All .aep files missing

[annikaarina]

It seems that since the June 2019 update all of my project files have disappeared.

They were saved inside the "footage" folder where the AE tutorial project is originally saved. I had previously removed all files related to the tutorial but I can see that they have been added back on the 18th June, which the same date that I can see all AE related folders having been updated. I haven't been working on these projects for a week so I only noticed that all .aep files were missing today. There are no autosaves either. And none of these project files or autosave files can be found in any other location on the computer. I've tried reverting back to the previous version of After Effects but that did noting.

My computer is running on Mac OS Mojave 10.14.4

If anyone can help that would be amazing. I've been on the adobe chat for an hour but it's not going anywhere.

Please please help if you can! !

[Mo Moolla]

This is pretty strange. AE does NOT remove any .aep project files from folders even when installing and uninstalling.

These remain untouched and in the 1st place are not even in the folder structure of the main AE program

Perhaps you accidentally deleted these without realising it?

Where were these files stored? Can you explain a little more?

Mo

[Rick Gerard]

The update should not have any effect on .aep files unless you stored files inside the previous version of After Effects folder in your Applications folder and you chose to delete the previous versions, but even that is highly unlikely. There is nothing in the installer that would look for project files in other directories and delete them.

There is a possibility that you have hidden extensions in the finder or moved or deleted the files accidentally then emptied your trash. It takes two operations to delete a file in OSX.

Have you searched for the file names without the extension? Have you saved a new project (AEP) file and checked the info on that file to make sure that AEP files are still associated with After Effects?

From the description of your workflow, it sounds like you removed all files related to the tutorial so it makes sense that you deleted the files, then somehow reinstalled the footage files. We have no idea where the footage file was located or where it is now.

You need to set up a lot better file management system. Project files should not reside in footage folders, footage cannot be renamed or moved to different folders without causing problems. Auto Save file locations should be specified. I am positive this is just a case of user error and poor file management.

[jonr32416655]

Why are so many people annoying here???

"You need to set up a lot better file management system."

Commawn.

[Andrew Yoole · Accepted solution]

Are you saying that you saved all your projects inside the standard AE tutorial folder (see below)?

I suspect you are out of luck.  It makes perfect sense that upgrading AE probably completely replaced this folder with new tutorials relevant to the new version.

If you have a Time Machine backup you should be able to step back in time to retrieve the project files you need.

Either way, consider this a hard lesson learned:  store your project files carefully in a safe user-defined location, not in a folder that is created and governed by a software installer.

[annikaarina]

Yes I suspect that this what happened. I never realised there was a possibility of this entire folder being replaced by the software installer. It showed up as a default location, that's why everything was saved there.

So you think there is no way to recover the files?

[Andrew Yoole]

Do you have a Time Machine drive on your system?  You can almost certainly retrieve them if you do.

[annikaarina]

Yes I do. Not all of them are in the latest backup but at least a few

[Mo Moolla]

Ah this makes sense now The files were in the Learn Panel folder which when updating gets replaced.

Next time please move this to another location to create a copy

Mo

[OliverKelly]

This just happened to me too, lost all my AE files after updating. Looks like AE replaced the entire folder, unfortunately I didn't have a backup and they are not moved over to the trash folder. 

I had first used the Learn Panel folder and AE from that point used this as the default for all new projects.

[P.M.B]

Sounds like a blessing in disguise.  Nothing pays a price like a doin' it twice.  Assuming they were just tutorials and not actual work, which would sook.  But if they were just tutorials then repitition is the best way to commit knowledge to long-term memories....I think it was Socrates who said: "The best seasoning for food is memories".   or something like that... 🙂  I can't remember. 

[hikaru00007]

firstly. in the name of God . the all seeing the all knowing . THIS HAPPENS TO ME JUST NOW. damnit adobe! code better will ya ?! for god's sake please!

i ALWAYS ctrl-s EVEN BEFORE dragging my first footage into Ae. same as this project.

i saved few times already. worked on it couple hours. until it freezes . i put my laptop to sleep to see if that helps (because i wait ages and it still stuck)
and when i turn my laptop back. VOILA . Ae crashed window.. i click No (not connected to internet this time) and when i open Ae again. HOME screen didnt have my project name . i try file > open . and i'm looking via explorer ... but strangely ... it cant be detected by file open function.

furious. i open win explorer . and start looking. EVEN i searched " .aep" in my project root folder

NOTHING.

so what gives ?! huh ?
so Proud of "all same 2022" eh ? just an upgrade to the bug i think. please. adobe. code better! i lost my file.

i'm using laptop MSI GF63 thin 10UC with RTX 3080 16Gb RAM i7-10750H 2.6Ghz

and i worked in this device from 2021 . and this strange thing JUST HAPPENED NOW. 2022 09 27 02.20pm