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Import smart objects/vector shapes
Hi all,
I’ve had a quick scan in the archives, but just thought I’d check again to see if anyone’s come up with any clever workarounds yet…
I want to ideally be able to import my PSD’s into AE with as much info retained as poss. OK – I appreciate that most PS layer styles are not available, so I need to flatten those layers first. (A pain for heavily stylized text, but there you go..)
But what of smart objects? Is there anyway AE can use PS smart objects effectively? (i.e: I have a scaled smart object in a PS comp that is the size I want it for layout purposes, but that smart object is made from a MUCH bigger source layer – so can AE see that info and allow me to size up (or continuously rasterize) that obj?)
I’ve read a couple of threads on vector shape import, but it seems they don’t really translate into AE too well. It does use the masks from PS vect shapes as infinitely scalable shapes, but not the shape’s contents (it’s fill) – so if you scale up the shape the edges are soft. Likewise when making a new solid from scratch in AE – it has to be WAAAY bigger than comp size in the first place to not go soft.
Is there a way (apart from using imported .AI files) to create/import PROPER vector shapes in AE?
I saw this post from a while ago: https://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_read_post.cgi?forumid=2&postid=879109
but I can’t quite get my head around how this is beneficial? If you import as cropped layers then AE remembers the mask anyway, but they’re still not fully scalable.
Sorry for the essay, difficult to explain!
Any ideas would be ACE.
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11 Replies
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Smart objects in PSD files are not yet supported. There’s no way around that. I don’t quite understand what you mean by “proper vector shapes”. For all intents and purposes all output from compositing apps is pixel based in the first place. It’s already a not so minor feat that AE is able to maintain vector properties for Flash output or handles sound – other programs don’t care for this at all. Having said that, I don’t see why AE should have explicit vector tools. You can re-create all effects using other functions – anything from fills to strokes to patterns to cropping layers has an equivalent function or effect in AE. Not sure what more you possibly could want.
Mylenium
[Pour Myl
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I know, I’m whinging a bit – I do love AE, but there’s just a few (seemingly) simple things that are missing that would be useful. I’ve learnt quite a few tricks here on the COW after thinking it just wasn’t possible before and wondered if there were any ways round these probs!
It’s not a vector ‘output’ I’m after, just the ability to make layers bigger than they have come in when they have vector data saved in PS..
Example: I’ve designed a massive layout comp for a TVC in PShop with a client sat next to me and a certain logo or shape is say 1/2 screen size in PS…we move to AE to animate it and the client says they now want it twice the size…I have to go back to PS, find that layer and size it up, save it out and then re-import it and then apply any animation/effect properties back onto it and slot it back in to my comp..just seems a long way round, but I guess that’s the only way for now!
As for the text tools in AE – they are infinitely better than in v5.5 (what I’ve been used to before it) but there are quite a few subtlties with bevels, etc. you can’t recreate in AE, so you need to flatten any text layers which then makes editing them later on a bit ridged. You can re-edit the text back in PS I suppose, but then it renames the layer and AE then can’t find the layer!
Thanks for the reply Mylennium – I guess no app is perfect, but AE is *almost* there for me. Guess I need a direct pipeline to the developers and nag them!! 🙂
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Well, use a vector art app. like AI. Work in PS at twice the final size. Do your design work in AE. Become a print designer.
TonyTony
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Very funny.
*Production Studio Premium / *Combustion 3
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Found quite a good work around for getting vector scaling out of PS documents in AE, without having to mess with Illustrator…
If there’s a layer in a PSD comp that you later on want to scale up in AE, isolate that layer in the original PSD deleting everything except that one, save out of PShop as a PDF and then import into AE and hit continuously rasterize…It acts just like an AI layer.
*Production Studio Premium / *Combustion 3
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Finally someone thought I was funny. You must be one of the rare suffers of LCT (Low Comedy Threshold).
AI is doing the same thing its acting as a pdf in AE.TonyTony
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Everybody’s happy.
My comedy threshold is indeed far too low. I am constantly shamed on a daily basis by my incessant and unnecessary laughter.
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Currently the only treatment for LCT is constant overdoses of The Marx Brothers and Jonathan Winters. This numbs you day to day comedy reaction.
TonyTony
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Our editor is slowly curing me I think…with his Craig David/Bo Selecta impressions every five minutes. I can feel my comedy valva slowly being eased off.
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[jimmybee500] “Example: I’ve designed a massive layout comp for a TVC in PShop with a client sat next to me and a certain logo or shape is say 1/2 screen size in PS…we move to AE to animate it and the client says they now want it twice the size…I have to go back to PS, find that layer and size it up, save it out and then re-import it and then apply any animation/effect properties back onto it and slot it back in to my comp..just seems a long way round, but I guess that’s the only way for now!”
I don’t think that in this case AE is too blame. Sounds more like your workflow needs some rethinking. Except for larger layers consuming more RAM, there is no reason to not create them at larger sizes from the start. I also get the feeling that you are trying to do too much in external programs. Depending on the plugins at your disposal (both the standard ones and others you might have bought), almost any effect can be achieved inside AE. At least I myself only use PS for doing cutouts and removing blemishes (in addition to print stuff, but that’s not the issue here). All elements that I can create in AE, I create in AE and usually I create them large enough to have headroom for adjustments. With some thinking-ahead, you should be able to establish a similar scheme and from there be able to render out a PSD when you need it.
[jimmybee500] “but then it renames the layer and AE then can’t find the layer!”
That should not be a problem ever since AE 6.5, as the layers are referenced by their ID. You can also explicitely rename text layers in PS, which will override the automatic naming, so your problem effectively is none ;O)
Mylenium
[Pour Myl
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