EXRs don't open correctly in After Effects - Error: Frame buffer slice name cannot be an empty string. 0 :: 9997

[sebbiej]

I'm working with a multi-layered EXR file from Maya 2025 and V-Ray 6, I get this following error when importing the file.



The file does then open in AE and all of the passes unhighlighted below open fine, but then nothing is visible in my light mix passes that hold each individual light pass.



I had created a render a couple of days ago from the same scene (although using a different PC) that worked fine in AE. The only difference I can see is with the naming of the layers that come with the file, on the file that worked those light passes have much simpler names compared the lengthy ones above that show Maya's groups, transforms, and shape nodes. Any idea what might be going wrong here?

[hermit.crab]

Check the folder's permissions. Does it open in PS, the VFB or other image preview software? Mind if you attach the image?

[sebbiej]

The folders permissions are set to Full Control, it opens up fine in PS with EXR-IO and it opens up fine in the VFB. If I save the elements as separate files they work too, it's just as a multi-layered EXR that it gives me this failure in AE.

Would you have an email address that I can send it to hermit.crab as it's from a WIP client project?

[hermit.crab]

You are using EXtractoR, right? It does seem to be the naming. Based on what I've tested for the render element to appear the name must contain less than 61 characters (odd isn't it?). On my end, however, elements do not appear at all in the menu. I suggest you contact Adobe about this one or shorten your render element names.

[sebbiej]

I've just figured out the problem! I had two light spheres that were within groups, both of them had identical names so when V-Ray was creating the light mix passes it had to add the group/transform/shape information to the names to make them unique. I renamed the lights so they are unique and it worked fine then.

Thank you for your time though!