After Effects 22.3: Major bug: PNG image Sequences not 'found'

[Brandon Kraemer]

After updating to 22.3, legacy projects are opeing with numerous errors:

"AE error:  The file you are attempting to open is corrupt and has an invalid number of Default, Side View or Custom cameras."

"AE warning:  can not find source item for layer ID=xxx; will replace with a placeholder."
(26::143)

AE then generates a slew of generic "placeholders" with no names of the previously linked image sequences for the unavailable source items added to the placeholders.  AE 22.3 simply can't read these sources and ignores them and their metadata.  Layers affected by this error are in some cases .png image sequences.  It seems AE isn't recognizing these sequences in 22.3 which is a substantial problem.

Rolling back to 22.2.1 resolves all of these issues.  This is 100% reproducable.

[nishu_kush]

Hi Brandon Kraemer,

Sorry for your issue. We'd be happy to look into this.

Could you share a project file that repeats the issue? You can upload it to the cloud and share the download link. Feel free to DM me the download link.

Looking forward to your response.

Thanks,

Nishu

[Boris2016]

Hi Guys,

I'm having an issue opening some 3-4 month old AE files in 22.3. I get the attached
error message. Even when I remove everything except the comp and
camera I get the same error message. Bizarrely if I copy the same
(default one node camera) to a new comp it opens fine in the latest
AE.

If this were a one off I wouldn't be too concerned, however it's an
issue I've encountered with multiple files on the same project on multiple systems.

The files and the error message are attached.

[Boris2016]

To clarify the files still open fine in AE 18 4 1. 

I solved the issue by re installing it, then copying everything from the comp (including the camera) to a new comp and deleting the old and saving. Which then opened fine in AE 22 3 and AE 22 4 0 Beta.

[Boris2016]

Just heard from Adobe:

Hope you are doing well.

I am writing to you to follow up on your Adobe case no#ADB-24265008-N0D7. You have contacted us regarding the project opening issue that you are facing with After effects. This is an ongoing issue with the latest version of After effects. Please revert to the After effects version 22.2.

If you are face the issue or need further assistance, simply reply to this email or please feel free to contact our Chat support using URL. or you can call us on our toll free number: 1800-833-6687.

Thanks and Regards

[Rameez_Khan]

Hi @Brandon Kraemer, 

We reported this to the After Effects team, and they need some of the PNG files + the project file to identify the issue. 

Best,

Rameez

[Brandon Kraemer]

I will share the project file and a few png files tomorrow.  I have to reinstall 22.3 to identify exactly which files are not working.  Once I do I'll share via a PM, not publicly.

[Brandon Kraemer]

Ramneez and Nishu I sent you both a link to the project file and a small sampling of png files to test with.

[Brandon Kraemer]

Looking for an update on the test files I sent in.  Was the engineering team able to reproduce the issue?

[Rameez_Khan]

Hi @Brandon Kraemer, 

Yes, the engineering was able to reproduce the issue. This bug got introduced in After Effects 22.3, and the team is working on a fix. 

I'll come back and update this thread when the fix is available. 

Thanks,

Rameez

[zuhairm]

Hi there.

I'm also experiencing the same issue and am really glad the team is working on a fix for it 🙂 

[Nicegork]

Also Experiencing this issue

[aarons72301416]

+1

[aarons72301416]

For those of you on a deadline, like myself, DO NOT PANIC. Reinstall AE 22.2; your files should open.

[klandes]

We're also experiencing this issue at Pixar. We're rolling back to 22.2 in the meantime, but I'm glad to hear that the bug has been verified and that a fix is in the works!

[Rameez_Khan · Accepted solution]

Hi all,

This bug has been fixed in After Effects 22.4.

Please update to version 22.4 if you haven't already.

Best,

Rameez

[AB_Medici]

Still getting this error even in 22.5

[The_Auryn]

Same, in 22.6.

[Rameez_Khan]

Hi @The_Auryn, 

Sorry to hear about that! 

Would it be possible for you to screen-record the behavior? That will help us to understand the issue better, and we can share it with the After Effects team if needed. 

Thanks,

Rameez

[_RYAN_KELLY_]

Hello, I realize this is an older thread but i just got this error in AE 22.6. I rolled back to 22.2 and still get the error. My file is completely unusable. Precomps were completely obliterated and replaced with "recovered" 320x240 placeholders. The files in autosave give the same error.

I tried opening in 2023 and get the same error. Is there any workaround for recovery?

[nishu_kush]

Hi _RYAN_KELLY_,

Sorry to hear that.

Do you mind sharing a screen recording that shows the issue? We'll get it checked.

Looking forward to your response.

Thanks,

Nishu

[_RYAN_KELLY_]

Thanks for the response, Nishu.

here's a video of what happens when i try to open  the project in 22.2 (i kept it rolled back)

I get the same sequence of erros in 2021 and 2023 versions.

[nishu_kush]

Hi _RYAN_KELLY_,

Thanks for the video. Which version of After Effects used to created this project? Was this project ever edited in the version 22.3 or older? Do you get this issue in the projects that are craeted in the (from scratch) in the 22.4 or above?

Let us know.

Thanks,

Nishu

[_RYAN_KELLY_]

Hi Nishu,

I can't be 100% certain but I believe this project was created in either AE 2020 or 2021. It's an ongoing project that gets updated and saved as over time.

I got this morning  on a different file which i believe went like this:
Created in 22.6 2 weeks ago.

<downgraded to 22.21 due to the original project issues>

edited the project on Friday and saved.

came in today to open and revise only to find that i could not open the project.

[nishu_kush]

Got it!

Please check if you can reproduce this on a file that hasn't been opened in After Effects version 22.3 or older.

Looking forward to your response.

Thanks,

Nishu