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Alan_AEDScripts
Alan_AEDScripts
Inspiring
November 6, 2018
Answered

Online development and syncing

  • November 6, 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 537 views

Hi there, have been using ESTK, Sublime, Notepad ++ for years for development.

May I ask what people use for versioning ?

and is there a useful Online Dev Environment that can be used to link actual scripts to the cloud ?

ie. if I wanted to edit stuff offsite (without need for debugging), - syncing my scripts folder to Google drive or something

and linking that to JsFiddle or one of those ?

Thanks !

Currently using https://codeshare.io/  to do light editing and copy and paste to native software then.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer zlovatt

My general workflow for code-based projects:

  • I have a few project starter templates based on the type of work; proprietary extensions, commercial extensions, proprietary jsx scripts, commercial jsx scripts
  • Duplicate template folder and customize project metadata (folder names, project info in readme and/or package.json)
  • Locally all work is stored in Dropbox, so that I can seamlessly move between my desktop and laptop without issue
  • All projects are version-controlled via their own individual Git repository. Allows me to independently work on multiple features, easily see differences between versions, easily tag releases, etc etc etc. The advantages of using a proper version control system are myriad and best explained elsewhere.
  • All projects are cloud-hosted on Bitbucket, though there are alternatives such as GitHub (if you're fine paying for the privilege of private repos) or GitLab, to name two. These web interfaces allow me to easily navigate between branches of work, versioned releases, create task lists ("issues") that I can close or comment on with each commit of my work, and enables fairly straightforward collaborative work (among other things).

For the actual "writing code" bits, I use:

  • Visual Studio Code. This is not Visual Studio. It's cross-platform, so no need for MacOS/Windows snootiness. It's extremely extensible and hooks right into your repos, so you can commit / diff / pull things straight from the app if you choose. I have a small (now outdated) writeup of some ways I use vscode specifically for tool development within the Adobe ecosystem.
  • I keep ESTK open for catching errors and navigating the data browser, but I never do any work inside of it.
  • I use an open-source, community-driven scripting library for AE called aequery to help write AE stuff. Why do I need to write the same "get all effects" or "write a file to a specific folder" function a million times? I don't! Let aequery take care of the mundane utility junk so your script can be streamlined to do only what you need it to do.

Hopefully some of this helps!

1 reply

zlovatt
zlovattCorrect answer
Inspiring
November 7, 2018

My general workflow for code-based projects:

  • I have a few project starter templates based on the type of work; proprietary extensions, commercial extensions, proprietary jsx scripts, commercial jsx scripts
  • Duplicate template folder and customize project metadata (folder names, project info in readme and/or package.json)
  • Locally all work is stored in Dropbox, so that I can seamlessly move between my desktop and laptop without issue
  • All projects are version-controlled via their own individual Git repository. Allows me to independently work on multiple features, easily see differences between versions, easily tag releases, etc etc etc. The advantages of using a proper version control system are myriad and best explained elsewhere.
  • All projects are cloud-hosted on Bitbucket, though there are alternatives such as GitHub (if you're fine paying for the privilege of private repos) or GitLab, to name two. These web interfaces allow me to easily navigate between branches of work, versioned releases, create task lists ("issues") that I can close or comment on with each commit of my work, and enables fairly straightforward collaborative work (among other things).

For the actual "writing code" bits, I use:

  • Visual Studio Code. This is not Visual Studio. It's cross-platform, so no need for MacOS/Windows snootiness. It's extremely extensible and hooks right into your repos, so you can commit / diff / pull things straight from the app if you choose. I have a small (now outdated) writeup of some ways I use vscode specifically for tool development within the Adobe ecosystem.
  • I keep ESTK open for catching errors and navigating the data browser, but I never do any work inside of it.
  • I use an open-source, community-driven scripting library for AE called aequery to help write AE stuff. Why do I need to write the same "get all effects" or "write a file to a specific folder" function a million times? I don't! Let aequery take care of the mundane utility junk so your script can be streamlined to do only what you need it to do.

Hopefully some of this helps!

    Alan_AEDScripts
    Alan_AEDScriptsAuthor
    Inspiring
    November 7, 2018

    Great reply Zack, thanks a lot.

    l

    I'll fill in some details, of my workflow. I work alone, smaller operation where scripting is an asset in my work, but scripting isn't actually my work, hence I don't have a need to have such an advanced workflow. Perhaps others might follow on and post, the above was very useful.

    • Version control: I script backup jsx files, within AE that take snapshots, dated of all assets and folders, duplicate and mirrored to google drive.  Again, most of my work is personal, so don't need to track with Git, although, its probably time I started using it!
    • AEquery - I prefer to write my own utilities, just helps me understand the object model on a deeper level, and it's not that extensive I think in AE anyway. I like figuring out the abstraction and find I like the control.
    • Use Sublime all the time. Managed to write build systems for the current file and sending current line to AE. ESTK captures errors then. Great customization in Sublime, so works well for me.
    • File management - Directory Opus - this fills in all kinds of gaps between software for me. (Unbelievable software). For example - command line minification of a file, I might tie to a hotkey, and rename a copy of the .jsx. Directory Opus
    • ESTK is just too irritating, with prefs resetting themselves, unfixed bugs etc.  Hotkey p, I used to use to automate some things in ESTK filling in some missing text editing shortcuts, along with a programmable keyboard.

    Tks

    A

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