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sskaz
sskaz
Inspiring
September 19, 2024
Open for Voting

Essential Graphics panel should always switch to current comp for consistency

  • September 19, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 317 views

Description:
Currently, this is only panel that doesn’t automatically update when you switch to a different active composition. If it’s going to lock to a different target comp, there should be a lock icon like Effect Controls and Comp/Layer/Footage viewer panels.

 

Additionally, if the lock icon was added, then it should match the logic when new unlocked panels automatically open when you already have a panel of that type locked.(e.g. Lock your Effect Controls panel, switch to a different comp, and double-click on an effect’s name in the timeline. A new unlocked Effect Controls panel opens next to the previous panel.)

 

This additional panel would then give the user the ability to work with multiple EG panels at once. This could be very handy when designing multiple EG settings/mogrts that should look identical/similarily.

 

Why:
Often times, I try to add properties to the wrong EG comp, just to be greeted with an error. (It could be said that instead of an error, it should automatically switch to match the active comp…)

    1 reply

    S
    Scott.C.
    Inspiring
    May 18, 2026

    1000% this ^^^^.

    My primary EGP use cases are surfacing keyframes from pre-comps and instancing, not building MOGRTs. The current workflow creates significant friction:

    When I drag a property into the EGP, it doesn't switch to the active comp. Instead, I get a comp-selection dialog that becomes unusable in large projects with hundreds of pre-comps (e.g., imported from Figma). The list isn't searchable, so finding the right comp is painful. I have to remember to manually close the active EGP comp before dragging in new properties every time.

    I've resorted to writing a custom script button to open EGP in the current context — functionality that should be built in.

    Suggestions:

    Rather than showing a dialog when a dragged property doesn't match the current EGP comp, auto-switch to the active comp. If there's a templating reason to allow non-rendering properties, consider making auto-switch a user preference. Additionally we should be able to add properties to the current comps EGP from the Effects Control Panel instead of having to find those properties in the timeline. 

     

      sskaz
      sskazAuthor
      Inspiring
      May 19, 2026

      Your comment about writing a script to open the correct EG comp caught my eye. If you use menubar > Composition > Open in Essential Graphics, it’ll open and switch the current EG panel target to your active comp. I added a keyboard shortcut for it and have conditioned myself to always press it before trying to add controls because I’m so sick of that useless warning dialog.

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