I couldn't get the aescripts manager app to work for the new update. Now I have two versions of Free Compose (v1.2 is in File>Scripts and 1.3 is in Window). How can I remove the v1.2 from File>Scripts? I can't find it anywhere in my system and even deleted the original file. Thanks.
Hi Tom,
I'm not sure what's causing your issue with the manager app. The script should always be in Window. After Effects has two folders for scripts "Scripts" (files here go to the File>Scripts menu) and inside that: "ScriptUI Panels" (Files here go to the Window menu). Make sure you delete any Free Compose script that ended up in "Scripts" and that Free Compose.jsxbin is in the ScriptUI Panels folder instead.
If that is what you've done and it isn't changing, please open a support ticket.
Would love some options on where to place the null for a group, and especially some options for REPOSITIONING that Null.
This is so great.
Thank you very much, Stuart. I am always happy to have suggestions and that is a good one. This week I am finalizing the ability to add masks, and then I will take a look at repositioning the null.
Would love some options on where to place the null for a group, and especially some options for REPOSITIONING that Null.
This is so great.
Hi Stuart, I'm pleased to say I've added the capability to reposition the null with today's 1.4 release. Thank you for the suggestion. If you have any further suggestions, including for how the re-position works, do let me know at the email in the help button window.
Wow Steven, you've been busy! I look away for a mere coupla months and come back to 3 solid updates. I think I'm ready to commit and start integrating Free Compose into my daily workflows. Holding my breath for keyboard shortcutability!
Wow Steven, you've been busy! I look away for a mere coupla months and come back to 3 solid updates. I think I'm ready to commit and start integrating Free Compose into my daily workflows. Holding my breath for keyboard shortcutability!
Hey Ronny
Thank you for noticing how much work I've put in to it since release! I have a few things I'm working on now and then I'll look at shortcuts. Since it's a ScriptUI panel, keyboard shortcuts only work when it's in focus (not very handy) so I'm thinking I'll make separate jsx files for the most used buttons that can be attached to a keyboard shortcut. Which buttons do you find yourself wanting shortcuts for most?
Thank you for noticing how much work I've put in to it since release! I have a few things I'm working on now and then I'll look at shortcuts. Since it's a ScriptUI panel, keyboard shortcuts only work when it's in focus (not very handy) so I'm thinking I'll make separate jsx files for the most used buttons that can be attached to a keyboard shortcut. Which buttons do you find yourself wanting shortcuts for most?
Steven
Great! Mainly: Make Group, Release Group, Show Layers, Hide Layers.
Hi, I just purchased the script and manually installed it by dragging the jsxbin file inside the Script UI Panels folder. I'm running AE 2020 (version 17.7.0 Build 45) on a Mac. When I click on Free Compose.jsxbin under Window, I get an error message. It says "Unable to execute script at line 6. null is not an object". I removed the jsxbin file and installed it again by going File - Scripts - Install Script UI Panel. Same result. I have "Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network" checked under Preferences too. Can you please help? Thanks!
Hi, I just purchased the script and manually installed it by dragging the jsxbin file inside the Script UI Panels folder. I'm running AE 2020 (version 17.7.0 Build 45) on a Mac. When I click on Free Compose.jsxbin under Window, I get an error message. It says "Unable to execute script at line 6. null is not an object". I removed the jsxbin file and installed it again by going File - Scripts - Install Script UI Panel. Same result. I have "Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network" checked under Preferences too. Can you please help? Thanks!
Hi Holden,
Yes, please open a Support Ticket and I will help you there.
Great product! Love it. Use it a lot! One question: If you add an effect on a group, how does the effect behave? Is it like a adjustment layer or does it add a duplication on all of the layers?
Great product! Love it. Use it a lot! One question: If you add an effect on a group, how does the effect behave? Is it like a adjustment layer or does it add a duplication on all of the layers?
Best,
Max
Hi Maximilian,
Thank you! I've put a lot of work into it and there are more updates to come, so Im glad you're getting good use out of it.
Effects are duplicated onto the contained layers and linked back to the group control layer's effects with property link expressions, so that you can control them from that layer. Each time effects are refreshed, Free Compose will re-sort them if necessary, according to how/if the group's are nested.
Great product! Love it. Use it a lot! One question: If you add an effect on a group, how does the effect behave? Is it like a adjustment layer or does it add a duplication on all of the layers?
Best,
Max
Hi Maximilian,
Thank you! I've put a lot of work into it and there are more updates to come, so Im glad you're getting good use out of it.
Effects are duplicated onto the contained layers and linked back to the group control layer's effects with property link expressions, so that you can control them from that layer. Each time effects are refreshed, Free Compose will re-sort them if necessary, according to how/if the group's are nested.
Cheers
Steven
Thank you so much for your fast answer and the clarification! That's really cleaver! So if I got a lot of layers inside a group and use a CPU/GPU demanding effect on the group (let's say Camera Lens Blur as an example); is it better to go old school pre-comp instead? Obviously I could use an adjustment layer, but what if I only want to affect the layers inside the group.
Great product! Love it. Use it a lot! One question: If you add an effect on a group, how does the effect behave? Is it like a adjustment layer or does it add a duplication on all of the layers?
Best,
Max
Hi Maximilian,
Thank you! I've put a lot of work into it and there are more updates to come, so Im glad you're getting good use out of it.
Effects are duplicated onto the contained layers and linked back to the group control layer's effects with property link expressions, so that you can control them from that layer. Each time effects are refreshed, Free Compose will re-sort them if necessary, according to how/if the group's are nested.
Cheers
Steven
Thank you so much for your fast answer and the clarification! That's really cleaver! So if I got a lot of layers inside a group and use a CPU/GPU demanding effect on the group (let's say Camera Lens Blur as an example); is it better to go old school pre-comp instead? Obviously I could use an adjustment layer, but what if I only want to affect the layers inside the group.
Best,
Max
No problem, Max! Yes, it can be slow if you're doing something like Camera Lens Blur on a lot of layers so a pre-comp might work better for you there. If you have an un-nested Free Compose group with something like 50 shapes already created and animated, you can always pre-comp the group as a whole too. Just use the select group button to make sure you get that End Group Layer in there too! If performance is a sticking point for you, you can disable opacity expressions for groups' layers that you don't use the in/out markers on to get that extra bit of room in the CPU/GPU too. Not a huge load but if you have a lot of groups it might make a difference.
Great product! Love it. Use it a lot! One question: If you add an effect on a group, how does the effect behave? Is it like a adjustment layer or does it add a duplication on all of the layers?
Best,
Max
Hi Maximilian,
Thank you! I've put a lot of work into it and there are more updates to come, so Im glad you're getting good use out of it.
Effects are duplicated onto the contained layers and linked back to the group control layer's effects with property link expressions, so that you can control them from that layer. Each time effects are refreshed, Free Compose will re-sort them if necessary, according to how/if the group's are nested.
Cheers
Steven
Thank you so much for your fast answer and the clarification! That's really cleaver! So if I got a lot of layers inside a group and use a CPU/GPU demanding effect on the group (let's say Camera Lens Blur as an example); is it better to go old school pre-comp instead? Obviously I could use an adjustment layer, but what if I only want to affect the layers inside the group.
Best,
Max
No problem, Max! Yes, it can be slow if you're doing something like Camera Lens Blur on a lot of layers so a pre-comp might work better for you there. If you have an un-nested Free Compose group with something like 50 shapes already created and animated, you can always pre-comp the group as a whole too. Just use the select group button to make sure you get that End Group Layer in there too! If performance is a sticking point for you, you can disable opacity expressions for groups' layers that you don't use the in/out markers on to get that extra bit of room in the CPU/GPU too. Not a huge load but if you have a lot of groups it might make a difference.
Cheers,
Steven
Great! Thank you again for taking time and answering me! I'm looking forward to upcoming updates. Take care!
I'm trying to do something simple but can't figure out how to do so. I'd like to add additional layers to an already existing group. How do I that?
Hey Ralston
So you just click the group, click 'show group' and drag the layers in. Then you click the group layer and mouse-over the panel, it will refresh the group and add the layers in. To remove the layers later, there are buttons the bottom of the panel for releasing selected layers.
masashi sato said:
Hi, it works great with my old MacPro(ae2021).but, it don't work with my M1 macbookPro(ae2021). "Unable to execute script line6"the error screenshot is blow.https://gyazo.com/08baf98daabf0f52974d78ba2f6093d3 Is the script compatible with M1 mac?
Unfortunately the issues with the M1 Silicon Chip are an Adobe thing. The M1 interprets the original program's base code instructions differently so even without scripts not everything works properly on an M1 chip. I know they're working to update all features for compatibility so we may just have to wait.
Thanks for the awesome plugin! Is it possible to make the buttons and the layout a lot more compact? Like smaller buttons, no outlines, a single button/icon to toggle between Compact/Classic layout instead of tabs, etc. For example something like this:
This tool has been super helpful, but I'm just stuck trying to Alpha Track Matte my group to the layer above it?
Masks are working fine, however I can't seem to get the entire group to mask via Alpha Mattes - is this possible?
Thanks!
Hi Kiandra,
At the moment there is no support for Alpha or Luma Track Matte. The workarounds for that (which I've seen in another script) make the structure of the groups complicated which I felt defeated the purpose of Free Compose's ease of use.
I'm glad that overall the tool has been super helpful.
Hi, I bought the script and it's great although I'm using After Effects 2022. Windows PC 2070 RTX super GPU
Is it Optimized for that? As soon as I started one Group, it ran my CPU at 12% the whole time with the fan blasting.
MultiFrame Rendering was turned on but that only kicks in when rendering export.
Also.... I have Opacity errors.
the in and out markers don't work regarding the opacity expressions. I move them after the playhead and I still see the llayer.
When I look at the expression... the error says :
After Effects warning: Expression Disabled
Error at line S in property 'Opcity' of layer 1 ('Group: 161 sadasd') in comp
'test!
null is not an object
Hm, I use it on an RTX 3080 without issue... though if you have a group with CPU-intense effects, it will use a lot of resources.
'Line S' seems odd... if your'e still experiencing this issue, please make a support ticket with a screenshot of the error and the opacity expression. I will look into it.
When I have many layers in precomps, If I use "Free Compose" instead of "precomps", Which is faster loading for CPU & GPU on preview timeline and rendering?
When I have many layers in precomps, If I use "Free Compose" instead of "precomps", Which is faster loading for CPU & GPU on preview timeline and rendering?
Hi, I bought the script and it's great although I'm using After Effects 2022. Windows PC 2070 RTX super GPU
Is it Optimized for that? As soon as I started one Group, it ran my CPU at 12% the whole time with the fan blasting.
MultiFrame Rendering was turned on but that only kicks in when rendering export.
Also.... I have Opacity errors.
the in and out markers don't work regarding the opacity expressions. I move them after the playhead and I still see the llayer.
When I look at the expression... the error says :
After Effects warning: Expression Disabled
Error at line S in property 'Opcity' of layer 1 ('Group: 161 sadasd') in comp
'test!
null is not an object
Hm, I use it on an RTX 3080 without issue... though if you have a group with CPU-intense effects, it will use a lot of resources.
'Line S' seems odd... if your'e still experiencing this issue, please make a support ticket with a screenshot of the error and the opacity expression. I will look into it.
Hey i'm having the same expression error on Opacity. Don't know too much programming tho... So i can not fix it myself
Hi, I'm not sure if I'm missing that feature somewhere, maybe it's already in there, but i'd be great if FreeCompose could intuitively work with Alpha layers as well. I keep wanting to attach my groups to shapes using the alpha pick whip and of course it does not work, cuz the 'Group' is a fancy null object. Which means I have to go in and fiddle with the footage layers to get the alpha links working. Is it possible to make it happen with FreeCompose?
Hi! Free Compose does have alpha matte/track matte capabilities!
If you change the track matte on the group null layer and refresh the group in the Free Compose panel, all the layers will adjust their alpha mattes too, unless they already have one then Free Compose keeps the original matte settings! This will selectively pre-compose layers in the group as needed due to some small techincalities, so just be aware of that. You can always undo if it makes a change you don't want. If you need any further help, please open a ticket.
Hi, I'm not sure if I'm missing that feature somewhere, maybe it's already in there, but i'd be great if FreeCompose could intuitively work with Alpha layers as well. I keep wanting to attach my groups to shapes using the alpha pick whip and of course it does not work, cuz the 'Group' is a fancy null object. Which means I have to go in and fiddle with the footage layers to get the alpha links working. Is it possible to make it happen with FreeCompose?
This looks like a great add-on. My question is this: If I build a project using Free Compose groups and then have to sent that project out to a freelancer who does not have this add-on installed, will they still be able to work in the file?
I installed the trial version, using the AEscripts app. I can't group anything without getting a bunch of opacity errors, making the group virtually unusable (it can't be masked, it doesn't respond to applied effects). For now, I will say no to Free Compose and wait for future versions.
Thank you! I've put a lot of work into it and there are more updates to come, so Im glad you're getting good use out of it.
Effects are duplicated onto the contained layers and linked back to the group control layer's effects with property link expressions, so that you can control them from that layer. Each time effects are refreshed, Free Compose will re-sort them if necessary, according to how/if the group's are nested.
Cheers
Steven
This tool has been super helpful, but I'm just stuck trying to Alpha Track Matte my group to the layer above it?
Masks are working fine, however I can't seem to get the entire group to mask via Alpha Mattes - is this possible?
Thanks!
The script is working with 2022 on windows and mac, including the M1 silicon chips.
'Line S' seems odd... if your'e still experiencing this issue, please make a support ticket with a screenshot of the error and the opacity expression. I will look into it.
Is it possible to make it happen with FreeCompose?