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David Tesouro
Inspiring
Aug 3, 2021 11:18 AM UTC
Answered

Dependencies - Collect files not working?

Hello, I don't know if I'm the only one having this issue... Everytime I try to collect a single comp from my project (Dependencies - Collect files), AE will make a copy of the whole project, even when "for selected comps" and "reduce project" is selected. 

 

The screenshots show that the file size doesn't change, no matter if I'm trying to save all the comps or one single, rather small, comp.

 

Using AE 18.2.1 in a Macbook pro M1

 

 

Anyone having the same issue / has a clue how to solve it?

 

Thanks! 

 

    Warren Heaton
    Warren HeatonCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    Aug 3, 2021 3:54 PM UTC

    Yeah, you have to do the reduce 1st then the collect (I usually do a Save As and add "_reduce" to the resulting project name to keep the orignal project unchanged). The Reduce Project option in the Collect Files checkbox has been borken for a very. very long time.  The AE team knows about this issue - not sure when it'll be fixed.

     

    If you happen to be be collecting a project that's had other projects imported, it can be helpful to delete ".aep" from the resulting folder name in the AE Project tab before doing Collect Files.  That gets passed to the corresponding folder in the Finder during the Collect Files action and when veiwed afterward in the Finder it can look like an After Effects project rather than a sub-folder.

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    9 replies

    S_ A
    S_ A
    Inspiring
    Jan 30, 2025 7:16 PM UTC

    Hi,

    I want to convert a premcomp into  a seperate AE file/comp so that I can bring that into another project, I googled and read stuff how to do that, go to dependencies- collect file- for selected comp- reduce project -save and I am  doing exactly what those ppl are doing. But none of them has greyed out 'reduce project'

    My after effects is not helping me. what can I do to make my Ae to make 'reduce project' visible? 

     

    Thank you. 

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    Warren Heaton
    Community Expert
    Warren HeatonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    Jan 31, 2025 12:45 AM UTC

    @S_ A 

     

    Uncheck "Generate report only".  If that's enabled, there is nothing to reduce.

     

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      S_ A
      S_ A
      Inspiring
      Jan 31, 2025 9:14 AM UTC

      Wow!! Thank you so much. 

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      David381883079877
      Participant
      Sep 20, 2024 8:29 PM UTC

      this was working fine for the last few versions until it was broken again in the latest two Ae 2024  point updates. I found that a workaround is to collect qeued comps instead of selected ones and it will work. If you have a lot of comps to collect separately you still need to delete the previous qeued item but beats saving as, reducing and the collecting dozens of times.

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      David TesouroAuthor
      Inspiring
      Aug 3, 2021 2:02 PM UTC

      Found a workaround published by @Warren Heaton10841144 :

       

      https://community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects/dependencies-gt-collect-files-grabs-files-and-comps-that-aren-t-being-used/td-p/10949508

       

      Saving the project as, then reducing it, then collecting, does work. However it still feels like unnecesary extra steps for something that used to work just fine 😕😕

       

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        Warren Heaton
        Community Expert
        Warren HeatonCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
        Community Expert
        Aug 3, 2021 3:54 PM UTC

        Yeah, you have to do the reduce 1st then the collect (I usually do a Save As and add "_reduce" to the resulting project name to keep the orignal project unchanged). The Reduce Project option in the Collect Files checkbox has been borken for a very. very long time.  The AE team knows about this issue - not sure when it'll be fixed.

         

        If you happen to be be collecting a project that's had other projects imported, it can be helpful to delete ".aep" from the resulting folder name in the AE Project tab before doing Collect Files.  That gets passed to the corresponding folder in the Finder during the Collect Files action and when veiwed afterward in the Finder it can look like an After Effects project rather than a sub-folder.

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          Mylenium
          Mylenium
          Legend
          Aug 3, 2021 1:31 PM UTC

          Without any info about the contents of the project and where what footage and effects are used nobody can tell you much. Simply sounds like you may have a footage item in there that is used in a gazillion comps and creates dependencies that necessitate collecting everything.

           

          Mylenium

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          David TesouroAuthor
          Inspiring
          Aug 3, 2021 1:55 PM UTC

          Fair point... The project does contain many heavy assets like video files etc. However, just to be sure I just tried ann created a new comp with nothing inside but a solid and tried to collect from it... same result. Tries to collect the whole project 😞

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          Community Expert
          Rick GerardCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          Aug 3, 2021 12:00 PM UTC

          I'm also on an M1 Mac. If I select one comp and reduce file size I get 1 comp and no unnecessary files. It works just fine in 17, 18, and Beta AE.

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