Show or hide 3d axes and layer controls, Move a 3d layer, Rotate or orient a 3d layer – Adobe After Effects CS3 User Manual

Page 178

AFTER EFFECTS CS3

User Guide

173

Convert a 3D layer to a 2D layer

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Deselect the layer’s 3D Layer switch in the Timeline panel, or select the layer and choose Layer > 3D Layer.

Show or hide 3D axes and layer controls

3D axes are color-coded arrows: red for x, green for y, and blue for z.

•

To show or hide 3D axes, camera and light wireframe icons, layer handles, and the point of interest, choose View >
Show Layer Controls.

If the axis that you want to manipulate is difficult to see, try a different setting in the Select View Layout menu at
the bottom of the Composition panel.

•

To show or hide a set of persistent 3D reference axes, click the Grid And Guides Options button

at the bottom

of the Composition panel, and choose 3D Reference Axes.

Move a 3D layer

Select the 3D layer that you want to move.

Do one of the following:

•

In the Composition panel, use the Selection tool

to drag the arrowhead of the 3D axis layer control corre-

sponding to the axis along which you want to move the layer. Shift-drag to move the layer more quickly.

•

In the Timeline panel, modify the Position property values.

Press P to show Position.

“Modify layer properties” on page 152

“Shortcuts for 3D layers” on page 649

Rotate or orient a 3D layer

You can turn a 3D layer by changing the layer’s Orientation values or by changing its Rotation values. In both cases,
the layer turns around its anchor point. The Orientation and Rotation properties differ in how the layer moves when
you animate them.

When you animate a 3D layer’s Orientation property, the layer turns as directly as possible to reach the specified
orientation. When you animate any of a 3D layer’s X, Y, or Z Rotation properties, the layer rotates along each
individual axis according to the individual property values. In other words, Orientation values specify an angular
destination, whereas Rotation values specify an angular route. Animate Rotation properties to make a layer turn
multiple times.

Animating the Orientation property is often better for natural, smooth motion, whereas animating the Rotation
properties provides more precise control.