“Create Shape from Vector Layer” causes AI file to disappear

[Mike Mackenzie]

Yes, apps & OS are all up to date.

[Dan Fredley]

Try uploading your AI file so I can take a look.

But you can also do it the old fashioned way:

Enable AICB in illustrator, choosing how you want to copy (I usually choose “Preserve Paths”)
Then select the paths and copy them.
Then paste them onto a solid as masks.
Then use this script to convert the masks to shapes:

https://www.redefinery.com/ae/view.php?item=rd_MasksToShapes

Since you say you only have two, you can also manually create a shape layer, manually add a path. Copy/paste one path from illustrator onto the path in AE. Then create another shape path in AE and copy/paste the second AI path to the second AE shape path. Group each separately and add a fill or stroke as needed.

Dan Fredley

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

It’s worth to check if you have an artboard set up in AI. If you have one, then remove it before importing into AE.

HTH
RoRK

Intensive AE & Mocha Training in Singapore and Malaysia
Adobe ACE/ACI (version 7) & Imagineer Systems Inc Approved Mocha Trainer

[Mike Mackenzie]

I think that was it. I created the illustration using AI’s 1080 hdtv template and had the problem. It just happened again, so I copied everything and pasted it into a new generic AI document and the problem was solved.

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[Cory Caplan]

I just wanted to add a postscript here if anybody googles this problem and winds up here–

The issue is if there are more than one artboard, or the artboard does not encompass all of the layers… The “HDTV 1080” preset on Illustrator CS6 seems to have TWO artboards for some reason. Remove one, leaving only the correct artboard, (#1) and then everything seems to work ok. Make sure all of your layers and objects are within the artboard.

Thanks for giving me enough pieces of the puzzle to figure it out guys!

[Jonathon Thompson]

i used the same template and i do not believe i have two art boards? by default its set to one isn’t it?

also the text that i created gives me this error when i try to vector shape it in AE. (26 :: o)

im fully up to date as well.

[Andy Engelkemier]

Thanks for the update. That was my problem.
I don’t get it though. I create a new file and it says “number of artboards: 1”, i’m using the 720 template.
Hit OK.
How many artboards do I have? 2!?!?

Anyway, I deleted the giant artboard, deleted my old shapes, reloaded footage after saving, converted again and they are magically in the correct position. It’s a little annoying I have to convert each layer 1 at a time, but it’s better than having to copy and paste.

Thanks so much for the post. Google Did find the answer I was looking for because of it.

[John Aden]

I had the same problem with importing text from Illustrator. I could not get it to Create Shapes from Vector Layer in After Effects. I think I may have found a solution.

In Illustrator, select the text and try Object-Expand. Import the Ai file into After Effects. If you have more than one layer, you will have to repeat for each layer. Then bring it into the comp and try to Create Shapes from Vector Layer. You should then be able to convert the newly created layer to a 3D layer and extrude it (under Geometry Options). Make sure the Renderer is set to Ray-traced 3D.

Glad I found this thread because I had problems with all of the other issues, too.

[Cameron Harrison]

I’m having a very similar issue, but the solution here doesn’t seem to apply to me. As far as I can tell I have only one artboard in my ai file.

I bring that file into AE, make the shape layer, and it vanishes, leaving only the wire frame. This only happens in Ray-traced 3D though (I’m trying to extrude the image). When I turn it back to classic 3D, the image appears! Or if the image is in 2D in Ray-traced it works fine.

I have another ai image that works just fine in Ray-traced. So I even tried pasting the image which isn’t working onto that artboard, and saving that file. But it still won’t work! What am I doing wrong?

[Jovan Mikonjic]

I had this issue in CSS. The new shape layer hasn’t disappeared it was displaced. If you zoom out all the way in the preview window you will probably see it in the up right corner some 15000 pixels away from the comp center.
For some reason the new shape layer gets a new anchor point from the .ai file.
You can bring it back to the comp center and reposition the anchor manualy or using reposition anchor point script (if you have many layers to convert 🙂