AE rotate tool ?

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  • felizfeliz

    with a simple 2D layer in After Effects is it possible to use the rotation tool to pivot/rotate a layer at the mouse cursor rather than using the layers anchor point?

    Of course this will also alter the position of the layer, but that doesn't matter.

    i'm having to rotate layers and then re-position as best i can... i don't want to move my anchor point.

  • version30

    maybe you are having a hard time understanding why they use the term anchor point and its correlation to rotation?

  • felizfeliz0

    No, I understand it.

    but say you select 3 layers, in flash you'd be able to rotate them as a group, even though they each have their own pivot/anchor points. that's a useful feature.

    in ae i don't want to start adding null layers to do that. just wondered if there was a sub menu/option for the rotation tool, as i can't find it...

    • try parenting the other two layers to the first?locustsloth
  • harlequino0

    What locustsloth said. Adjust your anchor point however you want for one layer. Then parent the other two to the first. Rotate the main layer. Unparent the others if you need to adjust them individually after that.

  • DoTheMacarena0

    Is there any specific reason you don't want to use Nulls? They are quite useful for things of that nature... Otherwise the parenting thing should work.

  • eieio0

    i find a lot of people new to ae or used to another program like flash usually resist after effectsy things like nulls and pre-comps...its just a few extra steps and makes everything way easier but they lazy LAY Z

    • its not about resisting, its about adapting to something new, we've all went through it one way or anotherMeeklo
  • Meeklo0

    I know 4 different ways to do what you need to do.

    1) Null objects

    2) Select 1 of the 3 layers and make that the parent, then every change performed on this layer will affect the other 2.

    3) Select all 3 layers, and apply the rotation change to 1 layer, if all 3 are selected then most likely it will apply the same change to the other 2 (this method is not very reliable)

    4) Pre Comps (I like this one better myself) select all 3 layers, make a precomp and now you can apply the change to all 3, on a single layer, this method will keep your main comp organized and easier to understand once you reach layer number 45 you will love this. You may also do 3D layers inside the precomp and still being able to see it as 3D if you click the little "collapse transformation" box, next to the "hide layer" box.

    to put it in context for you:
    This last method, is like having the layer folders in flash 's timeline, but way better since you dont need to open it to apply changes, is like the folder has it's own keyframes that work just like any other layer.

    here is a pissed off guy explaining the basics of this last method

  • fyoucher10

    You can't (at least I've never had any luck), I've tried doing the same thing many times. The workarounds are mentioned above, easiest way being parent/unparent off of a null object. (He's basically looking to be able to temporarily group multiple objects by simply selecting them at once, create a temporary anchor point for the group, and then change the rotation property of each object simultaneously but as a group...and when he deselects things it'll apply the adjustments per item but never change each objects anchor point.). It's weird how you can do this in Flash, Photoshop, and Illustrator but not in AE.

  • Meeklo0

    ^
    I must not understand what he wants to do, but reading what you said, it will be as simple as using method number 3

    every layer has different anchors points, but if you select all 3, and then rotate the first one, all 3 will react to this change.

    You could also copy paste keyframes from one layer to another

    • unless I'm still not understanding?Meeklo
    • Yeh, it's different from what you're saying. He's basically trying to temporarily group.fyoucher1
    • ...without pre-comping or parenting. It's a real quick way of the workarounds mentioned above that can be done in Flash.fyoucher1
    • but there is no parenting or precomps on method 3, just select multiple layersMeeklo
    • Yeah, but he wants to set a temporary anchor point for the group selection as a whole...fyoucher1