Adobe AFTER EFFECTS 5.5 Help Manual page 75

Adobe After Effects Help
Using Help | Contents
Changing the layer stacking order
The Timeline window displays the layer stacking order. The uppermost layer appears at the
top of the layer outline list, the second layer is immediately below it, and so on. Changing
the order of footage layers modifies the appearance of your composition by repositioning
footage in front of or behind other footage.
Changing the position of an adjustment layer in the stacking order changes which layers it
affects (because it affects only the layers below it). For more information, see "Creating an
adjustment layer" on page 73.
Note: The stacking order of 3D layers has somewhat different implications. For infor-
mation, see "Combining 2D and 3D layers" on page 233.
To rearrange layer order:
In the Timeline window, select the layers you want to move by name and drag up or down
the stacking order.
Note: As you drag a layer name up or down, a horizontal line appears between other layer
names, indicating the position to which the layer will move if you release the mouse.
For more information on 2D and 3D layers, see "Combining 2D and 3D layers" on
page 233.
To move a layer to a specific position in the order:
In the Composition or Timeline window, select the layer and do one of the following:
To move a layer up or down one level, choose Layer > Bring Forward or Layer > Send
•
Backward.
To move a layer to the top of the composition, choose Layer > Bring to Front.
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To move the layer to the bottom of the composition, choose Layer > Send to Back.
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Selecting a layer by position number
After Effects automatically numbers all layers in a composition. The number reflects the
position of that layer in the stacking order. When the stacking order changes, After Effects
changes all numbers accordingly.
Select a layer by its number by pressing the layer number on the numeric keypad. If the
layer number has more than one digit, type the numbers quickly so that After Effects can
recognize them as a unit.
Aligning and distributing layers in space
Use the Align palette to line up or evenly space selected layers across a composition. You
can align or distribute layers along the vertical or horizontal axes of selected objects.
When you align and distribute selected layers, keep the following in mind:
An alignment option aligns selected layers to the object that most closely represents
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the new alignment. For example, for right-edge alignment, all selected layers align to
the selected object that is farthest to the right.
A distribution option evenly spaces selected layers between the two most extreme
•
layers. For example, for a vertical distribution option, the selected layers are distributed
between the highest and lowest selected objects.
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Managing Layers
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