Thanks a Lot Dan.
Yep, that is the way i managed to use that method to let AE workout the layer type when adding a preset. A fantastic little trick.
I'll attach my script for anyone to use. Basically if you want to create a composition or append to an existing a bunch of demo layers for a folder of saved presets this can do it. I used it to quickly make previews on a bunch of presets that I had created years ago.
/**
* Apply Presets from a folder - into a comp staggered
* =========================================================
* - Checks if a composition is active; prompts to create one if not.
* - Asks the user whether to append to the current composition if active.
* - Determines the starting time for new layers based on CTI or last layer's outPoint.
* - Prompts for layer duration and selects a folder containing .ffx presets.
* - Applies each preset to new layers, using a temporary null layer to ensure proper application.
* - Sets text for empty text layers to the preset's name.
* - Adjusts composition duration to fit all layers, with user confirmation.
* - Restores the CTI to its original position after processing.
*
* ========================================================= */
(function () {
// Store the initial CTI position
var initialCTI = app.project.activeItem ? app.project.activeItem.time : 0;
// Check if there's an active composition
var comp = app.project.activeItem;
if (!(comp instanceof CompItem)) {
// Ask the user if they want to create a new composition
var createComp = confirm("No active composition found. Do you want to create a new composition?");
if (createComp) {
// Create a new composition
comp = app.project.items.addComp("PresetComp", 1920, 1080, 1.0, 10, 30); // Initial duration of 10s
} else {
alert("No composition selected or created. Script will exit.");
return; // Exit the script
}
// Set the CTI to 0 for the new composition
initialCTI = 0;
} else {
// Ask if the user wants to append to the current composition
var appendComp = confirm("An active composition is selected. Do you want to append to the current composition?");
if (!appendComp) {
alert("Operation cancelled. Script will exit.");
return; // Exit the script
}
}
app.beginUndoGroup("Apply Presets to Layers");
// Determine the starting time for new layers
var initialStartTime = comp.time; // Default to the CTI
if (comp.numLayers > 0) {
// Find the greatest outPoint
var maxOutPoint = 0;
for (var i = 1; i <= comp.numLayers; i++) {
var layer = comp.layer(i);
if (layer.outPoint > maxOutPoint) {
maxOutPoint = layer.outPoint;
}
}
// Ask user whether to use CTI or max outPoint
var useMaxOutPoint = confirm("Existing layers detected. Do you want to start adding new layers at the end of the last layer (at " + maxOutPoint.toFixed(2) + "s) instead of the CTI at " + initialStartTime.toFixed(2) + "s?");
var maxOutPointOrCTI = "CTI";
if (useMaxOutPoint) {
initialStartTime = maxOutPoint;
maxOutPointOrCTI = "Max Layer Out Point";
}
}
// Prompt the user for the layer duration, defaulting to 3.5 seconds
var durationInput = prompt("Enter the duration for each preset layer (in seconds):", "3.5");
if (durationInput === null || durationInput === "") {
alert("No duration entered. Script will exit.");
app.endUndoGroup();
return; // Exit the script
}
var layerDuration = parseFloat(durationInput);
if (isNaN(layerDuration) || layerDuration <= 0) {
alert("Invalid duration entered. Script will exit.");
app.endUndoGroup();
return; // Exit the script
}
var presetFolder = Folder.selectDialog("Select the folder containing your presets");
if (presetFolder == null) {
alert("No folder selected. Script will exit.");
app.endUndoGroup();
return; // Exit the script
}
var presets = presetFolder.getFiles("*.ffx"); // Get all .ffx files in the folder
var presetCount = presets.length;
if (presetCount > 0) {
var totalDuration = initialStartTime + (presetCount * layerDuration);
var totalPresetDuration = presetCount * layerDuration;
// Ask user if they want to set the composition duration to fit the layers - Show workings to user
if (totalDuration != comp.duration) {
var suffixPrompt = "";
if (initialStartTime != 0) {
suffixPrompt = " (= " + totalPresetDuration.toFixed(2) + " s) + " + maxOutPointOrCTI + " time at " + initialStartTime.toFixed(2) + " s";
}
var trimComp = confirm("Set the composition duration to " + totalDuration.toFixed(2) + " s\n(" + presetCount + " presets x " + layerDuration + "s" + suffixPrompt + ") \nto fit all layers?");
if (trimComp) {
comp.duration = totalDuration;
}
}
var createdLayers = []; // Track created layers
for (var i = 0; i < presets.length; i++) {
var presetFile = presets[i];
// Set the CTI to the start time for the new layer
comp.time = Math.max(0, initialStartTime + ((i - 1) * layerDuration));
// Create a null layer temporarily
var tempNull = comp.layers.addNull();
tempNull.name = "TempNull_" + i;
// Deselect all layers
for (var j = 1; j <= comp.numLayers; j++) {
comp.layer(j).selected = false;
}
// Apply the preset to the null layer
tempNull.applyPreset(presetFile);
// Identify the new layer created by the preset
var newLayer = comp.layers[1]; // The new layer is usually the topmost layer
// Set the new layer's in and out points
newLayer.startTime = initialStartTime + (i * layerDuration);
newLayer.outPoint = newLayer.startTime + layerDuration;
// Remove the temporary null layer
tempNull.remove();
// Rename the new layer to match the preset file name, without URL encoding and extension
newLayer.name = decodeURIComponent(presetFile.name.replace(/\+/g, " ")).replace(/\.ffx$/, "");
// Store the created layer for further processing
createdLayers.push(newLayer);
// Move the CTI to the start of the new layer's out point for the next iteration
comp.time = newLayer.outPoint;
}
// Post-process text layers to set source text if empty
for (var k = 0; k < createdLayers.length; k++) {
var layer = createdLayers[k];
if (layer instanceof TextLayer) {
var textProp = layer.property("Source Text");
if (textProp.numKeys == 0 && textProp.value.text == "") {
// Set the text to the preset name if it's empty
textProp.setValue(new TextDocument(layer.name));
}
}
}
} else {
alert("No presets found in the selected folder.");
}
// Restore the initial CTI position
comp.time = initialCTI;
app.endUndoGroup();
})();
It is semi tested. Worked for what I needed. And I tried a few situations out of interest and to make the script more useful. e.g. appending to a existing comp, Using the CTI as the start of the insertion point, etc.
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