Opening and navigating nested compositions, Opening and navigating, Nested compositions – Adobe After Effects CS4 User Manual
Page 68: Added composition mini-flowchart. see, Opening and, Navigating nested compositions
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USING AFTER EFFECTS CS4
Projects and compositions
Last updated 12/21/2009
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Select one of the following:
Leave All Attributes In
Leaves the properties and keyframes of the precomposed layer in the original composition,
applied to the new layer that represents the precomposition. The frame size of the new composition is the same as the
size of the selected layer. This option is not available when you select more than one layer, a text layer, or a shape layer.
Move All Attributes Into The New Composition
Moves the properties and keyframes of the precomposed layers one
level further from the root composition in the composition hierarchy. When you use this option, changes you applied
to the properties of the layers remain with the individual layers within the precomposition. The frame size of the new
composition is the same as the frame size of the original composition.
that precomposes selected layers to the duration of the selected
layers, with options for head and tail durations for more editing flexibility.
More Help topics
About precomposing and nesting
Opening and navigating nested compositions
Nested compositions are sometimes referred to as being upstream of the compositions that contain them, and the
containing compositions are said to be downstream of the nested compositions that they contain. The root composition
is the most downstream; the most deeply nested composition is the most upstream. A composition flow path is a chain
of compositions that are related to one another by containing or being nested within one another. A composition
network is the entire set of compositions that are related to one another through nesting.
After Effects provides several ways to open a nested composition (precomposition):
•
Double-click the composition entry in the Project panel.
•
Double-click a precomposition layer in the Timeline panel. Alt-double-click (Windows) or Option-double-click
(Mac OS) to open the precomposition layer as a layer in the Layer panel.
•
To open the most recently active composition in the same composition network as the currently active
composition, press Shift+Esc.
•
Use the Composition Navigator.
•
Use the Composition Mini-Flowchart.
The Composition Navigator
The Composition Navigator is a bar along the top edge of the Composition panel that shows the composition active
in that viewer in relation to other compositions in the same composition network. The compositions shown are the
most recently active compositions in the flow path of the currently active composition.
A. Active (current) composition B. Arrow for opening Composition Mini-Flowchart C. Panel menu button D. Ellipsis
A
B
C D
upstream
downstream