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S_ A
Inspiring
December 9, 2022
Answered

Trimming shape layer disappears all keyframes

  • December 9, 2022
  • 5 replies
  • 1261 views

Hello,

I do not understand something. From experience, I know where your keyframe ends you can cut /trim the layer there (where your animation ends). and it will appear as it is in composition. I am learning about 'repeater'. and create a starburst animation using the trim path. My composition is 10 seconds long. starburst animation keyframes (trim path start and ends keyframes) took only 2 seconds. So I thought I will cut the layer where the keyframe ends and copy-paste it to creat several star burst animations! But as I cut the layer all animation stops and the keyframe disappears! 


Why does this happen?

 

and another question is there any relation between pre-comp duration and main composition duration?

I mean suppose my composition is 10 seconds long. and if I create a precompose taking some layers what will be its duration? 10 seconds? 

 

Thank you.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer JohnColombo17100380

Hi @S_ A,

What keyboard command are you using to trim the Shape layer? From the GIF recording, it appears that you've moved the layer backward in time by using the close bracket ] key? To trim the layer, use the Alt/Opt+] instead and your keyframes will remain in place.

 

To your second question: when pre-comping any layer(s), you are given the option to "Adjust the composition duration to the span of the selected layers" if you choose to "Move all attributes into the new composition". In that case, the duration of the resulting pre-comp will match the selected layers. Otherwise, a new pre-comp will always be the same length as the composition it was created in.

 

Cheers,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team  

5 replies

JohnColombo17100380
Community Manager
JohnColombo17100380Community ManagerCorrect answer
Community Manager
December 20, 2022

Hi @S_ A,

What keyboard command are you using to trim the Shape layer? From the GIF recording, it appears that you've moved the layer backward in time by using the close bracket ] key? To trim the layer, use the Alt/Opt+] instead and your keyframes will remain in place.

 

To your second question: when pre-comping any layer(s), you are given the option to "Adjust the composition duration to the span of the selected layers" if you choose to "Move all attributes into the new composition". In that case, the duration of the resulting pre-comp will match the selected layers. Otherwise, a new pre-comp will always be the same length as the composition it was created in.

 

Cheers,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team  

S_ A
S_ AAuthor
Inspiring
December 21, 2022

Hello @JohnColombo17100380 

 

Yes, I used the close bracket ] key. Now I tried Altt+] and the probelm is solved.  Thank you so much.

S_ A
S_ AAuthor
Inspiring
December 10, 2022

Hello, Mine is windows 10 and AE 2023. I can not trim layers that have trim and repeater. Thank you 

Community Expert
December 10, 2022

I cannot reproduce your bug on an M1 Mac with AE23.0

 

Mylenium
Legend
December 9, 2022

That's definitely not intended or desired. I'd consider it a serious bug. I'm gonna change this to a bug so perhaps the devs can see and investigate it.

 

Mylenium 

 

 

Mylenium
Legend
December 9, 2022

The duration of content in pre-comps created from existing comps is determined by the different options for "Keep attributes" vs. moving them into the sub-comps, including the lengths of already trimmed layers. You can try it out easily with a few solids or images. The keyframes disappearing is odd and should not happen, so I can't offer an explanation. That is unless there's something going on with time manipulation and the keys simply have shifted in the comp's inactive areas.

 

Mylenium 

S_ A
S_ AAuthor
Inspiring
December 9, 2022

Thank you. I think you can not trim layers that have trim path and repeaters applied. Each time am trimming layers that have a trim path and repeater it disappears from the composition.