Adobe After Effects CS4 - Manual (Page 650)

644 USING AFTER EFFECTS CS4
Plug-ins, scripts, and automation
Last updated 12/21/2009
Sebastien Perier provides instructions on his website for assigning keyboard shortcuts to scripts so that you can run a
script with a single keystroke. This technique relies on the KeyEd Up script.
Jeff Almasol provides a script that creates a simple console panel. The console panel includes a text area in which you
can enter ExtendScript commands to be evaluated. There is no capturing of errors or messages; this console is only a
simple way of entering commands without having to create a script first. For information, see
Jeff Almasol's redefinery
website .
Scripts included with After Effects
After Effects provides several prewritten scripts to assist you in performing common tasks, and to provide a basis for
you to modify and create your own scripts.
Run the sample script Demo Palette.jsx to get an idea of what sorts of things you can do with scripts.
Writing and modifying scripts
You can write your own scripts for use in After Effects by using the script editor, which is part of the ExtendScript
Toolkit. The ExtendScript Toolkit provides a convenient interface for creating, debugging, and testing your own
scripts. Sometimes, all that you need to do is make a slight modification to an existing script to make it do what you
want; such slight modifications can often be performed with little knowledge of computer programming and scripting
languages.
❖ To start the script editor, choose File > Scripts > Open Script Editor.
A tutorial on the AE Enhancers forum leads the reader step by step through the creation of a script.
Jeff Almasol provides a set of scripting utilities—such as useful functions—to facilitate the creation of your own scripts
on his
redefinery website .
Where to find additional useful scripts
To exchange scripts, projects, and other useful items with other After Effects users, go to the After Effects Exchange
on the Adobe website.
Dan Ebberts provides scripting tutorials and useful scripts in the scripting section of his MotionScript website .
Lloyd Alvarez provides a collection of useful scripts on his After Effects Scripts website .
The AE Enhancers forum provides example scripts and useful information about scripting (as well as expressions and
animation presets) in After Effects.
Jeff Almasol provides a collection of useful scripts on his redefinery website .
Dale Bradshaw provides scripts and tricks on his Creative Workflow Hacks website .
The nabscripts website provides many useful scripts.
Mathias Möhl provides useful scripts—including MochaImport, KeyTweak, and Tracker2Mask—on his AExtensions
website . Mathias also provides video tutorials explaining the use of the scripts.
Christopher Green provides many useful scripts on his website .