how do I apply a pseudo effect to a layer from a script?

[mistikde]

Hey guys I have seen a few scripts that apply custom pseudo effects on layers. can anyone help me as to how that was done?

[Tomas Sinkunas · Accepted solution]

Hi buddy. It's rather easy.

1. Apply Pseudo Effect to a layer.

2.Select this effect in timeline (make sure no other properties are selected) and save Animation Preset by going Animation -> Save Animation Preset.

3. In JavaScript script, select a layer you want to apply Pseudo Effect on and do

layer.applyPreset(File("pathToFFXfile"))

If you want to be more fancy about it, take a look at this snippet Apply Pseudo Effect as Animation Preset — Bitbucket

Hope that helps.

[mistikde]

the fancy way is exactly what i needed thanks so much. one last question how do you convert the ffx file to binary. when i open it in a text editor it gives me weird symbols and isnt legible.

[Alex White]

I've posted a script here that will help you to convert ffx to binary.

[arismelachroinos]

The link is no longer available. 
Do you still have that script?

[Tomas Sinkunas]

I don't know what script @Alex White had linked, but here's my version of the script that converts files into binary strings: https://bitbucket.org/rendertom/convert-to-binary

[zohaibm11121242]

Hi Tomas, 

Thanks for sharing the workaround with us. I used this and worked pretty well in AE version 21.

But I just tested on version 22. Kindly suggest if I need to modify this for newer version or is there any bug in newer version?

Thanks!

[raveitsdave]

I'm curious, will this 'fancy' method take care of the "Missing:" warning in cs6 and earlier?

[Roland Kahlenberg]

The "Missing" message for a pseudoFX, for CS6 and earlier, was hardcoded to the app. The only way to prevent the "Missing" message was to first edit the PresetEffects.xml file, to point to the pseudoFX.