Compositions

ae_create_comp

Create a composition with a size, duration and frame rate; 1920×1080 at 30 fps for 10 seconds unless told otherwise. It opens in the viewer, and later calls that name no composition work on it.

only adds · every call adds · stays inside After Effects.

Parameter Type Required Default Description
name string — Comp Name of the composition.
width integer — 1920 Width in pixels.
height integer — 1080 Height in pixels.
duration number — 10 Duration in seconds.
frameRate number — 30 Frames per second.
pixelAspect number — 1 Pixel aspect ratio; 1 is square.
background string? — null [r, g, b] with components 0 to 1, or #rrggbb.
folder string? — null Folder to create it in, by name or id.
JSON Schema 
{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "name": {
      "description": "Name of the composition.",
      "type": "string",
      "default": "Comp"
    },
    "width": {
      "description": "Width in pixels.",
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 1920
    },
    "height": {
      "description": "Height in pixels.",
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 1080
    },
    "duration": {
      "description": "Duration in seconds.",
      "type": "number",
      "default": 10
    },
    "frameRate": {
      "description": "Frames per second.",
      "type": "number",
      "default": 30
    },
    "pixelAspect": {
      "description": "Pixel aspect ratio; 1 is square.",
      "type": "number",
      "default": 1
    },
    "background": {
      "description": "[r, g, b] with components 0 to 1, or #rrggbb.",
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "folder": {
      "description": "Folder to create it in, by name or id.",
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    }
  }
}

ae_update_comp

Change a composition's settings: name, size, duration, frame rate, pixel aspect, background colour, current time, work area, motion blur and shutter angle, shy layers, or its folder. Only what is passed changes.

only adds · repeat-safe · stays inside After Effects.

Parameter Type Required Default Description
comp string? — null The composition by name or id; when empty, the active one, else the one worked on last, else the only one in the project.
name string? — null The new name.
width integer? — null Width in pixels.
height integer? — null Height in pixels.
duration number? — null Duration in seconds.
frameRate number? — null Frames per second.
pixelAspect number? — null Pixel aspect ratio; 1 is square.
background string? — null [r, g, b] with components 0 to 1, or #rrggbb.
time number? — null The current time of the composition, in seconds.
workAreaStart number? — null Start of the work area, in seconds.
workAreaDuration number? — null Length of the work area, in seconds.
motionBlur boolean? — null Switch motion blur on or off for the composition.
shutterAngle number? — null Shutter angle in degrees, 0 to 720.
hideShy boolean? — null Hide the layers marked shy.
folder string? — null Folder to move it into, by name or id.
shutterPhase number? — null Shutter phase in degrees.
motionBlurSamples integer? — null Motion blur samples per frame.
motionBlurAdaptiveLimit integer? — null Motion blur adaptive sample limit.
preserveNestedFrameRate boolean? — null Preserve nested frame rate.
preserveNestedResolution boolean? — null Preserve nested resolution.
draft3d boolean? — null Draft 3D in the viewer.
frameBlending boolean? — null Frame blending for layers that ask for it.
resolutionFactor array? — null Resolution divisors [x, y]; [2, 2] is half.
displayStartFrame integer? — null First frame number of the timeline.
displayStartTime number? — null Start time of the timeline in seconds.
JSON Schema 
{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "comp": {
      "description": "The composition by name or id; when empty, the active one, else the one worked on last, else the only one in the project.",
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "name": {
      "description": "The new name.",
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "width": {
      "description": "Width in pixels.",
      "type": [
        "integer",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "height": {
      "description": "Height in pixels.",
      "type": [
        "integer",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "duration": {
      "description": "Duration in seconds.",
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "frameRate": {
      "description": "Frames per second.",
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "pixelAspect": {
      "description": "Pixel aspect ratio; 1 is square.",
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "background": {
      "description": "[r, g, b] with components 0 to 1, or #rrggbb.",
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "time": {
      "description": "The current time of the composition, in seconds.",
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "workAreaStart": {
      "description": "Start of the work area, in seconds.",
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "workAreaDuration": {
      "description": "Length of the work area, in seconds.",
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "motionBlur": {
      "description": "Switch motion blur on or off for the composition.",
      "type": [
        "boolean",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "shutterAngle": {
      "description": "Shutter angle in degrees, 0 to 720.",
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "hideShy": {
      "description": "Hide the layers marked shy.",
      "type": [
        "boolean",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "folder": {
      "description": "Folder to move it into, by name or id.",
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "shutterPhase": {
      "description": "Shutter phase in degrees.",
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "motionBlurSamples": {
      "description": "Motion blur samples per frame.",
      "type": [
        "integer",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "motionBlurAdaptiveLimit": {
      "description": "Motion blur adaptive sample limit.",
      "type": [
        "integer",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "preserveNestedFrameRate": {
      "description": "Preserve nested frame rate.",
      "type": [
        "boolean",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "preserveNestedResolution": {
      "description": "Preserve nested resolution.",
      "type": [
        "boolean",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "draft3d": {
      "description": "Draft 3D in the viewer.",
      "type": [
        "boolean",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "frameBlending": {
      "description": "Frame blending for layers that ask for it.",
      "type": [
        "boolean",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "resolutionFactor": {
      "description": "Resolution divisors [x, y]; [2, 2] is half.",
      "type": [
        "array",
        "null"
      ],
      "items": {
        "type": "integer"
      },
      "default": null
    },
    "displayStartFrame": {
      "description": "First frame number of the timeline.",
      "type": [
        "integer",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "displayStartTime": {
      "description": "Start time of the timeline in seconds.",
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    }
  }
}

ae_duplicate_comp

Duplicate a composition, optionally under a new name; the layers keep pointing at the same footage and nested compositions.

only adds · every call adds · stays inside After Effects.

Parameter Type Required Default Description
comp string? — null The composition by name or id; when empty, the active one, else the one worked on last, else the only one in the project.
name string? — null Name for the copy.
JSON Schema 
{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "comp": {
      "description": "The composition by name or id; when empty, the active one, else the one worked on last, else the only one in the project.",
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "name": {
      "description": "Name for the copy.",
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    }
  }
}

ae_open_comp

Open a composition in the viewer so the user sees it, and set its current time; later calls that name no composition work on it.

only adds · repeat-safe · stays inside After Effects.

Parameter Type Required Default Description
comp string? — null The composition by name or id; when empty, the active one, else the one worked on last, else the only one in the project.
time number? — null Time in seconds within the composition; the composition's current time when empty.
JSON Schema 
{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "comp": {
      "description": "The composition by name or id; when empty, the active one, else the one worked on last, else the only one in the project.",
      "type": [
        "string",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    },
    "time": {
      "description": "Time in seconds within the composition; the composition\u0027s current time when empty.",
      "type": [
        "number",
        "null"
      ],
      "default": null
    }
  }
}