-
Updating an Existing PreComp?
I have a PreComp I’ve created… but I want add to it and change something in this Precomp and save it as a new one without affecting the original. Is it as simple as just SAVE AS or…? Is this possible or do I need to proceed differently? Didn’t want to make any changes to my original precomp til I was sure… MANY THANKS!!
-
4 Replies
-
Are you talking about an After Effects project file or a composition within a project file?
You can duplicate compositions in the Project Bin, which will create a new, completely unique composition based on the original. Select your compositions in the Project bin and select Edit > Duplicate … or … Edit > Copy, then, Edit > Paste.
One thing to keep in mind however, if you duplicate a composition it will only duplicate one “level” deep. So any any secondary precomps that were nested within the selected composition will not duplicate as well. And this new, duplicate composition will be referencing the original secondary precomps.
However if you want to make a new After Effects project file based on the current one, using the Save As function will do so.
Does that answer your question?
Philip. Bowser
-
I think so… What I have is an After Effects file… A deer running PreComp. I want to keep that look and add the deer halting and bucking without changing the original deer run which is already used in the beginning of my animation. So SAVE AS may be okay and it won’t change the original?
-
[Gerald Hapeman] “So SAVE AS may be okay and it won’t change the original?”
Save As will create an entirely new .AEP file, completely separate and distinct from the original.
As Philip noted, you can simply duplicate your pre-comp within your existing file.
While we’re talking saves, Save Incremental adds a version number to the end of your file name, and goes one version up every time you use it. It’s a good habit to get into using Save Incremental often instead of just using Save every time, as it gives you a way to go back to old work if you need to.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
In the project panel you would duplicate the precomp and rename. For complicated animations, with precomps within precomps when you need to make duplicates—check out True Comp Duplicator
Johnny Cuevas, Editor
Thinkck.com“I have not failed 700 times. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”
—THOMAS EDISON on inventing the light bulb.
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up