Great list, wanted to make some notes.
I'm sure some of these have been covered, but here's my list... hope someone sees it, most are simple workflow ideas... I'm still on CS5, so if some of these exist, forgive me:
- When replacing or importing a layer from a PSD as footage, I would love the option to be able to sort PSD layers by name instead of only layer order. When replacing large numbers of layers this would save lots of time.
Interesting. I had the need for this a long time ago, but then changed how I arranged my Photoshop files because the functionality you described never appeared.
- Would love to be able to assign a second anchor / pivot point to a layer.
Not sure the purpose of this. if you're looking for dual rotation controls, then that can be achieved my parenting to an off-set null object.
- Would love to be able to group layers in folders for organization. Pre-comps sort of work this way, but sometimes I want more organizational options in the same timeline.
This is the cause of a lot of discussion on the forum. There's a lot of people on the people for this and the people against it. There's a lot to consider when placing layers in folders; is the folder object changeable, does it change the render order? how does parenting and expressions work the same way when linked to layers outside the group? does the layer order change? etc. etc. The Dev team posted this to the community a while back and if they're going to implement something, then they're probably working on it now. it's just that there's a lot to take into account.
- Should be able to lock individual properties of a layer(position, scale, etc...). There are lots of times I don't want the layer's position to move, but I'd like to be able to adjust other properties.
yes, yes, yes. There are expressions that can do this now, but a little lock pad next to layer parameters would be great.
- Similarly, I want to be able to lock in and out handles for comps (Work Area Start and Work Area End).
again, would be nice to have.
- Editorial timeline options; It would be amazing to have a different kind of pre-comp that you could assign as an editorial pre-comp with basic Premiere functionality integrated into AFX. The contents of this pre-comp could play as simple footage layers in other comps.
Not sure what you mean here. do you mean real time playback of certain comps?
- If there was a way to be able to select all of your mask keyframes and move them all together across multiple keyframes the way you can position, scale, etc, that would be most helpful.
I've been asking for that for several versions.
- I want a composition crop tool (same as the Photoshop crop tool).
You can crop to Region of Interest.
- I'd love to have bold, italic, and underline options when naming layers so I can use different text styles to easily differentiate different types of layers.
Might be better if you could change the UI behind a layer's name rather than messing with the typeface that the UI uses.
- I wish there was a more deliberate way to create shape layers so I don't make them on accident all the time when I try to draw a mask but don't have a layer selected.
Just like the Photoshop layer import issues, I just altered my work style. I got use to looking at the little icon in the top tool bar to see if it was on Shape Layer (Star) or Mask (Curve). Shape layers are a strange beast. They're so versatile, but can seem a bit overcomplicated at times… until you realize that they're basically single-layer comps. Shape layers are great… when you get them to work for you.
- I wish Interpret Footage would let me switch between Layer Size and Composition Size even after importing.
Not sure if this can be done. would be nice though.
- I could really use the ability to search for effects within a given composition. If I'm missing a plug-in or one is causing errors, I need to be able to easily locate (or disable) all instances where that plug-in is used. I've since found a script for this, but it would be a good standard feature.
you can do it per comp with the search feature, but project wide is a little different. I'd love to see a missing filter and missing Typeface search. the program is obviously doing it at the launch of the project because it gives a warning dialogue box if fonts or filters aren't found. Maybe the solution is a new UI panel for Search and Replace / Deactivate. I can't tell you how many times I get a missing typeface error when I know that I have it but its name is just slightly different. This causes me to go in my hand and search and replace all the layers.
- I wish you could set up a render in the queue - then duplicate that queue item and replace which comp it is pulling from, rather than having to go to every comp and queue them up individually.
Not sure the purpose of this.
- "U" key command should not reveal expression text. A separate command should be available for expressions. If I have a bunch of expressions, it negates any easy way for me to expand key frames only.
Very good suggestion. perhaps a check box in the preferences to turn this on and off. For a key command, Alt+U would be great since it isn't being used for anything.
- Ability to lock in and out points of a composition so you don't accidentally move them.
Already mentioned
- I want After Effects to know how to import layers in beyond the layer-level in Illustrator. Any sub-layers (Groups, etc…, things contained inside of AI Layers) should import in as layers in a pre-comp.
I'd love to see this functionality. This has had me baffled for a long time on why it's not there. Illustrator has had some really weird things going on with it over the years. I still remember the maddening frustration that arose from Illustrator's inability to sample a color from a raster based image. it took years to get his functionality. at least we have the ability to copy/paste mask shapes!
- If I reuse a Null Object (IE Drag in from my solids folder rather than creating a new one) it should not come in as a white square that is visible in my render. It is a still supposed to be a NULL right?
that's very good point. a null object is just a 100 x 100 pixel solid and when it's created in the comp, it's transparent because its Opacity parameter is set to 0. Its anchor point and position are off-set as well to make the upper left corner the layer's origin point (0,0 on the layer). the main point is that these parameters should be the default for when a Null is not only created, but also when it's dragged in to a comp from the project window. That's a really good suggestion.
- I would love to have a History States Window like Photoshop has, and to be able to cache a higher number of history states / undos (more than 99).
Don't rely on history, use Auto Save set to 5-10 minutes & 20 versions, and constantly save a new version of your project. These are saved as files while undos are saved as cache that get wiped out if you close or in the case of a crash. I end up with several Gbs of AE projects at the end of a job. then just trim them down for archive. if you have to go back more than 99 steps, then you aren't saving a new version enough.
- It would be awesome to be able to assign label colors to groups of key frames… to color code sections of layers across the timeline rather than just layers.
Could tie into the locking of the parameters.
- I want to be able to highlight a group of layers or items in the Bin and press Ctrl+G to group them into a new folder (like Photoshop). Similarly clicking 'New Folder' in the bin should put any currently highlighted items into that folder.
If you're talking about in the project window, then you can just drag the items over the folder icon a the bottom of tha twindow and it'll create a new folder and place those object in it.
- When queuing a single frame into the render queue (Ctrl + Alt + S), it defaults default to Current Settings and not Best Settings. I do not know of a way to change that, but I would love to be able to reverse that.
Edit -> Templates -> Render Settings… then set the desired setting for stills.
- In multiple view set ups I want to be able to adjust the size of each view so I can customize primary and secondary views. This may be possible and I'm unaware, but if it doesn't exist it would be a great addition.
- I would like unlimited and fully customizable label colors that translate / load correctly across multiple computers. I have a co-worker who re-ordered his and every time we open each other's projects the labels are jacked up. It would be great if the layers worked from RGB values or Hex codes and not from a limited list.
currently this is a preference set on each workstation. Personally, I doubt that this functionality will be implemented, It would be nice, but I still doubt it.
- I want to be able to animate / keyframe (on or off) motion blur for a given layer. - to avoid having to split layers when a layer should have motion blur at one point but not at another.
Interesting idea.
- I want the save-as dialogue box to default to where I last saved THE FILE IN QUESTION, not some other random file that I just had open. I routinely have to navigate between job folders when working on multiple jobs at the same time just because I saved one when I was working on it. Same thing for import, even if .aep is what was last imported. This might be a network issue, but if not, it would be a great fix.
Think this may be an OS thing. I get what you're saying, I just don't have an issue with the current way it operates.
- It would be great if the anchor point could be made to be visually larger like Mask Verticies are now so it can be found and grabbed easily
I don't have this issue. The anchor point seems fine to me.
- J and K hot keys should also jump to Comp Markers and not just Layer Marker
Maybe Shift+J & Shift+K. They're not assigned to anything as of right now. the default 0-9 markers can be easily selected by hitting 0-9 on the top of the keyboard (Not the numeric keypad). custom ones, I see a need for an easy way to navigate them. personally, I'd like to have away for J & K to navigate to the keframes and layer markers of just Selected layers, not everything visible.
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things to do when compositing or doing motion graphics and using 3d stuff in combo with ae is matching the camera's (ae camera and 3d program camera). FBX HELPS WITH THAT 
since you can just import the camera with .fbx 
(big limitation compared to having a model that doesn't need to be rendered first to use for instance as a mask layer). 
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