Unable to set clip. GDI Status: "GenericError"

[SebbieJ]

I keep on repeatedly getting an error with After Effects that states:

After Effects warning: Unable to set clip. GDI Status: "GenericError"

It happens to me every day, usually over my lunch hour I switch my screens off. If After Effects is running, when I return and try to RAM Preview, AE will load in to RAM as much as it can, usually playing back once before this error pops up. If I hit ok, the same error then pops up repeatedly, and it will not go away giving me no chance to save my work. I have to use the Task Manager to be able to quit AE.

As I've got two monitors plugged in to two PCs, it also happens when I switch PCs then switch back to the one running AE.

Can Adobe fix this please? Or at least make it so that the error message doesn't keep coming up when I press OK in an endless cycle of doom?

[Mylenium]

without any system info nobody can fix anything nor advise on specific fixes. That said, of course this is simply a graphics error, so update your system's graphics driver and check the relevant hardware acceleration settings in AE. Anything more will require better information.

Mylenium

[SebbieJ]

Sure, fair enough. 

I'm running the latest Studio Nvidia driver, and this has been happening for this current version of AE, and previous versions for the past year or two.
Could you please elaborate on this? "check the relevant hardware acceleration settings in AE"

Here are my PC specs:

Windows 10 Pro Version 10.0.19045

Threadripper 1950X

RTX 3060 connected to my monitors

RTX 2080ti

64GB RAM

ROG Strix X399-E Gaming Motherboard.

[SebbieJ]

*Edit (why is there no edit button here?!)

"and this has been happening for this current version of AE, and previous versions for the past year or two."

Just to note that this has been happening with the previous versions, although different error messages (I'm afraid I can't remember what these were, something along the lines of a generic error) were shown but the same action basically happened.

[FirstYouWereWrong]

• First you were smug, then you were wrong.  Thank you to the above answerer for answering without this extra info!

[Mylenium]

You can edit your messages under the three dots at the bottom of each post. Other than that I'm not certain what the problem could be. What does the GPU info in the AE preferences say? I have that odd feeling that your two RTX cards are getting in the way of one another. Have you tried to connect the monitors to the 2080 instead of the 3080? Do you use an extended desktop or are the monitors configured separately?

Mylenium 

[SebbieJ]

I'm afraid that I don't get 3 dots under my posts.
As the 2080ti is the more powerful card that I use that for V-Ray rendering in Maya, I need the monitors connected to the 3060 as it's the lesser card. It keeps the operating system working fluidly whilst I'm able to render in the background.

The GPU info is below from AE's preferences:

[Saša Moglo]

I had the exact same issue yesterday. Found a solution by opening an older version of After Effects, trying to playback there which worked fine, closing it and opening AE 2023. After that the error didn't appear. Not sure what happened, im guessing its something with either cache or gpu drivers, but it works fine since. Hope this helps. Cheers, S

[SebbieJ]

Thank you for the response.Yeah, if I close AE and reopen it the error message isn't there.

I'm just wondering why the message is appearing in the first place and if Adobe can do something to make it so that the error message doesn't repeatedly appear when I hit OK in an endless cycle.

[SebbieJ]

Just noting that this error has also been happening on my collegues PC. Similarly specced PC, only he's running two GTX1060 cards.

Any change of a response from Adobe?

[Detroit5CC1]

Hey man, I was also having this very frustrating issue a while ago. Have you bought a new GPU recently? Try doing a clean reinstall of the NVIDIA drivers. I also installed NVIDIA Studio. Also, try reinstalling After Effects after these steps. Mine is running smoothly so far! Hope it helps!

[CristiCG]

Same problem here. As strange as may sounds I have updated the CUDA core to version 12.0. and the problem went away. Background: Until december 2022 I had W10 and AE 22 with no problems, then I have updated to W11, AE 23 and latest NVidia Drivers. For the last 3 weeks did not touched AE due to other priorities. Then I opened AE and I was not even able to live preview the time line. Generic GDI error it something that has to do with Windows in general. It was not the program because any older versions of AE installed had  the same issue. so... Maybe it is the CUDA. And it was... at lest for the last days it works as it should. 

[CristiCG]

nope. here we go again few days later. 

[CristiCG]

I have tried another thing. windows comand promp (as admin) sfc/scannow. found some corrupted files. Restart. It works fine for now. 

[samuelj81836032]

Had this problem. Updated my GPU Driver, reinstalled AE, and cleared the cache and that seemed to work.

[Kirmm Ella]

Newest nvidia drivers for 3090Ti, newest AE version - same thing.

[yash-lucid]

Also experiencing this - any resolution Adobe team? 
Otherwise if not - I'll start a new thread
Tried all suggestions here

[Saša Moglo]

Found a solution, might be just for my case tho, but try if it might solve yours.

I found out i only get this error while in a custom workspace which i edited to fit my needs, its the upper tab in AE, screen below

if i go back to standard workspace and create even a new custom workspace, it goes away. Might be a solution just for my case tho, but try if it works.

Cheers, S

[yash-lucid]

Thanks for the feedback!
Will try this trick, what also seems to be working is disabling plugins  I don't use, one was probably the culprit.
(after AE crashes a menu pops up to allow this)

I disabled
Dynamic Line Chart
FilmConvert Pro
freeGradient

LUT Buddy
Pastiche (Pro)

One of those may have been the culprit

[Anat24387552dxuz]

this method worked for me - I'm using 3060TI with the latest drivers and latest ae update

[flashvenom]

I regret updating all my stuff. Was on AE 22.3 and wanted to try out some new features in my Red Giant and Boris subscriptions. Upgraded everything to the latest version and now I'm getting all sorts of issues. Haven't found anything that works yet and I've tried lots of different things.

My next attempt will be installing the game driver instead of the studio driver for my 2080Ti. Then I'll be deleting my preferences (which I don't want to do since it took me a good two hours to perfectly craft three workspaces for a couple different workflows)

If that doesn't work, I'm thinking about doing a fresh install of AE. And just installing my plug-ins as I need them. I have a feeling this all comes down to AE not liking some or all of my plugins (I'm a bit of an aescripts addict lol)

[bjamRLz0]

This seems to be working for me. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 TI

[AlexandreMarcati]

I'm having the same problem and I've had similar situations lots of time (when an error appears while previewing, and keeps popping back up immediately when you press OK, and the playback doesn't stop).
It seems to me that it wouldn't be too hard for adobe devs to program it in a way that, whenever an error message pops up, previewing should automatically stop for preventing that the message keeps popping up again immediately, effectively making the software stuck. I wonder how on earth they haven't thought of that yet, this type of thing has happened every now and again for years...

[Ajed]

Same problem for years.  Mine results in an error loop while playing where i have to open task manager to close the app.  Very frustrating and sadly I know it won't be addressed unless enough people experience the bug.    

This isn't ideal for everyone, but I've eliminated so many dynamic link issues and rendering problems by building Mogurt templates to use in Premire, it's tricky getting everything to work and not all comps will  work either, but as far as workarounds, I have to remember not to press space bar again or create a template.  

[Jorge - Matebrain.com · Accepted solution]

Here is the solution: it is an audio hardware problem. That's why the message pops up when you hit play, until then no audio output is needed.
Try changing the audio hardware default output to something else. It may be using a device that it's not present right now, like Bluetooth headphones which is my case, or some DVI audio output from a graphic card.