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sharonm28396957
sharonm28396957
Participant
May 21, 2019
Question

Issue with Collecting Composition - Saves as entire project instead of composition alone.

  • May 21, 2019
  • 1 reply
  • 1709 views

Hey,

I've been trying to collect just one of my compositions in my AfterEffects project, so that I can move it to another project that I'm working on. I've seen the videos on YouTube/online on how to do that (Select Composition -> File -> Dependencies -> Collect Files). Once the "Collect Files" window comes up I make sure I selected "For Selected Comps" and I check the "Reduce project" box. No matter how many times I do this, a folder is saved with my entire project rather than my composition alone.

I really need to fix this issue, as I need to use multiple compositions from different projects for my new project, and I can't just copy and paste them into the new project as all of the source files go missing. I'd be really grateful if anyone knew how to fix this issue! (Using the newest version of Adobe After Effects CC).

Thanks in advance!

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    1 reply

    Mylenium
    Mylenium
    Legend
    May 21, 2019

    Without any understanding about the structure of your project nobody can really know. If you use deeply nested comps and re-use clips multiple times this could be perfectly normal. Collecting Files has no inherent powers to strip and trim source files and of course if e.g. a complex PSD file is used somewhere, even if only a single layer, the rest of the file will be included just as well. Likely the behavior is perfectly normal. you may just be expecting too much of AE. Perhaps you care to provide some screenshots of the flowgraph and the project window with the relevant sections selected and highlighted and someone may be able to advise.

    Mylenium

    sharonm28396957
    sharonm28396957Author
    Participant
    May 22, 2019

    I see, so I can only collect simple comps. The compositions I've been using are quite deeply nested, but I managed to figure out another way. I just import the whole file into my new project, and drag and drop the compositions I need directly into the timeline. Or I guess another way would be duplicating the project, deleting the comps you don't need and collecting that project on its own. Anyways, I've managed to find a solution, although it would be pretty useful if AE could have that feature. Thanks for the response!

    Roland Kahlenberg
    Roland Kahlenberg
    Legend
    May 22, 2019

    Collect Files not only reduces the project to the selected items in the Project Panel; the procedure also copies all assets into a new folder which you designate, as part of the procedure.

    I think you may only need to Reduce Project (File > Dependencies > Reduce Project). This retains selected items in the Project Panel without creating copies of used assets. IOW, all assets retain their links to the original media.

    Both procedures work regardless of number of comp hierarchy you have. Of course, for deeply-entrenched comps, you only have to select the one comp at the top of its hierarchy in order to save all lower level, related, comps.

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