This script creates, sets, or unsets proxies for the selected footage and composition items.

If using a still or movie proxy, proxies will be rendered using existing render settings and output module template, preferably Best Settings / Photoshop for stills, and Draft Settings / Lossless with Alpha for movies.

Note: If you want to use a still-frame proxy, make sure to set the output module template to a still-image format. Conversely, if you want to use a movie proxy, set the template to a movie file format.

If using a file, you will be asked to select the file when you click the Set Proxy button. If using stills or movies, you are asked to select an output folder.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

This script creates a null layer whose position is an expression-driven value of the average of the selected layer's motion tracker track points of your choosing. A dialog box lists the track points on the layer, with the enabled ones selected by default.

Note: This script requires After Effects CS4 or later.

Originally requested by Stu Maschwitz.

This script batch converts the selected layers to other types of layers (for example, layered comps, editable text, shapes, or masks), by using the commands in the Layer menu. Each created layer is placed above its corresponding original layer, and layer switches are copied over.

This script is a superset of the older rd: Batch Vector to Shape script.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS6 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Note: The rd: Batch Layer Converter includes this functionality and more.

This script batch converts the selected vector layers to shape layers. It'll skip any selected layers that can't be converted. Each converted shape layer is positioned immediately above the original vector layer (unlike the Create Shapes from Vector Layer menu command's default behavior).

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS6 or later. English version only at this time.

Originally requested by Kevin Snyder.

This script displays a palette with controls for setting the comments of project items and layers (in the selected composition). You can use this script to, for example, display the full file name for disk-based footage items.

The Template field can use literal characters or any of the following tokens:

• [filename] — The full file name (with its path) of the disk-based footage item.

• [fname] — The file name (without its path) of the disk-based footage item.

• [fsize] — The file size (in bytes) of the disk-based footage item.

• [w] — The pixel width of the footage item or layer.

• [h] — The pixel height of the footage item or layer.

• [par] — The pixel aspect ratio of the footage item or layer.

• [fps] — The frame rate of the footage item or layer.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by Ben Grossmann.

This script displays a palette with controls for renaming the selected compositions in the Project panel. You can use this script to, for example, remove the “ Comp #” suffix (or localized equivalent in German and French versions of After Effects) added to new compositions whose footage was dragged to the New Composition button.

Notes: Expressions that refer to the existing composition names are not updated, so it's best to use this script after creating a composition.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

This script displays a palette with controls for changing the size, pixel aspect ratio, duration, frame rate, preserve options, motion blur, and renderer of the selected compositions, and all nested compositions (pre-comp layers) in it. When you lengthen the composition's duration, all layers whose out points are at or beyond the end of the composition are also lengthened to the new duration, including layers within pre-comps.

Note: If the Project panel is focused, it'll process all selected compositions in that panel. If another panel is focused, it'll process the active composition (last selected in a Composition or Timeline panel).

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by Stu Maschwitz, Tim Thiessen, and Scott Just.
Updates requested by Matthew Crnich, Matthew Law, and Zach Lovatt.

This script displays a palette with controls for building a “contact sheet” composition based on “style frames” in the current composition. Use this script to view different frames of a composition at a glance.

To use this script:

1. Define style frames by creating layer markers on a layer named “style frames”.

2. Specify the grid dimensions (rows and columns), scaling of style frames, frames, and cell spacing for the contact sheet composition.

3. (Optional) To use a custom layout for each frame, and an optional caption, enter the cell template comp’s name in the Template field. If the template comp contains a “caption” text layer, specify the content for that text layer. More information below.

4. Click Create Comp Sheet.

The script will generate a new composition whose name is the same as the current composition’s name, with “ Sheet” appended. Open this comp to view the results. Comps for each cell are placed in a folder the same as the composition, with “ Cells” appended.

The created style frame cells are live instances of the composition at the corresponding marker positions, so you can rearrange them in the original composition and watch them update accordingly. However, if you add or remove markers, or change the marker comments (and are using marker comments for “caption” layers in a cell template), you will need to regenerate the comp sheet.

Custom layout for each cell can be defined with a comp that has a solid layer named “picture”, and an optional text layer named “caption”. The “picture” solid layer will be replaced by the associated style frame (with layer transforms and 2D/3D state applied). Use a solid that has the same aspect ratio as your selected comp, unless you want to distort the style frames in the sheet. The “caption” text layer will be updated based on the selected Caption setting.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by Matt Silverman.

This script copies the markers from the first selected layer to the other selected layers, at the same composition times.

Note: Existing markers on the target layers are not removed beforehand.

Originally requested by Wes Plate.

This script displays a count of the number of markers on the selected layer.

Originally requested by Tim Sassoon.

This script displays a palette with controls for splitting the selected layer into equal portions.

The duplicate layers stagger upward, and are named the same as the original.

This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by Thomas Jaeger.

Feeling charitable as you use my scripts in After Effects? This script is for you! Of course, feel free to donate to your favorite or local charity.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Note: Adjust the command to launch your Web browser, as appropriate.

Originally requested by Wes Plate. :-)

This script displays a palette for editing the text of text layers in an unstyled form. If your text layer uses a complex animation, or is difficult to access or is hidden at the current time, editing the text when not animated or style can be useful.

Although you must have only one text layer selected to retrieve text (using the Get Text button), you can update multiple text layers to the same text (using Set Text).

Note: You can enter up to a maximum of 255 characters, but if the selected text layer contains more than that, you can still make changes as long as the number of characters does not increase. Also, due to a limitation, if you delete all of the characters on a text layer, the layer will be set to a single blank character.

Note: If the text uses different character or paragraph styling, these differences will be lost when the text is updated.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by Paul Dougherty.

This script modifies expressions based on specific settings. For example, you can convert expressions that use thisComp or this_comp references to specific comp(“...”) references so that pre-composing the layers that contain those expressions, which refer to layers that are not pre-composed, will still work. You can also process disabled expressions by enabling or removing them easily.

You can choose to update the expressions in the current composition, selected compositions, or all compositions in the Project panel.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

This script allows you to import tracker data exported from Autodesk® Combustion® as motion tracker data on the selected layer in Adobe® After Effects®.

Each run of this script creates a new tracker and track point (with Feature Center and Attach Point keyframes), so if you have multiple exported files, simply cut/paste the track points into the same tracker afterwards. Each track point is named the same as the specified tracker data file for easier identification.

Frame 1 in the exported data will be associated with the first frame of the selected layer, and associated frame numbers are assumed to be on a non (100%)-stretched layer. A custom (non-zero) starting frame number for the composition is ignored.

Note: This script requires After Effects 6.5 or later.

Originally requested by Donat Von Bellinghen.

This script displays a palette with controls for fixing various “plain text” punctuation into their “smart” typographical representations. For example:

• straight single/double quotes –> curly single/double quotes

• backticks/apostrophes –> left/right curly quotes

• less-than/greather-than –> angle quotes

• three periods (...) –> ellipsis

• two (--) and three (---) dashes –> en and em dashes

• (c) or (C) –> copyright symbols

• (r) or (R) –> registered trademark symbols

• (tm) or (TM) –> trademark symbols

• 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 0/00 –> fractions

This script is useful if you’ve copied this type of text from another application, but don’t want to fix them manually, or fix them in the original application and re-paste them into your text layers. Now who wants to do that?!

You can choose to update the text layers in the current composition, selected compositions, or all compositions in the Project window. All Source Text keyframes are updated automatically.

Note: If your text layers haven’t been renamed and they are referred to in expressions, the expressions will not be updated with the new text layer names. So, run this script or rename your text layers before using them in expressions.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS3 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

This script displays a selected property's information useful for script authors.

Select only a single property or property group; selection of some properties also select the parent property group, which is fine. Selection of multiple properties or property groups at the same property depth are not allowed. However, for multiple properties or property groups of different depths, the deepest property or property group will be used.

For keyframed properties, you can browse keyframes using the Key Info slider.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS6 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

This script displays the scripting and expression code needed to access the selected property or property group. Use this information to access the selection correctly in your code.

Select only a single property or property group; selection of some properties also select the parent property group, which is fine. Selection of multiple properties or property groups at the same property depth are not allowed. However, for multiple properties or property groups of different depths, the deepest property or property group will be used.

You can control the root object used in the generated code, how properties and property groups are referenced (and if index numbers should be used, when available), and how the composition or layer is referenced in the expression code.

The generated scripting and expression code can be copied for use in your scripts or expressions. You can also test the generated script code to make sure it will access the correct property or property group.

Note: If the Root Object = Layer and Expression References = Relative, the displayed expression code will work only if it is used on the same layer.

Note: For properties such as Custom Value types that cannot be targeted via expressions, a “NOT FUNCTIONAL” label will appear above the Via Expression area.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Thanks to Dan Ebberts for the idea for this script and help in reviewing it.

This script dumps the name and matchName of the property hierarchy of the selected layers, in selected order. Use this information to retrieve the internal matchName for a property that you want to access in your scripts.

Note: This script requires After Effects 7.0 or later.

This script displays a palette with controls for guessing the alpha mode and/or pulldown of the selected footage items. Basically, a batch mode for these operations.

If a proxy is active for a footage item, the operation will be applied to the proxy, not the main footage.

Note: After the operation finishes, the info appearing next to the selected footage item in the Project window might not update to reflect the guessed setting, so deselect and then reselect it to view the current setting.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS3 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by Matt Silverman.

This script displays a palette with controls for identifying the location of keyframes on a layer by using layer markers.

Markers created by this script are identified by a Frame Target value of “redefinery” so that they can be updated accordingly.

Note: The generated layer markers do not update automatically as you modify keyframes, but you can re-run this script to update them accordingly.

If multiple keyframes exist at the same time, and you have selected to use a non-custom or non-keyframe time comment, the information for each keyframe will be separated by semicolons. However, marker comments are limited to 63 characters.

Note: If placing markers on the top or selected layer, and the layer contains existing markers that you created, they will not be affected unless they exist at the same times as keyframes being identified.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

This script displays a palette with controls for sorting layers based on specific criteria.

If using only the Selected Layers in Comp (i.e., not all layers), the selected layers are moved to the top of the comp as part of the sorting process. If sorting by Layer Name, layers that have not been renamed (i.e., their names appear enclosed in brackets), the brackets will sort those layers before renamed layers.

Note: The In and Out points of negatively stretched layers are identified by their positions in comp time (i.e., their out times are treated as In points, and vice versa).

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by Phil Spitler.
Enhancements inspired by nab (www.nabscripts.com) and djuna (dwahlrab).

This script maps lines from a text file as Source Text keyframes on the selected text layer at successive markers on the layer. You can control the text line to use by entering a line number as the marker’s comment.

Unless specified, each successive marker from that point will use successive lines from the text file. For example, if the text layer contains five markers, all without a comment except the third one which has a comment of 10, the script will place the first line of text at the first marker, second line at the second, tenth line at the third, 11th line at the fourth, and 12th line at the fifth. If the requested line number does not exist in the text file, lines from the text file will be cycled (repeated); specify 0 to skip a marker (and incremented line).

Originally requested by Wes Plate.

This script allows you to easily view and edit the info for the markers on the selected layer. Click a marker in the list to jump to that particular marker in the current composition. Select multiple markers to modify their info quickly and easily; fields that have different (mixed) information are blank and will not change unless you make a change in those fields.

Click the More Options button (>>) to view and edit the selected marker’s information. The button changes to a Less Options button (<<) tbat you can click if all you want is a simple navigator without any editing capability. The state of this button is saved as a setting for future sessions.

Note: If you select a different layer, modify the markers in the Layer Marker dialog box, change the frame rate or start timecode for the comp, or change the time display style for the project, you will need to press the Refresh button to update the list of markers.

Note: In compositions with fractional (29.97, 23.976, etc.) or changed frame rates (e.g., from 30 to 24), displayed marker times might not be accurate, nor will the current time indicator jump to the expected location. This script tries to adjust marker times to match the times displayed in the Layer Marker dialog box, which might not be the same as shown in the Timeline.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

This script creates a shape layer with paths for each mask on the selected layer.

This version of the script will create a shape layer with paths for each mask on the selected layer. Other current issues:

• Only the transforms at the current time are copied over; keyframes and expressions on them are not used.

• The shape layer might not have the same transforms of the selected layer in all cases.

• Mask modes and mask opacity are ignored.

...and probably other issues I don’t know yet. :-/

Note: This script requires After Effects CS3 or later.

Originally requested by Trish Meyer.

This script displays a palette with controls for jumping to different times in the composition. There are buttons for jumping a specific number of frames forward or back from the current time, as well as 7 favorite buttons for capturing different times (set from the current time) and jumping to them easily.

Change the frame offsets by entering new values in any of the four fields.

For the favorites buttons, captured times are in seconds. Also, although you can capture negative time values, After Effects restricts the minimum time value to 0 seconds (start of the composition); the maximum time is 10,800 seconds.

Your frame offsets and captured time favorites are saved as settings for use in subsequent sessions.

Originally requested by Scott Hudziak at DIGITALKITCHEN.

This script creates a new null layer with a slider that controls its position between two selected layers. A slider value of 0 represents the first selected layer's position, whereas 1 represents the second selected's position.

Note: This script requires After Effects 7.0 or later.

Originally requested and based on expressions created by Stu Maschwitz.

This script saves separate projects for each selected composition.

Note: This script requires After Effects 7.0 or later.

Originally requested by David Torno.

This script displays an editable text box into which you can jot notes that are retained between After Effects sessions.

Note: Only the first 1999 characters will be retained. In CS5.5 and earlier, newlines are supported only on Windows (by pressing Ctrl+Enter). In CS6 and later newlines can be entered by pressing Enter.

Note: This script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by David Torno.

Enhancements requested by Pascal.

This script displays a panel with controls for setting the pixel aspect ratio of the selected footage items. Basically, a batch mode for setting PAR in the Interpret Footage dialog box.

If a proxy is active for a footage item, the operation will be applied to the main footage, not proxy. This is a limitation.

Note: After the operation finishes, the info appearing next to the selected footage item in the Project panel might not update to reflect the guessed setting, so deselect and then reselect it to view the current setting.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by Matthew Crnich.

This script toggles the Use System Color Picker setting in the General Preferences dialog box. Use this script when you prefer to use the Adobe color picker for certain tasks, but the system’s color picker for others, and want a quick way to change this setting.

Note: You must save your preferences at least once before this script can toggle the color picker setting.

Note: This script requires After Effects 6.5 or later.

Originally requested by Barry Munsterteiger.

This script displays a dialog box for pre-composing one or more layers (like the built-in Pre-compose dialog box), but adds the ability to trim the pre-comp to the selected layer’s duration, with optional trim handles.

Current issue:

• Using the “Leave all attributes” option on a single selected negatively stretched layer doesn’t trim the layer correctly.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later.

Originally requested by Gary Jaeger.

This script displays a palette with controls for changing the “Preserve frame rate when nested or in render queue” and “Preserve resolution when nested” options in Composition Settings for multiple selected compositions.

Note: This script requires After Effects 7.0 or later.

Originally requested by Gary Jaeger.

This script creates a null layer that spans the distance between two selected 2D layers.

Note: This script requires After Effects 7.0 or later.

Originally requested and based on expressions created by Stu Maschwitz.

This script allows you to ramp the opacity at the location of the specified property’s keyframes or layer’s markers. Keyframes and markers are processed in chronological order.

To skip defining one of the keys, enter a blank frame offset (which disables the corresponding value edit field).

Note: The script will remember your previous key frame offsets and opacity values, but you must switch (Tab or click) to another field to store value.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later.

Originally requested by Wes Plate.

This script displays a palette with controls for removing keyframes from the selected layers.

Note: Keyframes are removed from right to left.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by Gary Jaeger.
Enhancements requested by Phil Spitler.

This script displays a palette with controls for removing layer-time markers from the selected layers.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by Chris Meyer.

This script renders each of the selected layers separately. You might find this script useful if layers represent different versions of an effect or different parts of an effect that you want to render as separate “passes” for flexibility in how they get composited.

Rendering uses existing render settings and output module template, so be sure to create them beforehand. When you run this script, you can select the templates to use; select the range of frames for each selected layer to render; control if unselected, adjustment, active camera, and light layers should be rendered as well; and define the name for each rendered output. Each rendered layer will generate separate “render finished” sounds.

The Output Name Template can be defined with the same properties available in the File Name Templates dialog box, with the following additions:

• [layerName] — Current layer’s name

• [layerNumber] — Current layer’s index number

Note: If you select an output template that uses a single-image format (such as Photoshop), be sure to include the [#####] property in the Output Name Template.

Note: If the layer is completely outside of the composition time range, the layer will not be rendered. However, if you select a range of Work Area and the layer is outside of the composition’s work area, the layer will still be rendered.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Enhancements requested by Gary Jaeger and James Tobias.

This script reverses the stacking order of all masks on the selected layer.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS3 or later.

Originally requested by Rob Birnholz.

This script displays a palette with controls for slipping and sliding various layer settings, such as layer footage source, in/out range, markers, and keyframes. You can use different combinations of these settings for more powerful control over layer editing operations.

Note: If you select the Keyframes = Selected option, the script might take awhile to finish, depending on the number of keyframes and the selected settings. Also, this option works on only the first selected layer.

There are four navigation buttons that you can use. The frame offset appears above each button, but you can change these to any positive number. These offsets are saved as settings for use in subsequent sessions.

Note: Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by Stu Maschwitz. Thanks for the challenge.

This script displays a palette of the installed scripts in the selected Scripts folder (and subfolders). Only scripts with .js, .jsx, and .jsxbin extensions are displayed. Double-click a script to launch it. Scripts located in subfolders whose names are enclosed in parentheses are ignored. You can change the Scripts folder at any time, and refresh the scripts list if the contents of the folder have changed. The selected scripts folder is stored as a setting, so you don't have to reselect it every time you reopen this palette.

Note: The palette cannot detect any errors in the scripts that you run from it. It's just a quick way of launching scripts without restarting AE or using ExtendScript Toolkit (i.e., switching away from AE).

If a PNG file of a similar name and same folder as the script file (but with a .png file name extension) exists, it will appear next to the script name in the list.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Enhancements requested by Russ Maehl.

This script creates masks outlines for the selected shape layer’s paths, which can be helpful if you have converted a text layer to outlines (using the Layer > Create Outlines menu command), but prefer mask paths instead.

This version of the script will create a white solid with the created masks on them. Other current issues:

• This script assumes you have just used the Create Outlines menu command, so any shape filters or restructuring of the shape layer’s Contents will either be ignored or cause problems.

• Only the transforms at the current time are copied over; keyframes and expressions on them are not used.

...and probably other issues I don’t know yet. :-/

Note: This script requires After Effects CS3 or later.

Originally requested by Rob Birnholz and Trish Meyer.
Enhancements suggested by nab.

See this script in action in the following DVD by Aharon Rabinowitz: After Effects: The Next Level, vol, 2: CS 3 Tips and Techniques.

This script displays a palette with controls for shifting the selected layers in unison to specific points in time in the composition.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by Gary Jaeger. Enhancements requested by Matt Silverman.

This script displays a palette containing a text area in which you can enter JavaScript commands that will be evaluated. There is no capturing of errors or messages — this console is just a simple way of entering commands without having to create a script first.

Note: The console field has a maximum capacity of 255 characters.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

This script displays a palette with controls for slicing the selected layer into a grid. Slicing works best with non-rotated layers. If a parent null layer is created, it will be anchored at the layer’s current anchor point.

You can shrink each slice’s mask by increasing the Margin value (in pixels), and rounding its corners by increasing the Roundness value (percentage of half the shorter of the layer’s width or height).

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by Anthony Lassiter and Chris Meyer.

Enhancements requested by Matt Silverman.

This script displays a palette with controls for snapping keyframes (all on a layer), layer markers, and even layer in/out points (by trimming) to frame times based on the composition's frame rate. When not on a frame boundary, they can be snapped to the nearest, previous, or next frame.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Enhancements requested by Kevin Snyder.

This script displays a palette with controls for renaming the selected solid footage in the Project window. You can use this script to, for example, include the pixel dimensions, aspect ratio, and RGB color values in the name.

The Template field can use literal characters or any of the following tokens:

• [name] — The current name for the solid footage.

• [r] — The red component value for the solid color.

• [g] — The green component value for the solid color.

• [b] — The blue component value for the solid color.

• [w] — The pixel width of the solid footage.

• [h] — The pixel height of the solid footage.

• [par] — The pixel aspect ratio of the solid footage.

Notes: Expressions that refer to the solid layers that haven’t been renamed from their source solid footage names are not updated, so it’s best to use this script before referring to these layers in expressions.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Inspired by a request from Stu Maschwitz.

This script splits a render queue item into equal custom time spans based on the number of splits you specify.

Note: This script requires After Effects 6.5 or later; the selection of the render queue item to split will be different in 7.0 and later.

Note (After Effects 6.5 only): Due to a limitation in the JavaScript interface, the selected Render Settings cannot be copied. Also, each output module must be saved as a template — it cannot be based on an existing template.

Originally requested by Michael Schneider.
Enhancements requested by Phil Spitler.

This script displays a palette with controls for capturing multiple states of a composition’s layer settings, and quickly recalling any of them at a later time. You can capture and switch among up to 6 states of layer features, specifically a layer’s selection, A/V Features settings, and Switches settings.

To store the selected composition’s layer state, select the layer features from the Layer Features to Capture list, and then click the upward-pointing arrow corresponding to one of the six State buttons.

To recall a previously stored composition layer state, select the “target” composition in the Project panel, and then click the State button corresponding to the state you want to apply. The maximum number of layers affected is determined by the lower number of layers in the recalled state or in the current composition.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS5 or later. It can be used as a dockable panel by placing the script in a ScriptUI Panels subfolder of the Scripts folder, and then choosing this script from the Window menu.

Originally requested by Stu Maschwitz.

This script adds the topmost selected composition to all other selected compositions as the topmost layer. You can use this script to add a watermark to a bunch of comps. If you want to apply the watermark to a bunch of footage, just import the footage files, and drag them to the New Composition button (selecting to create Multiple Compositions).

Note: The watermark comp will be centered within the other comps. No control over blending mode is available at this time. Also, you should make sure that the watermark comp's duration is at least as long as the longest composition you want to add it to.

Note: This version of the script requires After Effects CS3 or later.

Originally requested by Randy McWilson.