Project Object

app.project

Description

The project object represents an After Effects project. Attributes provide access to specific objects within the project, such as imported files or footage and compositions, and also to project settings such as the timecode base. Methods can import footage, create solids, compositions and folders, and save changes.

Attributes

Project.activeItem

app.project.activeItem

Description

The item that is currently active and is to be acted upon, or null if no item is currently selected or if multiple items are selected.

Type

Item object or null; read-only.

Project.bitsPerChannel

app.project.bitsPerChannel

Description

The color depth of the current project, either 8, 16, or 32 bits.

Type

Integer (8, 16, or 32 only); read/write.

Project.compensateForSceneReferredProfiles

app.project.compensateForSceneReferredProfiles

Description

true if Compensate for Scene-referred Profiles should be enabled for this project; otherwise false.

Type

Boolean; read/write.

Project.dirty

app.project.dirty

Description

true if the project has been modified from the last save; otherwise false.

"Dirty" projects will have an * in the project window title.

Type

Boolean; read-only.

Project.displayStartFrame

app.project.displayStartFrame

Description

An alternate way of setting the Frame Count menu setting in the Project Settings dialog box to 0 or 1, and is equivalent to using the FramesCountType.FC_START_0 or FramesCountType.FC_START_1 enumerated values for the framesCountType.

Type

Integer (0 or 1); read/write.

Project.expressionEngine

app.project.expressionEngine

Description

The Expressions Engine setting in the Project Settings dialog box, as a string. One of:

• extendscript
• javascript-1.0

Type

String; read/write.

Project.feetFramesFilmType

app.project.feetFramesFilmType

Description

The Use Feet + Frames menu setting in the Project Settings dialog box. Use this attribute instead of the old timecodeFilmType attribute.

Type

A FeetFramesFilmType enumerated value; read/write. One of:

• FeetFramesFilmType.MM16
• FeetFramesFilmType.MM35

Project.file

app.project.file

Description

The ExtendScript File object for the file containing the project that is currently open.

Type

File object or null if project has not been saved; read-only.

Project.footageTimecodeDisplayStartType

app.project.footageTimecodeDisplayStartType

Description

The Footage Start Time setting in the Project Settings dialog box, which is enabled when Timecode is selected as the time display style.

Type

A FootageTimecodeDisplayStartType enumerated value; read/write. One of:

• FootageTimecodeDisplayStartType.FTCS_START_0
• FootageTimecodeDisplayStartType.FTCS_USE_SOURCE_MEDIA

Project.framesCountType

app.project.framesCountType

Description

The Frame Count menu setting in the Project Settings dialog box.

Type

A FramesCountType enumerated value; read/write. One of:

• FramesCountType.FC_START_1
• FramesCountType.FC_START_0
• FramesCountType.FC_TIMECODE_CONVERSION

Project.framesUseFeetFrames

app.project.framesUseFeetFrames

Description

The "Use Feet + Frames" setting in the Project Settings dialog box.

true if using Feet + Frames; false if using Frames.

Type

Boolean; read/write.

Project.gpuAccelType

app.project.gpuAccelType

Description

Get or set the current projects GPU Acceleration option.
see app.availableGPUAccelTypes

Type

A GpuAccelType enumerated value; read/write. One of:

• GpuAccelType.CUDA
• GpuAccelType.Metal
• GpuAccelType.OPENCL
• GpuAccelType.SOFTWARE

Example

// access via scripting to Project Settings -> Video Rendering and Effects -> Use

var currentGPUSettings = app.project.gpuAccelType; // returns the current value
var type_str = "";

// check the current value and alert the user

switch (currentGPUSettings) {
	case GpuAccelType.CUDA:
		type_str = "CUDA";
		break;
	case GpuAccelType.METAL:
		type_str = "Metal";
		break;
	case GpuAccelType.OPENCL:
		type_str = "OpenCL";
		break;
	case GpuAccelType.SOFTWARE:
		type_str = "Software";
		break;
	default:
		type_str = "UNKNOWN";
}

alert("Your current setting is " + type_str);

// set the value to Metal
app.project.gpuAccelType = GpuAccelType.METAL;

Project.items

app.project.items

Description

All of the items in the project.

Type

ItemCollection object; read-only.

Project.linearBlending

app.project.linearBlending

Description

true if linear blending should be used for this project; otherwise false.

Type

Boolean; read/write.

Project.linearizeWorkingSpace

app.project.linearizeWorkingSpace

Description

true if Linearize Working Space should be enabled for this project; otherwise false.

Type

Boolean; read/write.

Project.numItems

app.project.numItems

Description

The total number of items contained in the project, including folders and all types of footage.

Type

Integer; read-only.

Example

var numItems = app.project.numItems;
alert("There are " + numItems + " items in this project.");

Project.renderQueue

app.project.renderQueue

Description

The Render Queue of the project.

Type

RenderQueue object; read-only.

Project.revision

app.project.revision

Description

The current revision of the project. Every user action increases the revision number. New project starts at revision 1.

Type

Integer; the current revision version of the project; read-only.

Project.rootFolder

app.project.rootFolder

Description

The root folder containing the contents of the project; this is a virtual folder that contains all items in the Project panel, but not items contained inside other folders in the Project panel.

Type

FolderItem object; read-only.

Project.selection

app.project.selection

Description

All items selected in the Project panel, in the sort order shown in the Project panel.

Type

Array of Item objects; read-only.

Project.timeDisplayType

app.project.timeDisplayType

Description

The time display style, corresponding to the Time Display Style section in the Project Settings dialog box.

Type

A TimeDisplayType enumerated value; read/write. One of:

• TimeDisplayType.FRAMES
• TimeDisplayType.TIMECODE

Project.toolType

app.project.toolType

Description

Get and sets the active tool in the Tools panel.

Type

A ToolType enumerated value; read/write. One of:

• ToolType.Tool_Arrow: Selection Tool
• ToolType.Tool_Rotate: Rotation Tool
• ToolType.Tool_CameraMaya: Unified Camera Tool
• ToolType.Tool_CameraOrbit: Orbit Camera Tool
• ToolType.Tool_CameraTrackXY: Track XY Camera Tool
• ToolType.Tool_CameraTrackZ: Track Z Camera Tool
• ToolType.Tool_Paintbrush: Brush Tool
• ToolType.Tool_CloneStamp: Clone Stamp Tool
• ToolType.Tool_Eraser: Eraser Tool
• ToolType.Tool_Hand: Hand Tool
• ToolType.Tool_Magnify: Zoom Tool
• ToolType.Tool_PanBehind: Pan Behind (Anchor Point) Tool
• ToolType.Tool_Rect: Rectangle Tool
• ToolType.Tool_RoundedRect: Rounded Rectangle Tool
• ToolType.Tool_Oval: Ellipse Tool
• ToolType.Tool_Polygon: Polygon Tool
• ToolType.Tool_Star: Star Tool
• ToolType.Tool_TextH: Horizontal Type Tool
• ToolType.Tool_TextV: Vertical Type Tool
• ToolType.Tool_Pen: Pen Tool
• ToolType.Tool_Feather: Mask Feather Tool
• ToolType.Tool_PenPlus: Add Vertex Tool
• ToolType.Tool_PenMinus: Delete Vertex Tool
• ToolType.Tool_PenConvert: Convert Vertex Tool
• ToolType.Tool_Pin: Puppet Pin Tool
• ToolType.Tool_PinStarch: Puppet Starch Tool
• ToolType.Tool_PinDepth: Puppet Overlap Tool
• ToolType.Tool_Quickselect: Roto Brush Tool
• ToolType.Tool_Hairbrush: Refine Edge Tool

Examples

The following sample code checks the current tool, and if it is not the Unified Camera Tool, sets the current tool to that:

// Check the current tool, then set it to Unified Camera Tool (UCT).
// Assume a composition is selected in the project.
var comp = app.project.activeItem;
if (comp instanceof CompItem) {
	// Add a camera to the current comp. (Requirement for UCT)
	var cameraLayer = comp.layers.addCamera("Test Camera", [comp.width / 2, comp.height / 2]);
	comp.openInViewer();

	// If the currently selected tool is not one of the camera tools, set it to UCT.
	if (
		app.project.toolType !== ToolType.Tool_CameraMaya &&
		app.project.toolType !== ToolType.Tool_CameraOrbit &&
		app.project.toolType !== ToolType.Tool_CameraTrackXY &&
		app.project.toolType !== ToolType.Tool_CameraTrackZ
	) {
		app.project.toolType = ToolType.Tool_CameraMaya;
	}
}

The following sample code uses the new app.project.toolType attribute to create a 360-degrees composition (environment layer and camera) from a selected footage item or composition selected in the Project panel. This script a good starting point for building VR compositions from equirectangular footage:

// Create a 360 VR comp from a footage item or comp selected in the Project panel.

var item = app.project.activeItem;
if (item !== null && (item.typeName === "Footage" || item.typeName === "Composition")) {
	// Create a comp with the footage.
	var comp = app.project.items.addComp(item.name, item.width, item.height, item.pixelAspect, item.duration, item.frameRate);
	var layers = comp.layers;
	var footageLayer = layers.add(item);

	// Apply the CC Environment effect and create a camera.
	var effect = footageLayer.Effects.addProperty("CC Environment");
	var camera = layers.addCamera("360 Camera", [item.width / 2, item.height / 2]);
	comp.openInViewer();
	app.project.toolType = ToolType.Tool_CameraMaya;
} else {
	alert("Select a single footage item or composition in the Project panel.");
}

Project.transparencyGridThumbnails

app.project.transparencyGridThumbnails

Description

When true, thumbnail views use the transparency checkerboard pattern.

Type

Boolean; read/write.

Project.usedFonts

app.project.usedFonts

Description

Returns an Array of Objects containing references to used fonts and the Text Layers and times on which they appear in the current Project.

Each object is composed of font which is a Font object, and usedAt which is an Array of Objects, each composed of layerID, a Layer.id, and layerTimeD for when. See Project.layerByID() to retrieve the layers.

var usedList = app.project.usedFonts;
if (usedList.length) {
	var font = usedList[0].font;
	var usedAt = usedList[0].usedAt;

	var str = "[0]:" + font.postScriptName + "\n";
	for (var i = 0; i < usedAt.length; i++) {
		var layerID = usedAt[i].layerID;
		// valueAtTime() for Source Text property is expecting timed
		// to be in Layer Time instead of Comp Time, unlike any of
		// the other properties. So we have adjusted the name returned
		// by usedFonts to make this clear as we expect that is where
		// it will be used next.
		var layerTimeD = usedAt[i].layerTimeD;

		var layer = app.project.layerByID(layerID);
		str += "    Layer:'" + String(layer.property("Source Text").valueAtTime(layerTimeD, false)) + "'\n";
	}
	alert(str);
}

Type

Array of Objects; read-only.

Project.workingGamma

app.project.workingGamma

Description

The current project's working gamma value, either 2.2 or 2.4.

Setting values other than 2.2 or 2.4 will cause a scripting error.

Type

2.2 or 2.4; read/write.

Examples

• To set the working gamma to 2.4 (Rec. 709): app.project.workingGamma = 2.4;
• To get the current working gamma: var currentGamma = app.project.workingGamma;

Project.workingSpace

app.project.workingSpace

Description

A string which is the color profile description for the project's color working space. To set the working space to None, set workingSpace to an empty string.

Use app.project.listColorProfiles() to return an array of available color profile descriptions that can be used to set the color working space.

Type

String; read/write.

Examples

• To set the working space to Rec.709 Gamma 2.4: app.project.workingSpace = "Rec.709 Gamma 2.4";
• To set the working space to None: app.project.workingSpace = "";
• To get the current working space: var currentSpace = app.project.workingSpace;

Project.xmpPacket

app.project.xmpPacket

Description

The project's XMP metadata, stored as RDF (XML-based). For more information on XMP, see the JavaScript Tools Guide.

Type

String; read/write.

Example

The following example code accesses the XMP metadata of the current project, and modifies the Label project metadata field.

var proj = app.project;

// load the XMPlibrary as an ExtendScript ExternalObject
if (ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript === undefined) {
	ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript = new ExternalObject("lib:AdobeXMPScript");
}
var mdata = new XMPMeta(app.project.xmpPacket); //get the project's XMPmetadata
// update the Label project metadata's value
var schemaNS = XMPMeta.getNamespaceURI("xmp");
var propName = "xmp:Label";
try {
	mdata.setProperty(schemaNS, propName, "finalversion...no, really!");
} catch (e) {
	alert(e);
}

app.project.xmpPacket = mdata.serialize();

Methods

Project.autoFixExpressions()

app.project.autoFixExpressions(oldText, newText)

Description

Automatically replaces text found in broken expressions in the project, if the new text causes the expression to evaluate without errors.

Parameters

Returns

Nothing.

Project.close()

app.project.close(closeOptions)

Description

Closes the project with the option of saving changes automatically, prompting the user to save changes or closing without saving changes.

Parameters

Returns

Boolean. true on success. false if the file has not been previously saved, the user is prompted, and the user cancels the save.

Project.consolidateFootage()

app.project.consolidateFootage()

Description

Consolidates all footage in the project. Same as the File > Consolidate All Footage command.

Parameters

None.

Returns

Integer; the total number of footage items removed.

Project.importFile()

app.project.importFile(importOptions)

Description

Imports the file specified in the specified ImportOptions object, using the specified options. Same as the File > Import File command.

Creates and returns a new FootageItem object from the file, and adds it to the project's items array.

Parameters

Returns

FootageItem object.

Example

app.project.importFile(new ImportOptions(new File("sample.psd"));

Project.importFileWithDialog()

app.project.importFileWithDialog()

Description

Shows an Import File dialog box. Same as the File > Import > File command.

Returns

Array of Item objects created during import; or null if the user cancels the dialog box.

Project.importPlaceholder()

app.project.importPlaceholder(name, width, height, frameRate, duration)

Description

Creates and returns a new PlaceholderItem and adds it to the project's items array. Same as the File > Import > Placeholder command.

Parameters

Returns

PlaceholderItem object.

Project.item()

app.project.item(index)

Description

Retrieves an item at a specified index position.

Parameters

Returns

Item object.

Project.itemByID()

app.project.itemByID(id)

Description

Retrieves an item by its Item ID

Parameters

Returns

Item object.

Project.layerByID()

app.project.layerByID(id)

Description

Instance method on Project which, when given a valid ID value, returns the Layer object in the Project with that given ID.

Parameters

Returns

Layer object with the given ID if it exists on the project; otherwise null. Non-valid IDs will throw an exception stating that the input parameter is not an unsigned integer.

Example

var firstComp = app.project.item(1);
var firstLayer = firstComp.layer(1);
var layerID = firstLayer.id;

if (app.project.layerByID(layerID) === firstLayer) {
	alert("You can get the Layer from the ID!");
}

Project.listColorProfiles()

app.project.listColorProfiles()

Description

Returns an array of color profile descriptions that can be set as the project's color working space.

Parameters

None.

Returns

Array of strings.

Project.reduceProject()

app.project.reduceProject(array_of_items)

Description

Removes all items from the project except those specified. Same as the File > Reduce Project command.

Parameters

Returns

Integer; the total number of items removed.

Example

var items = [];
items[items.length] = app.project.item(1);
items[items.length] = app.project.item(3);
app.project.reduceProject(items);

Project.removeUnusedFootage()

app.project.removeUnusedFootage()

Description

Removes unused footage from the project. Same as the File > Remove Unused Footage command.

Parameters

None.

Returns

Integer; the total number of FootageItem objects removed.

Project.replaceFont()

app.project.replaceFont(fromFont, toFont, [noFontLocking = false])

Description

This function will replace all the usages of Font object fromFont with Font object toFont.

This operation exposes the same mechanism and policy used for automatic font replacement of missing or substituted fonts and is therefore a complete and precise replacement, even on TextDocuments which have mixed styling, preserving the character range the fromFont was applied to.

This operation is not undoable.

The optional parameter noFontLocking controls what happens when the toFont has no glyphs for the text it is applied to. By default a fallback font will be selected which will have the necessary glyphs, but if this parameter is set to true then this fallback will not take place and missing glyphs will result. There is no way at the current time to detect or report this.

Note that when fromFont is a substituted font and the toFont has the same font properties no fallback can occur and the parameter is ignored and treated as true.

var fromFont = app.project.usedFonts[0].font;
var fontList = app.fonts.getFontsByPostScriptName("TimesNewRomanPSMT");
var toFont = fontList[0];
var layerChanged = app.project.replaceFont(fromFont, toFont);

Parameters

Returns

Boolean. true if at least one Layer was changed.

Project.save()

app.project.save([file])

Description

Saves the project. The same as the File > Save or File > Save As command. If the project has never previously been saved and no file is specified, prompts the user for a location and file name.

Pass a File object to save a project to a new file without prompting.

Parameters

Returns

None.

Project.saveWithDialog()

app.project.saveWithDialog()

Description

Shows the Save dialog box. The user can name a file with a location and save the project, or click Cancel to exit the dialog box.

Parameters

None.

Returns

Boolean; true if the project was saved.

Project.setDefaultImportFolder()

app.project.setDefaultImportFolder(folder)

Description

Sets the folder that will be shown in the file import dialog. This location will be used as an override until setDefaultImportFolder() is called with no parameters, or until After Effects is quit.

Parameters

Returns

Boolean; indicates if the operation was successful.

Examples

Any of the following will set the default import folder to C:/My Folder:

• var myFolder = new Folder("C:/My Folder");
app.project.setDefaultImportFolder(myFolder);
• app.project.setDefaultImportFolder(new Folder("C:/My Folder"));
• app.project.setDefaultImportFolder(Folder("C:/My Folder"));

Note: if the path refers to an existing file and not a folder, the Folder function returns a File object instead of a Folder object, which will cause setDefaultImportFolder() to return false.

To set the default import folder to the current user's desktop folder: app.project.setDefaultImportFolder(Folder.desktop);

To disable the default folder, call setDefaultImportFolder() with no parameters: app.project.setDefaultImportFolder();

Project.showWindow()

app.project.showWindow(doShow)

Description

Shows or hides the Project panel.

Parameters

Returns

Nothing.

Team Projects

Project.newTeamProject()

app.project.newTeamProject(teamProjectName, description)

Description

Creates a new team project.

Parameters

Returns

Boolean. true if the team project is successfully created, otherwise false.

Project.openTeamProject()

app.project.openTeamProject(teamProjectName)

Description

Opens a team project.

Parameters

Returns

Boolean. true if the team project is successfully opened, otherwise false.

Project.shareTeamProject()

app.project.shareTeamProject(comment)

Description

Shares the currently open team project.

Parameters

Returns

Boolean. true if the team project is successfully shared, otherwise false.

Project.syncTeamProject()

app.project.syncTeamProject()

Description

Syncs the currently open team project.

Returns

Boolean. true if the team project is successfully synced, otherwise false.

Project.closeTeamProject()

app.project.closeTeamProject()

Description

Closes a currently open team project.

Returns

Boolean. true if the team project is successfully closed, otherwise false.

Project.convertTeamProjectToProject()

app.project.convertTeamProjectToProject(project_file)

Description

Converts a team project to an After Effects project on a local disk.

Parameters

Returns

Boolean. true if the team project is successfully converted, otherwise false.

Project.listTeamProjects()

app.project.listTeamProjects()

Description

Returns an array containing the name strings for all team projects available for the current user.
Archived Team Projects are not included.

Returns

Array of strings.

Project.isTeamProjectOpen()

app.project.isTeamProjectOpen(teamProjectName)

Description

Checks whether specified team project is currently open.

Parameters

Returns

Boolean. true if the specified team project is currently open, otherwise false.

Project.isAnyTeamProjectOpen()

app.project.isAnyTeamProjectOpen()

Description

Checks whether any team project is currently open.

Returns

Boolean. true if any team project is currently open, otherwise false.

Project.isTeamProjectEnabled()

app.project.isTeamProjectEnabled()

Description

Checks whether or not team project is enabled for After Effects. (This will almost always return true.)

Returns

Boolean. true if team project is currently enabled, otherwise false.

Project.isLoggedInToTeamProject()

app.project.isLoggedInToTeamProject()

Description

Checks whether or not the client (After Effects) is currently logged into the team project server.

Returns

Boolean. true if the client (After Effects) is currently logged into the team projects server, otherwise false.

Project.isSyncCommandEnabled()

app.project.isSyncCommandEnabled()

Description

Checks whether or not the Sync command is enabled.

Returns

Boolean. true if the team projects Sync command is enabled, otherwise false.

Project.isShareCommandEnabled()

app.project.isShareCommandEnabled()

Description

Checks whether or not the Share command is enabled.

Returns

Boolean. true if the team projects Share command is enabled, otherwise false.

Project.isResolveCommandEnabled()

app.project.isResolveCommandEnabled()

Description

Checks whether or not the Resolve command is enabled.

Returns

Boolean. true if the team projects Resolve command is enabled, otherwise false.

Project.resolveConflict()

app.project.resolveConflict(ResolveType)

Description

Resolves a conflict between the open team project and the version on the team projects server, using the specified resolution method.

Parameters

Returns

Boolean. true if the resolution of the specified type was successful, otherwise false.