pt_OpenSesame
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Compatibility After Effects Please check exact version compatibility under the "COMPATIBILITY" tab below
Spreadsheet Editing
OpenSesame allows you to change or version anything in your project through human-readable spreadsheets that can be updated by anyone (including a web-app).
Workflow
- Run OpenSesame, check 'Export Editable Values' and click 'Show Edit List'. Use the Edit List to add the parts of the project you want to export for editing. For example, click 'All Text' to add all the text layers in your project. Choose whether to export just the text or also text styles from the options at the bottom.
- Click 'Export Project'. You'll be asked to save your project file and a text values file will be created along with it.
- Open the text file in either a text editor or spreadsheet app like Excel and edit as required. Once completed, save the file in the same format. Save as many versions as you like, the naming of the text file is not important.
- Click 'Import Project' button and select the text file containing the changes you want to import.
Backward Compatibility
Because OpenSesame exports your project as a human-readable text file, this can be imported into any version of After Effects back to CS3 (some restrictions apply, see below).
Workflow
- Open the project you want to convert, run OpenSesame and click Export Project. If you don't have the version of After Effects required to open the project you should get someone else to do this first step, such as the person that created the project. They can use the trial version of OpenSesame for this.
- Launch your earlier version of After Effects (CS3 or later) and run OpenSesame. Click Import Project, then choose the previously exported text file.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Some parts of projects can't be exported due to scripting limitations. The following features aren't currently supported:
- Paint, Rotobrush and Puppet Pin effects.
- Text style support is CS4+ only and doesn't include features like kerning, vertical and paragraph text, or multiple text styles on one layer.
- Proxies.
- Custom data values. Effect properties with custom data values can't be exported, such as the Levels Histogram and the Hue/Saturation effect. In these cases you could use the Levels (Individual Controls) and Color Balance (HLS) effects instead.
Helper Script Support
Use helper scripts to extend OpenSesame's functionality in all kinds of ways, or to make changes that would otherwise be difficult to accomplish just by altering the text values file. You can run as many helper scripts as you like, and choose whether they run before or after any renders are completed. This feature is primarily intended for OpenSesame Server's fully automated project versioning and rendering workflow, and is included in OpenSesame so you can test helper scripts with your project templates before deploying to OpenSesame Server, but regular OpenSesame users may find it useful too.
Trial Version
The free trial version which can be downloaded above is feature limited in that effects aren't added to imported projects.
After Effects | 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, CC 2019, CC 2018, CC 2017, CC 2015.3, CC 2015, CC 2014, CC, CS6, CS5.5, CS5, CS4 |
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1.8 (Current version) - Aug 14, 2024
1.75 - Dec 5, 2019
1.74 - Aug 5, 2019
Fixed issues related to Master Properties and added Edit List support in CC2019+
Prevent renders with missing footage (caused hang in CC2015+)
1.73 - Aug 5, 2018
1.72 - Jun 24, 2018
1.71 - May 14, 2018
1.7 - Apr 16, 2018
Speed improvements for full project import / export
Full text project supports Render Options and Helper Scripts for use with OpenSesame Server.
Fixes for editable values. Feature parity with OpenSesame Server
Correctly aborts import if 'save existing project' dialog is canceled
Fixed endless export loop with editable values.
Fixed import failure for effect / group names that contain line returns
Fix for help/export windows not closing on Windows
Fix for drop-downs on Windows HiDPI displays
Various improvements and bug fixes
1.6 - Dec 13, 2015
Helper script feature
Ability to specify text encoding
Preserves eases when changing keyframe times using editable values import
Bug fixes
1.5 - Aug 9, 2014
CC 2014 compatibility.
Compatible with OpenSesame Server for automated project versioning.
1.21 - Apr 30, 2013
- 1.2 - Apr 2013
- fixed export failure related to text alignment settings
- fixed import failure related to time remap keys
- light shadow values export correctly
- 1.1 - Aug 2012
- ray traced 3D compatibility
- now supports comments and label colors (CS5+)
- option to favour absolute/relative footage paths
- changed set parent method to jump
- UTF8 encoding to fix issues with non native text characters
- additional export options (preserve tabs/commas and excel safe mode)
- warn user if project contains text plugins (Basic Text, Path Text, Numbers)
- converts Camera Lens Blur effect to Lens Blur when down converting from CS5.5+
- correctly sets on/off state of light layers
- fixed import bug for time remap on locked layers
- fixed bug with incorrect in/out points on some time remapped layers
- fixed mask keyframe bug with negative time stretch layers
- fixed import bug with relative paths
- correctly exports empty shape paths
- correctly exports missing PSD layers
- correctly exports dynamic links
- 1.02 - Fixed licensing issue - Feb 2012
- 1.01 - Added support for legacy OS X 10.4 PPC systems - Jan 2012
- 1.0 - Initial release - Jan 2012