Adobe AFTER EFFECTS CS3 PROFESSIONAL User Manual page 160

AFTER EFFECTS CS3 154
User Guide
Layer image quality
A layer's quality setting determines how precisely it is rendered, as well as influencing the precision of other calcula-
tions involving the layer, such as motion tracking and the use of the layer as a control layer for a compound effect.
The default quality of new layers is determined by the Create New Layers At Best Quality preference in the General
preferences category.
Duplicated or split layers retain the Quality setting of the original layer.
To toggle between Best and Draft quality of selected layers, click the Quality switch in the Timeline panel. To choose
from all three options, choose Layer > Quality:
Displays and renders a layer using subpixel positioning, anti-aliasing, 3D shading, and complete calculation of
Best
any applied effects. Best requires the most time for rendering—both for previews and for final output.
Displays a layer so that you can see it, but only at rough quality. Draft quality displays and renders a layer
Draft
without anti-aliasing and subpixel positioning, and some effects are not precisely calculated. Draft quality is often
the most useful setting for general work and for video layers (to avoid blurring when matching compositions to raw
video footage).
Displays a layer as a box, without layer contents. Layer wireframes are displayed and rendered faster than
Wireframe
layers rendered with Best or Draft settings.
See also
"Layer switches and columns in the Timeline panel" on page 151
"Preview modes" on page 128
Continuously rasterize a layer containing vector graphics
When you import vector graphics, After Effects automatically rasterizes them. However, if you want to scale a layer
that contains vector graphics above 100%, then you need to continuously rasterize the layer to maintain image
quality. You can continuously rasterize vector graphics in layers based on Illustrator, Flash SWF, EPS, and PDF files.
Continuously rasterizing causes After Effects to rasterize the file as needed based on the transformation for each
frame. A continuously rasterized layer generally produces higher-quality results, but it may render more slowly.
Shape layers and text layers are always continuously rasterized.
When you apply an effect to a continuously rasterized layer, the results may be different than when you apply the
effect to a layer without continuous rasterization. This is because the default rendering order for the layer changes.
The default rendering order for a layer without continuous rasterization is masks, followed by effects, and then trans-
formations; whereas the default rendering order for a continuously rasterized layer is masks, followed by transfor-
mations, and then effects.
Whether or not you continuously rasterize, if you view and render a composition using Best Quality, After Effects
anti-aliases (smooths) the vector graphics.
You cannot open or interact with a continuously rasterized layer in a Layer panel. This means that you can't paint
directly on a continuously rasterized layer. However, you can apply the Paint effect, and you can copy and paste paint
strokes from other layers.