Expressions Not Updating?

Report · Jul 19, 2017

Currently running After Effects 14.2.0.198 and this is on both Macintosh and Windows.

There will be expressions that do not visually update to what the value says it is.

Example ... layer Opacity without an expression is 0%, layer is not visible.

Add an expression (if/else toggle) for either 100% or 0% ... the expression will be enabled (no syntax errors) and the value colored in 'red' showing it has an expression on it ... of 0% ... but the layer will be 100% visible. Stunner is that if I temporarily turn off the expression the layer disappears because the Opacity without an expression is 0%. Toggle back on the expression-driven value of 0% and the layer is visible again.

Same with position. I have Position expressions placing items in random locations. If I dial in new seed values I can watch the 'red' expression-enabled position value change... but the layer itself doesn't move to the new position.

Edit -> Purge -> All Memory / All Memory & Disk Cache / Image Cache Memory has no effect.

Many times quitting AE and opening it back up refreshes to the correct value.

Any thoughts what's causing this? Expressions are expressions are expressions... they return a value and the value 'should' visually reflect the numbers that correctly update in the 'red' text value field. But don't.

Thanks,

Marc

Report · Feb 27, 2018

I've just been using an adjustment layer with checkbox control to turn things on/off and I can confirm that everything breaks after rendering.

I did realize 2 possible work arounds if you guys are trying to use your toolkits/templates

If you delete the checkbox control (adjustment layer) scrub around and ctrl+z, the expressions work again.

or

Create another adjustment layer and rename it the exact same way as your checkbox control adjustment layer. Delete the new adjustment layer and this should refresh your expressions.

Seems a whole lot faster than re-opening AE

Hope this helps you guys fix the issue!

Report · Apr 24, 2018

Hello All,

I just wanted to provide a status update.

This morning, I upgraded to the newest version of After Effects CC, Version 15.1.0 (Build 166), which I believe was released on April 8th. I am happy to report that, so far, it's looking like Adobe has resolved the issue. I haven't fully run it through it's paces yet, but I have tested it out on a few expression heavy projects. I was successfully able to render and then make changes within the project, which were accurately updated in the comp view...without having to use the work around of closing and then reopening the project after the render completed.

Does anyone else that has been experiencing the issue have the time/resources to upgrade and to run a few tests? It would be great to have someone else confirm these results.

Thanks in advance and hopefully this bug has finally been fixed!

-Mike

Report · Feb 08, 2018

In case you're are unable to recreate the problem, It may only happen when you have "a few" expressions in the comp. Something gets overloaded. I have a grid expression that used to be fine but now with over 20 or so layers it just chokes.

Report · Feb 08, 2018

If expression changes do not trigger a re render/update of cached frames, have you tried, say, adding an adjustment layer with an effect to trigger it. If this works then it maybe that helps with the hunt?

Report · May 29, 2018

Anyone still having this issue?

I built a character rig for an animation (eye direction, eyebrows, etc) in my main comp and I am referencing all of those positions within pre-comps in the main comp and out of nowhere all of them stopped working. Restarted AE, restarted the computer, updated AE, nothing.

Report · May 29, 2018

All the time I have relative links inside one composition and try to rename or duplicate the comp, I have an issue. I have to close AE and reopen it.

Report · May 30, 2018

You have to go into preferences/Media and Disk Cache, empty your disk cache AND clean your database and cache from in there.

Then maybe restart AE, maybe your machine.

I still basically think it is a cache conflict with the cache controller on some SSDs, maybe even a sign of dying or none refreshed blocks in the flash memory itself. I just tried to clean the cache and database on an iMac and it took ages. Maybe that is low level cleaning?

Expressions in AE are still very slow and heavy so avoid using copy with (relative) property links and keep it to just the expressions needed. Not knocking the expression coding though. It is amazing how it updates when you move/rename stuff now! Thanks again to the probably surprisingly small AE team!

Report · Jun 19, 2018

I have been having a similar issue in that when I render my expression starts glitching between the updated value and the previous value creating a seemingly random jump on certain frames. I'm using Dataclay's Templater to batch render from a spreadsheet, and am using an expression to add the values of several text widths and then divide the total by 2 to center the position in the comp. It always works fine on the first one, but all the following renders have the random glitches. I am unable to update to CC2018 as my work as not approved to update our OS yet...ugh!

Anyway, I did find an odd work around that seems to do the trick. I can't do a batch render anymore unfortunately, but instead of restarting After Effects or re-opening the project try this. Open your comp setting (CMD+K or Control+K on a PC probably), and change the background color, then hit cancel. For some reason this seems to updated all the expressions in the preview window (I know...weird right?).

Has anyone else experienced the issue after updated to CC2018?

Report · Jun 19, 2018

Well I have another workaround for those using Templater or if you just want your expressions to work after rendering. If you change your post render action to import in your output module it seems refresh everything after rendering. I just batch rendered with and without the import post render action on. For me at least it does the trick with import on. Again...Wierd!

Report · Aug 03, 2018

Try to put your Precomp at the start of your Main comp. The thing is about the time difference, I guess.
At least it helped for me.

Report · Dec 19, 2018

Still having the same issues as OP.

2 workarounds:

Clicking through the timeline a couple of times (5 to 10 times to let it fully update) instead of dragging the timeline or...

Saving and restarting the file after the render.

Not really ideal for my client.

Report · Dec 19, 2018

What version of AE are you and your client using?

Report · Dec 19, 2018

v15.0.0 (Build180). Updating now to v16.0.1... Feel kinda stupid that I forgot to turn on the auto-update.

Anyway, hope this helps. Will edit if this resolves the issue.

tristansummers will AE be full on javascript in 2019 instead of expressions? Sounds good I guess.

EDIT: Jep resolved the issue...... Althought I have a few expression errors now. But seems fixable. Thanks!

Report · Dec 19, 2018

I think the next year or so will be expression chaos as we transition to full javascript and it gets debugged.

I still think it is an SSD cache problem, or RAM, or VRAM all not refreshing properly, maybe to do with proclivity, if that is still accessible.

Many broadcasters won't accept templates with Expressions in, which makes MOGRT in particular an unviable delivery option.

Hopefully some sort of under the hood soltion will be found.

In the meantime, at least Venetian blinds works on the GPU now. That was high on the priority list!

I think multi -processing may be getting better in 2019.

the Lord gives...