Convert shape path to mask path

[Darby Edelen]

[Todd Kopriva] “t sounds like you’re seeing the result of leaving the default fill on the shape. You can turn the fill off or delete it to just see the shape’s stroke. Then, when you animate Trim Paths, you see something more like a write-on effect.”

You are correct. I guess I was just excited at the prospect of animating text in without having to draw a mask in manually for the Stroke effect. I suppose if I want fills on my text I’ll have to stick to my archaic methods =)

Darby Edelen
DVD Menu Artist
Left Coast Digital
Aptos, CA

[Todd Kopriva]

Jeff Almasol has posted a script that converts paths on a shape layer to masks.

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Todd Kopriva, technical editor, Adobe Systems Incorporated

putting the ‘T’ back in ‘RTFM’ : After Effects Help on the Web
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[Ben Utzerdame]

But how exactly can I convert a mask path to a shape path?
If I copy the mask path and paste it onto a shape layer, its a mask for a shape layer. but i want it to be a “normal” path! you know what i mean?

[Todd Kopriva]

> But how exactly can I convert a mask path to a shape path?
If I copy the mask path and paste it onto a shape layer, its a mask for a shape layer.

You must select the path property before pasting.

> but i want it to be a “normal” path! you know what i mean?

What do you mean by a “normal” path? A path is either a path for a mask, a path for a shape, a path for a paint stroke…

Just select the path property that you want to copy; then copy; then select the path property into which you want to paste; then paste.

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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
putting the ‘T’ back in ‘RTFM’ : After Effects Help on the Web
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