• Adobe After Effects

  Collapse transformations, vector text, and Z space frustration

  Posted by Sean Siegler on March 2, 2009 at 11:37 pm

  Ok. This is an issue I have run into before.

  In my main comp we have an actor and we have a screen/panel with text on it.
  The screen and text (vector) are a nested comp.
  The nested comp is a 3D layer (as are all the layers within the nested comp) and because it has some vector text and shapes which I need to stay sharp and scalable, it is also has collapse transformations turned on.
  So far so good.

  The issue I am running into is that I would like to be able to have some of the text (in the nested comp) move forward in Z space, while it is being talked about. However, with collapse transformations on, the text moves in z-space relative to the camera in the main, top-level comp, and doesn’t stay centered relative to the background screen it is on (ie, it moves off to the right and forward).

  Is there any way to have the text move forward in z-space relative to it’s own background and not move relative to the camera in the main comp?

  Does this make sense the way I am wording it?

  Once again this makes me wonder why collapse transformations is the same switch as that for keeping things vector.

  Sean Siegler replied 17 years, 2 months ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  Roland R. kahlenberg

  March 3, 2009 at 3:13 am

  [Sean Siegler] “Once again this makes me wonder why collapse transformations is the same switch as that for keeping things vector.”

  It’s Continuously Rasterize for Vector LAYERS and Collapse Transformations for all other layer types and ALSO for vector LAYERs that are nested as a comp, either singly or together with other layers.

  I would try to solve this issue by making the movements in the pre-comp and making the scaling action there. If the size and positioning of the nested composition is looking great in its own composition then you won’t need to Collapse Transformations in the ‘final comp’ and your 3D geometry will look right without much tweking.

  HTH
  RoRK

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• 

  Sean Siegler

  March 5, 2009 at 1:28 am

  Thanks for the advice but that’s not going to cut it.
  Essentially, I am in a position where I am going to have to have “collapse transformation/continue rasterize” on.
  In this case, that is just how it is going to have to be.

  I was just really hoping there was some way to keep things acting and looking the way they do in z-space inside the nested comp, when up one level in my main comp.

  I’m fairly sure there is no way to achieve this, but I figured if anyone knew, this would be the place for the answer!

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