steps on creating a proper ZXP file for adobe premiere 2023....

[Chad Briggs]

1. Hi all! I have a jsx file I wrote that runs and works great inside adobe premiere when ran through the adobe extendscript toolkit on windows. In a nutshell, it's a very specific save increment tool I wrote.
   
   Now that i've tested it and it works, I want to install it on my computer as an extension so I can assign a keyboard shortcut to it and not have to have the extendscript app running to use it (as well as hand it off to our other editors). I can successfully create the zxp file using zxpsigncmd, but when I try to install it through the AE scripts ZXP installer it fails to install. I have a hunch it's because of my manifest file, but for the life of me I cannot find a step by step tutorial on creating one properly.
   For full clarification, this is a single jsx file that runs, and that's it. There is no UI or anything else, the script runs and that is it.
   So, with that said, two questions:
   1.) When attempting to test the extension locally, can I just dump files in here (C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\CEP\extensions) and test until I'm ready to deploy to other machines? Or is there some magical ZXP registration process that happens when you install one of those?
   2.) Any good tutorials on creating a proper zxp and then installing it? I can't find any, only ones on modifying existing manifests to work in other adobe apps or ones that involve full-blown interfaces?
   Thanks! I'm just stuck on getting this to show up in premiere. I'm kind of dumbfounded they make this so much harder in premiere vs AE.

[Bruce Bullis · Accepted solution]

>I'm kind of dumbfounded they make this so much harder in premiere vs AE.

You're right that the installation and execution of bare ExtendScript (.jsx files) is supported by AE, and not by PPro...but CEP panel installation is the same, across both products. 

Question 1: You will need to enable PlayerDebugMode on that system, either in a .plist or the Registry. The PProPanel readme explains the process.

Question 2: Sorry, I'm unaware of any, but have asked the Extensibility team to provide direction.

[erinferinferinf · Accepted solution]

2.) Any good tutorials on creating a proper zxp and then installing it? I can't find any, only ones on modifying existing manifests to work in other adobe apps or ones that involve full-blown interfaces?

Creating a proper ZXP: https://github.com/Adobe-CEP/Getting-Started-guides ...Photoshop notwithstanding, this process is still the same in other products that support ZXP, as well as Photoshop running in Intel mode.

Installing it? https://github.com/Adobe-CEP/Getting-Started-guides/tree/master/Package%20Distribute%20Install#insta... ... except Option 2 is now called "UPIA" and doesn't need to be downloaded: https://helpx.adobe.com/in/creative-cloud/help/working-from-the-command-line.html

I'd also add an option 4, "turn .zxp into .zip, unzip it, and put it into one of these folders": https://github.com/Adobe-CEP/CEP-Resources/blob/master/CEP_11.x/Documentation/CEP%2011.1%20HTML%20Ex...

[erinferinferinf]

I realized re-reading this thread I missed an important clue:

...when I try to install it through the AE scripts ZXP installer it fails to install.

To my knowledge, AEscripts hasn't updated their ZXP installer since ExManCmd was replaced by UPIA. I reached out to the developer and they said they didn't have plans to update it. This means that it won't keep working with later versions of Premiere Pro or After Effects (or anything else that supports ZXPs, I suppose).