Reconnect offline media files in Motion

Adding a media file to a Motion project creates a link between the resulting image layer in Motion and its corresponding source media file on your computer or connected storage device. If you move, delete, or rename media files on your computer or connected device, the linked layers in Motion go “offline.” Media can also go offline if you give someone a project file without also providing the source media it uses.

Offline layers appear as checkered rectangles that occupy the entire bounding box of the missing image.

Canvas window showing an object with offline media

When a layer goes offline, a question mark icon appears beside the empty preview thumbnail in the Layers list.

In the Media list, a question mark icon replaces the missing preview thumbnail.

When you open a project file with offline media, a dialog appears listing all files that can’t be found. If the media files were moved to another folder or disk instead of being deleted, you might be able to locate them on your computer using the offline media search feature. If you know the location of the missing media files, you can display a manual reconnection dialog and navigate to the files without searching. If the file was renamed, you must locate it manually.

Dialog showing list of files with missing media

Manually reconnect an offline media file

In the alert dialog that appears in Motion, click Reconnect Media.
In the manual reconnection dialog that appears, navigate to the location of the missing file.
In the dialog that appears, navigate to the location of the missing file, select the file, then click Open.

The file is reconnected. If more than one missing media file appears in the same folder, all files are reconnected.

Search for and reconnect offline media files

If you can’t find the file manually, use the offline media search feature.

In the alert dialog that appears in Motion, click Search for Media.
Motion attempts to find the first missing file in the list. If the search is successful, a dialog shows the missing media file.
Select the file, then click Open to reconnect it.

If the search is unsuccessful, try the steps in Manually reconnect an offline media file.

Reconnect offline media in the Media Inspector

If you do not immediately reconnect an offline layer, you can still save changes to the project and even close it again, then reconnect the offline layers later, via the Reconnect Media File button in the Media Inspector.

In Motion, open the Media list.
Select the offline layer to reconnect.
Open the Media Inspector, then click the Reconnect Media File button under the Linked Objects list.
Motion attempts to find the first missing file in the list. If the search is successful, a dialog appears with the missing media file selected. If the search is unsuccessful, you must navigate manually to file’s location, then select the file.
Click Open to reconnect the file.
Note: You can also use the File > Reconnect Media command.

If more than one missing media file appears in the same folder, clicking Open reconnects all files.

Download this guide: PDF

Helpful?

Motion User Guide

Reconnect offline media files in Motion

Manually reconnect an offline media file

Search for and reconnect offline media files

Reconnect offline media in the Media Inspector