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AI displays the START SCREEN on opening the file and the document view do not switches (refreshes) the file content.

v 22.1

When trying to open an existing file while Illustrator is closed, the software will lag and then hang on the opening screen. The file appears to be opened in the background, but there's no way to access or see it. The opening screen will give options to open additional files or create a new one (as usual) but when trying to do either, nothing will open and no New File Options menu will appear.

Everything will work normally only if I open Illustrator first and then the file.

This happens will every file I've tried, so this isn't an issue of corruption.

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Resolved (Comments Open)  ·  AdminAnkit Goyal(Illustrator Team) (Admin, Adobe Illustrator) responded  · 

Thank you all for reporting this issue and providing us your valuable feedback.

What we have found out so far is that this issue can happen in multiple workflows. For clear tracking, validation and closure. We will closing this thread for given below two scenarios which we believe are fixed now:

1)Double click any Ai file to launch Illustrator
2)Placing files in Illustrator via Bridge.

For two other scenarios that we know of that can cause this, we have created a separate thread :https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-bugs/suggestions/39220189-ai-displays-the-start-screen-on-opening-the-file-a .If you are encountering the below mentioned issues with latest Version (24.0.1 on Mac and Win), then please vote on newly provided User voice thread and provide Test File via File→Package, Video and steps via dropping email at sharewithai@adobe.com along with this thread link so that we can identify and fix the root cause.

1. On opening a file in Illustrator the START SCREEN do not gets dismissed and the file’s content is not visible.
2. While working on a file and opening a new one the document view sticks to the old file and do not switches to the new file artwork.

Please remember to update graphic driver. We are also seeing cases where updating graphic card driver fixes the issue. You can update your driver via https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/illustrator-gpu-performance-driver-update.html .

With Best Regards,
Ankit Goyal
Illustrator Team

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  • Lauren commented  ·   ·  Report

    I've started closing Microsoft Outlook in order to get this bug to go away and it appears to be working so far.

  • Alexis C. commented  ·   ·  Report

    I'm not even getting to the point of ever successfully opening files - this has only started for me very very recently.

  • Alexis C. commented  ·   ·  Report

    I'm having the same problem, on Windows 10. At first I thought it might be an issue with the source file, but I've tried opening files I know are good and it does the same flipping thing.

  • Damien commented  ·   ·  Report

    V22.1 - If Illustrator is not open and you open by clicking on an .ai file in finder, typically Illustrator fires up and then the file is opened.

    My experience (not always however) is that illustrator fires up but the file does not display. On closer inspection, all the tool panels display attributes of the file (links, layers etc) but the file is not open. (See attachment)

    I have also experienced this when opening from InDesign (Open Original command), or dragging a file onto doc icon.

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Report

    That's what I faced currently. When I first open files, even the files are not shown because of the start screen.

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Report

    Illustrator start screen made my tabbed windows not viewable. Cycling view modes (F) or (tab) didn't fix. Disabling start screen fixed the problem.

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Report

    Same here, but even when I attempt to re-open the file from the Illustrator previous documents window (with thumbnail graphics), or from the pull-down menu, or by going to the server and double clicking the icon, it does not launch the file. It thinks that it is already open but I cannot see it. This has happened on several files. I am on Sierra 10.12.1 using Illustrator 22.1.

  • Rubén Hernández commented  ·   ·  Report

    Mac OS 10.12.6 Sierra - Illustrator 22.1
    1. Double click in an Illustrator File.
    2. Illustrator will open.
    3. Your can see your file is open because you see the layers in layers window.
    4. The rest of the screen only shows recently open documents.
    5. You must select close file (even if you can't see it)
    6. Reopen the file from the recent files screen will open your file normally.

  • Mark Mastroianni commented  ·   ·  Report

    I have the same issue on my Mac -- but you CAN get to file. It's there, it's just not visible until you click and drag right about where the top tab SHOULD BE and pull it out of the main panel. The file magically appears. If you push it back into the main panel, it'll be there as usual but the top tab will be invisible. VERY aggravating.

  • Esther commented  ·   ·  Report

    Same problem here. However, instead of reopening, I click "Window > Arrange > Float in Window" for the invisible file to become visible. Troublesome though.

  • Mike commented  ·   ·  Report

    I was able to go back a version through the update menu and that fixed it.

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Report

    yes, I have exactly this problem, on two macs.

  • Doug Miller commented  ·   ·  Report

    I have the same issue as do the other designers in my office. Closing and restarting AI helps. Also, the file doesn't open in tab view when opening a file from within AI. The interface is screwed up at the top.

  • Anonymous commented  ·   ·  Report

    Same problem here too. Document window shows it is open but nothing is in the illustrator window. Fail.

  • Ryan Geiger commented  ·   ·  Report

    I have been having the same issues as well and use the same workaround to get files to open.

  • Mark Büchler commented  ·   ·  Report

    If Illustrator is closed, and I double-click an .ai file, the program launches, but the file doesn't. Well in reality, the file DOES open (I know this because I can see my custom color palette associated with that file), but Illustrator will not display the open document. I then have to close the doc, close Illustrator, re-launch Illustrator, then double-click the file. Only then will the program show me the file. (Mac OS 10.11.6). Have not yet tried this operation on my Windows 10 machine.

  • Mike commented  ·   ·  Report

    Forgot to add that all of this happened after the latest update to Illustrator 22.1 and when I can get my document opened there is no title tab.

  • Mike commented  ·   ·  Report

    When I open a document I've previously worked on I see the layers and the window menu shows the title of the document but I don't see the artboard. If I restart my computer (iMac OS 10.12.6) and open it again it's there. Restarting my computer every time I want to work on a document is not an option.

  • Terry commented  ·   ·  Report

    1. 22.1
    2. Double-clicked Ai file to open in Illustrator.
    3. I expected to see my document open.
    4. Document sort of opens. I can see the various layers, but I can't see the actual document. Instead I see the open recent/create documents screen. Choosing one of the options in Window>Arrange fixes this issue. Rebooting Illustrator also fixes the problem.

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