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ExpressionUniversalizer
Version: 1.52 Sign up to be notified by email when a new version is posted
This script will convert the expressions in your projects so that they are compatible with After Effects running in any language. If you are an After Effects template author or create projects for international clients you’ve certainly ran into the situation where your expressions break on your client’s machine. This is where ExpressionUniversalizer will come the rescue! Just run the script on your projects before you post or send them and they will be guaranteed to work!
**IMPORTANT** You need to run the Universalizer in the same language as the expressions are written. If your expressions are written in German then you need to have After Effects running in German when you run the Universalizer. Once the project has been “universalized” it will be able to be opened in any language.
It’s very easy to use, simply choose whether you want to process the current comp or all the comps in your project and click on the Universalize Expressions button. That’s it. There is an option to create a log file in case you want a detailed record of what is being converted or if you run into any trouble.
The script can universalize expressions written in these languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese. If you would like your language added please get in touch. This is only to support what language the expression is originally written in, once the project has been universalized it can be opened by ANY language.
New in v1.5 is the option to add a “Universalized” tag in the comp comment field in the project panel. A common support issue for templates is from customers that don’t run AE in the same language that the project was authored in. If you are a template author and are submitting your template to a marketplace like VideoHive then this allows the reviewers to quickly check and see that your expressions have been universalized and will make your template more attractive since it will require less customer support from them.
The geeky explanation of how the script does this is it converts all the localized effect references in your expressions to the After Effects “under the hood” match name which is the same in every language. If you are asking why AE doesn’t just use this match name when you pickwhip expressions it is because match names are not very user friendly to read. The script works by reading the name of your effect to convert, so try to avoid renaming your effects until after you’ve run the script. The script has a database of all the built-in expression controls effects. That means it supports custom names for these effects but not for other third party effects, so definitely wait to rename third party effects until after you’ve universalized the project.
Felt tips recorded an in-depth tutorial that shows how to use ExpressionUniversalizer on vimeo.
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- ExpressionUniversalizer UI
Version History:
- 1.52 Updated expression parser to allow parenthesis in custom effect name – Mar 2011
- 1.51 Fixed a significant bug that prevented the script from universalizing custom named effects when run in a non-english AE – Mar 2011
- 1.5 Added unversalize comp comment option,added support for expressions that refer to index, ie: effect(“Slider Control”)(1) – Feb 2011
- 1.0 Initial Release Nov 2010
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Hi ,
I have any questions.
Why do individuals enter the address in the process of buying your software ?
Please answer.
Thank you.
Hmm, I try to translate a english project in German AFX Version. It didn´t work!
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The script did not translate for example “slider” in the German word. Disappointing
You need to run the Universalizer in the same language as the expressions are written. Please watch the demo video above. If the expressions are in english then you need to have AE running in english when you run the Universalizer. Once the it has “universalized” the expressions you can open the project in a german (or any language) version of AE. Hope that makes sense.
Great Job!
Perfect. Thank you for this AE update.
I am getting an error on cs3 : Unable to execute script at line 1. Expected: ;
on cs3 I have tested it on 2 PC s and it had this error
on cs5 it works
Please let us know if you find a solution for this
Thank you
CS3 scripts need to be compiled with a special switch which I accidentally forgot to do. I have now compiled it to work with CS3, please download the script again, sorry for the inconvenience.
Thank you Loyd! the different language versions were causing problems to some of our clients, now this can be fixed easily with your script.
Thanks so much for creating this script. It works perfectly!
Perfect. Thank you. With this script authors will avoid non english buyers complaints for projects
interesting, i would really love to know how to use this software.
If you click on the “Demo Video” button on the top right you’ll get a video tutorial that explains how to use it.
hi Lloyd,
it is awsome script–fantastico
This will go great with the Expression Toolbox. Great idea!