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  1. After Effects User Guide
  2. Beta releases
    1. Beta Program Overview
    2. After Effects Beta Home
  3. Getting started
    1. Get started with After Effects
    2. What's new in After Effects 
    3. Release Notes | After Effects
    4. After Effects system requirements
    5. Keyboard shortcuts in After Effects
    6. Supported File formats | After Effects
    7. Hardware recommendations
    8. After Effects for Apple silicon
    9. Planning and setup
  4. Workspaces
    1. General user interface items
    2. Get to know After Effects interface
    3. Workflows
    4. Workspaces, panels, and viewers
  5. Projects and compositions
    1. Projects
    2. Composition basics
    3. Precomposing, nesting, and pre-rendering
    4. View detailed performance information with the Composition Profiler
    5. CINEMA 4D Composition Renderer
  6. Importing footage
    1. Preparing and importing still images
    2. Importing from After Effects and Adobe Premiere Pro
    3. Importing and interpreting video and audio
    4. Preparing and importing 3D image files
    5. Importing and interpreting footage items
    6. Working with footage items
    7. Detect edit points using Scene Edit Detection
    8. XMP metadata
  7. Text and Graphics
    1. Text
      1. Formatting characters and the Character panel
      2. Text effects
      3. Creating and editing text layers
      4. Formatting paragraphs and the Paragraph panel
      5. Extruding text and shape layers
      6. Animating text
      7. Examples and resources for text animation
      8. Live Text Templates
    2. Motion Graphics
      1. Work with Motion Graphics templates in After Effects
      2. Use expressions to create drop-down lists in Motion Graphics templates
      3. Work with Essential Properties to create Motion Graphics templates
      4. Replace images and videos in Motion Graphics templates and Essential Properties
      5. Animate faster and easier using the Properties panel
  8. Drawing, Painting, and Paths
    1. Overview of shape layers, paths, and vector graphics
    2. Paint tools: Brush, Clone Stamp, and Eraser
    3. Taper shape strokes
    4. Shape attributes, paint operations, and path operations for shape layers
    5. Use Offset Paths shape effect to alter shapes
    6. Creating shapes
    7. Create masks
    8. Remove objects from your videos with the Content-Aware Fill panel
    9. Roto Brush and Refine Matte
  9. Layers, Markers, and Camera
    1. Selecting and arranging layers
    2. Blending modes and layer styles
    3. 3D layers
    4. Layer properties
    5. Creating layers
    6. Managing layers
    7. Layer markers and composition markers
    8. Cameras, lights, and points of interest
  10. Animation, Keyframes, Motion Tracking, and Keying
    1. Animation
      1. Animation basics
      2. Animating with Puppet tools
      3. Managing and animating shape paths and masks
      4. Animating Sketch and Capture shapes using After Effects
      5. Assorted animation tools
      6. Work with Data-driven animation
    2. Keyframe
      1. Keyframe interpolation
      2. Setting, selecting, and deleting keyframes
      3. Editing, moving, and copying keyframes
    3. Motion tracking
      1. Tracking and stabilizing motion
      2. Face Tracking
      3. Mask Tracking
      4. Mask Reference
      5. Speed
      6. Time-stretching and time-remapping
      7. Timecode and time display units
    4. Keying
      1. Keying
      2. Keying effects
  11. Transparency and Compositing
    1. Compositing and transparency overview and resources
    2. Alpha channels and masks
    3. Track Mattes and Traveling Mattes
  12. Adjusting color
    1. Color basics
    2. Color management
    3. Color Correction effects
    4. OpenColorIO and ACES color management
  13. Effects and Animation Presets
    1. Effects and animation presets overview
    2. Effect list
    3. Effect Manager
    4. Simulation effects
    5. Stylize effects
    6. Audio effects
    7. Distort effects
    8. Perspective effects
    9. Channel effects
    10. Generate effects
    11. Time effects
    12. Transition effects
    13. The Rolling Shutter Repair effect
    14. Blur and Sharpen effects
    15. 3D Channel effects
    16. Utility effects
    17. Matte effects
    18. Noise and Grain effects
    19. Detail-preserving Upscale effect
    20. Obsolete effects
  14. Expressions and Automation
    1. Expressions
      1. Expression basics
      2. Understanding the expression language
      3. Using expression controls
      4. Syntax differences between the JavaScript and Legacy ExtendScript expression engines
      5. Editing expressions
      6. Expression errors
      7. Using the Expressions editor
      8. Use expressions to edit and access text properties
      9. Expression language reference
      10. Expression examples
    2. Automation
      1. Automation
      2. Scripts
  15. Immersive video, VR, and 3D
    1. Construct VR environments in After Effects
    2. Apply immersive video effects
    3. Compositing tools for VR/360 videos
    4. Advanced 3D Renderer
    5. Import and add 3D models to your composition
    6. Import 3D models from Creative Cloud Libraries
    7. Image-Based Lighting
    8. Extract and animate lights and cameras from 3D models
    9. Tracking 3D camera movement
    10. Cast and accept shadows
    11. Embedded 3D model animations
    12. Shadow Catcher
    13. 3D depth data extraction
    14. Modify materials properties of a 3D layer
    15. Work in 3D Design Space
    16. 3D Transform Gizmos
    17. Do more with 3D animation
    18. Preview changes to 3D designs real time with the Mercury 3D engine
    19. Add responsive design to your graphics 
  16. Views and Previews
    1. Previewing
    2. Video preview with Mercury Transmit
    3. Modifying and using views
  17. Rendering and Exporting
    1. Basics of rendering and exporting
    2. H.264 Encoding in After Effects
    3. Export an After Effects project as an Adobe Premiere Pro project
    4. Converting movies
    5. Multi-frame rendering
    6. Automated rendering and network rendering
    7. Rendering and exporting still images and still-image sequences
    8. Using the GoPro CineForm codec in After Effects
  18. Working with other applications
    1. Dynamic Link and After Effects
    2. Working with After Effects and other applications
      1. Export After Effects project as Premiere Pro project
    3. Sync Settings in After Effects
    4. Creative Cloud Libraries in After Effects
    5. Plug-ins
    6. Cinema 4D and Cineware
  19. Collaboration: Frame.io, and Team Projects
    1. Collaboration in Premiere Pro and After Effects
    2. Frame.io
      1. Install and activate Frame.io
      2. Use Frame.io with Premiere Pro and After Effects
      3. Frequently asked questions
    3. Team Projects
      1. Get Started with Team Projects
      2. Create a Team Project
      3. Collaborate with Team Projects
  20. Memory, storage, performance
    1. Memory and storage
    2. How After Effects handles low memory issues while previewing    
    3. Improve performance
    4. Preferences
    5. GPU and GPU driver requirements for After Effects
  21. Knowledge Base
    1. Known issues
    2. Fixed issues
    3. Frequently asked questions
    4. After Effects and macOS Ventura
    5. How After Effects handles low memory issues while previewing

Numbers effect

The Numbers effect generates random or sequential numbers in different formats, such as decimal number, dates, and timecode—even the current date and time (at render time). You can use the Numbers effect to create counters of various kinds. The maximum offset for sequential numbers is 30,000.

This effect works with 8-bpc color.

The following options and values are available in the Font Style dialog box: Font, Style, Direction, and Alignment. To open this dialog box again, click Options at the top of the entry for the effect in the Effect Controls panel.

Type

The numbering system:

Number

Decimal numbers.

Number [Leading Zeros]

Decimal numbers with five digits to the left of the decimal point.

Timecode [30], Timecode [25], and Timecode [24]

Standard non-drop-frame timecode formats (XX:XX:XX:XX) using the stated frame rate. The timecode types use the current time of the layer as the base.

Time

Hours and minutes. If you also select Current Time/Date, the Value/Offset/Random Max value is ignored. If you select Random, the time is bounded by 0 (12:00 AM) and the slider value.

Numerical Date, Short Date, and Long Date

If you don’t also select Current Time/Date, the Value/Offset/Random Max is the number of days since January 1, 1995 (0 on the slider corresponds to January 1, 1995). If you do select Current Time/Date, Value/Offset/Random Max is the number of days since the current date (0 on the slider corresponds to the current date). If you select Random, the date is bounded by 0 (either the current date or January 1, 1995) and the slider value.

Note:

Leap years are considered.

Hexadecimal

Base-16 numbers (digits from 0 to F). Hexadecimal numbers increment by 0x1 for every 0.0000125 that the Value/Offset/Random Max value increases, and increments by 0x10000 for every 1.0 that the Value/Offset/Random Max value increases. If you select Random, the number is bounded by 0 and the Value/Offset/Random Max value.

Random Values

Random values limited by the Value/Offset/Random Max value. If Value/Offset/Random Max is 0, values are random across their maximum possible range.

Value/Offset/Random Max

Varies based on the chosen type and whether Random Values is selected.

Decimal Places

Specifies the number of places to the right of the decimal point.

Current Time/Date

Select for time and date numbers to be based on the current time and date.

Position

The position of the numbers on the layer.

Display Options

Specifies the use of a fill or stroke or a combination of both on the text. Fill Only fills the characters with a color. Stroke Only strokes the edges of the characters with a color. Fill Over Stroke overlaps the fill color onto the stroke color. Stroke Over Fill overlaps the stroke color onto the fill color.

Size

Size of the characters.

Tracking

Average distance between characters.

Proportional Spacing

Numbers use proportional spacing instead of monospacing.

Composite On Original

Text is composited on top of the original image. If Composite On Original isn’t selected, the original image isn’t visible.

Alternatives to using the Numbers effect

Use text layers for greater control over text formatting and text animation. (See Creating and editing text layers.)

Note:

Apply the Current Time Format animation preset to a text layer to show the current time in the format corresponding to the time display setting for the project.

See Example: Animate text as a timecode display.

Timecode effect

The Timecode effect creates a text overlay that displays timecode or frame number information on a layer. This effect doesn’t modify timecode embedded from external sources, such as QuickTime.

Use text layers for greater control over text formatting and text animation. (See Creating and editing text layers.)

Note:

Apply the Current Time Format animation preset to a text layer to show the current time in the format corresponding to the time display setting for the project. (See Example: Animate text as a timecode display.)

This effect works with 8-bpc color.

Display Format

Specifies whether timecode is displayed in the SMPTE format, in frame numbers, or in feet and frames of 35mm or 16mm film.

Time Source

The source used for the effect.

Layer Source

Timecode is displayed according to the timecode from the source footage of the layer.

Composition

Timecode is displayed according to the timecode from the composition.

Custom

Allows access to the settings in the Custom section, the previous behavior of the effect. These are Time Units, Drop Frame and Starting Frame.

Time Units

Frame rate in frames per second (fps) to be used by this instance of the Timecode effect. This setting affects only the numbers displayed by the Timecode effect; it has no influence on composition frame rate or the frame rate of the source footage item for the layer.

Drop Frame

Select Drop Frame to generate drop-frame timecode or deselect it to generate non-drop-frame timecode.

Starting Frame

The frame number assigned to the first frame of the layer.

Text Position

The position of the text overlay, in composition space.

Text Size

The size of text, in points.

Text Color

The color of the text.

Show Box

Specifies whether the colored box behind the timecode value will display or not.

Box Color

The color of the box behind the timecode value.

Opacity

The opacity of the box behind the timecode value.

Composite on Original

Specifies whether the box will be composited on the original or a transparent layer.

Alternatives to using the Timecode effect

Use text layers for greater control over text formatting and text animation. (See Creating and editing text layers.)

Note:

Apply the Current Time Format animation preset to a text layer to show the current time in the format corresponding to the time display setting for the project.

See Example: Animate text as a timecode display.

Do more with After Effects

Create incredible motion graphics, text animation, and visual effects with Adobe After Effects. Design for film, TV, video, and web.

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