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Variable panel not available via menu when project name is allcaps?


Tim_Wolf

 

The whole “Panels” sub menu under “View” is sometimes not available. When it happens the Panels menu is not available at all. Search via the Help menu voor Toggle Variables / Variables gives no results

I eventually got the menu back but I was not sure if what I did actually had anything to do with it.

  • Open file
  • See variables panel missing
  • Open an other project (that has the panel  in the menu
  • Close both projects
  • Close Figma
  • Relaunch Figma
  • Re-open intial file where I encountered the bug. 
  • The panel is accessible via the menu again.

 

But then I changes the name (totally unrelated to this issue i thought).


I think I have figured out what is causing this. 

My project that I created was in all caps and had a Hyphen. Like this example: CLIENTNAME - PROJECT

My file had the same but I think the project name causes the issue not the file.

When I changed both to lowercase my panel started loading again. this looks like a very wierd bug, why would the naming of a project/file be causing this?

I have tested this multiple times and every time the project/file is in all caps the variables menu / panel disappears. And immediately after changing the names to lowercase my panel for variable toggles appears again.

Maybe changing the name reloads / saves the project in a way that resets something. 

But this is definitally a bug.

Tim_Wolf
  • New Participant
  • March 19, 2025

Update - 1

 

Renaming does not cause the panels to reappear. This might have been a coincidence when it happend a couple of times before. I was working in Figma and suddenly the whole panels submenu was gone again and I could not enter my variables.


This is getting really frustrating as I cannot complete my design in time for a deadline because I have to fiddle with settings/closing and reopening Figma again hoping the panels reappear again.


I have attached two screenshots where I have different files open. As soon as I open an other file I have te variables panel/option via search.

But the main project/file where I have the disappearing panel does not.

 

 


Tim_Wolf
  • New Participant
  • March 19, 2025

Update - 2 I have uninstalled Figma completely with an sh script so no files are left on my Mac regarding Figma and I reinstalled it again. Still the same bug in the design file for that specific project. Just when I was starting to use variables more...


  • Figmate
  • March 31, 2025

Hi ​@Tim_Wolf, Thank you for reaching out about this.

 

I'm trying to fully understand the issue you're experiencing. Are you saying the "Local Variable" modal sometimes won't open, and that the Help menu does not provide the accurate navigation path?

 

Thank you for providing the screenshots and your insights. In the second screenshot, it appears that you are following the navigation for "Select All with Same Variant." When I tried searching "variable" in Help, I found the right path for "Toggle Variables."

Could you try searching "variable" and see if that gets you to the modal?

 

Alternatively, you can access the "Local Variables" modal by following these steps:

  1. Deselect everything on the canvas by pressing Esc or clicking on the canvas.
  2. In the right sidebar, locate the “Local Variables” section under “Design” tab
  3. Click “Open Variables” icon.

Could you please check if that works. Here's an article that might help: Create and manage variables

 

Thanks again for reaching out!


Tim_Wolf
  • Author
  • New Participant
  • 9 replies
  • March 31, 2025

Hi ​@Junko3  In both searches I was typing the same request ‘variable’. The reason one screenshots shows “Select All with Same Variant” Is because with the missing “Toggle Variable” panel this is the only result I wil get. Note the same searchquery in both screenshots.

 

As it is difficult to pinpoint the way how to reproduce this issue I have not been able to reproduce this at the time of writing my reply to you.

If it happens again I will be sure to revisit your post again. Also one thing I did not do was seeing if the local variables toggle is also gone when I am experiencing this bug. 

I do see the toggle now when I deselect everything, but the help menu also shows the toggle variables menu panel when searching, or going to it manually.

 

Keep you posted!

 

kind regards,

Tim

 


Tim_Wolf
  • New Participant
  • April 6, 2025

At the time of writing I am experiencing the issue again. Via the top menubar there is no panel to select called ‘Toggle Variables’

the only way to show the panel is to deselect all artboads/frames and click local variables.

It seams I can always access my variable panel this way. But it still think this is a bug.

 


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