apple script based *.jsxbin on a windows machine

Report · Feb 01, 2016

windows 10.1 64 bit

german version

AFX CS6, CC

Hello everybody,

someone wrote a huge script for After Effects. It looks like he wrote it on a Mac.. He sent me a video Tutorial where he descriped what he could do with this script. When I try to reproduce this, I only get failes. For instance: A button should create five copies of a single layer, including automaticly a few controls into the effects control panel. On my bloody windows machine there were no effect controls, neigther a copy of the layer. Instead of this, there was a unknown layer created, no control, nothing like it should be.

So my question (after testing it on various machines, CS6 and CC): Could it be that this guy wrote all the stuff not in java script, but in apple script, and this is the reason why these script don't run as expected? Or could there be another reason, maybe the language of my machine(s)?

I asked myself: How does the Script environment works: does it translate all the scripts in a multi functional language, or is it basicly important to adapt the script language to the target running machines? Or in other words: If you do not write your code in java script, you should offer your scripts either only to Mac users or only to Win machines?

Hope it came clear what I wanted to ask... At least I wonna thank you for any kind of help or advices.

greetings from Bonn

Thorsten

Report · Feb 01, 2016

It is extremely difficult to guess on what may be causing the issue on something like this, as there are MANY unknowns. Every developer has their own coding style, and since there are many different ways to code the same task it would be impossible for anyone here to venture a valid guess that could be helpful. Communicating with the developer is the best solution. They should be able to track down issues in most cases, depending on the issue and the developer.

Overall, ExtendScript is cross compatible in most of it's code, not 100% though. Win and Mac will react differently in some cases regarding folder structure, and UI mostly, but the majority of the native code is cross compatible if dealing with internal After Effects objects. Comps and layers would be good examples. Plugins goes into murkier waters. Obviously if a third party plugin is required, even pseudo plugins, then those will need to be installed along with the script requiring them.

Best bet is to talk to the developer. Only they know how they coded the script and what non native tricks have been used.

Edit:

I am noticing now too that you mention Apple Script. Apple Script is a Mac specific code language and as far as I know will never run on a windows machine.

Report · Feb 01, 2016

Dear David,

Hi Community,

Thank you very much for your answer!

Well, your are right. I am in a contact with the developer! But I'd rather ask such a general question in a forum like this than asking the developer such a fundamental question. The developer said, that he knows about a few problems on Windows platforms, but there are no details from other win user to be found, except one hint that I realized.

Anyway. I resume that if he would coded in Apple Script than the whole code wouldn't run in general on NO windows machine. Not parts of it, the whole code wouldn't?

So I could think about other problems away from the code platform, he used to create a AFX plugin.

Thanks a ton

Thorsten

Report · Feb 02, 2016

The obvious thing I can think of is if he's adding the effects by their English names but they're in German on your machine. He should instead add effects by what are called their matchNames, language independent names that will work across all languages. Or they are third party effects that you don't have installed on your machine.

Paul

Report · Feb 02, 2016

Hi Paul,

Hello everybody,

well I will suggest this.

Thanks a ton to you all.

Sending the resolution as soon as there is one.

Th