Adobe AFTER EFFECTS CS3 PROFESSIONAL User Manual page 298

Per-character 3D layers can decrease rendering performance. When you convert a layer from per-character 3D to
2D, the animator properties and dimensions specific to per-character 3D layers are lost. Re-enabling per-character
3D will not restore values for these properties.
• To enable per-character 3D animator properties for a text layer, select the layer and choose Enable Per-character
3D from the Animation > Animate Text menu or from the layer's Animate menu in the Timeline panel.
• To disable per-character 3D animator properties for a text layer and convert the layer to a 2D layer, click the layer's
Per-character 3D switch
• To disable per-character 3D animator properties for a text layer but keep it as a 3D layer, choose Enable Per-
character 3D to deselect it.
See also
"Example: Animate characters with per-character 3D properties" on page 293
Creating and animating text on a path
Once you create a mask on a text layer, you can make the text follow the mask as a path. You can then animate the
text along that path, or animate the path itself. You can use open or closed masks to create paths for text. After you
create the path, you can modify it at any time. When using a closed mask as a text path, make sure to set the mask
mode to None.
See also
"Creating and importing masks" on page 254
"Mask modes" on page 260
Position text along a mask's path
1 Create a text layer and enter text.
With the text layer selected, use the Pen tool or a mask tool to draw a mask in the Composition panel.
2
In the Timeline panel, expand the Path Options property group for the text layer and select the mask from the
3
Path menu. The text automatically uses the alignment specified in the Paragraph panel.
To reposition the text on the path, change the text margins using the First Margin and Last Margin properties in
4
the Timeline panel, or do one of the following in the Composition panel:
• Drag the left margin control , center margin control , or right margin control
• Shift-drag any margin control to snap the control to the mask vertices.
Note: Select a property in the Text property group in the Timeline panel to see the margin controls in the Composition
panel. The text alignment determines which controls are available.
Changing the Last Margin of path text in the Composition panel
in Switches column in the Timeline panel.
AFTER EFFECTS CS3
User Guide
to move text along the path.
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