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Scripting Feature Requests For Next Release!

Posted: November 6th, 2006, 10:55 am
by cob906
Hey guys,

I've noticed there are a lot of places that AE is lacking in the scripting area. How about we put a list together of features/abilities we'd like Adobe to include in the next release with regards to scripting?

For example: FTP Functions

FTP functionality, something we can implement ourselves?

Posted: November 7th, 2006, 3:25 am
by Darkmoon_UK
Yes I agree there are many key areas that could do with improvement. For instance, can anyone explain a good reason why we should have to precomp an Layer just to be able to change its video source???
With specific reference to FTP functionality though, it seems Adobe have already paved the way with the existing net sockets methods. Perhaps it wouldn't be too big a task for us to rehash an existing JavaScript FTP client such as the one documented here: http://helma.org/docs/reference/ftp/ .

- Chris

Posted: November 7th, 2006, 10:57 am
by vidpat
Does my FTPConnection from a while back help at all? It could stand some reworking, surely, and there is some functionality that I haven't gotten around to adding. I'm not sure what my time will be like, but let me know if there are any suggestions or requests. (Also note that I'm still on 6.5.)

FTP

Posted: November 7th, 2006, 1:09 pm
by Darkmoon_UK
Well blow me down, that looks like it'll do the job, what do you reckon, cob?

Posted: November 8th, 2006, 9:54 am
by cob906
Looks great. I understand there are ways of doing FTP; what I think AE needs are predefined FTP functions that make using FTP much easier.

There are other features that would be nice. What are some that you guys would like to see in the next release?

Posted: November 9th, 2006, 11:02 am
by vidpat
Two words: Text Properties.

Posted: November 9th, 2006, 11:17 am
by cob906
Ah yes. The ability to access and change text properties (like font family) by scripting.

Posted: November 9th, 2006, 3:53 pm
by Darkmoon_UK
YES. I couldn't agree more. Text properties. AND my aforementioned one... ability to replace the video source of a layer. I just couldn't believe this wasn't possible when I found out, its like the first function you would build into After Effects scripting, surely? Lets face it, pre-comping just feels like a dirty workaround. Euch, I need a shower...

Posted: November 9th, 2006, 10:16 pm
by Disciple
I'm not sure I understand what you mean by that. Can't you just alt-drag from the Project Panel to the Timeline? You need to have the layer you want to replace in the Timeline selected...
Is that what you are talking about?

Alex

Posted: November 10th, 2006, 1:45 am
by nab
That's the problem, the alt-drag command is not scriptable.

In addition to the previous " features requests":
- convert audio to keyframes
- auto trace / creates outlines
- more ui elements
- easy "key-shifting", like myKey.moveTo(theTime);
- setting an activeComp (Darkmoon's request in another post)
- shortcut to call the most recent executed script (like Ctrl+Alt+shift+E for effects), in addition to the existing customizable shortcut ExecuteScript()
- access InfoPalette's infos (pixel values)

Posted: November 14th, 2006, 12:02 pm
by bradshaw1965
....Two words: Text Properties.

agreed

....more ui elements

agreed, at least adopt the Bridge standards i.e. pictures in the UI


add,

better event handling and console output that is consistent and attractive

access scripts with key commands and allow access to different menu areas other than the Scripts menu

more palette control

better script "recording" with copy/paste of those events

I'm sure there is more, but that's off the top of my head.

Posted: November 19th, 2006, 8:12 pm
by nab
- composition-time markers :P

Posted: November 23rd, 2006, 7:25 pm
by nab
- access project items by name 8)
- boolean mask vertices attribute that indicates if a particular vertex is selected or not ( "if (myVertices.selected) ...." )

Posted: November 24th, 2006, 8:53 am
by Shinjipierre
Well, I would love to have my scripts working in any language...

Posted: November 27th, 2006, 4:43 pm
by cob906
Shinjipierre wrote:Well, I would love to have my scripts working in any language...
Shinjipierre,

I believe what you are looking for can be found in the "Localization in ScriptUI Objects" section of the Bridge JavaScript reference which can be found here:

http://www.adobe.com/products/creatives ... pt_ref.pdf

See Page 91.

CoB