Automation Blocks Script Idea - Nest selected Shots

[PFuerst]

Hey,

I have a script idea for Automation Blocks and maybe someone can help get it going.

When working on clips that need further fx in another app like AFX or Fusion I like to create a seperate track for those clips and when I get them back to also place the new clips in a nested sequence so if there are several versions I can all place them ontop of each other so that all versions are available in case I need to go back to former version for some reason.

Right now this is a manual process of selecting the clip nesting it, naming it to the shot number and moving it to the bottom most track. It is not to much work at all but maybe could be automated.

Some nice features would also include the option to add handles so if the shots get longer there is a bit of a wiggle room(maybe not placing the nested clip right at the start of the Sequence but offsetting it in sequence it is comming from so that it still aligns properly; not sure if this is possible) without the need to move around clips inside the nest...

And if several clips are selected to coose if the user wants to place them all in one or separate sequnces(much like the pre-comp command in AFX)

[R Neil Haugen]

This would be something for Mathias Mohl, who runs aescripts.com, to handle. I can't get the right 'ping' for him or I'd ping him in this post.

[Stan Jones]

@Mathias Moehl 

Neil, let's see if that works. Those pesky "E"s!

Stan

[R Neil Haugen]

Das ist Deutsch! Ha! Ich haben zweir jarhe Deutsche im hochschule ... 50 years ago now ... so I can really slaughter it good these days!

I've had quite a bit of contact with Mathias, and on thinking about it, I am actually used to seeing his name if "full Deutsche" ... with the o with the umlaut, the two dots over it. As auf Deutsch, there isn't that e after the o. Just two dots over the o.

[Mathias Moehl]

Replacing a clip by a new sequence containing the clip can be achieved as follows:

1) creat a new sequence from clip

2) set the attribute project item of the original clip to the new sequence

[Mathias Moehl]

Yes, my name is Möhl, but since ö is causing so much trouble, for user names Moehl is a better choice 🙂

[PFuerst]

Yeah German is really difficulat. Even we Germans butcher it in some way or the other depending on the region you are in 😉

[PFuerst]

Hey Mathias,

thanks for helping(as always when I have ideas/problems with AB). I am now able to create new Sequneces from the selected clips and also rename it to the same name as the clip.

But how can I replace the selected clip with the newly created sequence?

Is there also  a way to also add in handles so that the newly Nest so that the it is longer especially at the start if the fx shot is made longer for some reason?

My current version

https://ecloud.global/s/6kzFBYsiwq9EapY 

[Mathias Moehl]

Here is a version which adds handles:

I added it to the Community Library at

Clips/Nesting/Precompose With Handles.xml

[PFuerst]

Wow thanks a lot once again.

I did a few quick test so far and I've noticed that sometimes the handles at the start are not used and sometimes the name of the Nest is also just "my new sequence". I also had it where it would shorten my clips I precomposed. I have no Idea why this happened or what was special about those specific clips because I was able to locate the source material and replace the shortend versions and everything worked again.

In general would it be possible to trim of the handles after they are created for the Nests in the sequence they are put into? Right now they have the new length which is fine but when there are already clips on this track they overlap those other clips. But the handles are only there if the clip changes afterwards so the user can come in and lengthen the Nest if needed.

[Mathias Moehl]

To keep the location and duration of the clip in the main sequence unchanged should be even simpler:
Remove the two last blocks, which adjust the start and end time of that clip and instead set the inPoint of that clip to its current inpoint minus the start handle duration. That way make sure that the correct portion of the clip is shown (otherwise it will be offset by the start handle duration).
Not sure about the other issues. Can you identify when they are happening?
Note that we are inserting the original, unmodified clip in the nested sequence. Hence, if you have any effects, time stretching or other modifications applied, they won't carry over to the clip in the nested sequence.

[PFuerst]

I still would love to use the handles but immediately trim them of so that it looks as if the clip has its original length. And if the shot gets longer afterwards I can easily lengthen it as needed.

I haven't found a pattern for it producing those issues. It is sort of random as I haven't done anything to the clip. No fx, no retimming...