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Penny Zee
Participant
September 28, 2022
Released

Update the way AE handles alphabetizing in the Project Window

  • September 28, 2022
  • 11 replies
  • 880 views
Currently there is an unexpected behavior with how AE alphabetizes items in the project window. The addition of a character after numbers changes the order in a way that makes organization and renaming a challenge and sometimes a complete pain.
Example:
04-
01
02
Above the dash will bring the 04- to the top. I'm told this is because numbers at the end are counted as numerals, but as soon as you add a non-number character after a number that number because a regular character. This seems to mean context plays a part in a character's value.

I would like to see all characters assigned an alphanumeric value that doesn't change based on context.

    11 replies

    JohnColombo17100380
    Community Manager
    JohnColombo17100380Community Manager
    Community Manager
    December 13, 2023

    Hi all,

    While we're a bit late in updating this thread, the updated sorting/alphabetizing of project items was released with AE 23.4 in May 2023.

     

    For anyone who has been using underscores to keep items at the top of the sorting order, these now sort after any numeric characters. There is a short thread and script here for easily updating existing projects with different prefix characters for keeping items at the top of the sorting order.

     

    Thanks again for your feedback and requests,

    - John, After Effects Engineering Team 

      the_dudes
      the_dudes
      Inspiring
      March 14, 2023

      That's awesome to hear! A great little QOL improvement 👍

      JohnColombo17100380
      Community Manager
      JohnColombo17100380Community Manager
      Community Manager
      March 13, 2023

      Hi all,

      Starting with the After Effects (Beta) 23.4.0.18 release, items in the Project panel are now sorted in a more predictable alphanumeric order.

       

      More details are available in the Beta forums: https://community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects-beta-discussions/feeback-requested-project-panel-sort-order-change/td-p/13648007. Your feedback is highly appreciated!

       

      Cheers,

      - John, After Effects Engineering Team 

        JohnColombo17100380
        Community Manager
        JohnColombo17100380Community Manager
        Community Manager
        September 30, 2022

        Thanks all for this feature request! This would definitely be a welcome improvement to the Project panel.

         

        Cheers,

        - John, After Effects Engineering Team 

          A
          andydv
          Inspiring
          September 30, 2022

          I wish AE ordered comps more like Premiere does- if I name a comp ALT for example, AE sticks the comp at the bottom of the stack, while Premiere "properly" keeps the ALT next to its sibling.

           

          Here are screenshots from both AE and Premiere to illustrate my gripe. Thank you!

           

            

            the_dudes
            the_dudes
            Inspiring
            September 28, 2022
            Yes please!
            S
            Spencer Tweed
            Participant
            September 28, 2022
            @Tim Kurkoski "That's not a bug, that's a FEATURE!"
            F
            FeedbackCommunityMember
            Inspiring
            September 28, 2022
            I agree. Custom sorting would be super handy. Then I can stop putting underscores in front of main comps.
            F
            FeedbackCommunityMember
            Inspiring
            September 28, 2022
            Actually what I'd love is a way to have "custom" sorting, like if the items were layers, with a simple drag and drop. Maybe this could be optionnal, on a per project basis.

            This way, one could easily sort the items, keep them of top if you want, no matter how you name it.
            Maybe this could also enale new stuff in expressions: we could reference a specific item given its index in the stack instead of its name, like always referencing the first one or the last one, but being able to change them easily, or do stuff depending on the order if the items and automate things with scripting, like quickly setting up a render queue taking items in a specific order, all of this with an easier way of sorting, like drag and drop, than renaming items with numbers.
              Roei Tzoref
              Roei Tzoref
              Legend
              September 28, 2022
              Please make same as windows which I think is the same as finder or any other sorting I am familiar with (like googledrive/dropbox) Or at least add an option to have it like that...
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