Feel free to make my day (heck, maybe even my week)
by donating some scratch for my attempts at helpful geekiness.
- Mask
- Connect_Vertex_to_Point.jsx
- Allows the animation of individual mask vertices by
"linking" a vertex to any two-dimensional point property
(like position, track point attach point, "point" expression
control, etc).
updated 12-16-2007 improved to work
with AE CS3! ('bout time!)
- New! 10-23-2011
Connect_Point_to_Mask_Vertex.jsx
- Allows the animation of individual two-dimensional
point property (like position, track point attach point,
"point" expression control, etc) by "linking" the point to
an animated mask vertex. Pretty much the inverted version of
the above script.
- Separate_Masks_in_Layers.jsx
- Converts one selected layer with a bunch of
masks to a bunch of layers, each with one
of the masks. Includes the option to change
each anchor point to the center of each mask,
preserving overall look.
updated 3-15-2007 Now with cool and
rarely-needed automated layer-naming feature!
- Mask_Selection_Helper.jsx
- Have you ever wanted to select a large number of
masks, on different layers, and change the masks' properties
(like feather, opacity, mode, etc. -- but not the mask shape
itself*) all at once? This script (palette window) might
help. You can select all the masks in a comp, or all masks
whose names match a string, or by index.
[*I should point out that you can animate multiple
mask shapes in this way, but only one value is entered per
(key)frame, so it isn't practical for most applications.]
-
Rename_Selected_Layer_Masks.jsx
- Yet another renaming utility, this time for masks.
Update 1-12-2013 Version 1.2 fixes
"tail wrong or ignored when removing number of characters
from head and tail" bug.
- Render
-
Queue_Comp_Sections.jsx
- Update 5-23-2018 This is sort of like having multiple work area
settings for a comp. To use it, you must create guide layers
whose inpoints and outpoints serve as render sections. Each
"render layer" layer-name NOT beginning with an underscore
("_") will be used as that render item's output base name
(e.g., "basename".mov, or "basename"_[#####].xxx if it is a
file sequence). Layer names beginning WITH an underscore
will be ignored, and the comp name will be used as the
basename of the render queue item (AE's normal "add to
render queue" behavior). Select the render layers you want
to use, run the script, and it adds the items to the render
queue. Now with a UI and best as a docked panel. See this graphic.
- Consolidate_Sequence_Renders.jsx
- Creates individual folders for each file sequence
render item (and output module) in the queue. If you have 10
file sequences to render, for example, you can set them all
to render to a single folder, then run this script; it will
create separate folders for each file sequence and set the
output modules automatically. If you have movies and still
frames in the render queue, it will ignore these. The new
folder's names are based on queue item and output module
(like "qi1_om1", "qi2_om1", "qi2_om2", etc).
- List_Renders_in_Queue.jsx
- (Tip: don't delete your render items.) Having
trouble finding a composition's render items in a crowded
render queue? This script will show you where the render
items are. Simple. Helpful. Or not.
- 3-D
- 1-19-2012 updated (to v3.5) to work with newer SynthEyes
exports, other minor improvements. 3D_TrackedCamera_Preflight.jsx
- (Formerly "PFPreflight") Performs several necessary
and helpful preliminary tasks when using a comp newly built
by either importing .ma data (exported by 3D camera-tracking
software, like PFHoePro), or by jsx script (exported by
newer versions of SynthEyes). This script presents a user
interface for choosing and changing a number of options.
- Selected_as_Spine.jsx
- Creates a 'spine' from the selected layers by doing
some expression and parenting tricks. What you end up with
is an 'object' that bends and curls when you change the x
rotation of the base 'vertebra'. Pretty fun to play with, at
least.
- 7-10-2009 Added comp-center
placement for cube and cam,
and semi-intelligent camera placement
MakeCube-CRGmod.jsx
- Ages ago someone named Nicholas White created a
script to build a box, and posted it
to aenhancers.com.
Recently I decided to modify it. I added a UI (that accepts
formulae! Ooo!) and made a few simple but significant
adjustments.
- Light_for_Selected_Plane.jsx
- Places a light that points at a specific (selected)
layer in 3D space (regardless of parenting).
- Camera_for_Selected_Plane.jsx
- Places a camera that points at a specific
(selected) layer in 3D space (regardless of parenting).
- CopyCatCam.jsx
- Select a camera. Run the script. Another camera
will appear which mimics the original camera in real
time. Every aspect exactly mimics the original camera,
regardless of parenting, auto-orienting, depth of field,
etc. The angle is handled by orientation expression, the
rotation is "protected" (made unchangeable) by expression.
The "ccc" camera (copycat camera) will work in any comp,
so you can copy or cut the camera layer and paste it into
any comp. Ccc camera will mimic the original camera's
position, angle, zoom, depth of field, focus distance,
aperture, and blur level. Thanks for the idea, Jance!
- Updated 12-16-2014 to
work with Element3D version 2 -- PLEASE UPDATE YOUR PLUGIN!
(though it should also still work with v1.6)
Nail_Element_to_Point.jsx
- Have you heard of the freakishly powerful plugin
"Element3D" from videocopilot.net?
This script helps with setting up an instance of Element so
that its world transform and group positions are based on
the (3D) position of another layer. Really convenient.
- Text
- crg_Text_from_File.jsx
- Dan Ebberts
made a nifty script for importing a text file as text
layers. This script is based on that, but it goes a bit
further, giving you a few more options, like line
spacing, or creating just one text layer containing
all the text.
updated 3-29-2009 Now with "live
leading" feature (expression-based adjustable line spacing
option).
updated 1-20-2011 to work with CS5.
updated 2-22-2013 - more sensible
"live leading" feature (and null as parent).
Utility
Box Of Tricks is no
longer available.
Randomly_Enable_Selected_Layers.jsx
- A simple random layer activator. Turns layers off and
on randomly. Features: UI includes "weight slider" and choice
to either keep all your originally-selected layers selected or
to change the selection to just the layers left on.
01-09-2016: Introduction. Version
1.0.
Selected_Comps_Changer.jsx
- Select a bunch of comps and make changes to a number
of their settings all at once: name search & replace or
add, width, height, framerate, length, pixel aspect ratio,
shutter angle/phase, preserve framerate/resolution when nested
-- it's (almost) all here!
3-30-2006 Version 1.8: fixed problems
with the Length function.
12-17-2007 Version 1.9: fixed OK
button's auto-close.
01-10-2010 Version 1.95: updated
pixel aspect ratio information.
02-08-2010 Version 2: removed panels
to work around Windows bug; corrected other uglinesses on
Windows.
09-21-2010 Version 2.1: removed
name-length limitation for CS4 and later.
12-06-2010 Version 2.2: FINALLY
removes infinite hang renaming bug(s).
09-16-2014 Version 2.5: Adds 3D
Renderer option.
Selected_Layers_Renamer.jsx
-
updated 5-10-2009 Quickly
batch-rename selected layers in various ways. Now has
numbering feature!
09-21-2010 Version .98: removed
name-length limitation for CS4 and later.
12-06-2010 Version .99: FINALLY
removes infinite hang renaming bug(s).
1-12-2013 Version 1.1 fixes "tail
wrong or ignored when removing number of characters from head
and tail" bug.
Project_Items_Renamer.jsx
- Quickly batch-rename selected items of any
(rename-able) kind in your project.
09-21-2010 Version 1.5: removed
name-length limitation for CS4 and later.
12-06-2010 Version 1.6: FINALLY
removes infinite hang renaming bug(s).
1-12-2013 Version 1.8 fixes "tail
wrong or ignored when removing number of characters from head
and tail" bug.
ReAnchor_Selected_Layers.jsx
- Great for preparation of cut-out style animation (see
Dan
Ebberts' beautifully goofy dancing man). Designate each
layer's new anchor point with a single-vertex mask (simply
click on each layer with the pen tool [G key] where you want
each new anchor point to be), then run this script. (CAVEAT:
Works "out of the box" with unparented layers whose scales are
100%. If not 100%, layers should be all the same scale, and
parented to a layer of exactly the same scale. The script does
not check for these factors.)
New! 8-20-2016 Better_Solid_Names.jsx
- If you would like to rename all or selected groups of
your project's Solids to reflect the Solids' dimensions, use
this. You can append the existing names or replace them.
(AE Scripting) Development
Comp_To_UI_package.zip
- ATTENTION! I have hacked
together a more powerful CS or CC ExtendScript UI-Builder
called "Boethos". I suggest you check it out.
What have we here? This is for script developers
only. It aids in rapidly developing user interface windows by
using mock-ups created in After Effects itself. See a comp
become a window before your very eyes! Comes with html documentation and an AE project
with a mock-up example therein.
updated 3-15-2007 Now includes
automatic position value rounding to avoid annoying floats.