Replacing Illustrator CS6 files in AE CC 2015

[Walter Soyka]

None of what you’re describing should be a problem.

Maybe there’s a problem with a specific file? Can you import them from scratch into a new project, or does that fail, too?

Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive   |   RenderBreak [blog]   |   Profile [LinkedIn]

[Anthony Rondinone]

I agree, that’s what I don’t understand.
I can import them into a new project, I can even import them into the same project. The problem I’m having is “replace footage” to find the files since they are in a new location. I just get the spinning wheel for ever when i try to replace footage after I find it in the new location. Is it possible that it just takes that long to replace all 250 files? I let it spin for over a half hour hoping it was just taking a long time.
I had to do the same thing with some photoshop file and those replaced just fine. It’s just the Illustrator files.
Is it possible something is wrong with illustrator?

[Walter Soyka]

Ae has its own Illustrator importer; it doesn’t actually rely on your installed copy of Illustrator for anything.

Maybe it’s a specific file that’s giving you trouble relinking? I’d suggest pulling files out of that directory structure (so Ae cannot see them when it attempts to relink). If Ae hangs again when you import, pull a few more out. If it succeeds, put a few back in. Do this until you isolate the issue.

Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive   |   RenderBreak [blog]   |   Profile [LinkedIn]

[Anthony Rondinone]

How do I pull certain files out of a directory structure? Sorry that’s new to me.
What I’m doing right now is opening up one of the folders with the illustrator files in the project window, going to replace footage, and locating the file. I have tried doing it with other files in case it’s just that one and still no luck.

[Walter Soyka]

When you try to connect one file, Ae will automatically connect other missing files in the same relative path.

I’m suggesting you move the other files out of their containing folder in Finder or Explorer (i.e. to your Desktop), then try to reconnect.

Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive   |   RenderBreak [blog]   |   Profile [LinkedIn]

[Anthony Rondinone]

Ahhh I see! Genius!
I’ll try that tonight. Maybe I’ll take all of them out except one and see if it works, then slowly add more back into the folder if they start working so I can see if there is a problem file.
Thank you so much for the advise!

[Greg C neumayer]

Did this process reveal anything for you? I’ve been having this problem for months as well.
One thing you can do is try to make sure you have your “info” window open in AE when it relinks. This will at least tell you what it’s thinking.

Here’s my very similar problem:
— I have an Illustrator file with 70 layers. I’ve changed the overall dimensions of the AI file.
— When I go back over to AE, it’s “checking for changed footage” and “incorporating changed footage” one painfully slow layer at a time. This isn’t overly complex artwork and each layer check takes about 5-10 seconds. That’s 23 minutes to update! Something’s very wrong, but my artwork is just AI vector art. This happens on multiple projects. The biggest problem is that I have a hard time getting out of the spinning beach ball cycle. It would be faster just for me to close the project and re-open, but I can’t escape the auto-update check.

Is there:
— A way to disable auto-checks of footage?
— A known issue?