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sophiapreymaker
Inspiring
May 19, 2023
Answered

Where is Untitled Project.aep located?

  • May 19, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 3074 views

When After Effects launches, the default file is "Untitled Project.aep" - is this a file being loaded, or is it being created on load? I would like to modify the default file that is loaded programmatically, I saw there is an option for using templates but it was not clear how to set that template via scripting. 

 

Can I simply replace the "Untitled Project.aep" file somewhere, or is it more complicated than that?

    Correct answer sophiapreymaker

    Okay I found the answer, so for anyone looking for this who needs to know:

     

    within your engine_init.py file in SGTK, you can add this snippet and it will run the ExtendScript to set the template with the desired settings:

    template_path = "/your/path/to/template.aet"
engine.adobe.rpc_eval("app.preferences.savePrefAsString('Template Project', 'Enabled', 01, PREFType.PREF_Type_MACHINE_INDEPENDENT); app.preferences.savePrefAsString('Template Project', 'Location', '{}', PREFType.PREF_Type_MACHINE_INDEPENDENT); app.preferences.reload();".format(template_path))

    2 replies

    R
    Community Expert
    Rick GerardCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 19, 2023

    An empty project is always untitled until you save it. Auto Save will not start until you save a project. I occasionally create Template projects, but most of the time, my workflow is File/New Project > Save, then I start adding assets and creating comps. I don't remember the last time I used a script to open a project, but you could certainly create a script that looks for an AET file in a specific folder and opens that. You will still need to give it a Name and save it for Auto Save to start working.

    Mathias Moehl
    Community Expert
    Mathias MoehlCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 19, 2023

    You can setup a "New project loads Template" in the Preferences.

    See https://aereference.com/tips/set-a-default-folder-structure-for-new-projects

     

    Mathias Möhl - Developer of tools like BeatEdit and Automation Blocks for Premiere Pro and After Effects
      S
      sophiapreymakerAuthor
      Inspiring
      May 25, 2023

      Is there a way to set this pythonically via Shotgrid Toolkit?

      S
      sophiapreymakerAuthorCorrect answer
      Inspiring
      May 30, 2023

      Okay I found the answer, so for anyone looking for this who needs to know:

       

      within your engine_init.py file in SGTK, you can add this snippet and it will run the ExtendScript to set the template with the desired settings:

      template_path = "/your/path/to/template.aet"
engine.adobe.rpc_eval("app.preferences.savePrefAsString('Template Project', 'Enabled', 01, PREFType.PREF_Type_MACHINE_INDEPENDENT); app.preferences.savePrefAsString('Template Project', 'Location', '{}', PREFType.PREF_Type_MACHINE_INDEPENDENT); app.preferences.reload();".format(template_path))
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