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Todd_Morgan
Legend
December 29, 2022
Under Review

Save and reapply timeline column layouts

  • December 29, 2022
  • 10 replies
  • 1569 views

This has been asked in the past four years... I need to update the comp layouts for the way I work. Many AE users often has a mess in their work when I have in front of me cleaning up and updating files. So would be great to be able to update one comp timeline layout, and then have a button to click that sends that layout to all comps in the file. PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Moderator: Thread title updated for clarify.

10 replies

Todd_Morgan
Legend
February 3, 2025

Yeah, didn't solve my issue.

Participant
February 2, 2025

I've used Neat Freak and I recall it not adjusting column width in a custom way which I found frustrating.

Inspiring
February 2, 2025

Untill your request gets implemented you can use this script
https://aescripts.com/neat-freak/

Participant
February 2, 2025

I'm all aboard on this suggestion. Between a previous user maybe prioritizing different columns than I do and maybe working on a different resolution screen, I find it very frustrating to have to change these column layouts so often. I'd love a button to toggle or shortcut to my preferred layout(s).

 

I'd say a super ideal situation would be the option to have a few saved layouts, as I work on a 14" laptop plugged into a 4k display, and my layout varies depending on whether I'm on the go or in my office. On the go I'm more likely to have only the Switches visible and F4 between that and Modes. And sometime I want the timing columns visible, sometimes not.

 

The width of these columns is also important. I want to maximize actual timeline space, but I still want my Modes wide enough that I can read what the blending mode is, not just a few letters of it.

Todd_Morgan
Legend
January 23, 2023

I work with eyeballs to the right, so first column beside the timeline... also, what drives me nuts is when designers use solo toggle on for final work. Very bad. Solo for test layers only, not production. 

Mike Choo
Inspiring
January 23, 2023

+1 For this - for example, I work with eyeballs to the right of layer names, so being able to set all comps to match my preferred layout would be a big time saver when working with other designer's projects.

JohnColombo17100380
Community Manager
Community Manager
January 13, 2023

Thank you for this request, @Todd_Morgan! This would certainly be a useful addition.

To others in this thread, please add your upvotes to help us gauge and prioritize this improvement.

 

Cheers,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

Shebbe
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 13, 2023

I would love such a feature too. But I think I'd rather have it as a preference setting that when enabled, all comps will always have the same setting and when you are in a comp and change it, it just stays that way immedeatly throughout all the other comp windows within the same panel.

Mylenium
Legend
December 29, 2022

I see. Indeed having an option to toggle this syncronously across all comps would be useful.

 

Mylenium

Mylenium
Legend
December 29, 2022

What do you mean by that specifically? The columns? Visibility options? Split viewers? A more detailed explanation certainly would help to understand your problem.

 

Mylenium

Todd_Morgan
Legend
December 29, 2022

Yes. All. See attached. Before is when I get a file from a designer - and they have everything open in the comp timeline, even if not in use. Not needed, annoying. After is how I like my comps... clean. So would be nice to be able to set my "after" and then apply that to all comp timelines so when I open another comp, I don't have to go and rejig over and over and over again.