Draw a straight line with pen tool in After Effects

[Melanie5E1C]

I'm trying to draw a straight line with the pen tool in after effects.

I've made a shape layer, selected the pen tool, dragged a straight line that I want to draw. By default, both fill and stroke colours are enabled, with a stroke width of 6px. However, as soon as I finish dragging the line, it disappears. I can see that it has colour properties in the shape property of the layer, but it will not display on the viewer. 

If I add a vertex and make it a shape, then it displays. I want to draw a straight line. How can I do that in After Effects? 

thank you

You need to ask program questions in the forum for the program you are using
To ask in the forum for your program please start at https://community.adobe.com/
Moving from Using the Community (which is about the forums) to the correct forum... Mod

[Towerguy · Accepted solution]

Hi. With no layer(s) selected, select the pen tool and click on where you want the line to start - don't drag - then click on where you want the line to end. That should do it.

[Melanie5E1C]

Thank you. I've watched 10 you tube videos this morning and didn't notice that they weren't dragging.

[Jose Panadero]

You can not create lines "dragging" your cursor. Lines are created adding 2 vertex points, simply clicking twice your mouse button in 2 different positions, not dragging. Also, it is not necessary to have the Fill option enabled. Lines only requiere the stroke to be active.

Other ways to create lines:

- Create a solid layer (Layer > New > Solid) and add the Beam effect

- Create a solid layer (Layer > New > Solid) create a mask with the pen tool and use the Stroke Effects.

- Create a solid layer (Layer > New > Solid), add the Write On effect and animate the Brush position parameter.

There are even more ways to do it. Try to learn the basics of AE.