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Stormadv
Stormadv
Inspiring
July 2, 2021
Answered

Shortcut to select and modify mask or path point

  • July 2, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 6366 views

Hello everyone, I would like to know if there are shortcuts to be able to quickly access the modification of the points of a path or a mask path, without having to manually open the various steps of a level (SEE ATTACH IMAGE). Exist a rapid shotcut to select point?

THANK YOU FOR REPLY.

 

 

Correct answer Rick Gerard

You wanted to know how to work quickly. That is how the tool works. Sorry I did not include the feather tool in the old tutorial. If you want to modify a point, a path, a bezier handle, rotobezier tension, or any other parts of a path you can use the keyboard and the Alt/Option or Ctrl/Cmnd modifier keys to select or modify one or more of the path properties by clicking and dragging. You never have to go to the toolbar. Never. 

If you want to manipulate each of the path properties by dragging or entering values then you have to use the Create Nulls from Paths script or the extended version from AE Scripts that also attaches nulls to control handles to connect the path properties to nulls so you can manually edit the numeric properties. You could also write your own scripts, but if all you are doing is modifying and editing paths all you need is the pen tool (g), or the feather tool (g again), or the selection tool, which works much better if a specific path is selected, and the Alt/Option or Ctrl/Cmnd key and a click or a click and drag. I do it every day and I would guess, except for pointing out the toolbar when I'm teaching, I don't think I have clicked on any of the tools in about 15 years. 

2 replies

T
Toby5C93
Known Participant
September 24, 2025

The point modification and selection is the worst in After Effects - such a clunky and awkward implementation.
Digging through a massive list of layers to find a specific layer, then navigate to eg: Shape Layer / Contents / Shape 1 / Path - to move a single point is a total pain in the butt. This is a dreadful experience for the users and Adobe can do much better than this

It should work the same way as the ALL the other Adobe products, click to select a (vector) object, then double click with the selection tool to jump from object selection to point selection.... then you can move a point easily.

Any change made would key the timeline automatically based on the frame selected and where the point was moved to.

Working with these massive layer stacks making modifictions from 50,000 feet is a completely disconnected experience.
I spend more time wrestling, twirling layers endlessly trying to find the right layer and point rather than doing the actual work.

Creating Null Controllers for positional points makes it a bit easier, but the whole path editing implementation needs a massive rethink.


R
Rick Gerard
Community Expert
July 2, 2021

Select the mask tool by pressing the letter 'g' on the keyboard. Press 'g' again to change the tool to the feather tool. Holding down the Ctrl/Cmnd or Alt/Option tool will also give you other options. If the Path is selected in the timeline you can also use the selection tool (v) with and without the Alt/Option or Ctrl/Cmnd modifiers to cycle through tools, select paths, multiple points, or handles. You just have to pay attention to the cursor. Here's a quick explanation I did a very long time ago.

It's not complete, but it will get you started.

Stormadv
StormadvAuthor
Inspiring
July 2, 2021

Thank you for reply, but is not focus of my questions, read it.

R
Rick GerardCorrect answer
Community Expert
July 2, 2021

You wanted to know how to work quickly. That is how the tool works. Sorry I did not include the feather tool in the old tutorial. If you want to modify a point, a path, a bezier handle, rotobezier tension, or any other parts of a path you can use the keyboard and the Alt/Option or Ctrl/Cmnd modifier keys to select or modify one or more of the path properties by clicking and dragging. You never have to go to the toolbar. Never. 

If you want to manipulate each of the path properties by dragging or entering values then you have to use the Create Nulls from Paths script or the extended version from AE Scripts that also attaches nulls to control handles to connect the path properties to nulls so you can manually edit the numeric properties. You could also write your own scripts, but if all you are doing is modifying and editing paths all you need is the pen tool (g), or the feather tool (g again), or the selection tool, which works much better if a specific path is selected, and the Alt/Option or Ctrl/Cmnd key and a click or a click and drag. I do it every day and I would guess, except for pointing out the toolbar when I'm teaching, I don't think I have clicked on any of the tools in about 15 years. 

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