Is there a script to show instantly the index of selected layer?

[Zed 248]

Hi there,

I would like to know the index of any layer which I have currently selected in Ae. Some little docked palette just with the number, eventually with name as well. The reason is simple:

Imagine a bunch of 200 layers. Lets say I want to parent layer called Object-1 to the Null-1. This Null-1 is located somewhere in the bottom part of the layers stack. So to parent those together you have to: 

1. Click on the layer Object-1 in the viewport
2. Hit "X" (to find out it has index 74.)
3. Then click on the Null-1 in the viewport
4. Hit "X" (to find out it has index 165.)
5. Hit "74" to select the Object-1 again
6. And finally parent it from the dropdown menu with the layer 165.

To have some kind of a status window with the index of currently selected layer would put me in the point 5 (of the above listed procedure) immediately.

Do you know about some script which functionality is close to this?

Thank you

[Mylenium]

It's technically not possible. All scripts are modal and only trigger on their internal condition like pushing a button oir waiting for some criteria to be met. There is also no "selection changed" event in AE to begin with that could be intercepted by an event listener. Funny ienough the info palette already gives you the name of a selected layer, just not the index number, so this is probably more an enhancement request for this. Until then simply work on structuring your work suitably and using visual cues like changing the layer label colors or using markers with comments.

Mylenium