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fireonicecube
Participant
February 17, 2026
Question

ExtendScript: How to retain Effects when copying TrackItems between Sequences?

  • February 17, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 89 views

Hi everyone,

I am currently developing a script to automate a Transition Pack workflow in Premiere Pro. My goal is to copy specific clips—specifically Adjustment Layers with various Effects—from a "Source Sequence" into a "Main Sequence."

I’ve been studying the approach discussed in this 3-year-old thread: Get videoTracks from projectItem and copy video/audioTracks to main sequence

In that discussion, it was suggested to use sequence.clone() and delete unwanted items as a workaround for the lack of a direct "Un-nested" sequence insertion API.

My current implementation:

  1. I use sequence.clone() to get a copy of the source sequence containing the transition.

  2. I iterate through the tracks of the cloned sequence to find the target trackItem.

  3. I retrieve the source via trackItem.projectItem.

  4. I then use videoTrack.insertClip(projectItem, time) to place that item into my Main Sequence.

The Problem: While the clip is successfully placed in the Main Sequence, all Effects attached to the original trackItem are lost. It reverts to a "clean" Adjustment Layer.

It seems that trackItem.projectItem only references the raw asset in the Project Panel, not the specific "instance" on the timeline that holds the effect data. However, if I manually use Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V in the Premiere UI, all effects and keyframes are preserved perfectly.

My Questions:

  1. Is there any way via ExtendScript to copy a TrackItem including its Effects/Keyframes from one sequence to another?

  2. Since the API cannot toggle the "Insert and overwrite sequences as nests or individual clips" button, is there a way to "merge" the content of my cloned sequence into the Main Sequence while keeping the track items' effects intact?

  3. If insertClip() always results in a clean clip, what is the recommended professional workaround for automating transition packs that rely on Adjustment Layers?

Any insights or guidance from the community would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

    1 reply

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    fireonicecubeAuthor
    Participant
    February 20, 2026

    Update: Investigation into History Panel behaviors (Insert vs. Paste)

    I’ve discovered some information by monitoring the History Panel during my manual vs. scripted tests:

    1. Using videoTrack.insertClip(): The History Panel records this as "Insert". As suspected, this only pulls the raw projectItem from the Project Panel, stripping away all custom effects and keyframes. 

    2. Using Manual Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V: The History Panel records this as "Paste". This action successfully preserves all Effect Components and Keyframes. 

    The Gap in the API: I have thoroughly searched the Premiere Pro Scripting Guide and the PProPanel Sample Code, but I cannot find any API method that triggers a "Paste" command or allows us to copy a trackItem object directly.

    My Question: Is there a hidden method or a workaround to trigger a Clipboard-based Copy/Paste via ExtendScript that targets a specific trackItem? Or is there a way to access the components (Effects) of a trackItem and manually "inject" them into a newly inserted clip?

    It seems that without a way to replicate the "Paste" behavior, automating any workflow involving Adjustment Layers with complex effects is currently hit a dead end. Any advice would be appreciated!

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