How to embed an image into my ExtendScript?

[Aaron Ecthelion]

For example, I have a jpg file for my IconButton, I know how to access the image via specifying its file path. But how can I embed it into my script so that I don't need it on my disk while my script works fine ?

[Tomas Sinkunas]

Hi Aaron.

There's a script that handles this stuff for you Export to Bytes - aescripts + aeplugins - aescripts.com

Follow the onscreen instructions and you should be able to get what you need.

Cheers.

[Aaron Ecthelion]

Thanks, Tomas. I've found the similar way.

[UQg · Accepted solution]

The principle is to insert the image file binary into the script file.

In an auxiliary script, you can do:

var myFile = new File(myImageFileURI);

var myBin;

myFile.encoding="BINARY";

myFile.open();

myBin = myFile.read().replace("(new String(", "").replace(/\)\)$/, ""); // strip off (new String(...))

Then the string myBin is what you can use in your main script as image data instead of a file, that is, you can do:

var myIcon = ScriptUI.newImage(myBin);

See this very useful pdf fore more details: ScriptUI for dummies | Peter Kahrel (embedded images are towards the end in an appendix).

There is one drawback with graphics embedded as binaries: they won't update.

For instance, if you create an icon button with four states:

var myIconButton = myGroup.add("iconbutton);

myIconButton.image = ScriptUI.newImage(myBin1, myBin2, myBin3, myBin4);

The iconbutton wont update its graphics upon mouseover/mousedown etc.

(If you use file data instead of binaries it works fine, so even if you embed binaries, you might have to re-deploy the icon data as files to make it work).

Xavier

[Mathias Moehl]

If you need a more in depth explanation, I also show how to do this in my advanced scripting course at fxphd (class 3)

https://www.fxphd.com/blog/new-course-advanced-scripting-for-after-effects/

(not free)

[Aaron Ecthelion]

Thx. Definitely I will check this out later when I come back from my new year festival!

[Aaron Ecthelion]

Thanks,Xavier. But I still got problem with this. My code is as following:

            var myFile = new File("~/Desktop/1.jpg");

            var myBin;

            myFile.encoding="BINARY";

            myFile.open("r");

            myBin = myFile.read().replace("(new String(", "").replace(/\)\)$/, "");

            myPanel.grp.icon.image = myBin;

But after I delete my image from my desktop, ESTK tells me that "File or folder does not exist" everytime I relaunch my script. Any way to fix this?

[Aaron Ecthelion]

Hey, Xavier. You can ignore my last reply to you, cause I've found the way in the pdf file you've mentioned.

I convert the image to binary data, strip off the unnecessary parts, and write it into a txt file. Then copy and paste the content of the txt file into my script. It works really well. Thanks for your help!