After Effects Composition Window not working correctly

[Vic DiGital]

tl;dr:  I hit a hotkey or clicked something that pushed my main Composition panel to a second monitor and I can't make it come back.

This isn't a hardware issue.  Using the latest AE build (17.6) and all my Nvidia drivers are up to date.  I've been using AE for nearly 25 years.  

I accidentally hit something and my main Composition window in my workspace went away. Or more precisely, I think it got shifted to a different screen.  On my regular screen where it normally goes, I'm just getting a panel that shows the "New Composition"  "New Composition from Footage" boxes.  The panel label for this shows "Layer (none)"  Normally that has the composition name and clicking on the (none) area gives me a variety of options.  Clicking on the (none) right now gives me no options.  On my second screen where I think the composition panel IS showing up, it's not showing me any controls or window frame (to click and drag) or panel options, it just completely fills that second screen with the composition output.  I've messed with every Window and View option, and nothing makes it return to my main viewing screen.  

When I click on any other Workspace, it acts normally.  But when I switch back to my custom interface, it reverts to the Composition window being off to the side.  

Mecury Transit is off.

So I must have clicked on something or hit a hidden hotkey.  

[Rick Gerard]

Reset your current workspace. If it is visible to the right of the toolbar you can just double click and choose Yes. If it is hidden you can use the Window menu to reset the workspace.

[Vic DiGital]

Forgot to add that that was the first thing I did.  Doesn't affect anything.

[Rick Gerard]

Try opening Preferences/General (Alt/Option + Ctrl/Cmnd + ;) then browsing to your preferences file and renaming it then restarting AE. This gives you the option of returning to the original preferences settings. 

You can always just nuke your preferences and reset everything by masing down all of the keys on the left side of the keyboard when you open AE and select yes when Shift + Alt/Option + Contro/Cmnd gives you to option to reset everything.

[Ali Jaber · Accepted solution]

Try this: move the mouse over the composition view in the second monitor and press: ctrl+\ and see if it does work for you, this is the shortcut for: "Maximize App Window"

[Vic DiGital]

Bingo!  Yes, that worked. Thanks!  I've never seen or used that command (although I must have hit it accidentally to put the window in that state.)  My first assumption was that I'd hit the tilde (`) key, but toggling it on the window didn't have any effect.  Never knew that there was a similar command.  And it's not listed in any of the drop-down menus.  Anyway, thanks again!  

[Trina23255498bo1y]

Window - Workspace - All panels