Collapse Transformation on my Precomp reveals a trackmatted layer although it shouldn't

Hi
I'm using adobe after effects CC 12.0 on a windows machine.
I've checked and I'm having this problem also on after effects cs6 11.0 (different machine)
this problem does not occur on after effects CC 12.2
my problem is that I have a composition with a precomp that contains a layer using
a Track Matte solid with a mask that is revealed from top to bottom.
when I move the precomp forward in time in my main composition and press Collapse Transformations
for the precomp, the layer that is supposed to be masked first and then revealed from top to bottom
reveals itself although it shouldn't just yet, as if I am looking forward in time in my precomp.
this happens only when I use a track matte instead of masking the layer itself.
and if I take the Precomp and move it to the start of my composition
it works just fine even when collapsed. but only after I purge all memory.
if I move if forward in time again it works fine but if I uncollapse and collapse again
and clean the cache - it causes the same problem.
my question is:
is this a bug? or am I missing something here?
since this is hard to explain
Im attaching a project file with similar situation to make it clear
http://f1.creativecow.net/6948/6948
and also attaching 5 jpegs to further illustrate the problem.

yes thought about looking there in the 12.2 update and fixes
http://blogs.adobe.com/aftereffects/2013/12/after-effects-cc-12-2-december-2013-update.htm l
but its not there. maybe its under "Fixed several other causes of crashes and errors"
(if it is an error or bug and not a behavior thats what I tried to understand)
maybe Todd is here?
thanks again.

Similar Messages

  • Pre-Comp with Collapse Transformation / Masking / Expression Controls / Etc

    Is there an issue with Pre-Comps and with the Collapse Transformation enabled?
    I have a Pre-comp that has various layer modes in it and in the main comp, the Pre-Comp has collapse transformation enabled to see the layer modes so the text can blend into the background (otherwise the text is just a flat color).
    The pre-comp works completely fine until I add a mask to it or say a expression control and then all of a sudden the collapse transformation stops working and the text loses it's properties.
    This cannot be working as intended...otherwise I can't do any sort of reveal with a mask with anything that is pre-composed and has any sort of blend modes within the pre-comp.
    The pre-comp also loses it's collapse transformation if you even put a expression control on it.

    Contrary to what you think it works as intended. Effects require rasterization as do masks. This is inherent how AE's render pipeline works. You need to restructure your project.
    Mylenium

  • Another issue with 3D/collapse transformations

    Hi!
    Here's the situation:
    I have a kinetic text animation in which the ae camera is rotating and moving in the 3D world. Some of my text layers have the roughen edges filter on them. When I turn on motion blur for those layers, it looks funny -propably because the roughen edges filter is affecting the motion blur (wrong render order?). So I tried my number one solution to these kinds of situations: precomposing. But when I precompose the text layers, I need to also turn collapse transformations on in order to maintain their position and rotation properties in the main comps 3d world. Which kind of cancels the purpose of the precomp because the render order changes back so that the motion blur gets applied before the roughen edges (and it looks funny again).
    So how do I make sure that AE renders roughen edges first and applies the motion blur after that? I constantly struggle with render order issues like this and I have never come up with a simple solution that doesn't require several precomp generations.
    Any help will be appreciated!

    Thank you for your reply!
    I was afraid that the answer would be what you stated. It sure would be great to have some way of manually changing the render order for effects in AE, maybe I should make a feature request about it. I have heard many pros asking for nodes in AE, and if I understand correctly, that could be one solution for these kind of issues right?
    In the meanwhile, does anyone have a script that would automatically create the required precomp hierarchy for a 3D layer so that these kind of effects could be achieved more easily?

  • Transform Effect jumps around when Collapse Transformation is enabled

    I created a reflection on one of my vector based animated layers. Then decided to apply reflection with Transform effect.
    It all held true before I assigned "Collapse Transformation" and my Transform effect is going awry. Basically because there is zoom out with the camera and scale as well.
    Transformation's Anchor points and Distance are note keeping up with the movements and reflection is jumpint all over the place.
    Where should this Transformation effect be applied. On the first level when I created my PreComp1 with all the layers (and then PreComp1 is getting nested within other PreComps) or at the very end at the Final PreComp for render I should apply this effect.
    It seems to jump around in any case...

    I read the help, it states that Collapse Transormation buttons treats the PreComp as seprated layers, which preserved 3D treatiment for casting shadows and does not cut off shapes by PreComp size.
    It seems to work for me that I check continuosly rasterize on each individual illustrator imported layer (inside the PreComp1), so when I enlarge the shapes they stay crisp. Then I keep on checking Collapse transformations on all consequtive PreComps and everything stays sharp.
    My question is at what stage I would better apply Transform effect, which doesn't seem to work. Should it be on the PreComp1 layer with all the Continuoiusly rasterize enabled or on final Render Out PreComp where "Collapse Transformations" is checked off?
    In eather way because of movement of these illustrator layers, Transform position seems to be fixe on screen, but is not relevant to shape movement whithin the PreComp1.
    What previously worked for me was that I applied Transformation on each individual illustrator layer, however I did not enable "Collapse Transformations" in and consequtive PreComps. As soon as this feature is enabled everything goes awry....

  • After effects CC 2014 transparency properties of pre comps, collapse transformation on, no longer keyframeable???!!!

    Hey there,
    lately I'm using After effects CC 2014. Now I had to make the experience, after optimizing (collapse transformation) the pre comp, the global property transparency is no longer working.
    I can make keyframes but the pre comp acts like my easy ease keyframes are hold keyframes. Btw if the collapse transformation button is unchecked it works fine but than i don't have the optimization features. It's a catch 22. Sure, I can go into my pre comp and set the keyframes there, but this is pretty annoying and seriously not the way to work.
    So is that a bug in CC 2014?
    Help is needed.
    Computer specs:
    Mac osX 10.9.4
    2 x 2,4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
    32 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC
    ATI Radeon HD 5870 1024 MB
    Thanks for any advice
    Gwen

    Layer styles render in a different order so lots of things can get fouled up with you use them. They are still usable in complex situations, you just have to apply them in the right place in your composite. I've never found a situation where I needed a Layer Style and another effect that I have not been able to work around the limitation.
    There are other things that change the render order. After Effects only does one thing at a time. The basic render order is listed right in the timeline view. Here's a sample.
    Basic effect with Layer Style turned off:
    First Mask 1 is applied to the layer, then Mask 2 is subtracted creating the hole
    Then Fast Blur is applied, then Bevil Edges to create the button with the soft edges
    Then the Transform controls take over and the anchor point is evaluated, the position reported, then the scale, then the rotation, and finally the opacity
    Then the Layer Style is applied.
    In my button design I want to apply a stroke to the button so that I looks like this but with the soft base and a stroke on the inside hole:
    But, as you can see I had to turn off the Fast Blur to get the stroke to work because the Layer Style Stroke is calculated from the alpha channel, which fast blur has made 76 pixels wide so with Fast Blur on I get this:
    The solution to my problem is to pre-compose and add the layer style to the pre-comp, then use an adjustment layer with masks for the fast blur to get what I wanted in the first place:
    So here's what AE is doing with the final project.
    The background layer is rendered
    The pre comp is added to the mix
    Inside the pre-comp the layer is rendered
    Mask 1 is added to give rounded corners
    Mask 2 is subtracted to punch the hole
    Layer styles are applied to add the stroke
    Back in the main comp the pre-comp is rendered
    Bevel Edges is applied to the pre-comp using the alpha chanel
    Now the adjustment layer is added to the mix
    Mask 1 is added and this limits the area in the underlying layers where effects applied to the adjustment layer will  work
    Mask 2 is subtracted from the adjustment layer poking a hole in the effects
    The fast Blur is added blurring only the bottom edge of the button
    There you have it. An in depth tutorial on the rendering order in AE and how to use nesting and pre-comps to reorder effects to get what you want.

  • Transform Effect problems when used with 3D layer's depth

    Here is my set up.
    I have PreComp with graphics illustrator imported layer with continuosly rasterise enabled.
    This graphics has a reflection underneath it. I made the reflection by applying Transform effect, setting offset to -100 and adjusting the Anchor point.
    As far as graphics move left to right (X,Y) there is no problem and Anchor point is in its place.
    As soon as I make the layer 3D and start changing depth values the reflection starts to jump around.
    My guess is - it happens because anchor point is a constant value and since reflection is based off its value it does not follow the base of the graphics. Purhasps there is a code snippet which need to be used to link the Anchor Point value to the Zoom Value? Adjusting Anchor point values with key frames proved too difficult.
    In another words I would like to keep the reflection at a constant distance from the base of the graphics and once the graphics move out or in the reflection does not follow.
    I PreComposed this graphics and imported it into the new Compostion and applied XY and Z movement using camera and Null layers. It was the same effect and reflection did not stick to the base of the graphics.
    I need to keep Collapse Transformation enabled on all the consecutive Comps/PreComps to make sure the vector art renders at high quality.
    What would be a proper way to make a reflection of a 3D layer/preComp  in the Comp where movement controlled with Camera and Null layers, with Continuosly Rasterise/Collapse Transformations enabled?

    Great! At least I know not to spent my time in a wrong direction.
    Two questions:
    Do I need to enable "Collapse Transformations" in the final rendering Comp in order to keep "Continuously Rasterize" settings within the nested PreComps enabled (for illustrator files rendering sharp). I have a few nested preComps and originally activated "Continuously Rasterize" throughout the project in all of them.
    "How" to create reflections seem clear from your comment. Do not use any effects but rather create a copy of a layer I would like to have a reflection of and scale it to -100. "When" seems to be a mystery. Should I apply reflection in the very first preComp or very last or the one where I create all the major animation for my graphics?

  • How to reveal the background layer through a cut-out?

    How can I cut out a shape from my PS image to expose the background layer?  I will "Save for Web" with a transparent background.
    The shape will be a rectangle, and a text layer will later be added to display within the rectangle.
    My goal is to use the PS image as part of a Web page, allowing the Web page background to show through the rectangle which surrounds the text.
    Hope this explanation makes sense.
    thanks!

    Sounds like what you want to do is what countless others do - nothing special.
    In Photoshop, put what you want to show on a layer (not Background), make it partially transparent (either with an erase operation or hiding parts of it with a mask), make sure no Background layer is showing (you'll see the checkerboard through the transparent parts), and save the work product as a PNG (or possibly a GIF, but PNG offers partial transparency).
    You'll also want to save your design as a master PSD of course, so you can edit the master file
    This page might give you some food for thought...
    http://Noel.ProDigitalSoftware.com/temp/TransparencyTest/TransparencyTest2.html
    -Noel

  • AE won't render frames.

    I have a fairly simple project. Main comp in which are several precomps with collapsed transformations. The transformation I need to collapse is a shape with the layer style set to multiply over a mask of the same shape on an adjustment layer with a blur. Basically the effect I want is everything under this shape to have a green cast and be blurred.
    Everything was working perfectly fine. Now, suddenly, I added in a 3rd precomp with this type of effect, and AE won't render the relevant frames. I can't scrub through - it just hangs up and goes to black. Now if I deselect Collapse Transformations on that precomp, no prob, I can scrub through. So, I tried taking all the elements I need to collapse out of the precomp and placing them in my main comp instead. Same issue - it won't render the frames.
    Anybody? Thanks.

    Yeah, and I've noticed Andrew Kramer frequently warns people off the collapse transformations switch as it can cause unforeseen issues...I think in this case using that in tandem with VC Reflect made AE freak out. I was only really nesting for organizational purposes; maybe when I get everything laid out and timed I'll just move all the layers back into the main comp and try to reapply it without any precomps or collapse. It did add a nice finish to some parts of my video. Thanks for your help; I'm still not exactly sure what the problem was, but it def appears to be VC Reflect-related.

  • Help With Pre-comps

    Is there a way to maintain Scale, when Pre-composing?  I have 3 layers that need to be one so I can Motion Stabilize, (slight camera bobble) the footage before I add a tilt, (Position) and zoom (Scale).  The Scale is 34.2%, but when I pre-comp the layers it seems to automatically go to 100%.  Am I missing something?  Or is my workflow faulty...?
    OSX 10.6.6, AE 10.0.1.19.  I appreciate your help, thanks very much.

    TR, I tried pre-composing and the Collapse Transformations switch was available to me afterwards, however the resulting pre-comp of my layers was still at 100%
    This is the expected behavior.
    when I tried to re-position/scale, it resulted in black around the footage
    This doesn't sound right. If collapse transformations is enabled, and you pan your footage around, you shouldn't be getting cropped results. Did you perhaps precompose twice and your nested comp doesn't have collapse transformations enabled?
    I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to achieve, or why collapse transformations isn't working for you, but try this a solution for your dilemma:
    Create a null
    Scale null to 34%
    Parent your precomp to your null
    Scale the null to animate the scale of your precomp

  • PP to AE Dynamic link doesn't create video layer in AE

    PP to AE Dynamic link doesn't create video layer in AE. CC2014 updated.
    I'm DynLink sending a MotionJpeg clip from PP to AE. On my MacPro, Right clicking clip in PPro> replace with AE Comp. AE opens showing the comp but no video layer in the comp, (the comp is completely blank), and in PPro shows a comp in the Project Panel and a blank video chip in the timeline. This used to be a simple proceedure, is there a setting to enable in Project Settings I don't know about. New to CC, used to do this all the time in CS6.

    It looks like you've got collapse transformations turned on and that the Footage layer is a composition. I'd guess that the Maria Isabel.avi in the Maria Isabel.avi composition is 2D. With Collapse transformations turned on what you are seeing is normal behavior.
    What you want to do is to simply right click on the Maria avi in the Premiere timeline and select Replace with After Effects Composition. Once inside AE don't pre-compose the avi layer, just make it 3D.
    The other option would be to open up the Maria Isabel.avi composition and do your 3D transformations there.
    Yet another option wold be to turn off Collapse transformations.
    I'm not sure why the Maria Isabel.avi footage was Pre-comped. I can't see anytning in the screenshot that gives me a reason.

  • Continuous Raterisation fail in 3D comp

    I just received an aep template from designer which inside the 3D render comp is a 3D pre-comp. What's in the 3D pre-comp is serveral layers of ai and text (they all set to 3D layers too).
    I can jog, RAM preview and even save the ram preview trouble free. However, when I set it to render, the text layers inside the 3D pre-comp disappear in final rendered mov.
    I have done nurmerous test trying to bring back the text layers in final renders but nothing can really help.
    Finally, I spotted out that Continuous Rasterisation has been selected for the 3D pre-comp inside the final render comp. Once I switch it off, all texts re-appear again.
    Can anyone explain to me what happen?
    Thanks
    Colon Tse

    When you have pre-comped 3D objects in a Main 3D Comp, they will exist on a 2D plane within your Main Comp.
    If you activate the Collapse Transformations (continuous rasterization) checkbox for the Pre-comp layer, the pre-comped 3D objects now exist individually within the Main Comp's 3D space, responding to the Main Comp's camera view etc. If the camera in your Main Comp is positioned differently to the camera in your Pre-comp, the objects may end up in different positions, maybe not in view at all.
    From the AE Online Help Documents:
    i Collapsing transformations exposes the 3D properties of the layers that compose the precomposition. Essentially, collapsing transformations in this case allows each 3D layer to be composited into the main composition individually, rather than creating a single 2D composite for the precomposition layer and compositing that into the main composition. The tradeoff is that this setting removes your ability to specify certain layer settings for the precomposition as a wholesuch as blending mode, quality, and motion blur.
    http://livedocs.adobe.com/en_US/AfterEffects/8.0/WS3878526689cb91655866c1103906c6dea-7e3b. html

  • Camera layer and 3D layers

    Hi!
    I have a camera layer and many 3D layers, but there is a 3D layer which I don't want to be affected by the camera layer. How could I do this?

    Nest the layer in its own comp with its own camera (which can be the default camera, if you like). So long as you don't collapse transformations on the nested comp, the 3D layer will then be rendered based on the nested comp's camera, and the resulting image will be treated as a 2D layer in your main comp.
    The quickest way to do this is to pre-compose the layer.

  • AE CC 2014 - Using a Mask on a Collapsed Precomp destroy's it's properties??

    Hey all I am having a ridiculous problem.
    I have a normal precomp with a layer that has a multiply blending mode.
    Normally i would collapse the precomp in its parent comp, and the Multiply Blending mode would be preserved (which it is).
    The problem comes when I apply a simple Mask to the precomp, or use another layer as an alpha mask.
    I loose my collapsed properties on the precomp....
    Anyone know why this might happen? I'm using AE CC 2014, I FEEL like I've done this maneuver a million times before, is there something new and different about CC 2014 that I didn't catch? possibly I'm just forgetting something simple.
    here is what's going on in my comp:

    Try this. Add an expression control slider to the layer with the following expression:
    wiggle(5, 50)
    Then add this expression to your scale property:
    w = value[0] + effect("Slider Control")("Slider");
    [w, w]
    The problem exists because wiggle will act on all of the values in the array of the property you have selected independently. so you have to set up something with only one value like an expression control slider.

  • Collapsing a masks transform settings

    So I have an Adjustment layer with a mask and I've adjusted it's position/scale/rotation with the transform settings and I want to copy the mask to another layer and of course when I do this the mask goes to the shape it was before the transform settings were applied, if I copy both the mask and the transform settings the transform settings mess up the layer they are copied onto and while I know there are longer ways around this I wanted to know if there was a way to simply collapse the current transform settings into a mask so that the mask would stay as it is with the transform settings reset.

    Masks are based on layer size not scale so the behavior you describe is expected.
    There a couple of things you can do.
    First, I'd modify the workflow and instead of scaling your adjustment layer with it's mask I'd animate the mask path or adjust the mask path. If that's not practical you can duplicate the adjustment layer, remove the effects, turn off the Adjustment Layer switch, then use the copy as a track matte for your other layer.
    The other option would be to use Layer>Auto Trace to generate a new solid layer with a mask. This mask can then be used as a track matte or the new mask copied and pasted to another layer.

  • Precomp "losing" quality on the parent comp

    Hello,
    i've noticed an oddity after placing a couple layers in a precomp in that it looks "blurred" and has "jagged" edges on the main comp, but if i open the precomp it looks ok, the same problem happens after i render the output.
    The precomped layer is simply two non-transparent 24 bpp PNGs (some rendered text on a black background) that have some transforms applied to the position and rotation, no other effect is present.
    When i see it in the main comp one of the blocks shows white jaggies around it (the transform drops one of the blocks and rotates it like a falling billboard), and if i compare the comp windows to the precomp, it's clearly blurred.
    i've googled and saw something about collapse transformations, i set it in the main comp for the precomped layer to no avail.
    i also tried with color-keying the black BG in the precomp, the result is that in the main comp the image expanded to the left and had some ugly artifacts inside the letters.
    these are cropped parts of the workarea, first the comp view with the distortion jaggedness and after that the precomp window(it's hard to see you might need to zoom in):, even then it's clear that the comp is blurred
    i've turned off all preview tricks, working at full resolution, no avail...
    i used this same precomp on another project (from which i imported it) which uses the same resolution and framerate and i wasn't seeing that issue there

    i've checked both layers in the precomp and they're set to high quality, same as the precomp aulity in the comp itself, also disabled opengl completely in preferences and the jaggedness remains.
    About the PAR of the png files, haven't checked, they're a random convenient size each one(quite big, 4.18mpx~).
    just animating the layer transform setiings in the precomp, here's the captures, comp and precomp:
    the single frame render output of this same frame:

Maybe you are looking for

  • Solution Manager Installation Error "SAP SOLUTION MANAGER 7.0 EHP 1"

    I am new to SAP and currently trying to install SOLMAN 7.0 EHP 1 on Windows Server 2008 R2. I have read the documentation also. For JDK I have used "j2sdkfb-1_4_2_24-rev-b06-windows-amd64.exe" which looks to be working fine. The installation process

  • Can I hide/move a form that I am not using any longer but want to keep the template for the future?

    I would like to hide or move old forms to get the list of "My Forms" shorter and easier to manage, but don't wish to delete them. Thanks for your help!

  • Applets and IE

    I have an applet I am trying to view in IE. I have it in a jar archive. When I try to view it I get the following in the console: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: MyClass      at com/ms/vm/loader/URLClassLoader.loadClass      at com/ms/vm/loader/URL

  • CC installer says I have Muse, but I threw it away

    I downloaded Muse when I subscribed to Creative Cloud, back in CS6 days. I saw there's a Muse CC, but I think Muse is on some other upgrade scheme than the rest of the Creative Suite. Still, I wanted to make sure I got the upgrade. So I threw away my

  • Too contrasty!

    Does anyone know if there's a way to reduce the contrast on my iMac as it seems a bit too contrasty? The blacks are too black and the lighter tones are just too bright. Thanks.