Set current project directory as default location for exportation in render Queue

[Julien5C42]

I waste a lot of time changing the output location in the render queue, the default location always seems to be an old project I worked on previewsly, why doesn't it actualise to the current project directory ? After 31 exportations it stills put an old project as the default path. And for the next project it will probably put this one as default. Can I change that ? (Media encoder has the same issue)

(I'm working on Windows 11)

[Mylenium]

That ccould be anything from permissions issues on the folders themselves to similar problems with the AE preference file. Even just running out of disk space or a location being temporary unavailable on an external drive or network can make AE revert to the default folder. Otherwise definitely not intended behavior, as AE will and should rember the last directory used by the output dialog. Anyway, without more specific info about your render settings, folder names and all that we can't really tell you more than that.

Mylenium

[Julien5C42]

as AE will and should rember the last directory used by the output dialog.

Mylenium

By Mylenium

8 years working on after effect, always had this issue on different computers so.... If it should remember like you say, it seem like it's easy for it to not do his job....
Thanks for responding anyway,
for more details : I'm working on my computer's SSD :
C:\Users\UserName\Documents\CurrentProjectName\Export
Every time it automatically put :
C:\Users\UserName\Documents\OldProjectName\Export
There is no distant drive what so ever.
Maybe AE has a problem saving this output info in a sort of "log" file somwhere ? idk
What kind of informations do you need to help  ? I'll be happy to give them to you

J.f

[Mylenium]

Do you set the render outputs all in one step? If so, try a different approach: Add only one render to the RQ, change the options and only after that add the other renders. All outputs should now point to the nerw folder defined in the first entry. that's how it's supposed to work. If your issues persist, then I guess you have to make a habit of using scripts to mass-process your render items. AEScripts has a bunch of them. Though I admittedly find it rather odd that in all this time it allegedly has never worked for you...

Mylenium

[Julien5C42]

Like I said, I did more than 30 renders in this project, sadly the first render was not like a "template" for the ones wich comes after. The only time AE remembers the output is when I duplicate a render, (Ctrl+D), it's the only time, otherwise it puts an automatic output which is the old project directory. I tried to clear the Queue and try again, nothing.

[Julien5C42]

I found a solution : Go to Preferences / output / uncheck "use default file name and folder".
It worked but this doesnt make any sense... . Also : how can you change this "default folder data"?

[Roland Kahlenberg]

The info here should be useful - https://medium.com/@justin.gundlock/use-ae-render-tokens-to-automatically-set-file-names-and-paths-a...

The Render Queue allows you to set tokens which automatically pick out the Filepath as well as Filename conventions to use. HTH.

[Julien5C42]

Thanks a lot ! I found a similar information page in the same time but yours explain it better thanks 🙂 🙂

[Roland Kahlenberg]

You are most welcome Julien and many thanks for reporting back and for sharing your solution to the community. Have a great day ahead!  

[Julien5C42]

Found this on this internet : 

1. Add a job to the Render Queue.
2. In the “Output to” menu choose Custom…
3. Here you can add your own (relative) output locations and save the preset as Default :
[projectFolder]/Output/[compName].[fileextension] => renders in the folder “Output” alongside your project file.
 -> Works like a charm !

[sawa_mac]

guys - I've been using the render queue tokens for a long time, but the latest versions of AE seem to ignore my default option. I have to click "output to" and manually select my default to be able to render files. It's OK with one render, but sometimes I render dozens of files and selecting the output option manually next to each comp is a problem. 

I didn't have to click anything before (up to a few months ago) - After Effects simply used my default each time I added a file to the render queue. 

Do you have similar issues?

[sawa_mac]

ok I think I found the solution to my problem. 

"One last step, since this template is using the [projectFolder] property, it’s necessary to click on the Output name and choose save in order to set the full File Path" 

😉