Illustrator to after effects layers

If I have a layer in illustrator with multiple sub layers and groups etc with lots of effects and symbols etc and I then import to after effects as a single layer does after effects still have to render all that information or does it just see it as a single flat image? Someone told me that if I dont rasterise it first that after effects will still have to read all that information constantly and so it will use a lot of processing power. Im not sure if this is correct though?

If you're seeing everything in your drawing, seeing all of the layers, then so is AE. It renders them all. It uses all of the vector shapes as vectors except for those layers that have raster effects applied. A raster effect is any effect applied in illustrator that uses the document raster settings to make it's calculations. These layers are not continuously rasterized even when the CR switch is on.
Unless I specifically do not want to do any layer manipulation of the individual layers I always use the release the layers tool to give me individual layers for each shape. Some of these shapes may be re-grouped. Some may not. Then I import the .ai file as a composition retaining layer sizes. This allows me to do all of the manipulation that I need in AE.
Also, if I am given an .ai file that has a bunch of raster effects applied I try and remove those in a duplicate copy and then use the original as a reference to rebuild the file in AE. I actually have to do this fairly often with logos designed by a print person.
I hope this helps. Generally .ai files render very quickly unless the number of line or triangle segments go way way up. Unless you are experiencing render problems I would not worry about the groups and effects.

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How can I preserve non-alphabetical layer order from Illustrator to After Effects?

I'm using Illustrator and After Effects CS5. When I import an Illustrator file into After Effects, I'd like to maintain the order of the layers as they were in Illustrator, but they always come in alphabetically. How do I keep the original order from Illustrator?

The comp is always in the same order, the order in the project panel folder that is created is not and there's no way to force it to be. It makes no difference to the project.
If it's really important to you to have the layers in the Project Panel Folder in the same order as the layers in Illustrator File and the comp you can adopt a more friendly naming convention in AI. I always create my layers in Illustrator using Cmnd/Ctrl + Alt/Option + l because this gives me the opportunity to name the layer when it's created. With a little advanced planning and a published naming convention you'll have just what you want in no time. You could even write an action that automatically created and named layers for your default projects.

Adobe Illustrator CC, After Effects, Photoshop? HELP PLEASE

I've been having a problem opening Illustrator and After Effects on my new Macbook Pro which came with Mavericks already installed. Would someone be able to provide me with a patch to help correct these programs, would be much appreciated.
Thanks.

http://adobe.ly/AE_CC_12dot1_details
http://adobe.ly/AE_CS6_1103

Applying photoshop filters in After effects layers!

Hi. Is it possible applying those photoshop filters into After effects layers? I thought the filter worked like layers, so when I import the photoshop files to AE I could drag the filter and apply it on a movie layer! I didn't work! Is it possible? thks!
PS: I'm using Production premium CS5.5!

Well, I'm reading the book ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS CS5 CLASSROOM IN A BOOK; chapter 6 (animating layers): it's about importing PSD files to After effects compositions! I was thinking about creating scenarios to a movie using PSD files. When I apply a layer style to a picture in Photoshop CS5, save this picture, and import this picture to AE it comes likes 2 files: a composition ( picture + layer stile) and a picture without the layer style. I'm gonna use the very same words of the book.
Though layer styles are referred to as effects in Photoshop, they behave more like blending modes in AE...Another diference is that each layer style blends directly with the underlying layers in the composition, whereas an effect is rendered on the layer to which it's applied, the result of which then interacts with the underlying layers as a whole!
Well, I have tried to apply a layer style on a movie file of my composition but it doesn't work cuz the layer style doesn't come alone, it comes with the picture!
So I have figured the following possibility! Take a look in this!
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T5L62G9WLio/UALdatCbrmI/AAAAAAAAAyI/7hQJK_drigg/s1600/Screen19.j pg
What if I apply a filter in this shot. Will the filter be applied only on the statue or it would be applied on the checkerboard background too? If the second possibility is possible I could apply this image above a movie and use the filter on it, couldn't I? After all the checkerboard background is transparent! Got it?

Illustrator - After Effects Layers Question

Having problems importing Illustrator layers into After Effects. I've tried all the recommendations from "release to layers" to "setting colors to rgb". When I import into After Effects and select "composition - retain layer size". AI layers are sub layers too.
I don't see the individual layers to animate.

Here is the pre- "release to layers" :
Any ideas?

Illustrator and after effects workflow - versions and templates

Hi all
I'm looking to take some templates from illustrator, across to ae, animate and have a master version for a template.
Is there a way I can easily copy my master AE file, and then replace all the master illustrator files within it, with the new versions for a new template, so that everything animates the same etc, but if I change some text or something, the change will come in. I will be creating a bunch of pre animated symbols that can just be dragged and dropped, adding universal colour controls and converting any text to editable to use animation presets etc. So in the main, this versioning won't matter as most of it will be done entirely in AE without a regular graphics program. HOWEVER. I want my workflow to be sensible and I don't want to end up making copies of crap or working inefficiently.
I'd normally just copy and paste a new illustrator file over the top, same name, same layers. That works ok. However with this I'm gonna need versioning etc/ or to at least know which illustrator file is different.
I DONT want this work in a way that I wouldn't have to go into my layers folder and copy and replace each layer!!
The only way that I've come up with is to keep my masters as masters. Folder them away and never touch them other than to copy them.
Copy the masters into a new titled folder. Then open up the AE proj and rename that. Now my main problem is replacing the Illustrator files. My first idea was to rename the master files. Hopefully after effects would still understand where they are and not make me replace these layers?
Then once they are renamed, bring in the template to over write them, copy and replace, and it should all be hunky dory.
Does anyone know what I'm talking about or experienced creating templates like this before?
Thanks for any help.

You seem to understand the basics here but let me make a few points just to clarify what has to happen to make your workflow efficient and keep the animations working.
You can save any After Effects project file as a template by doing a save as command from the file menu. That will get you to step one. If you created your project by importing your master Illustrator file as a composition with either option selected you can automatically replace all of the layers in the project using a single right click browse and click if you follow a couple of rules.
The AI file must have exactly the same layer names, number of layers, and layers must be exactly the same size
The AI file must have exactly the same name
The replacement file must be in a different folder
Follow those rules and you can just open the Illustrator template, select the folder with your replacement footage, and then select one of the layers in the you want to replace and choose replace footage.
A simpler option, the option you described as setting up a bunch of duplicates, would be to create a new folder for each of your versions. Create your master Illustrator file and AE project inside the Master older. Now Copy and paste the original AE file into each of the version folders. Now simply open each Illustrator file inside each version folder and edit the content making sure that you follow the rules above. Now when you open the AE file inside the Version folder you will not have to replace the footage.
Here are a few problems with this workflow. First, your animations may not work if you change the size of any layer in the AI file. Second, you end up with a bunch of duplicate file names on your system. Third, It's hard to keep things straight.
There are other approaches. The first would be to create an animation preset for each of the layers in your master file. Just press UU to reveal all changed properties in a selected layer, select everything that is animated. If there are expressions in the layer make sure the properties with the expressions are also selected then go to the menu and select Animate>Save Animation Preset. When you have all of the animated layers in your composition saved as animation presets you can then start a new AE project, import your AI file as a composition exactly as you did before, and then select the layers one at a time and apply the animation presets to the appropriate layers.
This avoids the duplicate file name issue and allows a different version for each Project.
Another option is to use scripting to create a script that replaces all layers in a composition with a new source file. Here again, you must design your animation to either work with layers of different sizes or all of the layers in the new footage must be exactly the same size as the original master AI file.
Probably the best option would be to design your project so that the majority of the layers would be the same and come from a master file, then add another file that contains only the elements that you want to change. Most of my template projects involve text changes only and the text does not come from Illustrator, it comes from text layers. I'm referring to lower thirds. In that case I use a script that creates comps from spreadsheets. I simply load up the master template file with the master artwork, have a spreadsheet created with the data I need to replace, then run the script and a project with a bunch of new comps is automatically created and sent to the render cue to create the digital intermediates or sent to the Adobe Media Encoder for rendering the deliverable files.
To tell you the absolute truth, most of the work that I do that seems to be kind of like the work you are describing just involves opening an Illustrator file as a comp and applying a few animation presets to the layers. I have about 300 custom animation presets in my library that can be used on any layer of any size to create motion. Here's one of my favorites. It causes any sized layer at any scale to fly in, bounce then drop out of the frame no matter what size the comp. The only thing you have to set is the in and out point of the layer.
Dropbox - flyInBounceDropOut.ffx

Cant open illustrator in After Effects

There is no option to open my illustrator files as a composition or as separate layers in premiere. It only imports the file as a whole .ai file with all the layers on top of each other. Im not sure if there is a new way I need to import or some setting I need to change, or if it is a feature that is not offered. Just need some help!

You're probably needing After Effects if you want AI or PSD files separated into layers.
PP is more of an editing package, not a compositor.

Illustrator to After Effects Question?

So I'm doing an animation and I have files drawn from Illustrator and I import them into After Effects. When I import them into AE I make sure to pick Compassion. Anyway the file should read each layer as "Layer 1, Layer 2, Layer 3" ect.... I had it named like Elith Arm, Right eyes, Left eyes, ect.... But when I import it the file reads all 32 layers but instead of the names it leaves it as ElithAvi.ai! Which is the actual file name. When showing the screen picture it shows the top AI image. Help? I'm really worried on this I keep seeing views but no replies! I'm freaked out.

When you import it as a composition and you open the original composition that imports, does it have them named correctly? Also, it might have something to do with how your Illustrator file is set up.

Can't install CS6 apps- photoshop, illustrator, indesign, after effects, flash and dreamweaver.

Hi, thanks for any insight you can provide:
my specs are as follows:
Macbook pro mid 2012 13.3 inch
OSX 10.8.4
2.5 ghz Intel Core i5
intel HD Graphics 4000 512 MB
10 Gb 1333 mhz ddr3 ram
500gb hdd/326 gb free
I had CS6 master collection installed on my computer up until today. I removed it because Illustrator was having a strange issue where points would snap to random nothing and, align wouldn't work and changing the stroke of an object would cause it to move down and to the left each time the stroke changed.
Illustrator issues aside, since uninstalling I can't get it to reinstall! It gives the following error:
the error summary returns this hefty chunk of text:
-------------------------------------- Summary --------------------------------------
- 0 fatal error(s), 25 error(s), 5 warning(s)
WARNING: DW065: Display requirements not met for {8ACD4814-788B-11E1-AC70-A860A781E0D9} Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 12.0.0.0
----------- Payload: {AC76BA86-1033-F400-7760-000000000005} Acrobat Professional 10.0.0.0 -----------
WARNING: DW029: Custom Action for payload {AC76BA86-1033-F400-7760-000000000005} Acrobat Professional 10.0.0.0 wants to skip this payload. Skipping this payload.
----------- Payload: {E1C48031-9366-427F-AC04-535CEDAAD995} Acrobat X Pro 10.0.0.0 -----------
WARNING: DW029: Custom Action for payload {E1C48031-9366-427F-AC04-535CEDAAD995} Acrobat X Pro 10.0.0.0 wants to skip this payload. Skipping this payload.
----------- Payload: {8ACD4814-788B-11E1-AC70-A860A781E0D9} Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 12.0.0.0 -----------
ERROR: DF015: Unable to delete symlink "/Applications/Adobe Dreamweaver CS6/Adobe Dreamweaver CS6.app/Contents/Frameworks/amtlib.framework/Resources"(Seq 418)
ERROR: DW063: Command ARKDeleteSymlinkCommand failed.(Seq 418)
----------- Payload: {39C9FB9C-7A84-11E1-B574-D095DF20721F} Adobe Fireworks CS6 12.0.0.0 -----------
WARNING: DF012: File/Folder does not exist at /Volumes/CS6 MstrColl/Adobe CS6 Master Collection/payloads/AdobeFireworks12-mul/OEM(Seq 3600)
----------- Payload: {76A4887E-7A85-11E1-88DE-92A96E70B8CF} Adobe Fireworks CS6_AdobeFireworks12en_USLanguagePack 12.0.0.0 -----------
WARNING: DF012: File/Folder does not exist at /Volumes/CS6 MstrColl/Adobe CS6 Master Collection/payloads/AdobeFireworks12en_USLanguagePack/OEM(Seq 84)
----------- Payload: {4817D846-700B-474E-A31B-80892B3E92E3} Adobe After Effects CS6 11.0.0.0 -----------
ERROR: DF015: Unable to delete symlink "/Applications/Adobe After Effects CS6/Adobe After Effects CS6.app/Contents/Frameworks/amtlib.framework/Resources"(Seq 1405)
ERROR: DW063: Command ARKDeleteSymlinkCommand failed.(Seq 1405)
----------- Payload: {4FAB339E-2132-434F-9376-9CD735E4C69C} Adobe Flash CS6 12.0.0.0 -----------
ERROR: DF015: Unable to delete symlink "/Applications/Adobe Flash CS6/Adobe Flash CS6.app/Contents/Frameworks/amtlib.framework/Resources"(Seq 3665)
ERROR: DW063: Command ARKDeleteSymlinkCommand failed.(Seq 3665)
----------- Payload: {AAF0D225-F129-40F2-916E-12E28DBD19ED} Adobe Illustrator CS6 Core 16.0.0.0 -----------
ERROR: DF015: Unable to delete symlink "/Applications/Adobe Illustrator CS6/Adobe Illustrator.app/Contents/Frameworks/amtlib.framework/Resources"(Seq 2135)
ERROR: DW063: Command ARKDeleteSymlinkCommand failed.(Seq 2135)
----------- Payload: {9124DF4E-617D-486B-A970-8FA632244F24} Adobe Photoshop CS6 Core 13.0.0.0 -----------
ERROR: DF015: Unable to delete symlink "/Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Adobe Photoshop CS6.app/Contents/Frameworks/amtlib.framework/Resources"(Seq 524)
ERROR: DW063: Command ARKDeleteSymlinkCommand failed.(Seq 524)
----------- Payload: {327492D4-78EB-11E1-8ABE-84C55623D190} Adobe InDesign CS6 Application Base Files 8.0.0.0 -----------
ERROR: DF015: Unable to delete symlink "/Applications/Adobe InDesign CS6/Adobe InDesign CS6.app/Contents/Frameworks/amtlib.framework/Resources"(Seq 1051)
ERROR: DW063: Command ARKDeleteSymlinkCommand failed.(Seq 1051)
ERROR: DW050: The following payload errors were found during install:
ERROR: DW050: - Adobe Flash CS6_AdobeFlash12.0-en_USLanguagePack: Install failed
ERROR: DW050: - Adobe Photoshop CS6 English Language Pack_AdobePhotoshop13-en_US: Install failed
ERROR: DW050: - Adobe InDesign CS6 Application Base Files: Failed due to Language Pack installation failure
ERROR: DW050: - Adobe InDesign CS6 Common Language Files_AdobeInDesign8CommonLang-en_US: Install failed
ERROR: DW050: - Adobe After Effects CS6: Failed due to Language Pack installation failure
ERROR: DW050: - Adobe Flash CS6: Failed due to Language Pack installation failure
ERROR: DW050: - Adobe Illustrator CS6 Core_AdobeIllustrator16en_USLanguagePack: Install failed
ERROR: DW050: - Adobe Dreamweaver CS6_AdobeDreamweaver12en_USLanguagePack: Install failed
ERROR: DW050: - Adobe Dreamweaver CS6: Failed due to Language Pack installation failure
ERROR: DW050: - Adobe Photoshop CS6 Core: Failed due to Language Pack installation failure
ERROR: DW050: - Adobe Illustrator CS6 Core: Failed due to Language Pack installation failure
ERROR: DW050: - Adobe After Effects CS6_AdobeAfterEffects11en_USLanguagePack: Install failed
ERROR: DW050: - Adobe InDesign CS6 Application Language Files_AdobeInDesign8AppLang-en_US: Install failed
So far this is what I have done:
uninstall everything, run the cleaner tool, reinstall- same error
uninstall, restart, run cleaner tool , restart, reinstall- same error
run cleaner tool, restart, resintall - same error
in checking the error codes individually it looked as though I might have file system errors
I rebooted with command+r and launched disk utilities from there (mac safe mode I guess?)
verified mac hdd: verified OK
ran repair anyway- verified OK again
checked and, if possible, repaired each other volume- all OK
rebooted, reinstalled, same error
I am going to address the first error now- that the display requirements were not met, and remove my external diplay from my macbook and reinstall.
Any help you might have though, I would be very grateful.

oh, also, i've re-downloaded the installer and also gotten a third installer from a friend.
removing the external display did not help

After Effects, Layers change position when converting project from CC to CC 2014

When we convert some projects from CC to CC 2014 some of the layers are shifting position (both x & y).
Anyone else seeing this kind of problems?

Photoshop changed how layer bounds are calculated in some cases, which causes the Photoshop library that we include with After Effects to also have this change. We are currently working to determine how to fix this for the next update. It's tricky, because the new way that Photoshop is doing things is more correct... but it also means that projects created in previous versions look different when opened in the new version. We'll probably end up with a "legacy" option that will prevent this conversion from happening when opening old projects.

After Effects Layers

Ok so I am new to After Effects and I am sure this is so simple but I cant figure it out. I am trying out this fake kick back effect with my brother. I have a shot where i kick a light stand. Then a shot of my brother getting flung back. Then a clean plate of neither of us or the light stand. I put them on top of each other in after effects, but i think only one is showing up at a time. I am trying to adjust the opacity of one so I can line up my brother, my foot, and the light stand, but the opacity wont even adjust because it is only showing one of the layers.

kfishcc3 wrote:
Ok I did find a basics video, so I will watch that, but let me rephrase once more to see if I can explain a little better. So I have 3 clips. Each is stacked on top of the other in my timeline. Now I accidently double clicked on one of the clips I was masking. So when I masked it, the park I masked out showed up black, but there should be the other clip behind it. For some reason when I double clicked the clip on the timeline, it put it in my viewer by itself with no clips behind it. Does that make more sense? If not ill get the basics down.
A basics video will only get you started on your path toward total confusion. You've got to invest many hours in actually working with AE's interface and studying the theory behind the rendering pipeline and why AE presents layer windows and timeline windows to accomplish what you now think are duplicative functions.
AE is a big, deep, monstrous application. You canot even imagine how complex AE is. Yet, once you've got the fundamental skills and pipelines memorized, the rest is more or less linear application of and extrapolation of these basics.

White borders on objects I import from photoshop and illustrator into after effects?

No matter what format or what program I use to create elements for my After Effects project they import in with a frustrating white border around it. I don't remember this happening in earlier version on AE, right now I'm working on AE cs5.5. Anybody have any clue what's going on? Thank you very much for your time!
Here's an example of what im talking about:

Check the alpha channel interpretation in the Interpret Footage dialog box. See these pages:"
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/aftereffects/cs/using/WS3878526689cb91655866c1103906c6dea-7f82 a.html
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/aftereffects/cs/using/WS3878526689cb91655866c1103906c6dea-7f7e a.html

After effects layers do not show

Hi can anyone help me,
I've looked around for lots of tutorials and nobody seems to have this simple problem.
When I create a layer in CS5 it dosnt show the layer. Just a box - usually black.
So, lets guide you a bit through the problem.
I load after effects up.
I click on new composition - I leave all the settings as default.
I click ok.
(It dosnt matter what back ground color I select, the screen is always black when I have clicked ok).
No matter what I do from here nothing happens.
If I click the txt Icon and type something, no matter what color txt I select it cannot be seen.
If I then click the selection tool a box appears around where the txt should be so it is definitly there - but no matter what color I select this is what happens.
If I then click on new layer (again leaving everything defaulted) I get a new layer but I just get like a wireframe X across it.
This happens no matter what I do.
The only way to change this is if I mess around with the roto brush and then go back to the original compisition box I can see my txt against a white and grey checked background!!!!
Can anyone help because ive been trying to use since installing 2 days ago!!!
Thanks in advance.

It sounds like you've put the Composition panel in Wireframe view mode.
The reason that using the Roto Brush tool makes a difference is that using the Roto Brush tool forces the Composition panel out of Wireframe mode.
I'm going to guess that this happened because you're new to After Effects and you started choosing menu commands and clicking buttons just to see what they did. The problem is that doing that can get you into situation like this one.
I recommend beginning here and working your way through the getting-started materials:
http://blogs.adobe.com/toddkopriva/2010/01/getting-started-with-after-eff.html
It'll save you a lot of headaches later.
By the way, the Roto Brush tool is actually one of the trickiest and most advanced features in After Effects. I strongly recommend against using it until you've familiarized yourself with the basics.

I can't cancel my illustrator and after effects membership.

i want to cancel both my membership because it's jsut waste of money since i don't really use it anymore.
i went to 'manage my plan' but there's no option about canceling my membership

Cancel http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/return-cancel-or-change-order.html
-or by telephone http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/phone-support-orders.html

Importing Illustrator layers into After effects, released to layers yet still one layer- ?

Hi,
Please bear with me as this should be a simple fix but the situation is hard to describe.
I want to import layers from Illustrator into After Effects. I need the AI layers to have their "handles" (the four corners of the object) close in around the object and not spread out to the corners of the composition. I figured out how to do this: by "releasing layers to sequence" in Illustrator and then dragging them out of the group they were all in. Then I "import as composition - retain layer sizes" into AE. When I open the illustrator composition in AE, it's layers appear in AE as separate layers and with the layer 'handles' tight around the objects (all is well). BUT here is what I want to do: I have a layer/object in Illustrator that I "image traced" to make it black but it still has some white parts to it. So I drew two black rectangles around the white parts. But now when I bring it into AE, they all appear as separate layers (the image traced object and the two rectangles) but I want those black rectangles to be literally part of the object that I image traced. In photoshop this would be akin to "flattening the layers". I can do this in AI by "merging" the layers, but if I do that I am brought back to the problem of having AE put the layer's 'handles' to the corners of the comp window and not tight around the object. Frustrating!
So I basically want to be able to paint over/cover up the white parts of my object without that creating new layers/objects.
Thanks for reading!
T

I'm not clear what you are describing. Have you actually tried other import settings in AE? There is some bug with the retain layer size stuff, but other combinations might work. Also try exporting a PDF of the artwork and using that. This may work better.
Mylenium

Illustrator to after effects layers

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