Impossible to fix a reversed path on a morph without using Illustrator

[theryzor]

Goal:

Set up two keyframes, containing two separate font weights. Morph between them seamlessly.

Workflow:

1. Set up the outlined typography in Illustrator in separate layers. 

2. Import into After Effects.

3. Create Shape Layers from Vector Layers.

4. Make keyframes for all paths.

5. Paste the paths from one layer to the paths of another layer in the form of keyframes.

6. Fix with "Set First Vertex" on each problem path to make sure the interpretation of the path at each keyframe starts at the same point.

Problem:

Sometimes even if the first vertex is correct, the path is reversed on one keyframe, leading to what you see here:

Unsatisfactory attempts to solve:

• I've tried Reversing the Path Direction in AE. It seems to reverse both keyframes, so the issue (relation between the two keyframes) persists. This would work if it reversed the direction on only one keyframe.

• I've tried scripts I've found online, with one keyframe selected:

  • Only works on mask paths? https://aescripts.com/reversemaskpath/
  • Doesn't really do anything: https://payhip.com/b/1o8I3?fbclid=IwAR0LZRwq5mIPkxOvOjv_FjHC-zmHnSKYIhWfC8EN5cMbuHdtBmamf7_l_w0

• I've tried cutting the letter out of AE, pasting in Illustrator, reversing the path, pasting that into After Effects, and trying to reposition it back to its original place. This works, but it is cumbersome and imprecise, as there is not guide-snapping in After Effects or any possible way of getting the vector to exactly where it was before.

Requested solution:

A native button that allows one to reverse the path direction a path on one specific keyframe, so as to fix incompatible morphs without having to leave AE.

This is a problem I experience very often, and it feels like a fairly straightforward ask to build support for natively.

[Rick Gerard]

If you want to morph between AI shapes, I find this workflow much more effective and predictable:

Another of my Tutorials on the workflow with a slightly different description of the same idea:

The problem with converting two vector layers to paths and then animating between the paths is that any change in the number of vertices or the order or direction of the path will foul up the transition. 

[Mylenium]

The Nab scripts are old and from a time when AE barely even had shape layers. It could likely easily be updated to also work on shape layers and further expanded to also honor your keyframe dilemma.

Mylenium

[theryzor · Accepted solution]

@Mylenium I wish I was proficient in AE scripting in order to do that. In the meantime since posting this, I've found this script, which seems to be solving the problem to my liking so far. 
https://github.com/conigs/ae-scriptlets/blob/main/ReversePathShapeSelected.jsx
Still think this should be a native feature!