Getting up and running with basic scripting

[andy30596138xrti]

I am adopting Premier as my main editor, slowly transitioning from another editor that did not offer any scripting/programming access.

The whole reason I picked up Premier is that it offers scripting and a C++ SDK. This is something I will expand into slowly over time.

I have a programming background but am short on time, right now I really just want to invoke premier commands from an external source, such a PowerShell or AutoHotkey.

Simple tasks such as `Quick_Edit_SetUp.Jsx` that carries out sequential steps, such as:
1. Open `C:\Temp\Quick_Edit.Jsx`
2. Import `C:\Users\smith\Videos\Todays_Feed2.mp4` into the `Project: Quick_Edit` Panel
3. Create a new sequence
1. Import `C:\Users\smith\Videos\Todays_Feed2.mp4` and place it into the sequence

And another called `Quick_Edit_Exit.Jsx` that carries out sequential steps, such as:
1. Close Project without saving
1. Quit Premiere Process

I recently discovered that you can run arbitrary `.JSX` code from **PowerShell** like so:

PremierPro /C es.processFile "C:\TEMP\Test.jsx" # Contents of Test.Jsx is ===> alert("Hello, World");

But this requires that Premier also be launched at the same time, otherwise you end up getting the following error:

Is there no way to invoke `PremierPro /C es.processFile "C:\TEMP\Test.jsx"` against an already running instance of Premier?
If the answer is "No", then what route do I need to take be able to achieve my goal of invoking premier commands from an external source, such a PowerShell or AutoHotkey?

I have scoured the docs and what third party help I can find. Some suggest `.Jsx` others say **ExtendScript**. Are they not the same thing? Is **ExtendScript** not just stored in `.Jsx` files?

Please, I would appreciate any input or articles that demystifies this for me.

[andy30596138xrti]

Hmm...I was expecting there to be support for markdown format. I cant seem to find a way to edit the post either.

[Bruce Bullis · Accepted solution]

>Is there no way to invoke `PremierPro /C es.processFile "C:\TEMP\Test.jsx"` against an already running instance of Premier?

Correct. 

> what route do I need to take be able to achieve my goal of invoking premier commands from an external source, such a PowerShell or AutoHotkey?

In PPro, ExtendScript is meant to be executed from within a CEP panel. PProPanel shows how.

A CEP panel can run ExtendScript in PPro, in response to [any message you could send to a web page].

>Some suggest `.Jsx` others say **ExtendScript**. Are they not the same thing?

Mostly the same. ExtendScript files are saved as .jsx...and had been for decades, before React decided to use the same file extension. 🙂