Double Clicking a comp in the timeline doesn't work...

[tacroy]

Just this morning when I tried to double-click a comp in my timeline to open it (like I have a hundred times before) it doesn't open it. Instead it brings it into the window like it was footage.

However, If I right-click and goto "Open Comp" it works fine, it just takes far longer.

Any idea how to change it back?

[Todd_Kopriva · Accepted solution]

The behavior depends on what tool is active. See this page for details.

[Kris Hawes]

Bingo. I've been a motion designer for 14 years and this has always irked me haha, thank you

[Mylenium]

Something has reversed the Alt+click behavior. Restart your system, check your system keyboard settings, trash the AE shortcut files...

Mylenium

[rjgettis81]

Tacroy, I just found your thread and a similar thing happened to me. Double clicking any comp in my project window did NOT open them in the timeline. Had to drop a current comp on a new comp to "pre-comp" it essentially which force opened it in the timeline area. Then i double clicked it inside the worthless pre-comp to open it in timeline then deleted the worthless pre-comp up in the project panel. Also double clicking the mask tool to apply a full size mask to a layer was not working... I searched a ton of threads and eventually just decided to "re-set" my current workspace and everything went back to normal. Not sure what the bug was or where AE got trapped. I even rebooted AE and my computer a few times to return to the same error. Re-setting the workspace was the only thing that fixed it. Not sure if this helps since this happened to you so long ago, but perhaps will help someone else who has the issue

[Magui1984]

Maybe it sounds super stupid but it really happened to me: I suddenly noticed that double click wouldn't open any comps and if I tried to click and drag-select anything in the comp view or click and move an object it would suddenly send far away from the comp view.

Then I realized there was a tiny dog hair in the sensor of my mouse. I got rid of it and it all worked ok. Hope it helps someone, even 4 years late!

[AndyB-LondonSecretAgency]

Haa ha!. Hair of the Dog.

Yes this behaviour started for me last week, after opening a project from a freelancer.  AE also stopped updating video.
 

So we spent a project, left clicking/ open composition then:
Instead of using the engrained shortcut V to get to the trusty selection tool, actually bring up the tool palette and click on the selection tool. This fixed it. 

[ErwinMichael]

It really depends on what tool is actually selected. "V" selection opens comp timeline, while drawing tools open drawing window.

[LittleGreenDog]

This problem just happened to me. For some reason, using Alt-double-click now opens certain precomps properly; regular double-clicking opens the source. The weird thing is thing is that other comps with precomps in this same project file will open properly with a double-click. I'm guessing something is internally screwed up in the project.

This seems to happen in only this particular project; other projects are fine.

For now, I'll keep using Alt-double-click where normal double-click isn't working.  Just posting this info in case anybody else runs into this weirdness and none of the previous suggestions apply.

[nicorako]

The Alt+double-click solution worked for me!

[defaultp7s0ebvkg4z8]

Alt+Double click solved it. Saved me bro thank you

[P.M.B]

In the general preferences you can choose whether double clicking opens the layer or the source.  Alt+double click reverses whatever behavior you set in the preferences.

[jorzheemah30746690]

Go to Preferences > General > Below the "Show Start Screen at Startup" just uncheck "Open Layer panel when Double-clicking with Paint, Roto Brush, and Refine Edge Tools

[Kayden007]

This is the only correct answer. Thank you!

[deanzyt]

I know the problem was tackled long time ago, but I just ran into the same problem and the correct answer wasn't too helpful for me. Thought I might share what happened.

Basically I was trying to remember a shortcut and tried option+W which I thought nothing happened. Turns out that's Roto brush tool's shortcut and I wasn't aware of that. Then double clicking on a timeline comp it opens the layer panel. Press V for selection tool and everything is back to normal.

[markor20538091]

This happened to me when i closed effect control layout. I fixed it by rolling back last saved layout.

[jamiemcgee]

I experienced this as well today.

Resolved when I realised I had a floating panel that was across both my monitors.

Dragging the panel so that it is only on one monitor corrected it.

Have had issues in the past with both AE and premiere when a window/panel is across a couple of monitors.

[Rick Gerard]

The workspace has an effect sometimes. The tool selected should always be the selection tool (v).

The confusion happens when you end up opening the Layer vs opening the Layer Source. Opening the layer using the Menu or a double click will open the layer panel if you select a layer that contains a solid, null, adjustment layer or any kind of footage, but it usually takes you to a new comp and timeline when a comp is selected. Holding down the Alt/Option key when double-clicking a layer or using the Layer menu will take you to the Footage panel when the layer is any asset in the timeline that you can see in the Project Panel. The confusion happens when you have a nested comp (pre-comp) selected. Expecting the comp panel to open and the timeline to switch to the new comp is the mistake. If you are in the paint workspace, or Motion Tracking workspace or those panels are open, AE assumes you want the Layer Panel open so you can use those tools so if you want to open the layer source and see the timeline you may need to use the menu.

[ktofosho]

Thanks! This was my problem as well

[Riccardo5D64]

My PC started to not open a Light or Camera layer to tweak it with double clicking, it emits a sound and doesn't open it, it works if I alt-click the Light or Camera layer.
I thought something changed in in the new versions of After but on another PC the same version is working fine. I also tried cc2021 and cc2022 on the PC behaving strangely and it doesn't work on both versions.

[thisisrichnz]

Make sure you have the arrow cursor selected otherwise the pre-comp will not open.