User Guide

349
ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS 5.0
User Guide
When you precompose, one or more layers that you select move into a new composition.
This new composition takes the place of the selected layers—something that does not
occur in ordinary nesting. Precomposing also places the new composition in the Project
window, available for use in any composition.
When you precompose only one layer, you can transfer the keyframes, masks, effects, and
transform properties from the original layer to the new layer. You can also choose to keep
the keyframes and properties with the original layer while it moves one rendering step
further from the main composition. When you precompose more than one layer, the
keyframes and properties stay with the original layers.
After Effects offers two options for working with layer properties and keyframes during
precomposing:
Leave All Attributes In (selected composition) Leaves the selected layer properties and
keyframes in the original composition. The frame size of the new composition is the same
as that of the selected layer. Select this option when you do not need to change the render-
ing order, such as when you precompose layers only to simplify or reuse a composition,
not to change the rendering order of layer properties. This option is not available when
you select more than one layer.
Note: After you precompose using the Leave All Attributes In option, changes you applied to
the properties of the original layer are still applied to that layer in the original composition.
Move All Attributes into the New Composition Moves the properties and keyframes of one
or more selected layers one level further from the main composition in the composition
hierarchy. The frame size of the new composition is the same as that of the original compo-
sition. Choose this option when you want to change the rendering order in the selected
layers, such as when you want to rotate a layer but not its drop shadow. See “Creating
animations by nesting compositions” on page 345.
To precompose one or more layers:
1 In the Timeline window containing the layers you want to precompose, select the layers.
2 Choose Layer > Pre-compose.
3 Select a method for handling layer properties and keyframes (either Leave All Attributes
In or Move All Attributes into the New Composition), and then click OK.
UG.book Page 349 Wednesday, February 21, 2001 12:05 PM