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Sweets22569323fot4
Known Participant
January 9, 2022
Question

Access plugin list and parameters

  • January 9, 2022
  • 1 reply
  • 318 views

Hi, dear Adobe team and forum folks. I want to develop an enhanced version of the AE plugin console that displays information about all installed plugins. Because the built-in can only display some names. What I want to do is to be able to display information about a certain plugin (including the plugin's parameter string, about information, etc.). In this way, users can know what kind of parameters a certain plug-in has to adjust, so that they can know without calling the plug-in, which can save some time and machine performance. So I have a few questions to ask:
1. Is there an API in the SDK to scan and get a list of all installed plugins (name, category, etc.)?
2. Is there an API in the SDK that allows the plugin to be called automatically when AE is enabled? After all, the development intention is an enhanced version of the built-in plug-in panel, and users cannot be called manually.
3. Is there an API in the SDK that can access a plugin's parameter string and related information?

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1 reply

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Community Expert
shachar carmiCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 9, 2022

1. yes. AEGP_GetNextInstalledEffect.

 

2. yes. AEGP plugins are loaded when AE boots.

 

3. well... yes and no...

you can read parameter names using the DynamicStreamSuite, BUT, it will only work when scanning an effect applied to a layer. you can't get parameter names otherwise. parameter names are defined on runtime when a plugin is first invoked in a session, and are (usually) not listed in any externally accessible file such as the PiPL.

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Sweets22569323fot4Author
Known Participant
January 9, 2022

Thanks for your reply, I still have a few questions about your reply:


1. You said that the AEGP plugin is loaded at startup, so this "startup" == "the plugin is called (similar to the plugin being applied to the layer)"? right?


2. Then the plugin can only be accessed when the plugin is applied to the layer, so what permissions do you have for these parameter strings?


3. How should I know if a plugin is applied to a layer? Is there a corresponding signal?


4. I see in the SDK "Even AE internal commands can be intercepted..." Is there no way to intercept the plugin without being applied to the layer?

S
Community Expert
shachar carmiCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 9, 2022

1. AEGPs are not layer effect. they are general plugins that augment AE. some are menu commands like "Motion Sketch" and some are invisible like special file format parsers.

all AEGPs are loaded before AE's interface becomes active. unlike layer effects that are invoked on first use only and may not be invoked at all during a session.

 

2. you don't need permissions. all effect params are available for read/write by any AEGP.

 

3. there's no signal. you can scan the project during idle calls (lookup idle hook). go though evey item in the project, if the project is a comp go though every layer. if the layer has effect applied (AEGP_GetLayerNumEffects) check these effects.

 

4. iterception is of actions. a plugin is not an action. the application of an effect might be a command (as when selecting "apply last effect"), but i don't think the usual application is (via selecting an effect from the menu).

 

i have a suggestion.

if you want to build a catalog of all installed effects, you can either:

1. scan the project, and catalog their params one by one to file as you encounter them.

2. ask the user premission to do an initial setup, and then apply all the effects one by one onto some temp layer in a temp comp, and then delete the temp comp. it'll take a minute from the user's time, and the process will be done with.

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