aescripts + aeplugins

Eric Lassen

I tried this today, and the script works fine up to a point but when it gets to importing the clips, it simply stops working, what gives?

Bartlomiej Walczak

Hi Eric,

Thanks for trying out Trim N Collect. Please use the ticket support system to file the problem, let us know what media are you having in your project, which files do not get imported back, and if possible, please attach the composition, so that we can resolve it as soon as possible.

Carlos Robles

Hi, how long should the "Replacing footage..." step take? Mine seems to be stuck on that step. And some of the rendered files are placed in the timelines (but originals are still there) and some have been imported but not replaced. 

Bartlomiej Walczak

Hi Carlos,

Replacing footage should be relatively quick. If you are experiencing problems, please use the ticket support system, preferably attaching the comp, and describing which files do not get imported. This will help us trace the possible bug and fix it.

Thanks.

Carlos Robles

Hi Carlos,

Replacing footage should be relatively quick. If you are experiencing problems, please use the ticket support system, preferably attaching the comp, and describing which files do not get imported. This will help us trace the possible bug and fix it.

Thanks.

The comp and its files would be HUGE. Is there any other way? Are there any logs?

Bartlomiej Walczak

No need to pass all the media - just the comp, and the list of media that do not get imported. I'm trying to narrow it down to a certain file type. Please use this link.

Carlos Robles

No need to pass all the media - just the comp, and the list of media that do not get imported. I'm trying to narrow it down to a certain file type. Please use this link.

I see whats happening. Im using some Avid MXF files that have a really long string of characters but all these file start with the same 9 characters. When the scripts queues them up to render, it truncates the name to 9 characters and is rendering the same file name over and over even theough they are supposed to be different files, so Im guessing that when it gets to the replacement part, it cant find the correct render files. Look at the render queue of the project file I uploaded and youll see what I mean. 

Bartlomiej Walczak

Ah, that may be the dot in the file name. I'll try to fix it next thing tomorrow. Thanks!

Bartlomiej Walczak

I lied. The new version is up now

Carlos Robles

I lied. The new version is up now

Still having trouble with the "Replacing" step. It seems to be having trouble with sources that have the same file name. It correctly rendered those files out with "trimmed_1,trimmed_2,trimmed_3" after the file name, but only the first one gets replaced in the timeline and it seems to hang the whole process after that file.

Lloyd Alvarez

I lied. The new version is up now

Still having trouble with the "Replacing" step. It seems to be having trouble with sources that have the same file name. It correctly rendered those files out with "trimmed_1,trimmed_2,trimmed_3" after the file name, but only the first one gets replaced in the timeline and it seems to hang the whole process after that file.

Hi Carlos

Can you please open a support ticket so we can help you with this issue directly?

Ian Houser

Just like Carlos, I'm having an issue with getting hung up on the "Replacing" step in some projects as well.

My main concern is all the redundant media the trimming process creates. If I reference the same section of video 10 times in a project, I'll have 10 identical pieces of media all named clipXYZ_trimmed_1.mov, clipXYZ_trimmed_2.mov , clipXYZ_trimmed_3.mov, etc.

In order for this to be useful in my workflow, it would need to figure out which clips can be consolidated before trimming so that I don't end up with a unnecessarily huge archive.

I love the concept of the script. Other than those two issues it's wonderful.

Bartlomiej Walczak

If you enable the "consolidate gaps" option, there will be no redundant media. 

It would be nice if you could give more information about the projects where the replacing step is failing.

Ian Houser

If you enable the "consolidate gaps" option, there will be no redundant media. 

It would be nice if you could give more information about the projects where the replacing step is failing.

Of course. You're absolutely correct about "consolidate gaps". My interpretation of the documentation was completely different than it's actual use. Thank you for your quick response.

Next time it fails at "replacing" I'll send you an email with more detail.

Jason Bowdach

Extremely useful utility, both for AE work and even for projects completed outside the Adobe suite. This makes it worthwhile to bring it into after effects for finishing, if that isn't already part of your workflow. Highly recommended if you back-up \ archive your projects regularly (which you are doing, right?!) & for collaborating w other artists without wasting bandwidth. Major thanks! Look forward to future updates

Bartlomiej Walczak

Hi everyone,

Thanks to the feedback of everyone involved in this discussion we released a new, more stable version of Trim N Collect with a few additional features. 

Doug Miles

How long should it take to trim footage? I have a 10GB .mov file that I used maybe 4 or 5 different clips from, but it seems to be stuck half way through with no movement of the progress bar for about 30 minutes now.

Meanwhile it trimmed 6 other clips from two other large files in no time.

Does that seem right? Do I just need to be more patient?

2 hours later now and it still won't get past half way on the progress bar. 

60 bucks and it doesn't work.

Bartlomiej Walczak

Hi Doug.

Please open a support ticket (https://aescripts.com/contact). You can send us the composition this way and we will troubleshoot the issue.

Thanks
Bart

Ian Houser

Great script, and a great developer. All issues are resolved and it no longer gets hung up during the "importing footage" stage.

Everyone who has issues: make sure you're at least on version 1.1.1

Bartlomiej Walczak

Hi Ian,

Thanks for your kind words, Ian.

Actually, just at this very moment I found out another bug, which I just fixed, which should also hopefully address Doug's issue. I hope to have the new version released right before NAB.

BTW, come and meet us in THAT Studio booth, if you're going to NAB. We'll be adjacent to aescripts+aeplugins, near Adobe.

Also, thanks everyone who found bugs and worked with us on removing these.

basem alideeb

Hi,
Actually when I want to transfer me project I use reduce project option then I apply collect option , and that's works fine for me. But sometimes I got some expression errors

I think your script is make the same things from reducing and collecting in order to transfer the project. Is that right ?

Bart Walczak

It does a bit more than that. This script also is trimming the video material to only the parts that are used within the project, so if you used for example only 5 seconds from a 1 minute clip, then only these 5 seconds (plus handles if you specify them) are going to be collected.

scott gordon

Will this work with CS5?

Bartlomiej Walczak

I don't have access to CS5, so I can't say. I suggest you download a trial, and give it a go. 

Tony LaTorre

To shorten the media files do you do a recompress? Or is it a simple trim function like the old QuickTime 7 player used to do?

Bart Walczak

We’re using native After Effects rendering for trimming, so in most cases it means recompression. 

Uwe Wiesemann

Hi,

I am having issues with your "trim n collect" script (latest version as of March 2021) in AE 2020 (in AE 2019 as well).

it does work with a test project with only one longer movie in it.

But my project has a lot of footage of all kind, like PSD, AI, MXF etc...

The script basically stops running after showing a mnessage that it detected layered PSD or AI files and therefore cannot collect..

What do I do?

Cheers

25.3.2021

Bartlomiej Walczak

Hi Uwe,

I’m sorry that you’re experiencing these issues. 

Please create a support ticket at https://aescripts.com/contact/?direct=1

Can you send me a project file (without media) so that I could take a look?

The problem with layered files is that it’s impossible for the script to properly relink them, and it’s out of my hands - Adobe does not expose this part of their application to the user. I think you should be able to run the “Collect…” yourself, but the script should also have trimmed the other footage for you before that. 

I will investigate when you send me the project file via aescripts support.

Uwe Wiesemann

Bartlomiej Walczak said:

The problem with layered files is that it’s impossible for the script to properly relink them, and it’s out of my hands - Adobe does not expose this part of their application to the user. I think you should be able to run the “Collect…” yourself, but the script should also have trimmed the other footage for you before that. 

————

Hi,

running script results in that forementioned message. Then AE is sitting there waiting for whatever, not doing anything. It doesnt even add the clips to the renderqeue. I can click „proceed“ but nothing happens.

I cannot send the project, because it is may clients‘. 

Best regards

Bartlomiej Walczak

Uwe Wiesemann said:

Hi,

running script results in that forementioned message. Then AE is sitting there waiting for whatever, not doing anything. It doesnt even add the clips to the renderqeue. I can click „proceed“ but nothing happens.

I cannot send the project, because it is may clients‘. 

Best regards

Hi Uwe,

I'd love to help you, but I need more data to figure out what the problem is. Without it it's just shooting in the dark. If you use the proper support channel (file a support ticket), the files will be safe, and I can sign any NDAs that you need to feel comfortable. Or if you can create a similar project that exhibits the same behavior, but is not a client project, it would work as well. I'm willing to bet that the problem lies somewhere else, maybe in the unusual file paths for the footage or something similar. But without some project file I really won't be able to help you. 

All the best

Bart

Uwe Wiesemann

ok, I opened a ticket.

Uwe Wiesemann

Hi again,

it seems that "Trim n Collect" does not respect/consider any time remapping.

Is that correct?

Could it be implemented?

Cheers

Bartlomiej Walczak

Hi Uwe,

I did my best to make sure that time remapping is retained in all cases where scripting can see it. That said, it's not always possible to replicate it 1:1 after trimming the clip, because keyframes that I create can be offset by up to half a frame (scripting limitations). So if you're doing precise work on time-remapped footage, such as roto, tracking, etc. the project might look differently. This is something that won't change without Adobe's help.

Jeremie Doutre

Hi there, is it possible to export trimmed footage as image sequence instead of .mov files ?

Thanks !

Bartlomiej Walczak

Sure. You can use whatever output presets are present in After Effects.

Uwe Wiesemann

Long time no update.

It seems like your script cannot trim and collect MXFs? Is that a new thing? Or is it AE past cc2020? Using cc2023, which seems to not be supported anymore. Still looking for a solution for my most common situation, where I get a lot of long MXF files, that are edited but not conformed via Premiere Pro.

Thats why I try to "conform" them in AE. Doesnt work.

Cheers

Bartlomiej Walczak

I'm not sure I follow. What is it that you want to do?

In general, whatever AE can export to, the script should be able to support as well. If you create an output preset, it should be selectable from the list. And the script should be working in CC 2023. Are you experiencing issues with it?

Uwe Wiesemann

Bartlomiej Walczak said:

I'm not sure I follow. What is it that you want to do?

In general, whatever AE can export to, the script should be able to support as well. If you create an output preset, it should be selectable from the list. And the script should be working in CC 2023. Are you experiencing issues with it?

Hi, I have edited and transferred the unrendered edit into AE. Footage is one long MXF, 30 GB or so. After the project is finished I only want to archive the parts that are actually used and not the whole thing. So I thought I´d use your script. But it just gets stuck and doesnt even render one trimmed clip.

This reminded me of Premiere Pro which can not consolidate MXF as well...

Uwe Wiesemann

So,

after all my ranting and complaining I finally had an idea I wish someone had come up earlier - because obviously I didnt.

Adobe has changed their scriptengine. And I usually havenit set to the newer one.

But today I woke up and had this thought, that maybe… So I did. I changed  it „back“ to „legacy/extend script“, started your script and guess what?

It took some time, AE looked as if it had crashed, but I just didnt touch it. After a long time everything was trimmed and ready to be collected.

NICE.

I have to apologize for my rants and complaints.

Now if only Adobe could handle this legacy/obsolete stuff they do in a different way.

I mean we live in times of AI-Video generation an I have to switch something like that manually? Come on..

ok, wrong forum..

Bartlomiej Walczak

Hi Uwe,

I'm glad you've found the solution. I hope to look into it as soon as I get some free time, though unfortunately these days it's been a scarce commodity for me. 

All the best

Bart