The classic problem: You draw a beautiful vector shape in Illustrator, press Ctrl+C, then press Ctrl+V in After Effects. The result? Instead of getting a Shape Layer to animate, you get a lifeless Mask on a Solid layer, or worse, the shape is completely misaligned from the original design.
That’s where Aescripts PastePath comes in. This is a compact tool that solves a huge problem, making the import process from vector to animation incredibly smooth and precise. This article will delve into PastePath, compare it to traditional methods, and explain why it’s such a powerful tool.
Table of Contents
Aescripts PastePath
Aescripts PastePath is a utility script for After Effects. Its function is simply put: “Paste Path”.
It acts as an intelligent “translator” between Illustrator and After Effects. When you copy vector data, PastePath intervenes in the pasting process, allowing you to choose whether to paste it as a Mask or a Shape, and most importantly, to maintain the original coordinates or center it.
It transforms the six manual steps above into a single click. See more Duik Angela
Features
- Paste as Shape
- This is the most important feature. When you click this button, PastePath will automatically:
- Create a new Shape Layer (or insert it into the selected layer).
- Create a Group containing the corresponding Path, Fill, and Stroke.
- Paste vector data into the Path property. The result is a clean, precise vector drawing ready to start animation immediately.
- Smart Position
- PastePath reads coordinate data from Illustrator. When pasted, it will place the drawing in the correct X, Y coordinate position in After Effects’ Composition. For example: In Illustrator, you draw a star in the upper right corner of the Artboard. When using PastePath in AE, that star will also be in the upper right corner of the frame. This is extremely important when working on Explainer Video projects with many complex landscapes.
- Batch Pasting
- If you copy multiple paths at once, PastePath can process and paste them into separate Shape Groups within the same layer, or separate them into different layers depending on the settings. This makes layer management much neater than having hundreds of fragmented layers.
- Update Existing Path
- Suppose you’ve animated a moving circle, but the client wants to change it to a hexagon. Instead of starting over, you simply copy the hexagon from AI, select the Path property of the circle from AE, and use PastePath to replace the shape data while preserving the animation keyframes.
System requirements
- Supported Operating Systems: Windows 7/8/10/11
- Processor: Pentium IV and above
- RAM: 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended)
- Free hard disk space: 200 MB or more
- After Effects CS6 or higher
Aescripts PastePath Free Download
Aescripts PastePath V1.21
Aescripts PastePath 1.01
Adobe Full
