aenhancers

I am looking into automating our process from AE to final tape. Has anyone gotten data from AE into a FCP sequence? I saw what Dale Bradshaw was doing going from FCP to AE. What I would like to do is have an AE script lay everything out in a master sequence, then export that timing information similar to an EDL into FCP.

Hi, Byron.
I've experimented a little with this kind of thing, and would suggest a script that gathers layer info and actually writes either an EDL file or, perhaps better, an XML file, which FCP can import (as if it were an FCP project).
The EDL formats are pretty simple, and XML language is not too mind-numbing.
If this were my project, I would make a script that writes an XML.

springboard:
http://www.w3.org/XML/

and do some XML exports from FCP and start analyzing/hacking/replicating.

cool project -- i've been wanting to do this kind of thing for a while (hence my experiments), but so far the 'serious need' has not arisen.

-cg

Hey Byron,

You might want to have a look at what drew trujillo is doing at Dr. Woohoo:

http://www.inthemod.com/bps/?p=52

He's iterating through layer properties and exporting to flash. The export script is free and he's charging for the Flash Component.

He's using simple writeln to coerce XML. Most of the experiments i'm playing with revolve around using json object iteration, then using an outside program to take the json to xml. The reason I feel this is more robust is that the object structure stays together nicely and I'm not spending as much time parsing text in AE JS, which is not quite up to snuff.

I must admit I'm getting excited about some of the possibilities, it seems like a lot of folks are having breakthroughs in cross program communication via scripting. I can see some really cool things that could be done with analysis of a data set or collection, then exporting the interesting results into AE, or even processsing or Flash.

Dale Bradshaw
creative-workflow-hacks.com

I made a quick script on Monday that writes a CMX EDL. In some simple tests it seemed to work so that's encouraging. I hope to get around to writing a XML version at some point. I haven't gotten into XML a whole lot yet but plan to soon. The rest of my script is going to be for sequencing the layers out in an intelligent fashion for laying to tape.

Byron,

Some springboards for js->xml:

http://xmljs.sourceforge.net/

http://www.jeremie.com/Dev/XML/

http://www.captain.at/howto-ajax-xml-javascript.php

might save you some time, if you eventually go that route. That's where I'd start!

-cg

Regarding the XML for Final Cut: Does anyone happen to know if you have to include every parameter that final cut puts in the XML? If I re-create the XML file, that's a lot of unneeded data that I would have to build into the file.

Hey Byron,

...Does anyone happen to know if you have to include every parameter that final cut puts in the XML? If I re-create the XML file, that's a lot of unneeded data that I would have to build into the file.

In my experience, no you don't need to put all of the parameters in. There's a DTD to validate your documents. I validate my xml, but I also just tend to see what works.

In general, for a sequence FCP-XML you need to put a <sequence> parent, a <media><video>child which includes <format> and <track> info with the <clipitem> you're interested in. Audio is a little trickier based on whether you're just using built in audio or self contained audio tracks, but it's the same idea. If it validates as valid XML it works. Your mileage may vary. I'm sure the computer scientists would be pulling their hair out at my naivete, but we need to get work done right?

Best,

Dale

Did you guys come up with a script to generate EDL from AE?
Thanks
Arno

Arno, try this script out. I haven't run it in a while but it's the one I was referring to for this thread. I hope it helps you get started. My script is still sort of rough.

http://www.armoredsquirrel.com/scripts/BN_EDL.jsx

Thanks Byron,
But the link seems to be dead, could you check it for me, thanks.
Arno

It's corrected now. Sorry!

Thanks Byron,
I tried your script. Congrats you did an amazing work it's quite impressive.

It's creating an EDL but somehow in AE it gives the error "divide by 5" before moving the layers in my comp all around and then saying "setting comp output to layer 01" which is the name of the first layer in my comp.

I checked the EDL and it gives the TC IN and OUT from layers in the comp AFTER the layers were moved. So I can't use this EDL unless I fix the "divide by 5" error.

Has anybody encountered this error before?

Thanks

Arno

I'll try to take a look if I get any time today. It's been a long time since I wrote or tried that script.

Thanks Byron,
A.

http://www.armoredsquirrel.com/scripts/ ... Export.jsx

I removed some sections of code that sequenced out the layers every 5 seconds. It actually was working correctly, it just did something totally different that export the layers as is. Try this version instead and see what happens. I brought the EDL into Premiere Pro and it seemed to do the job. Keep in mind that the comp I exported was very simple, just clips laid out in the timeline.

Good luck!