Why Do I Keep Getting Project Must Be Converted Message?

[Stock_House_Group]

I keep getting this message or a message similar to it every time I open a project that I have downloaded and want to edit and use... and ideas why I keep getting and how do I convert these projects to make them work? A couple examples of messages I get at open of project:

After Effects: This project must be converted from version 9.0.2 (Macintosh Intel) and will open as an untitled project. The original file will be unchanged.

After Effects:  This project must be converted from version 9.0 (Windows) and will open as an untitled project. The original file will be unchanged.

Once I get this message it allows me to work on the project, but then when I try to render it, I get this message (which I assume is because the project was opened as an untitled project and no longer has the same file name as opened):

The directory originally specified in the selected output module no longer exists.

Any help would be appreciated, and I have window and I am using AE CS5 10.0.0 ... Thanks in advance

[Todd_Kopriva]

The messages seem pretty clear to me. Nothing is wrong. You have projects created in After Effects CS4, and you're opening them in After Effects CS5. After Effects CS5 is just doing a conversion to the After Effects CS5 project format. No reason to fret.

[Todd_Kopriva]

Oh, and I see that you're running After Effects CS5 (10.0.0). You should update to After Effects CS5 (10.0.1). That update fixes a lot of problems.

[Stock_House_Group]

I will do that immediately and hope it help with this issue specifically.  I am hoping that the process I have to do to convert is nothing too insane b/c I am new to all of this.  You are awesome for your help.. I will go update to 10.0.1 ... thanks again

[Stock_House_Group]

Okay good to know it's nothing broken or crazy lol... so how do I convert?  It says this project must be converted from... xxx how do I convert so I can render?  Thanks a ton for the reply btw.

[Todd_Kopriva · Accepted solution]

> so how do I convert?

When you see that, After Effects is already doing the conversion for you. There's nothing left for you to do. It's just explaining to you why it created a new project with a new name.

The only thing left for you to do is related to the other message that you were seeing, which is telling you that you need to set a new output location in the output module.

It seems that you're very new to After Effects. Please, begin here and work your way methodically through the resources pointed to:

http://blogs.adobe.com/toddkopriva/2010/01/getting-started-with-after-eff.html

[Stock_House_Group]

Thanks Todd... yea like 2 days new haha.  I will def go through the getting started guide. 

[scubbasteve302]

I'm getting the same error even after update my AE CS5 to v.10 on OSX Lion. 

It looks like it's trying to convert but than I get several errors from "Unknown Exception" to "Error: Strange Situation".  The converted file does not open and displays the error "Unsupported File Type."

Please help, I have a project due at work this weekend which desperately needs to be completed! 😕