Scripting Essential Properties text values

[Martin Vigas]

Hi all,

~ 2 years ago i wrote a script for AE which was accessing any property in the EP group which had a text value and then it woudl do something to it. I just found out, this part of my script stopped working and it it doing nothing at the moment.

The old working solution was cycling like this:

for (var m = 1; m <= theLayer.property("ADBE Layer Overrides").numProperties; m++) {

        Text = theLayer.property("ADBE Layer Overrides").property(m).value.text; 

       do something...}

Now the Text returns nothing.

theLayer.property("ADBE Layer Overrides").property(m).value returns 565 Error Object of type TextDocument found where a Number Array or Property needed. Which tells me there is a TextDocument object there. TextDocument object should have a property("Source Text") and I should be able to get its value through property("Source Text").value.

So I try theLayer.property("ADBE Layer Overrides").property(m).property("Source Text").value; But that again gets me an error 565 Function the Layer.property().property().property is undefined. And at this point I am lost.

When I use GimmePropPath.jsx script for the selected property it returns: 

app.project.item(4).layer("Test").property("ADBE Layer Overrides").property("ADBE EP Text Document")

When I google search "ADBE EP Text Document" it returns literally 0 results.

When I look into a scripting guide, there is nothing on it.

TL, DR Does anyone knows how i can get to the text values of EP properties through scripting please? Or point me in a direction where there is a documentation about it?

[Dan Ebberts]

I ran a quick test, and it appears to me that scripting for essential graphics properties still works the way you expect. I'm guessing you know this, but that syntax only works when the selected layer is a precomp that has essential graphics properties defined inside the precomp.

[Martin Vigas]

Hi @Dan Ebberts ,

Thank you for looking into this. I have downloaded AE 2023 for which I have originaly wrote this script to make sure and check and the script works correctly in 2023, but does not work for 2024 and 2025.

I have created the simplest possible AEP file for each version in the same manual manner (attached). Creating a single text layer "test 1". Precomposing it. Drag and dropping the source text of the only text layer into the Essential graphic panel. Went to the comp one level up. In the timeline window, clicking the arrow of the layer to get to Essential properties. Choosing the only EP "test 1", rightclick, edit value, edited the value to "test 2".

And then I just run this 1 line:

alert(app.project.activeItem.selectedLayers[0].property("ADBE Layer Overrides").property(1).value);

For AE 2023 version this returns an alert window with text "test 2" as expected.

But for both AE 2024 and 2025 this returns an alert window with text "test 1". It returns the original value, not the edited value. Could you please look into it if able? 

Thank you,

Martin 

[Dan Ebberts]

I can confirm your observations. Also, if I load the 2023 project into AE 2025, it gives the "test 1" result, so it looks like a bug to me.

[Martin Vigas]

Thank you Dan once again for looking into it and confirming it.

I have created a new bug report here https://community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects-bugs/ae-2024-amp-2025-returning-incorrect-value-of-esse...

[tate_1038]

To access and modify text properties within the Essential Properties group in After Effects via scripting, iterate through the "ADBE Layer Overrides" group, identify properties of the TextDocument type, and adjust their text attribute as needed. This approach ensures compatibility with the current After Effects scripting environment. Hope it helps

[Martin Vigas · Accepted solution]

Hi Tate, thank you for your reply. I have found out it was a known bug on Adobe side as reported here https://community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects-bugs/24-2-1-bug-text-essential-prop-not-returning-overr...

I can confirm that the beta version of AE version 25.2 works correctly now.

[tate_1038]

Thanks for letting me know