AE CC2017 Text Layer names do not update

[näsh]

hello,

how do I  achieve, text layers updating automatically their name when changing text in the comp view ?

it only does on new layers but never on duplicated ones !

is that intended to be or is there a hidden preference or short cut

thanks in advane

yours näSh

[tristansummers]

I repeat. select layer name, hit return, hit delete, hit return. Name is now source text again! Great to know!

[gfmarsh]

Select layer name, hit return, hit delete, hit return does not work as it just defaults to the original text name. Does anyone from @Adobe actually monitor any of this?

[gfmarsh]

If you have manually renamed a text layer then those text layers won't automatically update no matter what you do. The [ENTER], [Backspace], [ENTER] is not a work flow that works. Will post any work around I get from Adobe.

[tristansummers]

Listen. This absolutely works EVERY time. You are deleting any name, in the timeline layer. Left side of the timeline. Next to the capital T. The name of the layer. Delete that and it will always now update to the text you type. No bug. No shouting.

[gfmarsh]

Like I said it does not work in all instances. I have 347 named text layers in and most of them require to change the content and the label as most default to a 318 number when I do a Enter, Backspace, Enter. An Adobe tech is looking into the matter, and I will repost the findings. When someone tells you that this procedure does not work you should probably take that at face value as this isn't rocket science.

[tristansummers]

Apologies gf

Thanks, it will be great to see what the problem actually is so we can all avoid it, if anyone else ever gets it!

I have whined a lot on here over the years and it has nearly always been my own fault in the end.

But I know how frustrating it is when everyone treats you like an idiot so sorry about that.

Also worth checking cache isn't corrupt, which happens all the time, so what you are looking at isn't actually the current state of the comp. I think there are issues somewhere, maybe with RAM / proclivity handover or something not updating the cache.

If it After Effects text, then deleting the name will always mean the layer name is now linked to the text content, unless you have an expression or animator on the text source, (318 sounds like an index number to me).

So why would the Source Name be this weird number?

It could  have something to do with the god awful incremental renaming that after effects does to numbers, and AE is adding a number to your name just to annoy the crap out of you.

Or maybe you have hidden text in the layer. Is it point or area text?

Is there any way you could have text off screen?

Double click the layer name to select all type and delete to check?

It does normally work, as I have been doing it since this thread showed me why naming the layer breaks the link, and how deleting the name relinks it. It is one of those things you won't know until someone tells you, (like select order equals paste or sequence layer order)

Once you have done that changing the text should change the Layer name.

Changing the layer name won't ever change the text content, without an expression.

Editing the text it is usually best to doubleclick the layer name to highlight then type in the comp window.

Does it work if you do this?

Can you link the type to a spreadsheet instead?

Can you link the type to Comp Name or Layer name with an expression?

I don't import Photoshop text , (or even knew you could) so do not know about that, and there are a lot of font issues for the last few versions. TTF vs OTF problems galore. 

In the present version, I have to use OTF in after effects, but TTF in Illustrator for the same font.

They can't both use the same version.

So when they fixed last year's TTF problems, they reintroduced some other problems.

Just saying this in case you can get different versions of the font to check.

What are you trying to make update automatically?

[gfmarsh]

Yeah, no problem. Thanks for the info.

Clearing the different cache didn't do the trick.

I did look into importing CSV spreadsheet data initially but for what I am doing would likely need custom code and I figured it would be easier just to do it manually.

In the end I suspect it has to do with AE auto numbering, as most of these AE text layers were duplicated. Sometimes a different number will come back depending on the layer which points back to perhaps what it was renamed.

Will let you know if I discover anything.

[tristansummers]

double check there are no expressions effecting the layer or referencing the layer?

if so disable, then delete name, then re-enable/

I just thought I had found the problem as well until I realised the text was being set by expression...

[adamt18510785]

This use to update I wonder why they stopped doing this.