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Joel Powley
Joel Powley
Inspiring
June 3, 2021
Answered

After Effects Composition Tab Selection Glitch

  • June 3, 2021
  • 3 replies
  • 1229 views

I have several AE composition tabs open and normally I would just click between them but every time I hover over them, the hand tool appears and I cannot select or close the tabs. However, I'm not using the hand tool. I can only navigate with keyboard shortcuts (Shift + Opt + ,) (Shift + Opt + .)
Screenshot attached. 

Anyone else experiencing this? 

 

Running:
Mac OS 10.15.7
After Effects 10.2.0

Correct answer Joel Powley

UPDATE: In the event, you can't tab switch or draw shapes correctly with the pen tool. restart your computer. For some silly reason, all my problems disappeared on a reboot.

3 replies

Joel Powley
Joel PowleyAuthorCorrect answer
Inspiring
June 4, 2021

UPDATE: In the event, you can't tab switch or draw shapes correctly with the pen tool. restart your computer. For some silly reason, all my problems disappeared on a reboot.

    R
    Community Expert
    Rick GerardCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 3, 2021

    You move things around in the timeline using the selection tool (v). If you click and hold on a column heading you get an outline of the column you can move. If you hover over the end of a column the cursos changes to something like this: <|> and you can change the width. The hand tool has nothing to do with the timeline. 

    D
    David Arbor
    Inspiring
    June 3, 2021

    This isn't usually an application issue, but can be caused when your keys are stuck or an external accessory could be causing the issue.

     

    Do you have a graphics tablet, external controller of any kind (Shuttle, Elgato Streamdeck, or similar), or any other USB device? If so, the first thing I always try when this happens is to push all the modifier keys on my keyboard, which sometimes can get stuck, even if it doesn't seem like they are. After that, I'll unplug my Wacom tablet or Shuttle controller. Usually one of those three things is causing the issue.

    Joel Powley
    Joel PowleyAuthor
    Inspiring
    June 3, 2021

    Hey David,
    I would have assumed that would be a cause but I can move my cursor down into the composition timeline and everything is perfectly fine, normal control as usual. It's only happening over tab selection. I have no peripherals plugged in that would be interfering. No stuck keys either.

    Appreciate the suggestion though! 

    D
    David Arbor
    Inspiring
    June 3, 2021

    Bummer, if you feel like it, you can roll back to AE 18.1 from the Creative Cloud app to see if the issue is a bug. If the issue doesn't occur in 18.1 then you can file a bug against 18.2 for the team to see on UserVoice: https://adobe-video.uservoice.com/forums/911311-after-effects

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