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RuesterProd
Known Participant
March 21, 2009
Answered

Convert Mask path to shape path?

  • March 21, 2009
  • 3 replies
  • 186490 views
Can I convert a Mask path into a shape path in AECS4?

I am running into a problem with resizing my layers - I am animating a signature, and part of it was done as a shape, part of it as a mask that 'reveals' a signature (someone else created the original) when I try to enlarge the whole thing, only the shape portion enlarges without artifacting (vector) the mask portion gets blocky and ugly if enlarged.
    Correct answer Mylenium
    Copy&Paste. Jeff Almasol also created a script to automate this when you need to do it en masse. Check his site redefinery.com and Adobe Exchange. Be aware, though, that parametric shape layer items like ellipse, star etc cannot be converted.

    Mylenium

    3 replies

    A
    Alx0
    New Participant
    March 8, 2019

    I found if I copy the Mask Path directly and paste it on to the Path of the shape, it will convert that mask into a shape. *Did it on AE CC 2018 but maybe it translates to other versions...

    1. Create a new empty Shape layer

    2. Use the pen tool on the Shape layer. Click once (anywhere on the comp) to add a "path" attribute on that Shape Layer.

    3. Go to your layer with the mask that you want to copy.

    4. Drill down into the mask to reveal the Mask Path (it's the attribute with the stopwatch).

    5. Copy the Mask Path directly

    6. Go back to the new Shape layer and drill down into the Contents > Shape 1 > Path > Path 1. (The inner most attribute with the stopwatch).

    7. Paste directly onto that Path attribute.

      M
      MKR91
      New Participant
      April 8, 2020

      Worked great Alx0 - thank you!

      P
      plavoie_kaffein
      New Participant
      July 1, 2015

      Hi there!

      It's been a while since this was posted, but for anyone interested, here's how I made it work:

      Copy mask path, create a new shape layer, click Add: > Path, and paste.

      Credits go to this guy: http://motionworks.net/mask_to_shapes/

      Simple but you have to know it!

      Cheers

        V
        vikaf99270627
        New Participant
        October 21, 2015

        It's amazing ! Finally, the correct answer !!!!!! Thank you so much!

          Mylenium
          MyleniumCorrect answer
          Braniac
          March 21, 2009
          Copy&Paste. Jeff Almasol also created a script to automate this when you need to do it en masse. Check his site redefinery.com and Adobe Exchange. Be aware, though, that parametric shape layer items like ellipse, star etc cannot be converted.

          Mylenium
          C
          cadadas
          New Participant
          March 18, 2010

          copy and paste does not work the way i want it.

          if i copy the mask and paste it onto a shape layer, its amask path on a shape layer - not a shape path!

          do you know what I mean?

          greetings

          seb

            R
            Rick Gerard
            Braniac
            January 5, 2012

            Thank you for the great explanation Rick

            But this still doesn't work for me:

            ... If you want to take a mask and convert it to a shape layer then all you have to do is select the mask path, copy that, then use the pen tool (keyboard shortcut g) to draw any path in the comp window. You then spin down the shape layer's Contents, drill down to Shape>Path, then select the path and paste. Your mask is now a Shape Path...

            I repeated the same steps as in my previous message, except that instead of "pick Ellipse tool and draw to create Shape Layer 2", I picked the Pen tool and created a closed triangle. The result as before was still pasted mask insted of shape in the target layer.

            However, this worked great:

            Rick Gerard wrote:

            ... set a keyframe for the mask path, select the keyframe, copy that, then go to the Shape Layer >Contents>Shape>Path>path and set a keyframe there, highlight the keyframe and paste ...

            I animated the mask, selected and copied its keys and then selected the path properties of the target in the layers and pasted - worked great. The mask was converted to shape and no keyframes were required for the target. If the target was also animated and its keyframes are on different places than the keyframes of the replacing mask (the source), then I got some interesting morphing animation created by keyframes of star and triangle paths.


            I'm glad you found you answer.

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