addCompToBatch issues

[valeria_r]

Hi!
I'm trying to add an After Effects project to the AME queue via scripting, but keep getting import errors.

The weirdest thing, is that I can add the same project manually without any problems!

My project has only one Comp on the root, and everything else inside a folder.

When I import it manually I get to choose the comp and it works great.

When I try to import the same project using ExtendScript I get this:

the code I'm testing:

var fend = app.getFrontend();
var ech = app.getEncoderHost();
var exp = app.getExporter();
//Input project file
var cmp = "/Users/valerialaura/Desktop/testingstuff.aep";
//AME preset exported to the desktop for later bundling
var pst = "/Users/valerialaura/Desktop/simple_preset.epr"; 
//Output files without extensions
var out = "/Users/valerialaura/Desktop/AME_rendering";
fend.addCompToBatch(cmp,pst,out);

Any ideas as to what could be happening here?
I also couldn't find documentation on AME scripting, so building over other forum answers and some poking around on ESTK.

Thanks!!

val.

[Bruce Bullis]

Your code works perfectly here, with an extremely boring comp (one animated solid), and a basic H.264 preset.

Odd that the UI would let you add it, and the API wouldn't; anything interesting in testing stuff.aep? Was another process perhaps touching the .aep? [open in AE?]

[scottm29310603]

Did you ever figure this problem out valeria_r​ I'm having the exact same issue.

Kind Regards

Scott

[Bruce Bullis]

If you can provide a project and media that reliably reproduce the problem, we'll take a look.

day job address = b b b at adobe dot com

[scottm29310603]

Appreciate it bbb_999

I don't know how to provide this, so I've sent it via myAirBridge https://mab.to/Exr7Ga93J ​hope this is ok.

In there is 3 files.

1x script CAPP3

var w = new Window ("palette", "TEST", undefined, {resizable:true} );

buttonOne = w.add ("button",undefined,"Default");

buttonOne.onClick = function(){

var bt = new BridgeTalk();

bt.appName = "ame";

bt.target = "ame";

//bt.body = "app.getFrontend().addCompToBatch('/Users/scott/Desktop/TryThis.aep','/Users/scott/Desktop/TESTING/TESTPreset.epr','/Users/scott/Desktop/TESTING')";

bt.body = "app.getFrontend().addCompToBatch('/Users/scott/Desktop/TESTING/Testable.aep','/Users/scott/Desktop/TESTING/TESTPreset.epr','/Users/scott/Desktop/TESTING')";

bt.send();

}

w.show();

1x TryThis.aep (No additional files, just a shape layer animated).
1x TESTPreset.epr

I just can't fathom the problem at all. I've tried as you've put to Valeria, looked to see if something is clashing and I can't see anything that could be causing this problem.

Thank you again for taking a look.

[Bruce Bullis]

I don't encounter any issue with your script, or .aep file. It runs successfully both executing within ESTK, and if I pull the bt.body stuff out, and execute it in AME, directly.

Is a version of AE commensurate with the AME version you're using, installed on your system?

//modified for execution in AME, to remove potentially unrelated test environment oddities...

var fe = app.getFrontend();

fe.addCompToBatch('/Users/bbb/Desktop/test/TryThis.aep','/Users/bbb/Desktop/test/TESTPreset.epr','/Users/bbb/Desktop/test');

[scottm29310603]

Hey bbb_999

Is a version of AE commensurate with the AME version you're using, installed on your system?

What do you mean by this, the terminology has gone over my head hahaha.

As for executing it with AME directly for testing to see if it is AE, where do you place the .jsx file? I can't find a scriptUI panel in there, or am I being dumb.

[Bruce Bullis]

Sorry, that was jargon-y: What version of AME, and AE (if any), are installed on your system? I'm looking for the version from the application's About box, not the year from the product name.

As for executing it with AME directly for testing to see if it is AE, where do you place the .jsx file?

Just saved on the desktop.

I can't find a scriptUI panel in there, or am I being dumb.

There isn't one. In ESTK, I can execute your .jsx without issue, targeting ESTK.

If I strip off the ScriptUI and BridgeTalk goo, the actual AME script (bt.body) also works without issue from within ESTK, targeting AME.

Make more sense?

[scottm29310603]

AE Version 16.1.2 (Build 55)
AME Version 13.1 (Build 173)

I've not been able to launch anything in ESTK when this all started happening a little while ago.

Cannot execute script.

Target Adobe After Effects CC 2019 provides no engine for debugging.

I also go the same for Media Encoder

I never bothered to fix it, I just use it to write my scripts in and hope I don't get any errors back as barbaric as it is.

[Bruce Bullis]

I never bothered to fix it, I just use it to write my scripts in and hope I don't get any errors back as barbaric as it is.

That's pretty brutal! I think solving the root problem, 'cannot execute scripts from within ESTK', may fix this problem as well.

How were the CC apps installed? After Effects and AME definitely do have engines for debugging.

[scottm29310603]

CC apps installed using the Creative Cloud APPS

[Bruce Bullis]

Ok, that's bizarre.

If you launch AME, launch ESTK, and target AME for script execution, can you get anything to work?

alert("Yay, this works in AME!");

Same question for After Effects...?

[scottm29310603]

This is what I get for that.

[Bruce Bullis]

What if you launch AME manually, before executing the script?

[scottm29310603]

Managed to get it to work. Uninstall and reinstall did the trick, but still getting import error.

[Bruce Bullis]

I'm glad de-/re-installation helped.

So, we're back to your original problem; AME will open the .aep through the UI, but not programmatically. Is that correct?

[scottm29310603]

Yes
Manually through the UI works.

[scottm29310603]

Funny part is that.
This works for files

app.getFrontend().addItemToBatch(file)

just the aep using addComptToBatch doesn't

[scottm29310603]

*EDITED* scratch this being a problem. Followed a link to fix it. Fixed it but still getting the error about not being able to import it.

Trying to give any information that might help. I do get this before it launches in Media Encoder.

[Bruce Bullis]

Sorry, I was vague; Please launch the AME application manually, and THEN connect and run from within ESTK.

[scottm29310603]

Hey bbb_999

I've done that as well.

Manually opened AME and then Run with ESTK.

Funnily though, I've just had a colleague take my folder and put it on their desktop. Change the /Users/theiruser/etc

Worked. So it's my machine or my software.

Is there anyway to do a hard reboot/reinstall of CC and see if that rectifies my problem. I don't want to have to do it that way, but if it's working for my colleague and you it's definitely something on my machine that is causing the problem. I just can't for the love of me, think what it could be.

[Bruce Bullis]

Is there anyway to do a hard reboot/reinstall of CC and see if that rectifies my problem.

The CC Cleaner Tool may help.

Use the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool to solve installation problems

[scottm29310603]

Flushing it all worked

We're up and running. I don't know what was causing the problem, but it is all working now.

So unless someone finds a sensible answer to the cause of the problem.

Flushing and reinstalling is your best bet. Fingers crossed it doesn't happen again or I figure out what the problem was.

[scottm29310603]

Cheers for the help bbb_999