# Browsing and searching Workspace content nests four levels deep: workspaces → projects → folders → files. The breadcrumb at the top of every page tells you where you are; the back arrow walks you out one level at a time. Search cuts across all of that when you know the filename or part of it. Use this page as a reference for finding the file you want to share, update, or tag — the collaboration pages explain what to do once you've found it. Workspace tab showing search, the active workspace selector, and the project and folder list ## How to access this 1. Open the LottieFiles plugin in After Effects. 2. Click **Workspace** in the top tab bar. The Workspace tab opens at the workspace landing — a grid of your projects. ## Switch workspaces If you belong to multiple workspaces (personal + team, or several teams), switch via the workspace selector at the top of the Workspace tab. Only one workspace is active at a time; everything below the selector reflects the active workspace's content. {/* [needs review] confirm exact location of workspace selector */} ## The hierarchy The four levels: 1. **Workspace** — the top container (your team or personal account). 2. **Projects** — large groupings inside a workspace (one per major piece of work or client). 3. **Folders** — subdivisions inside projects, nested up to 6 levels deep. 4. **Files** — Lottie animations, images, and source files such as AEPs. Click a project to drill in, then a folder, then a file. Each click drops you one level down; the breadcrumb at the top tracks where you are. { // TEMP_IMAGE_HIDDEN: Hidden for interim release. Restore this image in this same source location during visual QA. false ? ( Workspace folder view with breadcrumbs and the folder file grid highlighted ) : null } ### Browsing a project Clicking a project opens its grid: - Folders (with their item count). - Files at the project root (not nested in a folder). The grid is paginated; scroll to load more. ### Browsing a folder Folders behave like projects, one level down. Folders can be nested up to **6 levels deep** ({/* [needs review] this matches MAX_FOLDER_DEPTH in plugin constants — verify */}). ### Breadcrumbs The breadcrumb at the top of every project/folder/file view lists your path. Click any segment to jump back to that level without re-traversing. {/* [needs review] confirm breadcrumb interaction — clickable to each level, or back-button-only */} ## Search the workspace Use the search bar at the top of the Workspace tab to find files and folders across the entire active workspace. ### What's included in search - **Files** — animations, images, and source files across all projects and folders. - **Folders** — folder names across all projects. - **Projects** — currently excluded from results. {/* [needs review] project search is gated; confirm current behavior */} ### How matching works Search matches on the file or folder **name**. Substring matching: "logo" returns "company-logo-v3.lottie" and "Logo Loader". Case-insensitive. Results refresh as you type. { // TEMP_IMAGE_HIDDEN: Hidden for interim release. Restore this image in this same source location during visual QA. false ? ( Workspace search view with the active query, result count, and results grid highlighted ) : null } ### When results are empty - Confirm you're in the right workspace (check the workspace selector). - Try a shorter substring — partial matches help when names differ slightly from what you remember. - The file may be in a workspace you don't have access to. ## Add a file to AE For supported animation files, drag the file card directly onto your After Effects composition panel. The plugin imports it as a new layer in the **active composition** (the one currently shown in the Composition panel). Behavior to know: - The new layer lands at the **current time cursor** position in the timeline. - The new layer is placed at the **top of the layer stack** (frontmost). - After Effects must have a composition open and selected; otherwise the drop is rejected. This is the fastest path for an animation file — no need to open the full file view if you already know the file is right. For an AEP source file, open its detail view instead. Choose **Insert** to merge the source project into the open project and open its main composition, or choose **Open as new project** to save and open it separately. Dragging an AEP card does not use the animation-layer import flow. Sequence showing an AEP source file card, the Source files filter, and the AEP detail view with Insert options ## Tips for motion/product designers - **Star or pin frequently-updated files** in the LottieFiles web app — the plugin respects that ordering. - **Name files for searchability, not aesthetics.** "loading-spinner-v2.lottie" beats "Spinner FINAL ✨" when you search a year later. - **Distinguish source AE comps from exported Lotties** in naming — `ae-checkout-flow-v3` for the AE source vs. `lottie-checkout-success` for the exported file. When your workspace holds both, search returns just one or the other instead of mixing them. - **Use prefixes for related sets**: `icon-success`, `icon-error`, `icon-loading` — typing `icon-` shows the family. - **For client work, prefix with the client/project**: `acme-checkout-confirm.lottie`. Avoids collisions across projects. ## Related - [Sharing an animation](/en/integrations/after-effects/10_workspace/sharing-an-animation) — once you've found the file. - [Updating a version](/en/integrations/after-effects/10_workspace/updating-a-version) — push new renders to the file. - [Workspace panel controls](/en/integrations/after-effects/10_workspace/workspace-panel-controls) — full UI reference.