Killer Tip: CS4 to CS3
Posted on 06. Jul, 2009 by Jerzy Drozda Jr in After Effects
While rebuilding the DNA Chain project file from CS4 to CS3 I discovered that there are some things that make it easier. Interested?
Click here to watch the video tutorial
I was asked to convert the DNA Chain tutorial from CS4 to CS3 and I decided to do it since I had a few minutes. While doing so I started to try out a few things that I hoped would make it easier. Some of them did work, some of them didn’t.
As a side note I am working on a ready-to-use solution for this problem that will allow you to simply import your CS4 projects to CS3 or even earlier versions of After Effects. But until that day comes all you can do is follow the tips in this tutorial.
The trick is that you can copy-and-paste some elements from CS4 to CS3. It’s easier with After Effects’ native plugins like Fast Blur or Ramp, but it also works with 3rd party plugins as well to some extent. The main limitation I’ve stumbled upon is that you have to copy each section (or Group) of parameters separately. The easiest way to do this is to select a layer, press UU to reveal all modified properties and then copy paste them in groups. For example: Trapcode Form has several groups like Particles, Layer Maps, Visibility and so on and so on. You have to copy each group on it’s own. That also goes for the sub-groups.
It’s not perfect, but it sure speeds up the whole process quite a bit. I hope you’ll find this useful. If you have any other tips on converting projects from CS4 to CS3 or if you discover any “rules” about copy-pasting feel free to leave a comment.
Happy AfterEffecting.













James Wicks
07. Jul, 2009
1st one to comment!
Maltaannon rocks!!!
Excellent tut.
Jonathan Clegg
07. Jul, 2009
second that, very helpful indeed, cheers maltaanon
Yenaphe.info » Quickie: Killer tip to go move project CS4 to CS3 (Maltaannon inside)
07. Jul, 2009
[...] My good friend Maltaannon just released a quick tutorial on how to smooth things when recreating a CS4 project inside CS3. Go check it here right now. [...]
Vinnie
07. Jul, 2009
Awesome tips Jerzy!! Thanks a million!
Sébastien
09. Jul, 2009
Can’t wait for your ready 2 use solution !
JORGE JFX
11. Jul, 2009
muy weno..gracias….
22 Killer After Effects Tutorials from Elsewhere | MisrIT Reader
12. Jul, 2009
[...] Visit Tutorial [...]
David W.
13. Jul, 2009
Wow! Thank you such Jerzy, sir! This could have saved me a LOT of time a while ago.
xponential
16. Jul, 2009
I just discovered that if you select all your elements in the project pannel in cs4 and drag them in the pannel in cs3 , even if the icon of the mouse is the circle with a bar , some item will be imported like .jpgs and .ai but not comps :(
Jerzy Drozda Jr
16. Jul, 2009
Yeah. Bummer. God tip though. Thanks.
Maltaannon « CYRIL GALLINE
17. Jul, 2009
[...] Visit Tutorial « VideoCopilot [...]
Mike
17. Jul, 2009
Nice tip, still love to see you do your thang!!! Maltaannon kicks major A$$ and I LOVE and need the light wrap plug!!! so keep me in mind for future contests@!@
Mike
AKA Phantommxr
Mike
17. Jul, 2009
SMOKES!!!!!! you need to make a tut for a virtual smoke with the embers burning and smoke , paper burning, sorta first person look…lol
DANIEL
20. Jul, 2009
you guys are doing a great job?
pls how can i get complete toturial on AE
Louis Vuitton Handbags and Wallets
20. Jul, 2009
Keep working, great job, I love it!
nic
05. Oct, 2009
Not really practical with big projects sadly. Major design flaw Adobe. Look forward to your more finite solution you’ve alluded to.
wuzhixiang
14. Oct, 2009
very nice!!!
Иван Иванов
17. Oct, 2009
Да уж По моему мнению в этом посте нет никакой логики :)
madebao
18. Oct, 2009
hen bu cuo
dfd
18. Oct, 2009
very nice!!!
warez ddl
19. Oct, 2009
I was 35yo when this short piece was written (living in ATX, didn’t go to SXSWi)
sanju
22. Nov, 2009
i think its helpful,,, thanks
Геннадий Новиков
24. Dec, 2009
Да уж… Жизнь – как вождение велосипеда. Чтобы не упасть, ты должен двигаться.
Leonard
28. Feb, 2010
you can actually convert CS4 to CS3 by manipulating the xml file.
start by export CS4 to xml than modified it with notepad.
this also works when you want to export from AE to Flash.
cheers
Ant
04. Mar, 2010
Not very useful, who need to downgrade CS4 project to CS3?.. maybe only tutorial guys.
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Csaba
27. Jul, 2010
You might get away with this a bit more easily, if you replace the header of the CS4 file with that of the CS3 file. This way all layers and effects remain intact. However,it works only with osx .