SDK Render layer as is

[Jakob Wagner 2048]

Hi

I have a c++ effect which I'm only using for settings. I would like to be able to add it to a layer and nothing on the layer will change visually. Kind of like a Slider Exp Control, but with more settings.

What would be the simpliest and most processor friendly way of doing that?

I tried to simply not call any prerender and smart render function and leave the render function empty like this. Makes the layer disapear or scrambled.

static PF_Err	
Render(	PF_InData		*in_data,
		PF_OutData		*out_data,
		PF_ParamDef		*params[],
		PF_LayerDef		*output)
{
	PF_Err	err	= PF_Err_NONE;

	AEGP_SuiteHandler	suites(in_data->pica_basicP);

	return err;
}

Should I still use the iterate function?

Thanks,

Jakob

[shachar carmi · Accepted solution]

there are a few options:

1. you can use AE's utils->Copy() function to copy the input to the output. it's pretty fast.

2. using PF_OutFlag_AUDIO_EFFECT_ONLY should make AE not call your effect for image rendering at all. it will, however call your effect for audio rendering which you'll need to implement (at least copy the input to the output). that should be faster than copying the input image buffer to the output.

3. i remember vaguely that setting the output rect size to either 0 or negavie during pre-render causes AE to skip the render... can't seem to find the info. i also remember someone here in the forum saying it didn't work for him....

[Jakob Wagner 2048]

Thank you for all the options. Can you be more specific about the "AE's utils->Copy() function"? I realy tried, but I can't figure out how to copy the inData to the outData.

[shachar carmi]

i wasn't clear enough. copy the input buffer to the output buffer, not the input/output data.

[Jakob Wagner 2048]

No, it's just me still being a newb at this. Really appreciate your help.
I tried this:

static PF_Err	
Render(	PF_InData		*in_data,
		PF_OutData		*out_data,
		PF_ParamDef		*params[],
		PF_LayerDef		*output)
{
	PF_Err	err	= PF_Err_NONE;
	PF_Rect srcRect;

	AEGP_SuiteHandler	suites(in_data->pica_basicP);

	srcRect.top = in_data->output_origin_y;
	srcRect.left = in_data->output_origin_x;
	srcRect.bottom = in_data->output_origin_y+in_data->height;
	srcRect.right = in_data->output_origin_x+in_data->width;

	PF_EffectWorld* inputP = &params[0]->u.ld;
	ERR(suites.PF_WorldTransformSuite1()->copy(inputP, output, srcRect, srcRect));

	return err;
}

Is that close or totally wrong? I'm getting an error that PF_WorldTransformSuite1 doesn't exist. How do I get that?

[shachar carmi]

looks ok. i don't know why you'd get that error.

try using in_data->utils->copy() instead, or the macro PF_COPY (which is the same, actually)

[Jakob Wagner 2048]

Right. So it should be as simple as this? It still doesn't work, the layers will still be invisible or scrampled.

static PF_Err	
Render(	PF_InData		*in_data,
		PF_OutData		*out_data,
		PF_ParamDef		*params[],
		PF_LayerDef		*output)
{
	PF_Err	err	= PF_Err_NONE;

	PF_EffectWorld* inputP = &params[0]->u.ld;

	ERR(PF_COPY(inputP, output, NULL, NULL));

	return err;
}

[shachar carmi]

again, it all looks ok. does the copy function return some error code?

[Jakob Wagner 2048]

In my test aep I deleted the effect from the layers it was on, and then reapplied the effect. And now it works with the code above. So, it does work.

Thanks again.

[shachar carmi]

oh, perhaps the bad result was cached. AE had no idea the code has changed so it displayed the previously generated render.

it's a good idea to disable AE's disk caching while developing.

[Jakob Wagner 2048]

Good tip. I'll remember that!