I can't believe I never knew about this before. I always just sorted it all manually, which is many clicks and very distracting to overall workflow. This script does a perfect job of organising audio across your project. THANK YOU!
How would this get along with the MarkerRemap plug-in?
Hi Josh,
I've made a quick update to the script, the latest version now considers expressions on the time remapping and will work with MarkerRemap, just make sure that the "Compensate for time remapping" option on Universal Audio is enabled
How would this get along with the MarkerRemap plug-in?
Hi Josh,
I've made a quick update to the script, the latest version now considers expressions on the time remapping and will work with MarkerRemap, just make sure that the "Compensate for time remapping" option on Universal Audio is enabled
Steve
Hot damn man! That is AWESOME! Thank you for this.
Best $9.99 you'll ever spend on a script. I cannot even being to express how insanely much time this little gem saved me in the past years. Just drop some audio on your main comp, smash the button and well.. that's all there is to it. In my opinion it should have been a core feature of AE to begin with, but hey; Steve Lewis absolutely nailed it.
Is there a way to show the list of available functions/arguments, so that this can be invoked directly from KBar? I'd like to use a button in KBar to "make selected audio universal" without having to keep the UI panel open.
Is there a way to show the list of available functions/arguments, so that this can be invoked directly from KBar? I'd like to use a button in KBar to "make selected audio universal" without having to keep the UI panel open.
Hi Andy,
Thanks for the suggestion, I will explore seperating the functions to make seperate buttons to add to KBar, will hopefully be able to include that in the next release
I'm in single comp mode and it doesn't work when the audio tracks are precomped.
It works fine if I'm not in single comp mode though.
Is it how it is meant to work or is it a bug?
Hi Davide,
So I initially made it skip comps to avoid comp recursion issues, but I've now released an updated version that will just give an error if there is a recursion issue and this latest version should now work with audio comps
I'm in single comp mode and it doesn't work when the audio tracks are precomped.
It works fine if I'm not in single comp mode though.
Is it how it is meant to work or is it a bug?
Hi Davide,
So I initially made it skip comps to avoid comp recursion issues, but I've now released an updated version that will just give an error if there is a recursion issue and this latest version should now work with audio comps
I'm having an issue. The reused comp/refresh while one is locked workflow doesn't work while "Place in locked layers" is checked. Also, nothing happens when "Place in locked layers" is checked. The layers are not locked. Sounds like these might be related?
I'm having an issue. The reused comp/refresh while one is locked workflow doesn't work while "Place in locked layers" is checked. Also, nothing happens when "Place in locked layers" is checked. The layers are not locked. Sounds like these might be related?
Thanks, otherwise love this tool!
Hi Kevin,
So the option "Place in locked layers" is simply to allow or prevent the UA layer from being placed in locked comp layers, when this option is checked this means it will place the Universal Audio layer in all of your comps including locked comp layers, unchecking this means it will only be prevented from being placed in any comp layers that are locked.
If you would like to prevent UA from being placed in certain comps, you would need to make sure "Place in locked layers" is unchecked, then lock those layers you do not wish for audio reference to be placed in
Can I have more than one Universal Audio comp in a project? For example, I have two main comps and I want both of them to use their own unique universal audio in their respective precomps.
Can I have more than one Universal Audio comp in a project? For example, I have two main comps and I want both of them to use their own unique universal audio in their respective precomps.
Hi Anastasiya,
So technically it is not a built in feature to be able to have multiple different universal audio comps, but something you can do is first make audio universal for one comp, then find that "UniversalAudio" comp in your project panel and rename it to something else (eg. "UniversalAudio-extra") then show the "comment" column in the project panel and remove the comment from this "UniversalAudio-extra" comp (it'll be something like "UA-12"), now if you go to another main comp and make audio universal it will not remove this existing "UniversalAudio-extra" comp and this existing UA will remain in place, important to note though; clicking refresh will now only apply to your new UA comps and clicking remove will now only remove the new UA comps, to remove your old "UniversalAudio-extra" comps, just manually delete that comp from your project panel and it'll be removed from all comps
If you can make this work with True Comp Duplicator you would have an even more useful script. As it stands I am basically now forced to not be able to do any sort of versioning from withing AE. In other words let's say I have some huge complicated master comp and the client wants to make a bunch of tweaks; well normally I would True Comp that master and call it V2 and all by subsequent comps would be copies. This won't work with this script and sadly I didn't realize it until after I had submitted to the client. Not the end of the world but I was wondering why I hadn't used it in a while. This was probably why.
edit: I should note that it appears to work at first until you press "refresh" at which point it removes the universal comp from all the child precomps.
edit 2: I've noticed that in my v2 if I click the master audio again and press "make the selected audio universal" it will then work in that v2. I assume it breaks v1 but perhaps that's ok if I go back if I have to and make that old audio the master again...?
edit 3: so it appears that re: edit 2 this is the case. This actually as far as I can tell won't be a deal breaker since ideally I'm only revisiting older comps in an emergency.
Hi Steve, first, thank you for this invaluable script it has become indispensable in my workflow.
I would like to be able to click a button and have all the Universal Audio references switch from guide layer to actual layer in each comp, this way I can just add all my comps to media encoder and render out for timing reference for 3rd party animators.
Is this something you can add? Or perhaps you can think of a workaround. I'd even re-purchase the script for that option.
Hi Steve, first, thank you for this invaluable script it has become indispensable in my workflow.
I would like to be able to click a button and have all the Universal Audio references switch from guide layer to actual layer in each comp, this way I can just add all my comps to media encoder and render out for timing reference for 3rd party animators.
Is this something you can add? Or perhaps you can think of a workaround. I'd even re-purchase the script for that option.
Thanks again!
Dave
Hi Dave,
Thanks for your feedback! So this would be quite niche of a feature to add a setting for it, but I have made a very simple script that will disable guide layers for all UA layers:
Hi Steve, does this have kbar support? There are plenty of us that like to have a minimal UI as possible. Also, I'm not sure if the script already uses this, but I just came across this which seems like it would be a great option to include into the scripts options:
Hi Steve, does this have kbar support? There are plenty of us that like to have a minimal UI as possible. Also, I'm not sure if the script already uses this, but I just came across this which seems like it would be a great option to include into the scripts options:
Hi Saxon, I do have some plans to add kbar support in the future, so keep an eye out for that! I have also explored an expression mode, although the expression solution shown here only works 1 comp deep, I will explore a solve for deeper comps with expressions, but it may be better to just click the refresh button, as many expressions across many comps may slow down the project, I will need to test this
First I love this Script. I'm running the latest version of after effects and when I try to run the script I get an Error saying "Unable to execute script at line 6. null is not an object" - Is there something I can do to remedy this? Thanks!
I haven't done testing with WorkFlower, what problems are you facing when using UA along with WorkFlower? If possible would you be able to send an AE project file where you're having problems? Then I'll be able to take a closer look and see if I can find solves
First I love this Script. I'm running the latest version of after effects and when I try to run the script I get an Error saying "Unable to execute script at line 6. null is not an object" - Is there something I can do to remedy this? Thanks!
I haven't done testing with WorkFlower, what problems are you facing when using UA along with WorkFlower? If possible would you be able to send an AE project file where you're having problems? Then I'll be able to take a closer look and see if I can find solves
Thanks!
Steve
Hello Steve,
For this integration problem with WorkFlower, it would be because you both create the same folder name in the project panel. "Precomps"!
I haven't done testing with WorkFlower, what problems are you facing when using UA along with WorkFlower? If possible would you be able to send an AE project file where you're having problems? Then I'll be able to take a closer look and see if I can find solves
Thanks!
Steve
Hello Steve,
For this integration problem with WorkFlower, it would be because you both create the same folder name in the project panel. "Precomps"!
Cheers
Hi Vincent,
So Universal Audio doesn't create any folders in the project panel, is an extra "Precomps" folder appearing? When does this happen?
I noticed KBar support was added (thank you!), but I do not see an Icon folder with the download. All I see is the documentation and the script itself. Are those located externally?
Every lover wants to spend every moment of their life with their partner. The New Year is the time to resolve to stand by each other in all circumstances. Here you will find the best new year wishes for life partner.
I noticed KBar support was added (thank you!), but I do not see an Icon folder with the download. All I see is the documentation and the script itself. Are those located externally?
Hi Thomas,
Ah apologies, if you download the files again it should now contain KBar icons
I can see people are having trouble finding the icons for Kbar. And you answer them that they are now in the download. But I just downloaded the script and there is still only the script and documentation. No icons.
I can see people are having trouble finding the icons for Kbar. And you answer them that they are now in the download. But I just downloaded the script and there is still only the script and documentation. No icons.
How can I get the icons?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Christian,
Apologies, not sure why it didn't update correctly previously, but files should be correct now in the latest version, thanks for pointing this out
"Compensate for time remapping" option on Universal Audio
I don't quite understand how it works or how to use it. Can you please provide a detailed explanation?
Hi Latop,
Sure, so say you have a layer in one of your comps, and it's a comp layer that's been time remapped, if you make a music layer universal it will be pushed into this time remapped comp, but the problem is that the Universal Audio layer placed in this comp will no longer actually line up with the audio outside of this comp, since the comp has it's time remapped, so if you were to time animations to this music in this comp it won't be correctly timed to the audio outside this comp.
What "Compensate for time remapping" does is it makes sure that if a comp layer has been time remapped, the Universal Audio layer that gets pushed into that comp will also be time remapped, but time remapped in such a way that it perfectly cancels out the time remapping applied to that comp layer, eg. if the time remapping on the comp is speeding up the comp, the Universal Audio within that comp will be slowed down to compensate for that remapping, if you are to time your animations to that slowed down version of the music within that comp, the animations will be correctly timed outside that comp. It uses a pretty clever little algorithm to calculate exactly what the time remapping on the UA layer needs to be to cancel out the remapping on the comp layer, even if the time remapping has easing etc.
Thank you for explaining. I understand how this feature works now. I also have another question. If I want to use the Keyframe Assistant > Convert to Keyframe function for my comp animation with a music track as a reference, how can I make it stays synchronized with the UA layer inside the comp?or Is there any way to do that?
Thank you for explaining. I understand how this feature works now. I also have another question. If I want to use the Keyframe Assistant > Convert to Keyframe function for my comp animation with a music track as a reference, how can I make it stays synchronized with the UA layer inside the comp?or Is there any way to do that?
I'm not sure I'm following, but you are able to make any kind of layer universal, so you can convert audio to keyframes and make the resulting null universal, however you wouldn't be able to see these keyframes outside the UA layers.
If you would like to be able to see the waveform on the UA layer in order to time animations to it, simply select the UA layer and press the L key twice, this will reveal the waveform.
Thank you for your advice, I think I know how to do it. I would like to ask you about The "include visual reference" function worked the first time I tried it, but I don't remember how it worked. After that, when I try to do it again, it just shows a transparent box, but nothing is displayed. (Even if I create a full-screen solid layer in the main comp, if I click eye on the UA layer in other animation comps, it will not show anything.
My test is to create a main comp -- music.mp3 layer -- shape layer 1 -- precomp -- shape layer 2
After creating a UA for music.mp3 layer and clicking into Precomp, although there is a visual reference box, there is no screen, i.e. shape layer 1 does not appear. Is this the right way to do it?
Thank you for your advice, I think I know how to do it. I would like to ask you about The "include visual reference" function worked the first time I tried it, but I don't remember how it worked. After that, when I try to do it again, it just shows a transparent box, but nothing is displayed. (Even if I create a full-screen solid layer in the main comp, if I click eye on the UA layer in other animation comps, it will not show anything.
My test is to create a main comp -- music.mp3 layer -- shape layer 1 -- precomp -- shape layer 2
After creating a UA for music.mp3 layer and clicking into Precomp, although there is a visual reference box, there is no screen, i.e. shape layer 1 does not appear. Is this the right way to do it?
When making layers universal, you will need to make sure you select any layers you would like to be included as visual reference alongside the audio layer, so in your case you would not only select the audio layer, but also any shape layer and comp that you want to see in the visual reference, then click Universalize
Thanks
Josh
Just wanted to add another vote for the headless buttons for kBar
Cheers!
Cheers!
edit: I should note that it appears to work at first until you press "refresh" at which point it removes the universal comp from all the child precomps.
edit 2: I've noticed that in my v2 if I click the master audio again and press "make the selected audio universal" it will then work in that v2. I assume it breaks v1 but perhaps that's ok if I go back if I have to and make that old audio the master again...?
edit 3: so it appears that re: edit 2 this is the case. This actually as far as I can tell won't be a deal breaker since ideally I'm only revisiting older comps in an emergency.
First check that you have allowed scripts to acccess the network in the After Effects preferences
License will become invalid in 3 days.
Please connect to the internet to activate license."
I can see people are having trouble finding the icons for Kbar. And you answer them that they are now in the download. But I just downloaded the script and there is still only the script and documentation. No icons.
How can I get the icons?
Thanks in advance!
What "Compensate for time remapping" does is it makes sure that if a comp layer has been time remapped, the Universal Audio layer that gets pushed into that comp will also be time remapped, but time remapped in such a way that it perfectly cancels out the time remapping applied to that comp layer, eg. if the time remapping on the comp is speeding up the comp, the Universal Audio within that comp will be slowed down to compensate for that remapping, if you are to time your animations to that slowed down version of the music within that comp, the animations will be correctly timed outside that comp. It uses a pretty clever little algorithm to calculate exactly what the time remapping on the UA layer needs to be to cancel out the remapping on the comp layer, even if the time remapping has easing etc.
Hope this makes sense,
Steve
I also have another question. If I want to use the Keyframe Assistant > Convert to Keyframe function for my comp animation with a music track as a reference,
how can I make it stays synchronized with the UA layer inside the comp?or Is there any way to do that?
I would like to ask you about The "include visual reference" function worked the first time I tried it, but I don't remember how it worked.
After that, when I try to do it again, it just shows a transparent box, but nothing is displayed.
(Even if I create a full-screen solid layer in the main comp, if I click eye on the UA layer in other animation comps, it will not show anything.
My test is to create a main comp -- music.mp3 layer
-- shape layer 1
-- precomp -- shape layer 2
After creating a UA for music.mp3 layer and clicking into Precomp, although there is a visual reference box, there is no screen, i.e. shape layer 1 does not appear.
Is this the right way to do it?