Error Message on Launch

[timtyson]

After installing the latest version of AE (10.0.1) on my Mac Pro (OS 10.6.6 [a totally clean erase and install this week], 32g RAM, 2 x 3.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeons with 6T of internal disk space), upon launching the software, I get this error message during the splash screen when "scripting" appears in the splash screen, before the app opens:

After Effects error: invalid DICT array size ( 83 :: 2 )

I click on OK and the error message goes away, and AE seems to run, but I don't want a giant surprise one day when the whole system goes up in smoke because something is really wrong.

I've uninstalled and re-installed 3x.  I've rebooted multiple times.  I've found this exact error message mentioned in a google search, but one is written in Russian (I think) and the other in French.

I have Photoshop Extended from CS4 and the web apps from CS3 on the same machine.

Your help would be appreciated.

[Todd_Kopriva]

That error message doesn't tell much all by itself. It says that one of a somewhat broad set of components has returned an invalid value, and that's it.

You say that everything seems to be running OK?

Try this: Try importing a PSD file. The reason that I suggest that is that one of the components that uses the kind of code that could return that message is the library that After Effects uses to load and render Photoshop items.

It's pretty late on a Friday evening, and Monday is a holiday, so I don't know how much useful troubleshooting we're going to get accomplished right away. Please do report back on this thread if the application fails in some way beyond this error message. If there's a specific failure, then we'll have more to go on.

BTW, since you're new to After Effects, I strongly recommend starting here, where there are lots of free materials for learning the basics:

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

[timtyson]

Yes, everything seems to be working.  And the GBDeflicker plugin in AE seems to produce the best result I've seen thus far--better than anything available for Final Cut Pro.

I tried importing several psd files, none of them remotely related to video work, and I tried importing them each using the different options offered.   They all imported fine.

Would uninstalling all Adobe products and reinstalling them be a productive use of time?

I'll check out the learning the basics URL, and I've subscribed to the RSS feed for this thread to keep an eye on anything posted.  Also, if another error presents itself, I'll post back.

Have a good holiday weekend.

[Todd_Kopriva · Accepted solution]

> Would uninstalling all Adobe products and reinstalling them be a productive use of time?

At this point, I don't think so. As long as everything seems to be working OK once you click past that error message, I don't think that reinstalling is necessary. For now, I think that it's relatively safe to assume that the error message is harmless. If that assumption turns out to be wrong, then we can move forward from there with more details based on an actual failure.

BTW, I just got a note from one of the software engineers that he suspects that the error may be coming from the font system. If that is the case, then something in one of these documents may be useful:

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/327/327791.html

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/832/cpsid_83223.html (#6 and #7 regarding fonts)

[timtyson]

<jumping up and down>

Thanks Todd.  And please thank the engineer for me as well.

I ran Font Doctor on my Mac.  It found that I had 2 fonts with ID conflicts as well as several duplicate fonts.  I told Font Doctor to correct those issues.  Font Doctor then reported no font problems.

I then launched AE.  No error message!!!

Again, thanks for reaching out to me and solving this issue!  I would have never figured it out and therefore never purchased AE.  Your support is much appreciated.

Tim

[Todd_Kopriva]

I'm glad that it worked out. Feel free to come back here if you have any more problems.

[AndileJohnson]

My 2 cents. Same issue, I eventually resolved it by installing trial for Linotype Font Explorer, cleaning font caches (which didnt immediately fix problem), removing duplicate fonts, and other general font problem solving using the program. I also deactivated fonts that I don't use regularly and deleted the ones I dont want. After no luck for a few hours suddenly After Effects opened without the error message. Definitely a font-related issue