can't select or move footage in timeline [AE CC 2019]

[kaylind]

hi,

recently i've been struggling with the problem of not being able to select or move my footage in my timeline. It allows me to add footage and when i left click a couple of times on my footage it selects it but i'm still unable to move it then. I've reset and deleted my preferences file, restarted AE and i've restarted my mac. Nothing seems to help?

[OussK]

can you share some screenshot show us your workflow, and try to purge your memory and disk cache, also try to move you footage using shortcut select you footage than put the cursor to the are when you want your footage to be than click the Open Square Bracket Key  - [ -  on keyboard.

[kaylind]

i cleared my memory and disk cache and moved my footage using the shortcut (which works) but i'm still unable to select the footage with one right click.

here is a screenshot:

[Roland Kahlenberg]

Try disabling hardware Acceleration, if it has been enabled - see image below

Restart AE if the the change has no effect. Let us know if this helps.

[kaylind]

hi,

this didn't help unfortunately.

[Roland Kahlenberg]

Let's try the Hardware Acceleration setting within the Project Settings Panel (CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+K) - set Hardware Acceleration to Mercury Software Only. You may have to restart AE. And if this doesn't help, can you try another Timeline or AEP with different layers/media assets - just trying to see if a 3rd party plugin/script is creating the mess. Then, as a long shot, what is your Workspace setting - try setting it to the default Workspace.

[kaylind]

This didn't help, i also tried it with a different timeline which only had photos and no audio, effects and anything but it still didn't work. My workspace has always been set to default.

[Rameez_Khan]

Hey kaylind,

Are you experiencing the issue mentioned here? Fix timeline issue in the latest update – Adobe video & audio apps

If so, please upvote it so that it helps the engineering prioritize the issue.

Thanks,

Rameez

[Erich34416556emko]

Years later, but this worked for me. Thanks!

[Shivangi_Gupta]

Hi kaylind,

Sorry to hear that. I understand this is not how After Effects should work. Could you share more details about the issue?

• Does it happen with a new project as well?
• Did you follow the steps mentioned in this link to reset preferences: Setting preferences in After Effects ?
• Did you try adding layers to the composition? Were you able to do that?
• Are you able to drag the effects on the layers in the composition?

Let me know.

Thanks,

Shivangi

[kaylind · Accepted solution]

Hi!

I deleted and redownloaded after effects and now everything is working normally! Thank you to all that helped.

[megan2021]

I have run across the same issue on PC.  Running the newest version of Adobe After Effects.  Still trying to trouble shoot without having to delete AE and reinstall.

[megan2021]

Thankfully I did not have the newest update.  I went to the adobe app, saw there was an update.  I installed the newest update and now have full functionality back on dragging clips from the project window down into a composition timeline.    Now I am running: AE 17.1.2 Build 37.