How to delete all masks on a layer…Is there a script or a shortcut for this?

[Walter Soyka]

In case you are not aware, the M key will reveal the masks of selected layers in the timeline.

I’m not aware of any script that removes all masks, but it would be straightforward enough to write. Is this a need you have frequently?

Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive   |   RenderBreak [blog]   |   Profile [LinkedIn]

[Richard Garabedain]

Yes, id say so. How would you write such a thing?

[Walter Soyka]

Study the After Effects scripting guide:
https://blogs.adobe.com/aftereffects/files/2012/06/After-Effects-CS6-Scripting-Guide.pdf

I’ve written a script to do remove masks from a layer [link]. It would work nicely with ft-toolbar [link].

Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive   |   RenderBreak [blog]   |   Profile [LinkedIn]

[Richard Garabedain]

Sorry, but what do i do with this random assortment of letters

[Brian Charles]

Its a script. If it downloads with a .txt file extension, remove that and make sure the extension is .jsxbin. Place that in the ScriptUI Panels folder and relaunch After Effects, then it will be available from the After Effects Window menu.

EDIT: this script is not a panel, while the above works, placing it in the Scripts folder then selecting File >Scripts > keen-Remove Masks.jsxbin will remove the masks from all selected layers.

[Walter Soyka]

[Brian Charles] “placing it in the Scripts folder then selecting File >Scripts > keen-Remove Masks.jsxbin will remove the masks from all selected layers”

Brian, thank you for writing my documentation for me! 🙂

I’d definitely recommend using this in conjunction with a launcher like ft-Toolbar or rd: Script Launcher to make it faster to use.

If you want to put it on a hotkey, you can. Ae allows you to assign hotkeys to the first 20 scripts alphabetically (by manually editing the shortcuts.txt file located in the Ae preferences directory, which you can reveal from the General tab of the Ae preferences themselves). Rename my script so it goes somewhere predictable in the list and assign the shortcut.

If you’re on a Mac, you can also assign keyboard shortcuts to menu items [link] by name.

Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive   |   RenderBreak [blog]   |   Profile [LinkedIn]

[Brian Charles]

[Walter Soyka] “Brian, thank you for writing my documentation for me! :)”

Figured you were AFK so I replied, didn’t mean to intrude on your discussion! 😉

[Richard Garabedain]

Ok, it works and all. thanks. I really need to work on my scripting, but it all seems French to me.

[Brian Charles]

David Torno has an After Effects Scripting training series that is hosted elsewhere, it might help get you started.

https://provideocoalition.com/dtorno/story/after-effects-extendscript-training-complete-series

[Robert Szilagyi]

Hi,

Can you please show us the script, to understand how it works?

I wonder what is the way to delete all masks from a given layer with extendscript.

Thanks!
robert