Premiere Pro Scripting: How to add Transition to Clip?

[aminn75893596]

Hi guys,

I've browsed through many Youtube tutorials, documentations, and online forums, but I don't think I've seen one where it shows how to add video transitions to clips on a track, using a script.

I know there is an "addTransition" method for clips in QE, but I can't figure out what the arguments should be.

Here is what I have found out so far:

In ExtendScript, we can view an object's properties and methods using the Reflection object, as documented here: https://extendscript.docsforadobe.dev/extendscript-tools-features/extendscript-reflection-interface....

So I've used it for a qeClip i.e.  

var qe = app.enableQE();

var qeProject = qe.project;

var qeSequence = qeProject.getActiveSequence();

var qeTrack = qeSequence.getVideoTrackAt(0);

var qeClip = qeTrack.getItemAt(1);

Testing: 

var qeClipName = qeTrack.getItemAt(1).name;
$.writeln(qeClipName);

Gives:

a-vid-B085TC6KG7_1.mp4

which is the correct name of the clip.

So:

var clipMethods = qeClip.reflect.methods;

gives:

addAudioEffect,addTransition,addVideoEffect,canDoMulticam,getClipPanComponent,getComponentAt,getProjectItem,move,moveToTrack,remove,removeEffects,rippleDelete,roll,setAntiAliasQuality,setBorderColor,setBorderWidth,setEndPercent,setEndPosition,setFrameBlend,setMulticam,setName,setReverse,setScaleToFrameSize,setSpeed,setStartPercent,setStartPosition,setSwitchSources,setTimeInterpolationType,slide,slip

In the list above, I have identified the "addTransition" method at index 1.

Testing:

var addTransition = qeClip.reflect.methods[1];
$.writeln(addTransition);

Gives:

addTransition

So now I would like to see what are the arguments for this "addTransition" method.

Per above documentation: that's: 

obj.reflect.methods["indexOf"].arguments[0];​

So,

var arguments = addTransition.arguments;
$.writeln(arguments);

Funnily,.gives:

p0,,,,,,

Furthermore,

var arguments0 = addTransition.arguments[0];
$.writeln(arguments0);

outputs:

p0

and:

var arguments1 = addTransition.arguments[1];
$.writeln(arguments1);

gives:

Nothing.

and so does addTransition.arguments[2], 3, 4, up to addTransition.arguments[6].

What should these arguments be?

How can we script for addTransitions?

Any help is appreciated 🙂

Thanks,

Amin

[Bruce Bullis · Accepted solution]

QE DOM is unsupported, and not recommended. [I've reached out to Amin directly.]

[aminn75893596]

Thanks!

[Bed30321077z973]

I also am searching for the answer, can you send it to me @aminn75893596  ? (If you are still arround)

[frmlbamstrdm]

Yeah. I am also pretty curious. @Bruce Bullis  some help on all the parameters of addTransition() would be awesome (although the  QE DOM is unsupported)

[frmlbamstrdm]

@Bruce Bullis 

[Bruce Bullis · Accepted solution]

As before: Undocumented, and unsupported.

[ThioJoe]

I was able to figure out the info about most of the parameters. I can't remember where I got the list of the methods and parameters from GitHub, I just had them saved in a text file. But I've added the code comments below based on what I've figured out.

addTransition(
    transition: object,       // Transition object from qe.project.getVideoTransitionByName(), such as .getVideoTransitionByName("Cross Dissolve")
    addToStart: boolean,      // true = add transition to start of clip and end of the clip, false = add to end of clip only
    inDurationString?: string, // Duration in frames ("30") or seconds+frames ("1:30")
    inOffsetString?: string,  // Offset timing - Seems non-functional, couldn't figure it out, but works when using "0:00"
    inAlignment?: number,     // Position relative to cut: 0 = start at cut, 0.5 = center at cut, 1 = end at cut
    inSingleSided?: boolean,  // Seems to force transition to only one side of the clip. Set to false if you'll want the transition to span across the cut
    inAlignToVideo?: boolean, // Purpose unknown - using either true/false seems to work
): boolean;                   // Returns success/failure of adding transition

So example usage, where this would have a 30-frame transition centered on the cut, the transition would be only at the end (right side) of the clip. 

var transitionToUseObject = qe.project.getVideoTransitionByName("Cross Dissolve");
whateverQETrackItem.addTransition(transitionToUseObject, false, "0:30", "0:00", 0.5, false, true);

Edit: I found the source of the list of QE Dom methods, not sure how complete it is:

GitHub - types-for-adobe-extras / Premiere 

[Nguyễn Hữu Phước]

var qe = app.enableQE();

var qeProject = qe.project;

var qeSequence = qeProject.getActiveSequence();

var qeTrack = qeSequence.getVideoTrackAt(0);

var qeClip = qeTrack.getItemAt(0);

qeClip.addTransition(qeProject.getVideoTransitionByName("Dip to Black"));

I noticed this will add "Dip to Black" between clip (0) and clip (1)