Set matte effect does this. But I agree the functionality could live outside of an effect. Such as a dropdown where you pick this layer.

It’s really amazing how many solutions to one problem are created in the aescripts marketplace? Can someone explain, why this is such a difficult task to create this feature in AE?
https://aescripts.com/search/?q=Set+matte+

I don’t get it. We are dreaming of a solution since ever.

…..

Saying this feature is needed, is an understatement.
The fact that this feature exists for years, but is pretty much useless for not supporting continuous rasterization. It should be THE replacement to alpha mattes, not a deprecated effect.

I was so happy i could finally achieve the visuals I wanted only to realize that pre-comping and enable CR, breaks everything. In a project with literally just shape layers.

Given 4 years have passed since the original post, I sense this, along with many other essencial features will be simply ignored as per tradition with adobe. Or wait for another live saving plugin that becomes yet another dependency on 3rd parties..

YES! esspecially when you use adjustment layers to warp something but you don't want the mask to be warped.

:)

Updating the Set Matte effect will not do the trick. Due to the render order, effects are rendered after the transform which will lead to issues when making a comp continuously rasterized.
Picking the alpha layer like parenting would be the better solution.

Either this or update the set matte effect. This is the problem -> I have a layer with animation on it that needs to be used as a matte. So I duplicate it, go into key properties (often with parametric shape layers) and use the expression pick whip to connect them via expressions. Then I duplicate this layer a couple times for different uses in mattes and already I have project with tons of expressions. Precomp this layer you say? Yes, that would work, but only sometimes depending on the project. Just update set matte or make it so you can alpha matte with the pick whip like you can with parenting.

I like After Effects way of Compositing Layers. Can we Make Set Matte work more like track mattes? the Precomping, and or Transform options get a bit tiring, and makes the work flow take longer.

I hate knowing that this will never be implemented :( It's just too common sense of a feature for it to ever be included, even considered.

This equals to an UPGRADE of the heavily deprecated "Set Matte" Effect. It WOULD be the solution if it was any USABLE 😡

Yes please this one would be my top priority if I had anything to do with new AE features

If you select a layer, it would be nice to highlight other layers that a referenced by it. be it by this new track matte idea, that i like, or by any other filter, like displacement map or camera blur.

Rfred, it won't solve everything, but if you're just doing simple transforms, you can apply the Transform effect and then force Set Matte—in Take Matte From Layer—to use Effects & Masks instead of Source from the second dropdown menu. That way you can alter things without needing to precomp.

I currently am duplicating the layer to be used for the track matte for each layer that needs it. added 20 layers to my current job when one would do.

Precomp will work but it removes the ability to edit and adjust layers and see the results over the background and under this track matte.

Why not have track mattes work like parenting, simply choose the layer for a track matte.
Done.

Make a new effect called "Track Matte" which can be applied to the layer. Or fix "Set Matte" to have that option!

The set matte effect is great yes. And may be for visual help in the timeline a lasso could be nice.
And the node based comping for ae would also be awesome in my opinion.

Or, give the "Set Matte" effect some love. Generally, some filters feel like they were completely abandoned. Example: Ramp.

Agreed. Or they could improve the functionality of the set matte, which is absolutely useless if you ever have to precomp. AE really, really should introduce some kind of node-based workflow option. AE is great (for now!) but working exclusively with layers is so old-fashioned for compositing/animation.

Agreed. AE compositions organization should get closer to nodes / graphs

I would love this feature to work how it does in Photoshop. Can make folders (not pre-comps) - and - apply a mask(s) to that folder/group.

For now, we need to create some sort of Master Control Layer that other layers can reference. Could be done with pre-comps or Pick Whipping the properties of your Master Layer.