<p>Make all your duplications in the Project Panel, not in the Layer/Timeline panels.</p>

<p>Duplicate Comp A</p>

<p>Duplicate Comp B</p>

<p>Double click Comp A2 to open it in the timeline.  It will still contain Comp B. We need to fix this.</p>

<p>Make sure Comp A2 is still open and visible in the timeline</p>

<p>Select Comp B 2 in the Project Panel</p>

<p>Select the Comp B layer in your Comp A 2 timeline</p>

<p>Hold down the <kbd>option</kbd> key on a mac (<kbd>alt</kbd> on a PC)</p>

<p>Drag Comp B 2 from your Project Panel over the top of Comp B in your timeline panel.</p>

<p>Let go of the dragging. </p>

<p>Comp B in your timeline panel should now be replaced with Comp B 2.</p>

<p>This is a bit of a faff, but gets easier after you've done it a few times.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-21T07:54:38.847Z
Thank you. I think you mean "Select the Comp B layer in your Comp **A2** timeline", right?
Adam
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-21T07:58:37.710Z
You’re absolutely right. Fixed it.
tomh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-25T06:11:11.133Z
It's actually alt on a PC, it's option on a mac.
stib
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-25T06:43:12.127Z
Fixed - thanks. Always get that confused
tomh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-21T07:52:11.440Z
2019-02-25T14:09:24.863Z
2019-02-25T14:09:24.863Z
tomh
<p>I wrote a script to do this automagically, with the option of recursing into all the sources of the precomps, to enable totally independent versions.</p>

<p>Available free on my <a href="https://blob.pureandapplied.com.au/the-cloninator/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">blog here</a>. Full disclosure: the software is completely free and open source, I wrote it for my own use and don't get anything whether or not you choose to install it.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-08T08:27:04.657Z
Unfortunately it's broken... Doesn't work in newer version. `Unable to execute script at line 9. scriptName is undefined`
jona
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-25T06:16:25.367Z
2019-02-25T06:16:25.367Z
stib
<p>I have a composition "A" with subcomposition "B". When one duplicates composition "A" to "A2", then both reference to the same subcomposition "B". I need that they reference independent subcompositions. How can I achive this?</p>

<hr>

<p><strong>This is what I tried</strong> </p>

<ul>
<li><p>I followed the instructions from <div class="youtube-embed"><div>
                <iframe width="640px" height="395px" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XwzX9Urbxbw?start=0"></iframe>
            </div></div></p>

<ul>
<li>clicked <kbd>Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>D</kbd> to duplicate Layer A and B</li>
<li>selected copy B2 and reference B from A2, clicked <kbd>Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>Alt</kbd>+<kbd>/</kbd> to replace, but didnt work ( I have a german keyboard, maybe this shortcut doesn't work, because nothing happend.)</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>

<p>Also I simply tried to follow <a href="https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/15767/copying-all-settings-of-one-composition-in-ae">Copying All Settings Of One Composition in AE</a> by just duplicating "B" to "B2" and inserting "B2" in "A2". However I also need that "B2" has the same transform and masksettings as "B" in composition "A2". If I select the transform settings, press <kbd>Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>C</kbd>, click on reference "B2" and press <kbd>Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>V</kbd> nothing happens. It seems that I can't copy the settings.</p>

<p>I am using Adobe After Effect 2015 CC</p>

<after-effects><compositing>
How to duplicate composition and subcompositions?
Adam
# How to duplicate composition and subcompositions?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-02-20)

I have a composition "A" with subcomposition "B". When one duplicates composition "A" to "A2", then both reference to the same subcomposition "B". I need that they reference independent subcompositions. How can I achive this?

---

**This is what I tried**

* I followed the instructions from

  + clicked `Ctrl`+`D` to duplicate Layer A and B
  + selected copy B2 and reference B from A2, clicked `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`/` to replace, but didnt work ( I have a german keyboard, maybe this shortcut doesn't work, because nothing happend.)

Also I simply tried to follow [Copying All Settings Of One Composition in AE](https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/15767/copying-all-settings-of-one-composition-in-ae) by just duplicating "B" to "B2" and inserting "B2" in "A2". However I also need that "B2" has the same transform and masksettings as "B" in composition "A2". If I select the transform settings, press `Ctrl`+`C`, click on reference "B2" and press `Ctrl`+`V` nothing happens. It seems that I can't copy the settings.

I am using Adobe After Effect 2015 CC

**Tags:** after-effects, compositing


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-02-21. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Make all your duplications in the Project Panel, not in the Layer/Timeline panels.

Duplicate Comp A

Duplicate Comp B

Double click Comp A2 to open it in the timeline. It will still contain Comp B. We need to fix this.

Make sure Comp A2 is still open and visible in the timeline

Select Comp B 2 in the Project Panel

Select the Comp B layer in your Comp A 2 timeline

Hold down the `option` key on a mac (`alt` on a PC)

Drag Comp B 2 from your Project Panel over the top of Comp B in your timeline panel.

Let go of the dragging.

Comp B in your timeline panel should now be replaced with Comp B 2.

This is a bit of a faff, but gets easier after you've done it a few times.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you. I think you mean "Select the Comp B layer in your Comp **A2** timeline", right?  
> **username_1**: You’re absolutely right. Fixed it.  
> **username_2**: It's actually alt on a PC, it's option on a mac.  
> **username_1**: Fixed - thanks. Always get that confused  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-02-25. Score: 0

I wrote a script to do this automagically, with the option of recursing into all the sources of the precomps, to enable totally independent versions.

Available free on my [blog here](https://blob.pureandapplied.com.au/the-cloninator/). Full disclosure: the software is completely free and open source, I wrote it for my own use and don't get anything whether or not you choose to install it.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Unfortunately it's broken... Doesn't work in newer version. `Unable to execute script at line 9. scriptName is undefined`  

---

