Hi Shachar! Thanx for the answer. The "unselectable" keys is a trick I've been trying before, but it brings strange behaviour, like if you stay clicked on a key, and your plugin deselects it, a new selection comes up with the key again. And if you move, the move itself is repeated as many times as the key is selected / unselected... and the key moves like crazy. But I think I've seen where the problem comes from: when keys are dragged, there is a difference (in certain cases, like dragging keys fast with a slow render) between params[]->u.something.value and the corresponding stream. I've changed my code and it works fine now... But it was really tricky to debug: if you drag keys under debug mode, AE takes the time to update params[] values, and the error doesn't appear. Cheers, François ... View more

That was twisted enough to work.. but it doesn't. And you're right, I can write selection, but when I do so, the selection switches from Mask vertex to layer then back to my new selection. So , when I drag a Vertex, My Vertex is deselected, my Layer dragged, and then my Vertex is reselected... all this during the render call! I think this is too much cheating. I'd probably better make a fake Mask with DrawBot. May be it's not worth it just for CS5... Thanx Shachar! François ... View more

If you already have an idea, then I'm curious! You're right, they deserve to be tortured even in CS5... ... View more

Oh! It seems it happens only with CS5! May be we don't need to call the devil... just update AE! Cheers, François ... View more

Hi Shachar! As you can see, I'm still torturing AE's masks... Unfortunately, both RefreshAllWindows() and REFRESH_UI give no result. The hard stuff is I'm checking wich vertex is selected to transform the mask, so I can't mess with selection. Do you think Drawbot can help? Thanx, François ... View more

It's a native plugin, made in C++, which is much more powerfull than scripting, but also a lot more work (and troubles) ! The SDK forum is for native plugins developpement, there is also a Scripting forum where you can find usefull and probably more accurate information. C++ plugins can use scripting too (mine do), via "ExecuteScript" command, so you can find posts where scripting is dicussed also. But if you have scripting questions, I'll be glad to answer (if I can) in this forum ! Cheers, François ... View more

Accessing maskPath vertices directly via expression is not possible... or not that I know... My plugin is a work around: you don't really dynamically access vertices, but you control them via parameters, wich are accessible. Cos' trying to retrieve data dynamically leads to troubles, you can believe me! It's because AE computes Geometry, then Effects... Parameters are part of Effects, so updating there value occurs AFTER Geometry, and if you intend to get Geometry datas... If you go the scripting way, it'll be really easy to get the vertices coordinates (myLayer.Masks.property(myMaskIndex).maskShape.valueAtTime(myTime, false).vertices[vertexIndex]) Then your expression will be processed during Geometry, so the result is available at proper time. Cheers, François ... View more

Hi Bertrand! If the maskPath isn't animated, then just copy paste the maskPath into the Position parameter of your layer... If it's animated and you have access to the maskPath data (via scripting, for example...), the easiest is to apply an expression on your position (Dan Ebbert's done the job for all of us, as usual ) http://www.motionscript.com/expressions-lab-ae65/bezier.html Expression is a bit heavy to compute, but it's way easier than writing C++ native plugin! There was a javascript application to do that a few years ago, written by Bresnev Shu, but it's no longer available... but if you find someone who still got it, you can steal it from him! Cheers, François ps: j'utilise le même frenchglish! 😉 Shameless advertising for my plugins: the coming update of BAO_Mask_Avenger includes this function ! ... View more

Bad news is still better than no news... at least I now know where (not) to go! I think I'll try to go the scripting way first, then see what happens... Thanx, François ... View more

Hi! Actually, you don't need to catch the close event. When After Effects closes, it checks this folder: Adobe After Effects (your version)/Support Files/Scripts/Shutdown and runs the scripts present in this folder. So if you paste your script in the Shutdown folder, it'll be launched on close event. If you want to launch scripts on Startup, you'll find a Startup folder as well... Cheers, François ... View more

Thanx! ... View more

Hi Shachar! I manages to intercept AE's command, but it works a bit too well... When user calls "free transform", I can do what ever I want, except "free transform". Is there a way to give the control back to AE when Cmd 's been intercepted? (I set AEGP_HP_AfterAE, but it doesn't change anything...) Cheers, François PS: registration code is coming... ... View more

Thanx Shachar! As usual, you're the man with an answer... you should write a book! Cheers, François PS: Here's a link to my plugin: http://aescripts.com/bao-mask-avenger/ I made it thanx to your help! So I'd like to give you a free registration code (if you're interested). Do you have a personnal e-mail or a place I can upload it? You can send me an answer here: frankoue@yahoo.fr ... View more

Then see you next month! PS: thanx ... View more

Hi Griebel! Did you manage to build a structure? I'd be curious to know... I'm gonna release my plugin soon, so if you wanna see the demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3dWu3Nhtgg and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFRZhpG3-V8 Hope you like it! François Ce message a été modifié par: françois leroy mistake on the link... ... View more

Hi Griebel, glad it works! I've been digging this way too (you're right, it seems we're on the same vibe!), but maskPath seems to be really opaque... I tried with the Reflection Properties (in the JS Tools Guide), but didn't get anywhere. I also tried with Shape... If you find any info, I'd be happy to know! Cheers, François ... View more

Hi Griebel (and: fine, thanx Shachar!) Reading what you describe, I think I have a solution. I didn't use it with the SDK, but I did with scripts and it worked just fine: _your plugin reads the path data, then writes it to a .txt file. You can choose the way you write your datas. When I did it, it looked like this:      vert1 = [1,2];      inTan1 = [0,0];      outTan1 = [5,6];      etc... _your expression reads this .txt file with an "eval()" expression. You can see details here: http://www.graymachine.com/2009/04/expressions-and-external-documents-revisited/ The expression can call any variable from this .txt file, so if you type "vert1", you just get this value: [1,2] The advantage is that the .txt file should call a new render for your layer, so, no more worries about synch. The bad part is your layer will call a render twice, and writing to external file and re-read from it can take some time, if you have a lot of points... But if you work on light projects, then you won't even notice the difference. François PS: About my plugin, It'll be finished soon (other stuff involved...), so I can show you when it's ready. ... View more

Hi Griebel! I can't tell you about PF_ADD_TEXT, but I've written an effect close to what you want to do. Here 's the solution I found : I have 300 Point parameters, representing either vertices ot tangents. (a pain to write, so I wrote a simple app just to write the parameters...) They are enabled / disabled according to PathNumVertices. In my case, the points control the path, but you can do the opposite. The main issue is that parameters are modified during Render call, so, for example, if you attach a layer's position to a Vertex via expression, you'll see that your layer is at the right place, but its "render" hasn't been affected. After effects computes the geometry first, then comes the rendering. So your layer's position is computed before your parameter is modified. Then comes the render: your parameter changes, the layer's position changes too, but doesn't generate a new render call, so AE makes a render of your layer at the position your layer was before render call... But if you intend to use this parameters to control other Effects, then the render calls will occure at the same time... tricky, right? you can find some informations here: http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1141646?start=0&tstart=0 The discussion's been really further than just Effect's index. I've been bothering Shachar Carmi with my mask issues for monthes 🙂 Hope it helps! François ... View more

Thanx Shachar, I got it workin' now. So here is the code, for future generations static PF_Err LineProcessFunction( void                    *refcon,                                                   A_long                    threadNum,                                                   A_long                    iterationCount,                                                   A_long                    numOfIterations) {      register MyData *data = (MyData*)refcon;      PF_Err err = PF_Err_NONE;            PF_Pixel *pixelDataInStart = reinterpret_cast <PF_Pixel *>(data->input.data);            PF_Pixel *pixelDataOutStart = reinterpret_cast <PF_Pixel *>(data->output.data);            PF_Pixel *inP =          pixelDataInStart + (iterationCount * (data->input.rowbytes / sizeof(PF_Pixel)));            PF_Pixel *outP =          pixelDataOutStart + (iterationCount * (data->output.rowbytes / sizeof(PF_Pixel)));                      for (int i = 0; i <  data->input.width; i++) {                                         outP->alpha *=          inP->alpha;                                         inP++;                                         outP++;              }            return err; } Thanx again for your help! François ... View more

Hey Shachar! I have troubles getting the baseAdress... I can't find how to access it directly (and don't see it in any "typedef struct" or any declaration) I found "get_pixel_data8" and "AEGP_GetBaseAddr8" but they both crash AE... Did I miss something on how to access it directly? Or should I dig deeper in "get_pixel_data8" or "AEGP_GetBaseAddr8"? François ************************************************************************************************* I found an answer there: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3552882#3552882 So: PF_Pixel8 *pixelDataInStart = reinterpret_cast <PF_Pixel8 *>(data->input.data); ... View more

Wow! This is more than I expected!! Thank you so much Shachar, one more time! Cheers, François ... View more

Hi Shachar! Do you have any precision about how to use iterateGeneric() ? I didn't find any example on the sdk, and as I have no C++ background, it's difficult to figure out... By the way, the blending operation works just fine, it's just too slow... Thanx, François ... View more

Hi Nicolas! (ou salut? , je laisse en anglais pour que ça serve au maximum...) Your thread is old but I might have an answer, as I'm trying to do something similar now: I have a loop with all my masks. I use a newWorld filled with white (the idea is from Shachar Carmi, of course!), mask it with PF_MaskWorldWithPath (you're right, no expansion...) and then turn the layer to a matte (0 alpha -> black, 255 alpha -> white). Then I composite with the previous one with a blend mode... And use this world as a matte. For the substract mode, the trick is to invert the matte before blending : 255 alpha -> black, 0 alpha -> white Then you can use PF_Xfer_DARKEN to blend your mask with others. If someone has a better way, I'm interested too! Cheers, François ... View more

You're the man of every situation! Thanx a lot! ... View more

Hey Shachar! For my Mask Effect, I finally managed to get it work during preview AND real render, and all the stuff... But there is still something going wrong. I finally make my Mask modifications, and CHECKOUT_PARAM() to get the frame before effect. Then I try to combine my pre-effect image with my mask using PF_MaskWorldWithPath. The problem is PF_MaskWorldWithPath doesn't really mask my image from a maskPath, but from the alpha result of the maskPath... For example, it has no effect with a maskMode_NONE mask. Or if it can do that, well, how? I didn't see any mode parameter... So I decide to fill the invert of my mask with a 0 alpha color, so I can erase the outside... Cos "Fill" or "Stroke" effects work just fine after my FX, they don't care about the mask's real alpha result, they just use the path. Do you have any clue on how it works? If you have, you'll save my life once again 😉 Cheers, François ... View more

Thanx! ... View more