General workflow Ideas

[Trentonom0r3]

I want to write almost everything with the same naming conventions as extendscript to reduce learning curves.
Of course, this would be enhanced with added functionality such as the (fromLayer) method on an "AEImage" Object.

Simple example on the python side;

comp = Composition("MyComp", 1920, 1080, 60)
comp.add_layer("MyLayer")
comp.render("output.mp4")

.aex file deals with the commands, in part like so;

[
    {"action": "create_comp", "args": {"name": "MyComp", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "duration": 60}},
    {"action": "add_layer", "args": {"comp": "MyComp", "layer": "MyLayer"}},
    {"action": "render", "args": {"comp": "MyComp", "output_path": "output.mp4"}}
]

User writes and runs .py code->pylib interacts with .aex->.aex performs actions->.aex returns result

[Trentonom0r3]

Embedded Python Interpreter

• Embed interpreter into the plugin using pybind11, expose classes and modules within .aex. User has ability to use embedded python or python on PATH, if available.
• Embedded has limited libraries, PATH can use any library installed to it.

The biggest question here, is how to add an actual PyPi library to control this functionality from OUTSIDE of AE.
Probably through the use of subprocesses and AfterFx.com (command line utility)

[Trentonom0r3]

General R/D flow (Current Iteration)

• Map existing extendscript capabilities to their corresponding AEGP_Suites methods.
• Create a series of extremely generic "helper" functions, which will be used to implement the library functionality.
  -Ex:

int GetNumProjects(AEGP_SuiteHandler suites, A_long* num_projPL) { //expects suites to be loaded pica suite
	A_Err err = suites.ProjSuite6()->AEGP_GetNumProjects(num_projPL);
	if (err) {
		return err;
	}
	return 0;
}

AEGP_ProjectH GetProjectByIndex(AEGP_SuiteHandler suites, A_long proj_indexL) {
	AEGP_ProjectH projPH = NULL;
	A_Err err = suites.ProjSuite6()->AEGP_GetProjectByIndex(proj_indexL, &projPH);
	if (err) {
		return NULL;
	}
	return projPH;
}

std::string GetProjectName(AEGP_SuiteHandler suites, AEGP_ProjectH projH) {
	A_char nameZ[AEGP_MAX_PROJ_NAME_SIZE];
	A_Err err = suites.ProjSuite6()->AEGP_GetProjectName(projH, nameZ);
	if (err) {
		return NULL;
	}
	return std::string(nameZ);
}

A_UTF16Char GetProjectPath(AEGP_SuiteHandler suites, AEGP_ProjectH projH) {
	AEGP_MemHandle unicode_pathPH = NULL;
	AEGP_MemSize resultSize = 0;
	A_Err err = suites.ProjSuite6()->AEGP_GetProjectPath(projH, &unicode_pathPH);

	if (err) {
		return NULL;
	}

	suites.MemorySuite1()->AEGP_GetMemHandleSize(unicode_pathPH, &resultSize);
	suites.MemorySuite1()->AEGP_LockMemHandle(unicode_pathPH, (void**)&unicode_pathPH);
	suites.MemorySuite1()->AEGP_UnlockMemHandle(unicode_pathPH);
	A_UTF16Char resultStr = (A_UTF16Char)unicode_pathPH;
	suites.MemorySuite1()->AEGP_FreeMemHandle(unicode_pathPH);
	return resultStr;
}
	
AEGP_ItemH GetProjectRootFolder(AEGP_SuiteHandler suites, AEGP_ProjectH projH) {
	AEGP_ItemH root_folderPH = NULL;
	A_Err err = suites.ProjSuite6()->AEGP_GetProjectRootFolder(projH, &root_folderPH);
	if (err) {
		return NULL;
	}
	return root_folderPH;
}

• Creating the scripting capabilities:
  By running an embedded interpreter, we can also set up embedded modules.
  Unlike when making an official c++->py lib, we don't have to create a ".pyd" or ".so". This leads to a more seamless integration between custom python scripting and AE types/functionality.
  Embedded Module will be written IN python, making use of c++ functions for certain aspects ( for example, getting project name, etc)

The Module is loaded upon plugin load, and everything is accessible as an internal python scripting environment.

You can write external scripts and run them using file->scripts->run script (.py), and I aim to add functionality to integrate this into CEP and eventually UXP extensions as well. (Actually, being able to use gradio or something instead of html and doing this all in python might be cool, but my focus is going to be on the library right now).

 

[Trentonom0r3]

If possible ( it is, just a matter of figuring out how), setting this up so no new extension has to be added to AE. If people could simply pip install, or add a file or two to an extension, this would make usage that much better.
The most I've found from this is that it could possibly be done either through the existing AEGPDriver.aex file, one of the required .aex files (seems to be used to load any and all AEGPs) or possibly using the "PluginSupport.dll" file, which seems to have methods for loading plugins, getting function suites, etc.

This will take a significant amount of reverse engineering.

[Trentonom0r3]

Scripting Setup

General Steps are as follows;
Populate App/Project/Whatever Else Data when script is executed and app object is called (must be called first)
Then all subsequent usage is taken from what was created by app/project data.

Populate App Data->Populate Project Data (Shows us layers, active items, etc, which also gives access to those items' properties and methods)->Access whatever you want -> manipulate with python -> return for finalization