Why is the render queue giving me "Settings Mismatch"?

Report · May 31, 2018

I have a bunch of individual 4k clips with different lengths and some color effects on them. I want to hide all, show one, add to render queue, and then do the same for the next and so on.

I want to export these 4k clips at 4k using the h.264 quicktime codec. As soon as I select "quicktime" in the output module, I get a warning that "Output file will be resized from 4096x2160 (1.00 PAR) to 2000x2000 (1.00 PAR) to meet format constraints.

My comp is 4k, the clip is 4k, I don't know why this is doing this. I've searched the interwebz, and basically got "the AE render queue sucks - use AME". I try to use AME, but I am only able to queue and render one at a time, and I have to close AME and delete the temp file and save my AE file before I'm able to submit another job, otherwise, it keeps thinking I'm submitting the same clip again and again.

Any tips? Thx!

Report · May 31, 2018

I try to use AME, but I am only able to queue and render one at a time

on the contrary, it's Ae's render queue that's limited to one queue at a time for the same comp, not AME. simply add to AME Queue by using Compsition-Add to AME Queue or better select in the render queue check box and pick "Queue in AME" and everytime you do that it will be the current settings of your composition. so you can remove visibility from a layer, Add to Render Queue (in Ae), toggle the checkbox, Queue in AME - this is Queue #1, then remove another layer, toggle the same checkbox (no need to send again) then Queue in AME - this is Queue #2 and so on.

here's a demonstration at 02:54
After Effects 2015.3 - My Favorite Features - YouTube

Report · May 31, 2018

On the contrary, it isn’t. I’ve already told you what happens in AME. It is not making a job with the current setup of my comp. No matter what I hide or unhide in AE, the current look of the comp is not represented in AME when I queue it. I keep getting the same thing.

Report · May 31, 2018

Snappy today aren't we.

try to show us a few screenshots or a videocapture of the process, you may be doing something wrong. resetting your AME or Ae preferences is a course of action worth considering. anyways this is not how it's supposed to work and I would be surprised if this is not a user error, But I have been wrong before.

other than that, just render a lossless file like Quicktime Animation, send it to another software (like AME or Handbrake) and make your H.264 file.

to answer your initial question "Why is the render queue giving me "Settings Mismatch"?' that's because you are using an obsolete codec, that's unpredictable, buggy, and produces poor results to begin with and quite limited. you need A higher level of codec that supports higher resolutions.

Report · May 31, 2018

download Rd_Precompose.jsx from http://www.redefinery.com/

Select all your layers in your timeline,

Apply precompose script to individually create compositions

Create the adequate encoding profile in AME

Then in AE project window, select all compositions, and go to menu Composition/Add to Media Encoder Queue

All your comps should be there ready to encode with right profile

Hope it helps

Report · May 31, 2018

Was going to try the script, but their site doesn't load at all in Firefox or Chrome. Blank page.

http://redefinery.com/ae/view.php?item=rd_Pre-compose

Report · May 31, 2018

Jeff Almasol (redefinery) is fixing a few things in his site (says he) and it's been down for a while.

rd_Precompose is a 2010 script that essentially became obsolete since Ae CC (2013) when they added the native feature to trim the precomp to the duration of the layer. there's simply no use for it.

not that precomposing would serve you anything since what you are describing is the need for different master comp and not a different precomp so not sure why PGZ suggested it in the first place. you could simply duplicate your master comps in the project panel and make a change you need to each one and send separate comps to AME.

Report · May 31, 2018

Hmmm, I understood that Sjlocke had a bunch of layers in one comp.... Hence the process i suggested.

I double-checked : it works and is very fast process.

Of course, click the option to "pre-compose each selected layer".

No need to make modifications on each comp after duplicating the master comp.

The script creates all the corresponding comps ready to send to AME...

Not sure what is wrong there.

Am I missing something ?

Report · May 31, 2018

I see now what you mean. yes this appears to be a nice process, and could be better rendering process if you don't want to define the work area for each layer. but nothing you could not achieve pretty quick by doing this native for each layer at a time->precomp-move all attributes->adjust timespan to the duration. if you only have a few layers that is fairly fast. thank you for pointing out a use for this script for doing this for many layers at different lengths in one go.

and, if you got all the layers at the same timespan of the master comp - you could also duplicate the master comp and just toggle visibility for each one and save additional precomping (effects are inside, this could be less convenient for changes). If you got different timespans then it's easy enough to trim workarea to length of layer by Ctrl+Alt+B.

it all depends what Op wants and what workflow he feels comfortable with. I would be more worried that AME is not working as it should because it should render each

current setting as unique anyway. You could keep one comp no precomps abd just toggle the visibility and adjust the timespan and send to AME like this:

Report · May 31, 2018

I have to close AME and delete the temp file and save my AE file before I'm able to submit another job, otherwise, it keeps thinking I'm submitting the same clip again and again.

I'm familiar with this issue. It only occurs when you use AME's interface to import AE projects into your queue. I find it incredibly frustrating that it doesn't update with each save I make in AE. The best way to import your AE comps is to export from AE to AME, using Command Option/Alt + M or going to the top menu, Composition > Add to AME Queue. Some things to note with this method:

Whatever timeline you're currently viewing in AE is the comp that will be exported to AME.
Whatever work area you have selected will be reflected in AME. However, this can be changed in AME using Export Settings. But I strongly recommend adjusting the work area in AE before adding it to your AME queue. Export Settings in AME require a "Dynamic Link" which can be a slow.
Be patient! Depending on the speed/power of your computer, it may take up to a few minutes before it shows up in your AME queue.
If you queue a comp from AE to AME, it will render every change you made in that comp up to that point. If you make any changes to this comp after it's been sent to AME's queue, it will not be reflected in the final render, even if you Save. However, you can re-send it to AME and delete the other queued render if you wish.

The only time I would recommend using AME to import an AE project is if you don't have to make any changes to the AE file and just want to render a comp without having to open the project. This is particularly useful if you have a network of computers and one of them is designated for renders. Or you wanna delegate rendering to someone else on their own machine. Yes, you can still work in AE while AME is doing it's job but minimizing RAM usage is never a bad idea. Or this scenario: "Hey can you render out that explainer from last month? No physical changes. Just use a different codec." And maybe I'm working on a new AE project that I don't want to close just to set up a render for last month's project.

Report · May 31, 2018

The best way to import your AE comps is to exportfrom AE to AME, using Command Option/Alt + M or going to the top menu, Composition > Add to AME Queue. Some things to note with this method:

actually the superior way is to "Queue in AME" because it keeps your render settings

I find it incredibly frustrating that it doesn't update with each save I make in AE.

I understood OP's problem is that he sends comps to AME and it does not show any difference than the first comp he sent. if the problem is that AME is not updated then I think I now understand what the issue was and it is that OP is duplicating the queue instead of resending it. of course had he revealed more about his process, all the guess work could have been avoided. I made an elaborate tutorial on AME's behavior, including all the gotchas. then as Queue in AME came (02:55 in the tutorial) in 2015.3 some of these gotchas got resolved.

Report · May 31, 2018

The best way to import your AE comps is to export from AE to AME, using Command Option/Alt + M or going to the top menu, Composition > Add to AME Queue. Some things to note with this method:
actually the superior way is to "Queue in AME" because it keeps your render settings

I'm confused. Did I say something to the contrary? I was using "export" to mean "send" in this instance. But we're both in agreement that queuing to AME is ideal.

Report · May 31, 2018

Add to AME Queue is different than Queue in AME. yes sending to AME is Ideal for different versions of the same comp + compressed video formats and you can keep working in Ae. there's also BG Renderer for rendering multiple instances in Ae (not compressed formats available in Ae unless you have a plugin)

Report · May 31, 2018

"The best way to import your AE comps is to export from AE to AME, using Command Option/Alt + M or going to the top menu, Composition > Add to AME Queue. Some things to note with this method:"

Yes, that's what I'm doing. I change things in AE to reflect what I want the final output to look like, eg. show/hide my clip layers, adjustment layers, etc. I then go to File->Add to AME queue . It appears to send it, but when I go to AME and try to use the "export settings" dialog to adjust the output length, it shows me whatever the first queued job is.

So, once a job is done, I delete the job from AME, quit AME, go to the render directory and clear the temp file, go back to AE, adjust things for the next render job, and then "Add to AME queue" again. I go back to AME once it opens, adjust the length of the now correct clip and render.

Maybe I'll restart my system and see if some magic happens.

Report · May 31, 2018

Some great solutions in this thread.

As far as the 2000 x2000 limit goes for when one chooses QuickTime with the H264 CODEC, that is a bit of mystery as to why that limit exists in the first place (especially since MP4 supports 4096 x 2160 with H264). To get past that and export an H264 .mov file from the AE Render Queue, the "Resize" option needs to set to something like 2000x1055 or smaller. That or a different CODEC.

When it comes to rendering the same Comp at different settings, prior to AME existing I would make a duplicate of the Comp for each variation needed, set the duplicates up as needed (Layer visibility, Work Area Start/Stop, etc.), and then add all the duplicate to the Render Queue. Since you can set a Render Setting templates for multiple selected items all at once and also set Output Module templates and Output To settings for multiple selected Output Modules, it's just a few clicks until all your Comp duplicates are rendering. When rendering is done, delete the duplicate Comps.

Report · May 31, 2018

Thanks. I need 4k output, so resizing it won't work.

I didn't want to get too messy, but I guess I'm just going to have to brute force my way through this. Resolve can do something like this easy peezy. Oh well.

Report · May 31, 2018

After generating the MP4s, change the filename extension to MOV.