Cant align the text to the center

[Kevin Camp]

the align tools are used to align multiple layers in various ways, and thus need to have more than one layer selected… they would be used to say, align the centers of two or more layers, or to evenly distribute several layers.

as far as the text issue, you may have some spaces or tabs or possibly a text animation preset that is preventing the text alignment from looking correct.

try selecting the text tool, then selecting the alignment you want and then type a new line and see if that works any better.

Kevin Camp
Senior Designer
KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW

[Petr Berger]

Thanks for help. When I create a new text layer, select the alignment and then type… it works. But what if I want to align text that has been already created? When I select text tool and then click somewhere in the composition panel and type something… i cant then align text created like this.

[Kevin Camp]

yes, you should be able to change the text alignment of a text layer by selecting the layer and then changing the alignment in the paragraph panel, just as you would in photoshop.

but, that sounded like it wasn’t working for that text layer you had, so there is something else going on with that text layer. without knowing more about that text layer (inadvertent spaces/tabs, copy pasted from something else or text animation preset applied), i’d just re-create it.

Kevin Camp
Senior Designer
KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW

[Petr Berger]

Unfortunately, it doesnt work with any layer I try to create.

[Petr Berger]

It seem the anchort point is the place when I click and start typing. So there is no way to center this anchor point? I just want to select the text and center it.

[Kevin Camp]

yep, it sounds like it is working properly.

where you click when you start typing is the point where the anchoring for the alignment is set. you could then reposition the text by dragging the layer or hitting ‘p’ on the key board to reveal the position properties and entering values that way.

you can also click-drag a bounding box rather than just clicking and typing. then all alignments are relative to the bounding box.

the tool works pretty much like the text tool in photoshop or illustrator, but differently that a word processor/text editor…

Kevin Camp
Senior Designer
KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW

[Steve Roberts]

1. Select the center alignment in the text window to center the text on its anchor point.
2. With the text layer selected, select layer>transform>center in view or press cmd+home (ctrl+home on Win) to move the AP to the middle of the comp.

You wanted it centered in the comp, no?

[Petr Berger]

Yes! CTRL + HOME works! 🙂 Thanks!

[Todd Kopriva]

BTW, in After Effects CS5, the Align panel controls have been improved so that you can align a single layer to characteristics of the composition frame, like the center and edges.

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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
Technical Support for professional video software
After Effects Help & Support
Premiere Pro Help & Support
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[Brian Riddle]

I know this an old thread but I was having the same problem. But I found a quick fix using hot keys. With the text layer selected hit option-command-home then hit command-home. This will center the anchor point then center the text. Maybe you already know this by now but just thought I would share!

Thanks