Step 1 of 6
Use Trim Paths for a line you draw
Trim Paths changes the visible portion of an After Effects shape path. For a route that stays drawn, keep Start at 0%, animate End from 0% to 100%, and leave Offset unchanged. It does not calculate roads or attach a vehicle automatically.
Adobe’s shape attributes and path-operations reference describes the Start, End and Offset controls and how operations affect paths above them in a group. Reference checked 24 October 2026.
The setup below is an original documentation-led production plan. A native After Effects version, editable project and rendered result have not been verified for this example. Its coordinates are composition pixels for a schematic, not geographic positions or evidence of an actual trip.
Step 2 of 6
Prepare a twelve-second schematic before adding a map
| Setting | Chosen production value |
|---|---|
| Composition | 1920 × 1080; 24 frames per second; 12 seconds, or 288 frames |
| Three reference points | A at (240, 540), B at (960, 320), C at (1680, 540), measured in composition pixels |
| Background and route | A plain background, two open path segments, no fill and a visible 8-pixel stroke |
| Labels | Start A, Stop B and Finish C; include “Schematic route” in the frame |
Start with straight A-to-B and B-to-C segments so the reveal and pauses can be checked independently. These are design coordinates. Add a geographic background only when you have an appropriate source and can place the route correctly on it; a decorative curve should not imply road or flight accuracy.
Keep the background and route layers untransformed for the first pass. If you later move or scale the background, preserve the route’s alignment and inspect the exported result.
Download the 1920 × 1080 schematic SVG and the four-keyframe CSV. They preserve the planned coordinates and timing for review. The SVG is a reference drawing, not an After Effects project or proof of native shape conversion. Recreate the two path groups as described and check them in your licensed installation.
Step 3 of 6
Keep one path and its Trim Paths operation together
- Create a new shape layer for Leg 1 before drawing. Drawing with a different layer selected can create a mask instead of the intended shape.
- Use the Pen tool to draw the open A-to-B path. Give it no fill and a visible stroke.
- Keep the path and stroke inside a named Route group under Contents. Add Trim Paths in that same group, below the path it should affect.
- Create a separate Leg 2 shape layer/group for B-to-C. Separate groups make the two reveal intervals easier to inspect.
- Keep the stop labels independent of the reveal so they can remain readable during the holds.
| Layer / group | Relevant contents, from top to bottom |
|---|---|
| Leg 1 → Contents → Route 1 | Path 1 (A-to-B), Stroke 1, Trim Paths 1; group transform remains unchanged |
| Leg 2 → Contents → Route 2 | Path 1 (B-to-C), Stroke 1, Trim Paths 1; group transform remains unchanged |
| Stop labels | Separate text layers for A, B and C |
The group names are suggested names, not special commands. The important part is the relationship between the path and its operator. If one Trim Paths operation sits below several paths, it can affect more than one path.
Step 4 of 6
Set the four End keyframes and preserve the pauses
| Property | Keyframes at 24 fps |
|---|---|
| Leg 1 → Trim Paths 1 → End | Frame 48 (2 seconds): 0%; frame 120 (5 seconds): 100% |
| Leg 2 → Trim Paths 1 → End | Frame 168 (7 seconds): 0%; frame 240 (10 seconds): 100% |
| Both paths → Start and Offset | Start remains 0%; Offset remains unchanged for this initial reveal |
The plan allocates two seconds before the first reveal, three for Leg 1, two at B, three for Leg 2 and two at C. That is 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 2 = 12 seconds. The composition’s displayed frames run from 0 through 287; frame 288 is the exclusive end of the twelve-second range.
Preview one leg before adding the other. If it reveals backward, inspect the path direction; do not hide a wrong start point by changing unrelated timing. Keep the first version simple enough to see exactly when each leg reaches its label.
Step 5 of 6
Check the native hierarchy, version and actual render
Those checks remain open for this plan. A route rendered in another application would not establish that the After Effects hierarchy, version or export works. Treat an additional traveling icon as a separate animation task after the line is correct.
The schematic files are references, not an editable verified After Effects project. If you need a completed result while that native check remains open, compare the tested Canva animation and the GPX-to-video example. Choose the method that matches your input instead of treating another tool’s render as proof of these Trim Paths instructions.
Step 6 of 6
Fix the problem at the level where it occurs
| Symptom | First check |
|---|---|
| No visible line | Layer visibility, stroke, open path and End at the current frame |
| Both legs reveal together | Which paths are above the operator in its group |
| Line and background separate | Layer/group transforms applied after the route was drawn |
| Marker drifts away | The marker has its own geometry and timing; Trim Paths alone does not attach it |
For a separate route-first product workflow, read how to animate a route on a map. Keep its demonstrated result distinct from this unverified native After Effects plan.
Finish line
Route complete: 6 steps
Need to check something again? Jump straight back to any stop.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
Which After Effects version was tested?
No native version or render has been verified for this specific production plan. The article distinguishes Adobe’s documented controls from the original schematic recipe.
Does this route represent a road or real trip?
No. A, B and C are composition-pixel references in a schematic. A factual route requires appropriate geographic data and placement.
Why use separate shape groups?
They let each leg have its own Trim Paths operation and reveal interval. Operations can affect multiple paths above them in the same group.
Does Trim Paths move a vehicle?
It reveals the stroke. A vehicle or other moving marker needs its own tested animation setup.
