after-effects

name after-effects description Automate Adobe After Effects via ExtendScript. Use when the user asks to create, modify, or query anything in an After Effects project — layers, keyframes, expressions, effects, compositions, assets, rendering, batch operations. Generates and executes JSX ExtendScript via osascript on macOS. compatibility Requires macOS with Adobe After Effects installed. Needs "Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network" enabled in AE Preferences > Scripting & Expressions. allowed-tools Bash(osascript *) Bash(chmod *) Bash(bash *) Read Write metadata {"author":"aedev-tools","version":"1.0"} Overview This skill automates After Effects by generating ExtendScript (.jsx) and executing it via osascript. It reads project state through query scripts, uses rule files for domain knowledge, and wraps all mutations in undo groups. First-Time Setup Run scripts/runner.sh with any query script to detect the AE version If multiple AE versions are installed, the user must choose one — runner.sh will prompt Ensure AE Preferences > Scripting & Expressions > "Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network" is enabled Workflow For every user request: Step 1: Gather context (auto-run, no confirmation needed) Use --background for all query scripts — this skips ae.activate() so AE doesn't steal focus: bash scripts/runner.sh --background scripts/active-state.jsx Then read /tmp/ae-assistant-result.json for active comp, selected layers, CTI. If this is the first interaction or the project context is unknown, also run: bash scripts/runner.sh --background scripts/project-overview.jsx This returns a summary by default: folder tree with counts, all comps listed, footage grouped by file type. NOT every individual file. To drill into a specific folder: bash scripts/runner.sh --background scripts/project-overview.jsx '{"mode": "folder", "folderName": "Images"}' Only use full mode when you actually need every item listed: bash scripts/runner.sh --background scripts/project-overview.jsx '{"mode": "full"}' Step 2: Drill down if needed (auto-run) If the task targets a specific comp: bash scripts/runner.sh --background scripts/comp-detail.jsx '{"compName": "Comp Name"}' If the task targets specific layers: bash scripts/runner.sh --background scripts/layer-detail.jsx '{"layerNames": ["Layer 1", "Layer 2"]}' Omit compName to use the active comp. Omit layerNames to use selected layers. Additional query scripts Expression errors — scan for broken expressions: bash scripts/runner.sh --background scripts/expression-errors.jsx bash scripts/runner.sh --background scripts/expression-errors.jsx '{"compName": "Main Comp"}' Font inventory — list all fonts used across the project: bash scripts/runner.sh --background scripts/font-inventory.jsx Project audit — comprehensive health check (unused footage, missing files, expression errors, duplicate solids, font issues, empty folders): bash scripts/runner.sh --background scripts/project-audit.jsx bash scripts/runner.sh --background scripts/project-audit.jsx '{"checks": ["unused", "missing", "expressions"]}' Step 3: Load domain knowledge Read the relevant rule file from rules/ . Always read rules/extendscript-fundamentals.md — it contains ES3 constraints that apply to every generated script. Task involves Load rule file Layers (create, move, parent, duplicate) rules/layer-manipulation.md Keyframes, animation, easing rules/keyframes-animation.md Expressions rules/expressions.md Compositions (create, precompose, nest) rules/composition-management.md Effects and parameters rules/effects.md Import, footage, assets rules/assets-footage.md Render queue, export rules/rendering.md Bulk/batch operations rules/batch-operations.md Version-specific features references/ae-api-versions.md Step 4: Generate the action script CRITICAL: Resolve the skill's real path first Before writing or executing any action script, resolve the skill's real (non-symlinked) path. ExtendScript #include cannot follow symlinks, so you MUST use the real filesystem path. Run this once at the start of each session: SKILL_SCRIPTS= " $(readlink -f ~/.claude/skills/after-effects-assistant/scripts 2>/dev/null || readlink ~/.claude/skills/after-effects-assistant/scripts) " echo " $SKILL_SCRIPTS " Use the resolved path ( $SKILL_SCRIPTS ) for all subsequent Write and Bash commands in this session. Why this matters: ~/.claude/skills/ is typically a symlink — ExtendScript #include fails through symlinks Writing to the real scripts/ directory lets #include "lib/json2.jsx" resolve correctly The resolved path changes per machine, so never hardcode it Every generated script MUST follow this template: #include "lib/json2.jsx" #include "lib/utils.jsx" ( function ( ) { app. beginUndoGroup ( "AE Assistant: <action description>" ); try { var args = readArgs (); var comp = getActiveComp (); if (!comp) return ; // ... action code ... writeResult ({ success : true , message : "<what was done>" }); } catch (e) { try { writeResult ({ error : e. toString (), line : e. line , fileName : e. fileName }); } catch (e2) { writeError (e. toString (), "line:" + e. line ); } } finally { app. endUndoGroup (); } })(); utils.jsx helpers available for generated scripts Function Purpose writeResult(obj) Write JSON result to /tmp/ae-assistant-result.json writeError(msg, detail) Last-resort error capture when JSON.stringify fails readArgs() Read args from /tmp/ae-assistant-args.json getLayerType(layer) Returns type string: "shape", "text", "null", "precomp", etc. getBlendModeName(mode) BlendingMode enum → string name getActiveComp() Returns active comp or writes error and returns null getSelectedOrAllLayers(comp) Selected layers array, or all layers if none selected hexToRGB(hex) "#ff0000" → [1, 0, 0] getCompByName(name) Find comp in project items by name walkProperties(group, leafFn, path) Recursive property tree walker — calls leafFn(prop, path) on leaves bubbleSort(arr, compareFn) ES3-compatible in-place sort framesToSeconds(frames, comp) Frame count → seconds via comp.frameDuration appendLog(message) Append to ~/.ae-assistant-extendscript.log Write the script using the Write tool, then execute with a short bash command: Use the Write tool to write the script to $SKILL_SCRIPTS/ae-action.jsx (the resolved real path) Execute it with bash: bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /ae-action.jsx" IMPORTANT: Do NOT use cat > file << 'SCRIPT' heredocs — they put the entire script in the bash command, cluttering the permission prompt. Always use the Write tool for the script content, then a short bash command to run it. Step 5: Execute or confirm Auto-run (no confirmation needed): All read-only queries (active-state, project-overview, comp-detail, layer-detail, expression-errors, font-inventory, project-audit) Non-destructive additions: adding a keyframe, adding an effect, creating a layer, creating a comp Confirm before running (show the script and ask the user): Deleting layers or comps Removing keyframes Replacing footage Clearing expressions Render queue operations Project cleanup (removing unused items, consolidating solids) Any operation the user might not expect Built-in action scripts Before generating a custom ae-action.jsx , check if a built-in script already handles the task. These are permanent, tested scripts with args-based behavior: True Comp Duplicator — deep-clone a comp with independent sub-comps (confirm before running): bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /true-comp-duplicator.jsx" '{"compName": "Main Comp", "suffix": " COPY"}' Font Replace — find and replace fonts across the project. Always dryRun first: bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /font-replace.jsx" '{"find": "Helvetica", "replace": "Inter-Regular", "dryRun": true}' bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /font-replace.jsx" '{"find": "Helvetica", "replace": "Inter-Regular"}' Project Cleanup — remove unused footage, consolidate duplicate solids, remove empty folders. Always dryRun first: bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /project-cleanup.jsx" '{"dryRun": true}' bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /project-cleanup.jsx" Batch Rename — rename layers, comps, or project items in bulk: bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /batch-rename.jsx" '{"target": "layers", "mode": "find-replace", "find": "Layer", "replace": "Element"}' bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /batch-rename.jsx" '{"target": "layers", "mode": "prefix", "prefix": "BG_"}' bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /batch-rename.jsx" '{"target": "layers", "mode": "sequence", "base": "Card", "start": 1}' Layer Stagger — offset selected layers in time for cascade animations: bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /layer-stagger.jsx" '{"offset": 0.1, "unit": "seconds", "direction": "forward"}' bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /layer-stagger.jsx" '{"offset": 2, "unit": "frames"}' Expression Replace — find/replace text in expressions project-wide. Always dryRun first: bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /expression-replace.jsx" '{"find": "comp(\"Old\")", "replace": "comp(\"New\")", "dryRun": true}' bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /expression-replace.jsx" '{"find": "comp(\"Old\")", "replace": "comp(\"New\")"}' Organize Project — auto-sort project panel items into folders by type: bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /organize-project.jsx" '{"structure": "by-type"}' bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /organize-project.jsx" '{"structure": "by-extension"}' Batch Comp Settings — change fps, resolution, duration across multiple comps: bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /batch-comp-settings.jsx" '{"scope": "all", "fps": 25}' bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /batch-comp-settings.jsx" '{"compNames": ["Comp 1", "Comp 2"], "width": 3840, "height": 2160}' bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /batch-comp-settings.jsx" '{"scope": "nested", "fps": 30, "duration": 10}' Easing Presets — apply professional easing or bounce/elastic expressions: bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /easing-presets.jsx" '{"preset": "smooth"}' bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /easing-presets.jsx" '{"preset": "snappy"}' bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /easing-presets.jsx" '{"preset": "bounce"}' Anchor Point Mover — reposition anchor point with visual position compensation: bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /anchor-point-mover.jsx" '{"position": "center"}' bash " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /runner.sh" " $SKILL_SCRIPTS /anchor-point-mover.jsx" '{"position": "bottom-left"}' Reverse Keyframes — reverse animation on selected properties: