Solution To 'Could Not Parse Mask Shape on Clipboard' After Effects Error

After Effects Error 'Could Not Parse Mask Shape on Clipboard'

Sometimes the mask tools in After Effects have three extra options that you might not be aware of. These are the Copy, Paste, and Clear Mask commands. They allow you to copy and paste a mask shape from one layer to another, or from one application to another. This can be very useful if you want to reuse a mask shape that you created in Illustrator or another vector graphics software, or if you want to apply a mask shape to multiple layers in After Effects. However, these commands can also cause some problems if you don’t use them correctly. One of the most common errors that you might encounter is the “Could Not Parse Mask Shape on Clipboard” error. This error means that After Effects cannot understand the data that you copied to the clipboard, and therefore cannot paste it as a mask shape. In this article, I will show you what causes this error and how to fix it.

In this article, you will learn:

• What are the possible causes of the “Could Not Parse Mask Shape on Clipboard” error in After Effects
• How to copy and paste a simple shape from Illustrator to After Effects as a mask shape
• How to copy and paste text from any application to After Effects as a mask shape
• How to restart your computer to clear the clipboard
• How to reset the After Effects preferences to fix the error
• How to reinstall After Effects and Illustrator to fix the error
  

What Causes This Error?

There are several possible reasons why After Effects cannot parse the mask shape on the clipboard. Here are some of the most common ones:

• You copied a raster image, a complex shape, a path, or a link from Illustrator or another application that is not compatible with After Effects. A raster image is an image made of pixels, such as a photo. A vector image is an image made of mathematical curves, such as a logo. A path is a line or curve that defines the outline of a shape. A link is a reference to another file or location. After Effects can only parse simple vector shapes that are made of straight lines and curves, such as rectangles, circles, stars, etc. If you copy anything else, After Effects will not be able to paste it as a shape or mask.
• Your clipboard is corrupted or full of junk data. Sometimes, the clipboard can get messed up by other applications or processes that use it. This can cause the data on the clipboard to be incomplete, invalid, or incompatible with After Effects.
• Your After Effects preferences are corrupted or outdated. The preferences are the settings that control how After Effects works and behaves. Sometimes, the preferences can get corrupted by bugs, crashes, or updates. This can cause After Effects to malfunction or behave unexpectedly.
• Your After Effects or Illustrator installation is corrupted or outdated. The installation is the process of copying the files and folders that make up the software to your computer. Sometimes, the installation can get corrupted by viruses, malware, or disk errors. This can cause the software to fail or produce errors.

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How to Solve This Error?

Depending on the cause of the error, there are different ways to fix it. Here are some of the most effective solutions:

Illustrator Technique

Copy a simple shape in Illustrator, or copy text from your browser or any other application. This will replace the data on the clipboard with something that After Effects can parse. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open Illustrator and create a new document. You can use any size and color mode you want.
2. Use the Shape Tool to draw a simple shape, such as a rectangle, a circle, or a star. You can use any fill and stroke color you want.
3. Select the shape and press Ctrl+C (Windows) or Command+C (Mac OS) to copy it to the clipboard.
4. Switch to After Effects and create a new composition. You can use any settings you want.
5. Press Ctrl+V (Windows) or Command+V (Mac OS) to paste the shape as a mask on a new solid layer. You should see the shape appear in the composition window and the timeline panel.
6. If you want to paste the shape as a shape layer instead of a mask, press Ctrl+Alt+V (Windows) or Command+Option+V (Mac OS) instead of Ctrl+V or Command+V. You should see the shape appear as a shape layer in the timeline panel and the composition window.

Alternate Method Without Illustrator

If you don’t have Illustrator, you can use any other application that can copy text to the clipboard, such as your browser, a word processor, or a text editor. Just select some text and copy it to the clipboard, then paste it in After Effects as a text layer. You can then use the text as a mask or a shape by converting it to outlines. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open your browser, a word processor, or a text editor and type some text. You can use any font and size you want.
2. Select the text and press Ctrl+C (Windows) or Command+C (Mac OS) to copy it to the clipboard.
3. Switch to After Effects and create a new composition. You can use any settings you want.
4. Press Ctrl+V (Windows) or Command+V (Mac OS) to paste the text as a text layer in the composition. You should see the text appear in the composition window and the timeline panel.
5. Select the text layer and go to Layer > Create > Create Shapes from Text. This will create a new shape layer that contains the outlines of the text. You should see the shape layer appear in the timeline panel and the composition window.
6. If you want to use the text as a mask instead of a shape, go to Layer > Create > Create Masks from Text. This will create a new solid layer that contains the masks of the text. You should see the solid layer appear in the timeline panel and the composition window.

Restart Your Computer

Restart your computer to clear the clipboard. Sometimes, the simplest solution is the best. Restarting your computer will clear the clipboard and any other temporary files or processes that might interfere with After Effects. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Save your work and close any applications that you are using.
2. Click the Start button (Windows) or the Apple menu (Mac OS) and choose Restart. Wait for your computer to shut down and restart.
3. Open After Effects and try to paste the shape or mask from the clipboard again. It should work without any errors.

Reset Preferences

Reset the After Effects preferences by holding down Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or Command+Option+Shift (Mac OS) while the application is starting. This will restore the default settings and preferences of After Effects, which might solve the error if it was caused by corrupted or outdated preferences. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Close After Effects if it is running.
2. Locate the After Effects icon on your desktop, taskbar, dock, or applications folder. Do not double-click it to launch it.
3. Hold down Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or Command+Option+Shift (Mac OS) and click the After Effects icon to launch it. Keep holding the keys until you see a dialog box asking you to confirm the deletion of the preferences file.
4. Click Yes to delete the preferences file and reset the preferences. Wait for After Effects to start.
5. Try to paste the shape or mask from the clipboard again. It should work without any errors.

Reinstall Method

Reinstall After Effects and Illustrator, but do not import preferences from previous versions. This will reinstall the software and update it to the latest version, which might solve the error if it was caused by corrupted or outdated installation. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Uninstall After Effects and Illustrator from your computer. You can use the uninstaller program that came with the software, or use the Control Panel (Windows) or the Applications folder (Mac OS) to drag the software icons to the Trash or Recycle Bin.
2. Download the latest version of After Effects and Illustrator from the Adobe website. You will need your Adobe ID and password to log in and access the downloads.
3. Run the installer program and follow the instructions to install the software. Do not import preferences from previous versions when prompted. Choose the default settings and options for the installation.
4. Open After Effects and Illustrator and activate them with your Adobe ID and password. You might need to update the software to the latest version if there are any available updates.
5. Try to paste the shape or mask from the clipboard again. It should work without any errors.