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Folders in After Effects timeline

Contributor ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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Timeline folders. We have them in Animate, Photoshop, Illustrator... precomps can utterly ruin your work and is NOT an alternatives to having a simple folder hierarchy - especially when dealing with shape layers or anything that requires continual rasterization.
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83 Comments
LEGEND ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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Let us group objects, groups are not nessesary to be interactive, if that's impossible for some reason, but navigating in composition is a real pain when you have 30+ layers

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LEGEND ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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I would like to be able to group layers, similarly to in Photoshop or Illustrator.

Creating small groups of objects without the need for making them into a comp first would be very helpful.

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LEGEND ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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Yeah, I'm looking for this feature too. Hope Adobe take a look at this.

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LEGEND ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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There's no reason for not adding it. We've been asking for this feature for ages and yet you chose to not listen to your user base. Why? Just... why?

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LEGEND ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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I'm suggesting this idea for years. It would be really helpful! Adobe hear us please! When you have a lot of layers project become hard to organize (keep clear) and precomps and quite drastical change which creates new comp (make project panel less organize), break all scripts etc. please give us GROUPS!

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LEGEND ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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nest layers for better GUI experience

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LEGEND ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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Yes and yes. Would be a huge + when timelines has tons of layers. Currently i use the shy button to hide layers, but having the option to select layers you want to hide, but keep in the comp, and hit ctrl G to bring them all under a single layer would be great. without losing all the blending modes.

should be a feature

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Contributor ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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Really really need this. I use shape layers a lot, and shapes can be grouped within individual shape layers, so why not in the timeline generally? Even if it had no function beyond just organising huge project a bit better. Frankly it's kinda ridiculous that they don't have this feature in AE, especially when it's in literally every other programme.

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Explorer ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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Adobe improve this features by default please!
Thanks!
https://aescripts.com/layer-groups/

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LEGEND ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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PLEASE do this, it seems like a no brainer. This would save me a huge amount of time!

It would make navigating large files much easier. Also please allow us add blending modes to these groups.

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LEGEND ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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Agreed. I think of precomps as being like smart objects in Photoshop. If I had to make a smart object every time I wanted to group things together, that would be a nightmare. Often I want to group layers while still maintaining the visual context of the larger comp. This is not possible with a precomp. The only other option is to have an endless scroll of layers. Shy guy arguably helps with this, but I have yet to find a particularly productive way to use it in my workflow.

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LEGEND ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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For sure.

Folders just like in Photoshop. Simple and would dramatically improve productivity.

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Explorer ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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YEP!
This would be a perfect match: Folder.
But over several years this is a real topic in the forum.
I think it will never be realised, it's a pity.

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New Here ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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I wish...
I cant wait to see it...
please upvote this idea maybe adobe will hear us!!

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Explorer ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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This would be SO helpful and would seem such a simple addition. Working on large timelines would be so much simpler if we could group the layers.

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New Here ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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What would be great is if you could create folders inside layer panel...so you can group together layers...and obviously name the folders etc. making it easier to work with folders rather than stacks of coloured layers.

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New Here ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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Upvote! Adobe, please!

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New Here ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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It would be great if you could make group layers work - For example I want to use a group of layers as a displacement map in my video, but I'd rather not use precompose and have to enter the precompose group and switch back and forth to edit stuff. The new master settings based on essential graphics is a good step, but it would be great if groups like dropdown folders could be added, and be made visible as a layer that can be used for displacement maps, alpha mattes and more off the bat. Also, precomposing breaks parent links if you have stuff parented and synced inside and outside a precomp, if groups worked instead that'll be much cleaner and faster.

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New Here ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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Yes please!
Pro Tools just added it. Grouping would SIGNIFICANTLY increase my workflow

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Community Beginner ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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People have been asking for this for years and years.

Why can't we have timeline folders?!

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New Here ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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Yes please!

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Explorer ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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Also have them in Cinema 4D, Cavalry, Moho...

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Community Beginner ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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Imagine you are one of the biggest providers of creative software and you don't manage to add such a basic feature in 10 years. Just Adobe things...

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New Here ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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For God sake, please add it...

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New Here ,
Sep 28, 2022 Sep 28, 2022

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I don't imagine it would be relatively hard to add in either...

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