About 3D Previews; About 3D Rendering; 3D Auto-Orientation Options; To Change Auto-Orientation Settings - Adobe AFTER EFFECTS 7.0 Manual

To set or replace 3D view shortcuts
❖
Choose View > Assign Shortcut to n, where n is the currently selected view; then select F10, F11, or F12 from the
menu.
After Effects replaces the view shown in the menu with the current-composition 3D view.
See also
"Working with multiple viewers" on page 146

About 3D previews

You can speed up preview time for 3D layers by enabling Wireframe mode on the Fast Previews menu or by using
Draft 3D mode. These preview modes reduce the amount of data displayed in a 3D layer, so the screen redraws faster.
You can also use OpenGL for faster previews of 3D layers.
See also
"To enable or disable Draft 3D mode" on page 141

About 3D rendering

After Effects provides three 3D rendering plug-ins: Advanced 3D, Standard 3D, and OpenGL Hardware. These plug-
ins compute the motion blur, lighting, shadow, and depth-of-field information unique to 3D. OpenGL also provides
rendering support for a number of other 2D effects. After Effects can also use OpenGL—if the appropriate hardware
is available—during interactions like moving and rotating layers. After Effects can use the Advanced 3D rendering
plug-in to create both RAM previews and output files. The 3D rendering plug-in you specify becomes the default for
future compositions.

3D auto-orientation options

3D layers include auto-orientation options, which you apply to individual layers. When using footage layers, you can
use the Orient Toward Camera option to have the layer always face the active camera.
When using light and camera layers, you can specify any of the following Auto-Orientation options:
Specifies that the camera or light rotates freely, independent of the motion path or the point of interest.
Off
Specifies that the camera or light points only in the direction of the motion path. For example,
Orient Along Path
use this option to depict a driver's perspective while looking at the road ahead while driving.
Orient Towards Point Of Interest
change the camera's Position values. When you adjust a camera's or light's position by dragging the axes in the
Composition panel, the point of interest moves as well.
Note: When the camera has Auto-Orient enabled, setting a light as the camera's parent will cause the camera to jump.

To change Auto-Orientation settings

1 In the Timeline panel, select the camera or light, and then choose Layer > Transform > Auto-Orient.
Select an option from the Auto-Orientation dialog box, and click OK.
2
Specifies that the camera or light continues to point at the point of interest as you
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