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dbDavideBoscolo
dbDavideBoscolo
Legend
September 4, 2023
Question

Master property - text and fonts not updating

  • September 4, 2023
  • 1 reply
  • 1682 views

Hi all,

 

I guess this is a bug. 

 

I have comp1 with two Source Text properties as master properties.
If I put the comp1 inside another comp and change the text, it works as expected and looks like this:

However if I now change font in the comp1 to look like this:

The main comp doesn't update at all.

Project file attached for you to debug. 

Cheers,

Dav



    1 reply

    DaciaSaenz
    DaciaSaenz
    Inspiring
    September 5, 2023

    Hi @dbDavideBoscolo, 

     

    This depends on what version of AE you're working in. Can you share the version and your system specs please? 

     

    If you're working in 23.6, then it's not a bug so much as a change to the feature. 

     

    In 23.6, we introduced Essential Properties in the Props Panel. This now gives users the ability to set the Font, Font Size, and Faux Styles for their EP Text layers. In previous versions of AE, users were only given the option to change the words of the EP Control and nothing more. That meant that any changes made to the Primary Text Layer were automatically inherited by all of the related EP Text Controls, even if the text had been overridden and the Push / Pull buttons were activated. This broke the concept of EPs, since the overridden values (the ones in the Precomp) become their own independent version as soon as those Push / Pull buttons become active. And it also didn't allow for people to iterate non-destructively across templated EP comps-- which is the promise of Essential Properties. 

     

    Now in 23.6,  those EP controls are in the Props Panel and the rules have changed. 

     

    First things first, use the Enable Properties Hot Text on the Text Control in the Essential Graphics Panel to enable the extra font controls.

     

     

     

    Now you can change the Font for the EP control in the templated EP comp independently from the Primary Control. 

    But back to your scenario... 

    If you've changed the actual words in the EP Text Control, then the Push/ Pull buttons will be activated. This means that changing the Font in the Primary Comp will not affect the EP Comp. The templated instance is now independent from the original text layer because it has been changed. 

    You will have to "Pull" the values back from the Primary Comp but that will also reset your words 😞 

     

    If the EP Text Control has not been changed in any way (and the Push / Pull buttons are not active), then changes to the Primary Control will trickle down to the rest of the related EP comps. 

     

    So definitely could boil down to an order of operations if you still want the power to change the fonts in your EP Text controls with the Primary. 

     

     

    Hope this is clear-ish. Let me know if you're not on 23.6 though cause then it will definitely be a bug. And please let us know your feedback. Would it be beneficial to you to be able to Pull / Push only the font but maintain any changes to the words themselves? In other words, make the values in the EP Text Control independent from one another? 

     

    I would love to hear your thoughts! 

     

    Thanks,

     

    - Dacia Saenz, AE & PR Engineering Teams
      dbDavideBoscolo
      dbDavideBoscoloAuthor
      Legend
      September 6, 2023

      Hi Dacia,

      First of all thank you for replying. It's really appreciated!
      And yes!, I'm on AE version 23.6.

      I knew about the ability to set the Font, Font Size, and Faux Styles. However, since these options need to be enabled/checked (first image you uploaded) in order to appear in both the Essential Graphics Panel and the new Props Panel, I expected that the Font, Font Size, and Faux Styles would have been controlled by the Primary comp, no matter what. 


      Real life experience: the client asked for a change in the Faux Style of all text in five animations. I would have expected to go inside the Primary comp, change the font there, then re-export the animations again. I would have spent 10 seconds (plus render time). This way though I had to go through all the instances of that comp, copy the words, push/pull and re-apply the words again. Needless to say, it took longer.

      As you asked for my feedback, my desired behaviour would be:

      If the Font, Font Size, and Faux Styles are enabled/visible: current behaviour is fine.

      If the Font, Font Size, and Faux Styles are NOT enabled/visible: the Font, Font Size, and Faux Styles are always controlled by the Primary comp (even if the words changed).

       

      Would it be beneficial to you to be able to Pull / Push only the font but maintain any changes to the words themselves? I would have spent less time, but still not the solution I would go for.

       

      Cheers

      Dav

        DaciaSaenz
        DaciaSaenz
        Inspiring
        September 7, 2023

        Thank you so much for the feedback. We are currently investigating how we can give users more options. I like your idea a whole lot! 

         

        And again, sorry for the inconvenience. 

         

        Dacia, 

        - Dacia Saenz, AE & PR Engineering Teams
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