Pre-Composed layers problem

[Mylenium]

Hi everybody, I hope someone out there can be of some help.

Basically what is going on is I have created a nice complex animation with a blue gem, the animation consisted of about 10 parts so I pre-composed them and named it accordingly. I wanted to then duplicate the pre-comp and move it to a different location and change the color of the gem to red

The problem is when i open the copied composition and change the color, the same edit is being applied to the original composition. I was hoping I would be able to easily copy the pre-comp and edit the colors but maybe im missing something, i dont understand why its also editing the original pre-comped layers as if they are linked

Am I missing something?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Huh? You need to duplicate the comp in the project window, not on the timeline. A duplicate in the timeline is still the same identical reference to the original comp in the project. You cannot edit it independently.

Mylenium

[polygun]

Huh?

I asked because I didnt know, hense the reason for posting the thread. Not sure why that is so confusing, but thanks for the help

[suztv]

Don't mind him - he usually stays up too late and drinks a lot of coffee - at least though he answered your question. ;)

[Mylenium]

Don't mind him - he usually stays up too late and drinks a lot of coffee - at least though he answered your question. ;)

Whoa, absolutely not. Just the other way around. I get up early at 5.30 here in Germany when you across the pond are still making indentations in you pillows. ;) My coffe consumption is also very low with only 2 cups a day.

Anyway, I'd appreciate if you stayed away from making comments on my personality in the future. It only taints your so far positive impression.

Mylenium

[polygun]

at least though he answered your question. ;)

True :) Next time I'll find the answer to my question THEN post the thread asking the question, that way there'll be no more confusion :D

[Mylenium]

True :) Next time I'll find the answer to my question THEN post the thread asking the question, that way there'll be no more confusion :D

You're missing the point. I was merely baffled at how easily one could miss something so obvious in your initial question when it's explained in the docs. Don't get me wrong, I'm doing some stuff in AE almost every day and it just struck me as odd how understanding the difference between the timeline and the project window could be unclear.

Mylenium

[beenyweenies]

I doubt that most people realize certain problems or issues they encounter would even be addressed in the docs, much less know what they should be looking for within the docs to get the specific help they need.

My feeling is that these forums are here to assist users, novice and pro alike, and anyone who is irritated, incredulous or otherwise baffled by basic questions will find these forums annoying and probably should not bother with them. Otherwise, they risk turning the forum into a wasteland since no one is willing to subject themselves to humiliation just because they dared to post a question.

If everyone used the docs/manual every time they had an issue, CGsociety likely would not exist. Nor would Creative Cow or any other forums for that matter.

[Mylenium]

I doubt that most people realize certain problems or issues they encounter would even be addressed in the docs, much less know what they should be looking for within the docs to get the specific help they need.

Nope, sorry, I disagree. A forum cannot act as a replacement for the documentation provided with a program. Remember our friend Kyo007 who doesn't even bother with remotely considering the manual? And doesn't it put you off to see his uber-basic questions popping up here, yet he starts every thread with a thumbs-down icon because he seems to think AE is a piece of crap to begin with? I've never seen you defend him, regardless whether I fired my RTFMs at him.

So for what it's worth: I don't believe your statment. Even you expect some co-operation and active participation on the part of whoever may be asking a question.

I'll admit that the AE docs are far from perfect, but nonetheless I don't think it is too much too ask a person who has spent money on the program to look at them and learn some basic principles of its inner workings, even more so if the person is already an active user of another CG program and should be able to draw parallels from his own experience. I doubt polygun would instance a motion clip in MAX' track mixer and assume it was in any way independant from the underlying original motion...

Mylenium

[dwigfor]

To get the discussion back on track...

If, for instance, you have a precomp that has keyframes on it, and you want to change something inside of it:

1) Duplicate the precomp on the timeline
2) Duplicate the precomp in the project window
3) Select new precomp in timeline and in project window. Hold alt and drag from project window onto item in timeline.

Now all your keyframes transferred from the original onto the duplicate.

[polygun]

I doubt polygun would instance a motion clip in MAX' track mixer and assume it was in any way independant from the underlying original motion...

Mylenium

firstly, i tried searching the AE docs numerous times, and i did not find an answer to my question before i posted my seemingly stupid question, not only that I searched here on cgtalk for answer before posting. I dont make a habit out of wasting peoples time with information I can easily find myself, which is evident by the complete lack of 3dsmax questions ive posted. yes?


Dont worry though, i'll never ever post another AE question here again. Sorry for wasting your precious time.

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