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Inspiring
March 24, 2022
Question

Illustrator file not updating

  • March 24, 2022
  • 4 replies
  • 7703 views

I imported an AI file into AE, i then added a new layer in my AI doucument, but it won't appear in my AE document, i've tried importing as composition (retain layer size), as footage too, also tried relaoding footage, nothing seems to work, any help much appreciated

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4 replies

Community Expert
January 31, 2023

If you add a new layer to an Illustrator or a Photoshop file After Effects has never automatically updated the project panel or the comp created on the original import. AE has always updated any changes in the original layers. The workflow is to select the layer, choose Edit/Edit Original, then the layer you selected will open in the app that was used to create it. There is no Edit-Original available for a Composition. The option is only for the footage in the composition.

 

If you must add a new layer, you must import the original file again and choose only the new layer. Then you can organize the folder created for the footage (layers) when you imported the original file as a composition by dragging that layer to the appropriate folder and then dragging it into the original composition. If you have created more than one layer, you will have to import the original file again for each new layer. The behavior has been the same since AE could import layered files as compositions.

Known Participant
April 27, 2024

This is a sporadic problem I've had with AE for years--many, many years. It's not consistent and is extremely frustrating. I tried your suggestion, Edit>Edit Original and it worked. Genius! Thank you.

 

Adobe, you still have a problem. A really annoying and persistent problem. No other solution I've tried works short of completely restarting my computer. Choosing Edit > Edit Original worked but AE should automatically update like it does part of the time.

Mohammad.Harb
Community Expert
Community Expert
March 24, 2022

have you tried Purging All Memory & disk cache  ?

RockMotionLC
Participating Frequently
January 31, 2023

I'm running into this issue too. Purging won't solve it.

This is one of those situations where Adobe fixes one thing to break another.

nishu_kush
Community Manager
Community Manager
March 24, 2022

Hi nadrojxinnam,

 

Thanks for writing in.

If you imported your Illustrator file as Footage, then it should import new layers without any problem.

Unfortunately, if you imported your Illustrator file as a Composition, reloading those layers won't import your new layers. Also if you imported with Retain Layer Sizes, your layers within the composition won't update their position, only the content.

If it doesn't update the file even if you imported it as Footage, I'd recommend resetting the preferences and clearing the media cache of After Effects. 

Hope it helps. Let us know if there are any other questions.

 

Thanks,

Nishu

Participant
January 23, 2023

Huh? After Effects always updated layers when importing the Illustrator file as a compostion. This makes little sense that I woudl have to reboot AE everytime I make a change to an Illustrator file. 

Can someone look into this. It is making it very hard for me to update 2 projects I am working on.

RockMotionLC
Participating Frequently
January 31, 2023

Look into your Illustrator and see if you have the latest version. I'll try that. Hopefully, that solves the issue

Inspiring
March 24, 2022

the only thing that seems to work is if i close both programs and reopen