Toggling Layer controls turns OFF mask visibility in 2018

[tristansummers]

Hello friends

Is this a BUG? Is it fixable?

I have mask visibility turned on.

I shift Contrapple G to turn off LAyer controls.

I repeat and they come back on.

All good so far.

BUT

if I do something else, then turn them on again, masks are no longer visible.

I have to click dangerously on the comp, Alt ContrAppleU to get view options then turn masks on again.

Any idea why AFTER EFFECTS is turning off my mask visibility behind my back?

Tris

(Please don't ask me why I want to turn masks on and off??! I know I could have multiple views, or Mercury Preview as  workaround, but I would like toggling to work again and wondering if I am missing a new keyboard shortcut or something.)

[P.M.B]

I feel kind of dumb asking this but what are "layer controls"?  And at the end you say you're trying to toggle your masks on and off.   So your saying masks and "layer controls" are the same thing?  Your post is very confusing...the clever use of the word "ContrAplle" doesn't help.  Maybe that's why I don;t what "Layer Controls" are?  Is that another made up word?

[Rick Gerard]

Hiding layer controls is Shift + Ctrl/Cmnd + h.

I don't know what shift Contrapple G means. If it is shift + Control + command (or option) + g then that is not a shortcut.

I also don't know what click dangerously on the comp to turn on and off mask visibility means because the switch is at the bottom of the composition panel and is not in an area that can be used to select a layer or move anything. If a layer with a mask is selected you will see the mask path, but if a layer without a mask is not selected you will not see a mask path. This is normal.

I find no bug or change in behavior and have never seen one reported. I don't know what you mean by "Alt ContrAppleU to get view options" because view options are accessible at any time from the Menu.

Please explain exactly what keys you are using, check the keyboard shortcut documentation to see what you should be using and let us know what you find.

I turn Mask visibility all the time and turn on and off layer controls. Probably did it 10 times in the last hour. Never had a problem.

[P.M.B]

So "toggle mask & shape path visibility" & "layer controls" are synonymous?  The mask & shape vis.  seems to be the only thing affected by toggling "layer controls"

[P.M.B]

I really wish AE "User Guide"  had a section that simply went through the menu's in a linear fashion and explained each item.

Seems like a no brainer....then again we're talking about....never mind.

Anyway if such thing or any explanation of the Layer Controls item in the View Menu exists I cannot find it.

[P.M.B]

tristansummers  wrote

Hello friends

BUT

if I do something else, then turn them on again, masks are no longer visible.

"If you do something else"?   What does that mean?   Is it going for a glass of water?  Checking Twitter?

As that seems to be the determining factor in your issue you might consider being a little more specific about it.

[tristansummers]

Wow.

I just knew I could rely on you guys.

Ok.

I will spell if out, and clarify.

Mistake 1

I meant shift apple H

Or shift control H on a real computer

But seeing as I was talking about the keyboard shortcut, I guessed you'd get the gist, apologies.

Contrapple might have been funnier if I'd got the H right. i still get confused by pc/Mac differences, since sole stopped making useful machines and i had to go ambidextrous.

Click dangerously means that to use the crrl alt U shortcut to get view options i need to make the comp window active. RG is right though I could use the tiny button do down instead.

If I've of you would use appleAltU to get view options you see a show masks check box.

I have this on.

Previous to 2018, whatever the keyboard shortcut is that turns off the visibility of everything in the Comp window, masks, layer edges, motion paths etc, remembered these settings.

Now if you do any work at all, toggling them back on for some reason turns off mask visibility.

It's a bug.

[P.M.B]

tristansummers  wrote

whatever the keyboard shortcut is that turns off the visibility of everything in the Comp window, masks, layer edges, motion paths etc, remembered these settings.

Now if you do any work at all, toggling them back on for some reason turns off mask visibility.

Well, you continue to be ambiguous for some reason but here's what I can tell you.

Assuming your talking about the shortcut Shift+Ctrl/Cmd+H...I try to reproduce your described workflow.

I select a bunch of layers (path, masks, bounding boxes, etc..)

I use the shortcut that you can't remember to toggle everything off and on a few time finally leaving them OFF.

I "do anything" by dragging my CTI back and forth a few times.

I then hit Shift+Ctrl/Cmd+H to toggle everything back on.

Everything works fine.  No bug.

I went further... I created a new comp added a shape layer and animated it, went back

Everything works fine.  No bug.

So there goes your theory that doing "any work at all" breaks the function.

I suggest you start being specific & stop wasting people's time trying to be clever and funny and ambiguous.

Or else just go file a bug report.

Feature Request/Bug Report Form

[Rick Gerard]

I can't reproduce it. I see no changes. Using OSX 10.13.2 and the latest CC 2018.

In the view options panel, view masks is a subset of layer controls. Layer controls must be on to view mask paths.

The \ key will toggle between the timeline and composition panels for the current comp. No need to click, just \ then Alt/Option + Ctrl/Cmnd + u to bring up View Options. If view masks is turned on and layer controls are turned on and you select a layer with a mask the path will show up.

If you can reproduce this bug and your AE version is up to date, your OS and System meet the minimum system requirements, then file a bug and be very specific about the steps you have to go through to reproduce the unexpected behavior. I can find nothing at all that is unusual in the way AE is responding to my inputs.

[tristansummers]

Hey, has anyone else noticed that masks keep turning themselves off when you toggle visibility of things off and on with a keyboard shortcut?

Is there more than one shortcut for hiding all the extra stuff in the comp window?

(Not specifics like grids (also broken at high density at the moment), safety cages etc.)

Are they not called Layer Controls? What are they called then?

Could shift apple H be confused? Oh Tris you could be turning just masks off with this other shortcut we put in a few years ago. The view options pop up has check boxes in and the mask visibility one turns itself off now because we thought that is what most people wanted when they turned everything off and on again... Etc.

Is that tristan asking stupid questions again? I'll give him what for!

We have not had this problem ourselves, or have heard of anyone else having it, but tell you what, I'll try it once, and if I don't get it then you must just be making it up, sounds fair enough.

I really do thank you all for taking the time to stop and think about this. I am sure it isn't just me, and hopefully others will corroborate shortly.

  Thanks for understanding what I thought the thread title might have hinted at. You are all very fortunate not to have noticed this so far, as it's driving me mad.

Perhaps try doing something else and it may appear.

Or maybe leave it for somebody who has been victim to this to answer!

If you toggle it back on immediately, masks are still on, but if you actually continue working rather than just scrubbing a little, I'm not being vague, it is just no matter what I do, when I need to toggle back on again, masks are often, hell maybe not even every time, but often turned off.

I figured there would be other professionals out there who had used this pretty useful every day shortcut and had the same experience.

I've been working on macs a lot recently so maybe it's a Mac thing and you are lucky enough not to have to work on one.

Maybe there is another shortcut that just turns off mask visibility that I am somehow hitting by mistake.

Have you noticed how G is next to H, quite an easy typo.

Have you considered muscle memory, formed over decades so that maybe the exact keys used aren't in my mind?

Or perhaps growing tired of always writing Mac and PC shortcuts?

I figured a simple portmanteau of the offending two keys would be easy enough for you to understand and hopefully enjoy.

And of course I filled a bug report, but thanks once again for telling me. And I'll tweet the usual suspects. And I'll need a new account to try mediamotion since I got spam infected from it before.

Sorry again for confusion.

I'm sure if we were face to face you would have known what I meant and not gone all politician on my background layer! I do not, as ever mean to be rude, but you don't always need all the other info. I usually offer possible solutions first. I know that knowing the exact process and os version helps, but it's quite possible to think, "Here is a question about mask visibility" and then think on useful things to say about it. I would offer some thoughts, before questioning further. If you don't want to answer, or don't have an answer, why answer?

Tell you what, let's just leave this on the large global adobe forum and see if anyone else has noticed this...

[P.M.B]

I told you I did more than just scrub the timeline. I also created a new comp, added layers & animated them.  Does that qualify as continuing to work?

I never said you asked a stupid question.  I said you should be more specific about what "work" you are doing just before the function breaks.

You continue to insist that it's "any work at all" but clearly that is not the case for myself and Rick.

This is why when filing bug reports or asking for help troubleshooting you're asked to be specific.

People often say things like: "no matter what I do", "I've tried everything", "I'm doing everything right".  These statements are empirically false and get in the way finding answers.

Your statement of "any work at all" falls into that category.  If people (other people) are going to able to help you further,

you'll have to be specific about what EXACTLY you were doing before the function stopped functioning.

Anyway your posts have turned quite weird so...My apologies for taking the time to try and recreate your issue and help you to find an answer.  I'll try to remember to refrain from doing so in the future.

[Rick Gerard]

I cannot find a version of AE, and I'm running a Mac and have 4 of them in production every day, where the mask visibility does not turn off if you use any method to hide layer controls and come back on when you turn layer controls back on with the menu or by using Shift + Ctrl/Cmnd + h. I just tried two MacBook Pro R's and an iMac Pro.

If you do other things, like select a layer and make some changes, then turn layer controls back on the mask visibility remains on, the little icon in the project panel stays on and all you have to do to see the mask path is to select a layer that has a mask.

I cannot bet any of my systems to turn off mask visibility by simply hiding layer controls and turning them back on later. If I want mask visibility off I need to turn it off. If I want it on I have to turn it on.  If I am working with layer controls off the mask visibility icon will be off, which is expected but if you click on the mask visibility icon it will turn on both mask visibility and layer controls and display all that have been selected.

If you give me an exact step by step where you start with mask visibility on and then hide layer controls then do something and then show layer controls and the mask visibility icon has turned it's self off I'll gladly try and reproduce your problem. If I can I'll file a bug.

On my system, if I am working on a mask and I use Shift + Cmnd/Ctrl + h to hide visibility, then I press f to bring up mask feather and make adjustments, then drag through the timeline to check the composite, then use Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + h to see the mask path so I can modify the path it shows right up like it should. I've been doing this for the last hour and a half every few seconds because I'm doing a hand roto job on six different shots and that's how I always work when I am editing masks. Every few keyframes I'll turn off layer controls so I can see the entire composite and check the work, then maybe fine tune some of the settings like mask feather or position, then turn layer controls back on to continue working.

Give me a step by step like that one that is not working for you and I'll give it a try. I see no bug.

[tristansummers]

Sorry guys for shorthand.

And my tone of voice is not meant to wind you up as much as it evidently does! My phone keeps auto correcting so I'm mad at that so probably a bit tetchier than usual.

Rick's nearly there.

Thanks Rick.

Only it isn't happening to him.

I do that. I have a layer selected. I can see it's mask.

I shift+apple+h to hide the layer controls.

If i toggle them back on again, masks are still on.

But.

Maybe i edit the mask feather, or change the position of the layer. Maybe I make changes to another layer. Use your imagination!

Then when I shift+apple+h again, masks are turned off.

If I alt+apple+u, the layer controls pop up shows that masks is now unchecked only I never unchecked it.

So maybe something else is turning out off? CtrlAltH or another bit of key fumbling being hit by mistake? Hence asking the community! I want to help anyone else with the issue, and maybe learn a new shortcut on the way!

Thanks gutterfish for / shortcut. I didn't know that. Helps a bit. But I shouldn't have to be opening the pop up anyway.

[tristansummers]

Personally when I hear of a problem, I like to find it and hopefully a cause if not a solution, in case somebody else gets it and it slows them down when I need them to keep working fast. Time is money. There is a gremlin somewhere, and you will get it at some point. It can be better to find things at your leisure rather than, like me today, while ten creatives and producers are watching me work and wondering why I keep doing the same thing every ten seconds!

[tristansummers]

posted picture to help gutterfish!

[P.M.B]

tristansummers  wrote

I keep doing the same thing every ten seconds!

Great!!!   Now if you would only say exactly STEP by STEP what that thing is.   LOL

[Rick Gerard]

Sorry, if you are doing exactly as I am doing I can't duplicate your problem.

[tristansummers]

Thanks again Rik

That is exactly what I am doing.

Masks keep turning themselves off.

Different machine in different company each day.

Tris

[tristansummers]

Right

Here is the first THING.

Take a jpg.

draw a mask

toggle it off with Shift+Apple+H

Hold "W"to rotate the jpg

Press P.

Scrub Position

press shift+Apple+H

Masks have turned themselves off.

Sorry, but as it has been happening on everything I have been working on, I found it hard, when not at a machine to think of what could specifically be causing it. I have been masking a lot of still recently.

Ok, there is no bug, it is just that this never used to happen, at least since 4.1, and it still doesn't happen to Rik, and Gutterfish, but happens to me every day, since 2018 update.

I am probably hitting something else as I have only been switching to PC and back since the trashcan came out.

I thought maybe there was another way to turn off the just the masks checkbox by a shortcut, as that is what happens.

[tristansummers]

THING TWO

Import 1080p mp4

press G

draw a mask

ShiftAppleH

Hold Y and move anchor point

ShiftAppleH

MAsks have turned themselves off

Press "\" (Thanks GF)

Press AltAppleU just to check, the checkbox has turned itself off.

So thanks to your guidance, I seem to have:

A: narrowed it down to Holding down tool Shortcuts to temporarily toggle while Layer Controls are hidden

Discovered Rik doesn't Temporarily switch tools with a key, which is the one great thing after effects could still teach the rest of Adobe world!

I will do more tests next freelance day of self-unemployment and share my findings in the hope of helping others!

[tristansummers]

nope

wrong

Take an mp4

put it in a comp

draw a rotomask

toggle off the layer controls

turn them on again

Masks are still visible

press W to permanently change to the rotation tool

rotate the mp4 layer

toggle back on with shift Apple H

masks have gone

hmm, better just check something...

Masks are visible

toggle them off

press R

scrub rotation

toggle those bd boys back on

masks still there

maybe it is the tool shortcuts...

maybe I have only recently started using W for rotation tool...

Just tried selecting Rotation from tool bar

That made masks turn off

Maybe it is switching tools while Layer controls are hidden...

nope

By ruling out everything that isn't the truth we will find the murderer

[P.M.B]

Learning in action!!!  It's a beautiful thing.

[tristansummers]

EDIT:

Hey guys and gals.

Anyone know why using the rotation tool while Layer controls are hidden unchecks the Masks check box in Layer controls?

!

Has anyone found any other way that turns off mask visibility?

Has anyone found a way to prevent this?

Hardware acceleration preference doesn't seem to help. Resolution settings don't help.

It has been a long day so I may resume this tomorrow.

Tris

[tristansummers]

The point is that sometimes posting in a forum speeds up the process.

"Oh, the rotate tool does that"

Somebody might have said.

Many hands make light work.

But to be fair, in twenty years I have never used the rotate tool before so I guess this could have been happening for years.

Still.

Hopefully it isn't just me that has learnt something tonight.

[tristansummers]

puppet pin is doing it as well.

he said to himself in the dark