How to break out the direction lines of an anchor point in After Effects?

[Andre27jm7]

I know how to break out the direction lines of an anchor point in Photoshop and Illustrator with Shift and Alt but Shift is not working with After Effects and Alt break the direction on both sides of the line and I lose the curve in the other side.

[angie_taylor]

Hold down the Alt key when you have the pen tool selected to toggle to the Convert Vertex Tool. If you have the selection tool active use Coomand/Control + Alt

hope this helps

Angie Taylor

[Andre27jm7]

Thanks Angie. But I tried that and stills make the other curve go away.

[angie_taylor]

Can you and me a screen shot of what you're trying to do?

[angie_taylor]

Usually you click and drag using the Convert Vertex Tool to pull out the handles. Then switch to the selection tool to adjust the handles. If you want to bereak the direction of the handles click again once on the handle then back to the selection tool to adjust

[Andre27jm7]

Thank Your for helping me. I was being a pain in the ass but wasnt really getting it. But still thanks ❤️

[Roei Tzoref]

so what was the trouble eventually?

[Andre27jm7]

Is just clicking the anchor point and that the curve of the first line stays the same

[Andre27jm7]

If I press Alt it makes the line completly straight

[Roei Tzoref]

you should click on the circle at the end of the vertex, not the vertex itself

[Andre27jm7]

Nothing happens! I dont know why is not working...

[Roei Tzoref · Accepted solution]

watch our very own Rick Gerard​'s tutorial

on 1:55 - how to break a handle.

[Andre27jm7]

GRACIAS! THANK YOU!

[Roei Tzoref]

you probably mean break the bezier curves of a motion path, correct?

you can activate the convert vertex tool and us it on the handle

either of these will do:

• manually by picking the tool from the tools menu
• if you set the preferences to not toggle between mask and feather tool, by using the G shortcut a few times.
• with the pen tool active press Alt (on Windows) and click and release.
• with the selection tool active press Ctrl+Alt (on Windows) and click on the handle and release

[Andre27jm7]

Yeah, I meant that. Sorry, english is not my original language... And I tried everything you said and still it makes the other curve go away

[angie_taylor]

Have you tried clicking and dragging the handle with no keys held down? Just the selection tool?

[kjpociask]

On a Mac, it's Option + Shift + Click to cause the bezier levers to control each side independently.