How do you automatically apply the position data from a route layer to another layer?

The option that allows for automatic application of position data from a route layer to another layer involves copying the mask path and pasting it onto the target layer’s position properties. This method is effective because when you copy the mask path, you are essentially taking the precise coordinates that define the path and allowing the target layer to directly adopt those values as its own positional parameters.

Mask paths in After Effects describe the path and movement across the screen, and when you paste that path into the position attribute of another layer, it effectively mimics the original layer's movement along that path. This is particularly useful when you want to create a synchronization of movement without manually keyframing each movement of the target layer.

In comparison, the other options have different functionalities. Linking layers would create a dependency but may not necessarily apply the route layer's position data automatically. Parenting a layer involves establishing a parent-child relationship, which could influence the motion of the child layer based on the parent's transformations, but doesn’t directly transfer the position data in the same way. Simply pressing P to bring up the position properties of the selected layer does not affect the data being applied; it only reveals the current position attributes of that layer without any transfer action occurring.