"Geometry options > Extrude" does not show up on imported AI file

[neals98398989]

Hey i do not have the option to extrude this path i have imported in from Illustrator. I have followed many step by step tutorials on how to use illustrator paths in after effects but i cannot progress past the point of "extrude" becuase that option does not show up. I can even edit the path in after effects so i know it is not a bitmap image it is a vector path. Why cant i extrude them?

[Dave_LaRonde]

First thing to check: make sure the Illustrator file is RGB and NOT CMYK.  Change it to RGB if necessary.

That one simple thing is the cause of many woes.

[neals98398989]

i changed it to RGB resaved under a different file name and i still dont get the option to "extrude" under geometry. I even made a completely new file in illustrator with random shapes, and there is still no option to "extrude"

[ILJI]

Did you do these two steps?

1. Enable the 3D checkbox for the layer

2. Switch to the CINEMA 4D Renderer in the comp settings

[Rick Gerard]

If geometry options do not show up then you are in the wrong rendering mode. You have to switch to C4D rendering or if you are a glutton for punishment, Ray-traced rendering.

If the geometry options do not include Extrude then you are looking at pixels instead of vectors. It is entirely possible for an Illustrator layer to come in as pixels if you have added raster effects to the layer in AI. Things like drop shadow, blur, and a bunch of other effects are rasterized when the file is imported into AE and the layer is converted to pixels without any warning or notification. You can quickly check this by making sure that the Continuously Rasterize switch is on and then scale up or move the camera closer to the layer. If the edges go soft then the AI layer contains raster effects and has been turned into pixels. If the layer is pixels the only option is to bend the layer.

Just in case you don't know, you can always find the material and geometry properties of a layer by selecting the layer and pressing the A key twice. Any rendering engine you select in the Composition Settings other than Classic will show up in the top right corner of the Active Camera view in the Composition Panel.

[John Dzwonar5FAE]

Sir it is BAFFLEING how deep I had to go to have somone use thier brain and suggest this to me. Very frustrating that no one on ANY of the tutorials is adding thsi step to their instruction. INSANE. Anyways thank you for having a brain lol. 

[YoshBear]

I am having the same problem. The imported AI file is RGB, 3D box checked, render mode is C4D, continuous raster is on and Extrude still does not show up as an option.

[angie_taylor]

Tray going to Layer > Convert To Shape Layer. Then do the same process on the new Shape layer. Does this work?

[YoshBear]

That worked for me. Thanks. The path was Layer/Create/Create Shapes from Vector.

[angie_taylor]

Glad it helped. Can you please mark the answer as “correct” to help others who experience the same issue. Thanks 🙂

[Jean GLENAT]

You can only extrude shapes and text.

Which means that your Illustrator layer must be converted to shape layer (Layer/create shapes from layer).

[Jean GLENAT]

Oups… "Create shapes from vector" !

[defaultxtnyp286f668]

I have the same issue.  My Create Shapes from Vector option is greyed out so this solution will not work.  Are there any other solutions that get the extrude option to show up under geometry?

[charlottesamady]

Did you find a solution to this? I'm having the same issue at the moment.