0.7686,1.0000] | #ABC4FF | 7 |
| card_s5 | [0.9059,0.7451,0.9725] | #E7BEF8 | 9 |

### The six expressions (embed VERBATIM; only the quotes need JSX string escaping)

Position:
```
var c=thisComp.layer("AI_DONO_CTRL");var A=c.effect("Advance")(1);var s=effect("Slot")(1);var m=(s-A+3)%6;if(m<0){m+=6;}var u=m-3;var au=Math.abs(u);var sg=u<0?-1:1;function it(ar,q){var i=Math.floor(q);var f=q-i;if(i>=ar.length-1){return ar[ar.length-1];}return ar[i]*(1-f)+ar[i+1]*f;}var q=au<1?au*2:au+1;var DX=[0,120,234,306,384,420];var dx=it(DX,q);var pp2=(A%3)/3;var B2=Math.sin(Math.PI*pp2);if(au>=1.5){dx=dx*(1-B2*0.18);}[744+sg*dx, 446, au*30]
```
Scale:
```
var c=thisComp.layer("AI_DONO_CTRL");var A=c.effect("Advance")(1);var s=effect("Slot")(1);var m=(s-A+3)%6;if(m<0){m+=6;}var u=m-3;var au=Math.abs(u);function it(ar,q){var i=Math.floor(q);var f=q-i;if(i>=ar.length-1){return ar[ar.length-1];}return ar[i]*(1-f)+ar[i+1]*f;}var wu=u<0?au*1.5:au;var q=wu<1?wu*2:wu+1;var SB=[484,472,350,304,224,224];var eff=it(SB,q);var pp=(A%3)/3;var B=Math.sin(Math.PI*pp);if(au<1.6){eff=eff+B*Math.max(0,472-eff)*Math.max(0,1-au/1.6);}else{eff=eff*(1-B*0.28);}var sc=eff/4.84;[sc,sc,100]
```
Rotation (Z Rotation):
```
var c=thisComp.layer("AI_DONO_CTRL");var A=c.effect("Advance")(1);var s=effect("Slot")(1);var m=(s-A+3)%6;if(m<0){m+=6;}var u=m-3;var au=Math.abs(u);var sg=u<0?-1:1;var j=effect("Tilt Jit")(1);sg*Math.abs(j)*Math.min(au,1)
```
Opacity:
```
var c=thisComp.layer("AI_DONO_CTRL");var A=c.effect("Advance")(1);var s=effect("Slot")(1);var m=(s-A+3)%6;if(m<0){m+=6;}var u=m-3;var au=Math.abs(u);au>2.6?Math.max(0,100-(au-2.6)*250):100
```
Brightness on `ADBE Brightness & Contrast 2` (property 1):
```
var c=thisComp.layer("AI_DONO_CTRL");var A=c.effect("Advance")(1);var s=effect("Slot")(1);var m=(s-A+3)%6;if(m<0){m+=6;}var u=m-3;var au=Math.abs(u);Math.min(au,1.3)*26
```
Contrast on the same effect (property 2):
```
var c=thisComp.layer("AI_DONO_CTRL");var A=c.effect("Advance")(1);var s=effect("Slot")(1);var m=(s-A+3)%6;if(m<0){m+=6;}var u=m-3;var au=Math.abs(u);-Math.min(au,1.3)*14
```

Key ideas: position z = `au*30` gives physical occlusion (3D sorting, not layer order); in Scale, `wu=u<0?au*1.5:au` is the 1.5× accelerated shrink on the exit side; `B/B2 = sin(π·(A mod 3)/3)` is the transition bulge factor (the passing card swells to ~470 while stack cards shrink by ×(1−B·0.28)).

## iOS continuous-curvature round-rect masks (copy the arrays verbatim; four-arc bezier approximations are forbidden)

All masks: `Masks.addProperty("Mask")` + `new Shape()`, set `vertices/inTangents/outTangents`, `closed=true`, then `property("ADBE Mask Shape").setValue(shape)`.

**Card 484×484, R=39** (superellipse n≈3.257 sampled at 28 vertices, pre-expanded):
```
vertices=[[0,59.592],[1.255,33.606],[5.038,20.657],[11.424,11.424],[20.657,5.038],[33.606,1.255],[59.592,0],[424.408,0],[450.394,1.255],[463.343,5.038],[472.576,11.424],[478.962,20.657],[482.745,33.606],[484,59.592],[484,424.408],[482.745,450.394],[478.962,463.343],[472.576,472.576],[463.343,478.962],[450.394,482.745],[424.408,484],[59.592,484],[33.606,482.745],[20.657,478.962],[11.424,472.576],[5.038,463.343],[1.255,450.394],[0,424.408]]
inTangents=[[0,0],[-1.113,8.6],[-1.874,4.088],[-2.646,2.646],[-3.402,1.559],[-4.46,0.577],[-8.672,0],[0,0],[-8.6,-1.113],[-4.088,-1.874],[-2.646,-2.646],[-1.559,-3.402],[-0.577,-4.46],[0,-8.672],[0,0],[1.113,-8.6],[1.874,-4.088],[2.646,-2.646],[3.402,-1.559],[4.46,-0.577],[8.672,0],[0,0],[8.6,1.113],[4.088,1.874],[2.646,2.646],[1.559,3.402],[0.577,4.46],[0,8.672]]
outTangents=[[0,-8.672],[0.577,-4.46],[1.559,-3.402],[2.646,-2.646],[4.088,-1.874],[8.6,-1.113],[0,0],[8.672,0],[4.46,0.577],[3.402,1.559],[2.646,2.646],[1.874,4.088],[1.113,8.6],[0,0],[0,8.672],[-0.577,4.46],[-1.559,3.402],[-2.646,2.646],[-4.088,1.874],[-8.6,1.113],[0,0],[-8.672,0],[-4.46,-0.577],[-3.402,-1.559],[-2.646,-2.646],[-1.874,-4.088],[-1.113,-8.6],[0,0]]
```
**Border frame 500×500, R=46**:
```
vertices=[[0,70.288],[1.481,39.638],[5.942,24.365],[13.474,13.474],[24.365,5.942],[39.638,1.481],[70.288,0],[429.712,0],[460.362,1.481],[475.635,5.942],[486.526,13.474],[494.058,24.365],[498.519,39.638],[500,70.288],[500,429.712],[498.519,460.362],[494.058,475.635],[486.526,486.526],[475.635,494.058],[460.362,498.519],[429.712,500],[70.288,500],[39.638,498.519],[24.365,494.058],[13.474,486.526],[5.942,475.635],[1.481,460.362],[0,429.712]]
inTangents=[[0,0],[-1.313,10.144],[-2.21,4.821],[-3.121,3.121],[-4.012,1.839],[-5.26,0.681],[-10.228,0],[0,0],[-10.144,-1.313],[-4.821,-2.21],[-3.121,-3.121],[-1.839,-4.012],[-0.681,-5.26],[0,-10.228],[0,0],[1.313,-10.144],[2.21,-4.821],[3.121,-3.121],[4.012,-1.839],[5.26,-0.681],[10.228,0],[0,0],[10.144,1.313],[4.821,2.21],[3.121,3.121],[1.839,4.012],[0.681,5.26],[0,10.228]]
outTangents=[[0,-10.228],[0.681,-5.26],[1.839,-4.012],[3.121,-3.121],[4.821,-2.21],[10.144,-1.313],[0,0],[10.228,0],[5.26,0.681],[4.012,1.839],[3.121,3.121],[2.21,4.821],[1.313,10.144],[0,0],[0,10.228],[-0.681,5.26],[-1.839,4.012],[-3.121,3.121],[-4.821,2.21],[-10.144,1.313],[0,0],[-10.228,0],[-5.26,-0.681],[-4.012,-1.839],[-3.121,-3.121],[-2.21,-4.821],[-1.313,-10.144],[0,0]]
```
Circle-mask helper (ES3, drop into the script verbatim):
```
var K=0.55228475;function circ(cx,cy,r){var kr=K*r;return {v:[[cx+r,cy],[cx,cy+r],[cx-r,cy],[cx,cy-r]],i:[[0,-kr],[kr,0],[0,kr],[-kr,0]],o:[[0,kr],[-kr,0],[0,-kr],[kr,0]]};}
```

## Keyframe tables (time is always `t=(f-1)/30` seconds; nothing is omitted — copy every key)

**AI_DONO_CTRL → Advance** (12 keys; each key gets symmetric in/out `new KeyframeEase(speed, influence)`; influence 20 where speed is 0, else 33. Clear first with `while(p.numKeys>0){p.removeKey(1);}`):

| f | 1 | 30 | 36 | 44 | 52 | 61 | 111 | 117 | 125 | 133 | 142 | 161 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| value | 0 | 0 | 0.534 | 1.686 | 2.583 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.534 | 4.686 | 5.583 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| speed | 0 | 0 | 3.60 | 3.42 | 1.98 | 0 | 0 | 3.60 | 3.42 | 1.98 | 0 | 0 |

**featured_border → Opacity** (snaps off during the swap, breathes back on after docking):
f1:100 → f31:100 → f36:0 → f57:0 → f76:100 → f111:100 → f116:0 → f137:0 → f156:100 → f161:100

**Caption opacity cross-fades**:
- capA_name and capA_sub (identical keys): f1:100, f31:100, f39:0, f111:0, f119:0, f141:0, f153:100, f161:100
- capB_name and capB_sub: f1:0, f50:0, f62:100, f111:100, f119:0, f161:0

**bubble0 / bubble1** (green bubble = 1-second pre-announce before each swap): 92×92 solid, color `[0.867,0.953,0.267]`, `circ(46,46,46)` mask, **parent to the host card first, then** `position.setValue([322,268])` (card-local coords):
- bubble0 → parent `card_s0`: Scale f25:[0,0] → f28:[116,116] → f30:[100,100] → f42:[100,100] → f46:[0,0]; Opacity f25:0 → f28:78 → f42:78 → f46:0
- bubble1 → parent `card_s3`: same key shape shifted to f105/f108/f110/f122/f126 (Opacity likewise)

**heart0-2** (double heart pop + one faint heart, all parented to `card_s3`): 100×100 solid, color `[0.839,0.157,0.314]`, three masks = `circ(34,38,24)` + `circ(66,38,24)` + diamond `v=[[50,26],[76,52],[50,92],[24,52]]` (all tangents zero), `maskMode=MaskMode.ADD`:

| Layer | position | Scale keys (f:value) | Opacity keys |
|---|---|---|---|
| heart0 | [198,246] | 57:0 → 60:70 → 62:56 → 84:56 → 88:0 | 57:0 → 58:100 → 84:100 → 88:0 |
| heart1 | [398,16] | 63:0 → 66:95 → 68:76 → 84:76 → 88:0 | 63:0 → 64:100 → 84:100 → 88:0 |
| heart2 | [300,420] | 70:0 → 73:72 → 75:58 → 84:58 → 88:0 | 70:0 → 71:55 → 84:55 → 88:0 |

(Widget scales use the "overshoot to 116%, settle back" pop feel; linear interpolation is fine — the frame spacing already carries the feel.)

## Pre-output self-check (the model MUST verify every line)

- [ ] Solid count 13 (BG 1 + border 1 + cards 6 + bubbles 2 + hearts 3), text 6, Null 1; Advance has exactly 12 keys, border exactly 10
- [ ] Six cards come from a loop; the six expressions match this document character-for-character (especially the `DX/SB` arrays and the constants `0.18/0.28/1.5/1.6/2.6/250`)
- [ ] Every hold is bracketed by speed-0 anchor keys; every widget sets parent before position
- [ ] No let/const/arrow functions/template literals anywhere; no `//` inside expression strings
- [ ] Save guard on line one, save at the end

## User acceptance (check frame-by-frame after running)

- f10: Neon Blue card docked at center, green border ON, side stacks taper symmetrically, caption Daniel Petersen / $100
- f44: a large card (Blueberry Milk) is passing through center, border OFF, no captions, Lemon card shrinking out on the left
- f80: Raspberry Rose is the new featured card, border ON, three hearts on the card, caption Amy Stockton / $200
- f125: mid-point of the second swap (Soft Lilac in transit), mirror of the f44 state
- f161 matches f1 exactly ⇒ seamless loop

## Optional adaptations

- **Real photos**: replace a card's addSolid with imported footage (or place the photo above the card using the card as an alpha matte); keep the mask/sliders/expressions untouched; scale footage to cover 484×484.
- **Colors / names / date**: touch only the color table and text table; never the expressions.
- **Re-timing**: touch only the 12 Advance keys (keep the anchor–anchor–three-slope-keys–anchor structure); everything else follows automatically.