Can't Select Motion Path in a Pre-com Preview Window

[DaisyHuang]

Hi guys,

I made a pre-com for one of my layers and put puppet pins on it. I was moving the puppet pins and trying to make a nice motion curve, but somehow I cannot edit the path directly in the preview window nor using my Pen tool to add key frames. Is there any way I can fix this?

Thanks a lot!

[Mylenium]

Effect controls can only be edited in the layer window, so do a Alt+click on the pre-comp layer. Regardless, if you need to make a "nice motion curve" than you are probably expecting too much from the puppet tool. The actual distortion might still look iffy due to how the mesh algorithm works. It's usually better to rely on simple motions and tweak them visually in the comp. also even in such a case you might want to link up the pins to some simple Null layers using picjkwhip expressiosn or tools like DUIK. This at least may avoid the extra steps with opening layer windows...

Mylenium

[DaisyHuang]

Hi Mylenium,

Thank you for answering my question. I am sorry for not making myself clear. I am actually in the layer window and I can't selected the path points. But I accidentally did one right in here This is basically what I want a do. I try to select my other puppet pin point but I cannot make the curve again.

The other one shows like this:

[Mylenium · Accepted solution]

Those paths respond to the same tools as any otehr path or mask. to convert them to Beziers, you have to use the anchor point conversion tool.

Mylenium

[DaisyHuang]

Thanks you Mylenium!

The problem is solved. I was having confusion with the tool name because I am using in different language. I just realized I just need to alt click the pen tool to get this tool,click on the vertex and drag-hold to convert them into Beziers....

For those who are new to AE like me, you can also check out this page for more info on how to use the pen tool: Managing and animating shape paths and masks in After Effects