[Tutorial] After Effects ExtendScript Script Writing

Hey.  Sorry to revive this old thread but are your tutorials still a good way to get started with extendscript in AE this many iterations on.  If not can you suggest a good resource for me to get started with the current versions.  You can be honest becasue I just bought the package from Gumroad yesterday for $15.   I know nothing about Java or extendscript so I don't know how much things may have changed.   I do have scripting experience in MEL (Maya) but that's sort of it's own thing/  I have zero experience with Java

Thanks

I have a problem with tutorial 17.  When i run the script I get an error in line 53 "TypeError: undefined is not an object"
My script:

var fx, log, proj, curComp, folderLoc, selections, selectionsLength, curSelection, propData, headerName, lName;

fx=new Array();

log=new Array();

proj= app.project;

curComp=proj.activeItem;

folderLoc= Folder.selectDialog ("Select folder to save to.");

if(curComp instanceof CompItem){

    selections= collectSelections(curComp);

    selectionsLength= selections.length;

    for(var s=0; 0<selectionsLength; s++){

        fx.length= 0;

        curSelection= selections;

        propData= propRecurse(curSelection,"",fx);

        if(propData!=null){

            headerName=curSelection.name;

            writeDoc(curSelection.name+"\t"+curSelection.matchName+"\r\r"+propData,headerName,folderLoc);

            }else{

                lName=grabParentLayer(curSelection);

                if(lName==null){

                    lName=curSelection.name;

                    }

                log[log.length]=lName+"_"+curSelection.name+"_"+curSelection.propertyIndex;

            }

        }

    if(log.length>0){

        alert ("The fallowing selections had no sub properties.\r\rLegend:\"Layer_PropName_Index\"\r\r"+log.toString().replace(new RegExp(",","g"),"\r"));

    }

writeLn("Process complete.");

}

function collectSelections(compInput){

    try{

        var myCollection, myLayers, myLayersLength, myProperties, myPropertiesLength, curProp, curLayer;

        myCollection=new Array ();

        myLayers =compInput.selectedLayers;

        myLayersLength=myLayers.length;

        myProperties=compInput.selectedProperties;

        myPropertiesLength=myProperties.length;

        for(var p=0;p<myPropertiesLength;p++){

            curProp=myProperties

;

            myCollection.push(curProp);

            }

        for(var l=0;l<myLayersLength;l++){

            curLayer=myLayers;

            if(curLayer.selectedProperties==0){

                myCollection.push(curLayer);

                }

            }

        return myCollection;

        }catch(err){alert(err.line.toString()+"\r"+err.toString());}

}

function propRecurse(a, indent, fx){

    try{

        var propLength = a.numProperties;

        for(var l=1;l<propLength;l++){

            fx.push(indent +"("+ a.property(l).propertyIndex +")"+a.property(l).name+"\t"+a.property(l).matchName);

            if(a.property(l).numProperties>0){

                propRecurse(a.property(l), indent+ "\t", fx);

                }

            }

        if(fx.length>0){

            var j=fx.join("--");

            var r= j.replace(new RegExp("--","g"),"\r");

            return r;

            }else{

                return null;

                }

        }catch(err){alert(err.line.toString()+"\r"+err.toString());}

}

function writeDoc(contents,fileName,folderLocation){

    try{

        var slash, finalName,doc,inc,fileSuffix;

        fileSuffix="_PropData.txt";

        slash=(osCheck()=="PC")? "\\":"/";

        if(folderLocation==null){

            folderLocation="~"+slash+"Desktop";

            }

        finalName=fileName+fileSuffix;

        doc=new File(folderLocation.toString()+slash+finalName);

        if(!doc.exists){

            doc.open("w");

            doc.write(contents);

            doc.close();

            }else{

                inc= suffixInc(fileName);

                writeDoc(contents,inc,folderLocation);

                }

            if(doc.exists){

                writeLn("File saved");

                }

        }catch(err){alert(err.line.toString()+"\r"+err.toString());}

}

function grabParentLayer(prop){

    try{

        var result=null;

        if(prop!=null){

            if(prop.toString().indexOf("Layer")!=(-1)){

                result=prop.name;

                }else{

                    grabParentLayer(prop.parentProperty);

                    }

                return result;

            }else{

                 return result;

                }

        }catch(err){alert(err.line.toString()+"\r"+err.toString());}

}

function suffixInc(oldName){

    try{

        var old=oldName.split("_");

        var oldLength=old.length;

        var tail=old[old.length-1];

        var newName;

        if(oldLength>1&&isNaN(tail)==false){

            for(var i=1; i<999;i++){

                if(i>tail){

                    old.splce(old.length-1);

                    newName=old.join("_").toString()+"_"+i.toString();

                    break;

                    }

                }

            }else{

                return oldName+"_1";

                }

            return newName;

        }catch(err){alert(err.line.toString()+"\r"+err.toString());}

}

function osCheck (){

    var userOS=null;

    var win=$.os.indexOf("Windows");

    win !=(-1)? userOS="PC": userOS="MAC";

    return userOS;

    }

For many years know, I wait for some software company to come out with an alternative to AE. I would quit using Adobe products instantly. Sometime, I find generous, dedicated people like you, that make me think that the real value of Adobe are it's user. I'm convinced your efforts, have or will be rewarded in some way.

Thanks a lot for all these great tutorials.

Hey man thanks for giving  me those tips But I realized that my question was not properly made I meant the ESTK´s document background color yours have a grayish color mine is totallly white even after I change it in the ESTK preferences. Maybe that´s how it is in the windows side

only the main window change color not the document´s

Sorry for my poor English   

> If anyone comes across info related to the ScriptUI CC update, I would love to know.

We're working on a post with that information now. It should be up later this week.

You are very welcome Chris. I'm glad to hear from someone that this series is aim at, respond so possitively about it. There are plenty more posts coming, you haven't even reached the half point of the series yet. Thanks for the feedback too, it makes creating these tutorials worth while when hearing from the viewers.

> If you are able to help spread the word, please feel free to do so.

You can count on that.