Cannot apply text presets I created nor copy and paste text Animators between layers in 24.6.0

[jackthegiantkiller]

Huge bug discovered in version 24.6.0, at least for me. I use text presets I have created that I use all the time. I cannot apply these now in any of my text layers. It appears to apply the preset, but the keyframes are somehow being spread apart all over the place, sometimes hours behind on the layer and completely broken. I even tried copying and pasting the actual Animator from one text later to another and it also breaks. Please fix this pronto!

To follow up, I just exported and opened the same project in 23.6.9 and the presets worked fine on the same text layer. I then pushed the latest version of AE back to 24.5, and the same bug occurred although I swear they were working in this version before. I then pushed it back to 24.4.1 and the same bug! Same for 24.4. I then pushed it back to 24.3 and presents are working again? Out of curiosity I just opened the project in Beta 25.0.0 (Build 30) and the presets are broken in there as well!

Version 24.6.0

Ventura 13.6.9

M1 Max Macbook Pro Topped Off

[JohnColombo]

Hi @jackthegiantkiller,

Thank you for reporting this issue to us. Would you be able to share any of the affected presets with us, with steps/or a screen recording of how you are applying them?

Additionally, do you know what version of AE the presets were saved from? This may help us in our investigation.

Thanks again for reporting this issue and for any further information you can provide,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

[jackthegiantkiller]

Yes, here's a screen capture showing the process in both apps. I'm using the beta version to show the bug, as I don't want to have to reinstall AE for the 4th time today, but this is exactly what happens in versions 24.6.0-24.4.1.

If you'll notice, when applying the preset in the beta, the keyframes its supposed to create are waaaaayyyy out of range, when I unfold the keyframes and try to jump back and forth it shows the keys in very strange locations.

I can share the AE project and preset, just let me know where to send it. It's a real basic preset, just fading in from left to right and fading out the opposite direction. It's worked for years until now.

Just FYI this is from a much larger map graphic cropped down and reduxed. Also, this shockingly shows how much screen real estate is eaten up by the top bars in the Beta. Good Lord I hope there is a preference to retain the smaller look of the previous versions.

[video]

[jackthegiantkiller]

One more followup: I did try to recreate the preset in the versions where it broke. I took one of the already animated text layers, selected it's Animator, keys etc in the timeline and created a new preset from it (as I have before) and that newly created preset would also break when applied to new text layers.

[JohnColombo]

Thank you for that screen recording, @jackthegiantkiller. Would you mind sharing a link to the presets with me in a DM here on the forums?

A project might be helpful as well—I'm unable to reproduce the failures either when applying existing presets, creating new ones and applying them, or when copying/pasting Text Animator between layers in the latest Beta build on Mac. A project setting (or even a system/OS setting) may be causing a bad interaction. It may also be worth trying in Safe Mode (in the prefs > Startup & Repair) to eliminate the app preferences as a possible cause.

Hope we can get to the bottom of this,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

[jackthegiantkiller]

Thanks for the update, yeah I honestly wouldn't put it past being some glitch in prefs, it's been a while so I might as give it a whirl. Also the project required importing some archived older projects, and I've had that throw a monkeywrench in occasionally. Will keep you posted!

[JohnColombo]

Hi @jackthegiantkiller,

Thanks again for reporting this issue and for your patience. Our investigation has found the steps required to reproduce what you reported—they involve creating the layer, offsetting it in time, and then changing the frame rate of the composition. At this point, the keyframes from an applied animation preset will be offset as you've reported.

We are now investigating potential fixes, but a workaround for now (when you encounter the issue) would be to move the layer to the start of the comp when applying the preset. This should avoid the offset in situations where you encounter it while we are working on a fix.

Thanks again,

- John, After Effects Engineering Team 

[jackthegiantkiller]

Ah, good to know! I recently updated again to test and was able to successfully apply the presets as described, appreciate the update.

If I were going to beg for anything now is to fix V25 and the 25 beta so that older Script UI panels don't get cropped so badly they can't function. Many beloved plugins from AEScripts such as Rift and Keysmith are broken now!

 

[jackthegiantkiller]

Any update on this, I'm hitting this bug again in a big way, and moving the text back to the beginning of the timeline and applying the preset is still sending the keyframes all over the place. I really don't want to have to downgrade again for the 100th time.

[Sébastien Périer]

Hi @jackthegiantkiller,

The bug with presets that you reported has been fixed in the new After Effects 25.2 release. Please let us know if you keep encountering it after upgrading.

As for the other bug you mentioned here that has it's own thread, it is also fixed in 25.2. You can check the full list of fixed issues here: https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/kb/fixed-issues.html

Sébastien Périer
After Effects Quality Engineering