Simple script modification (I think?)

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Hey Chaz, there are few ways to make it to work, but the most simplest for you would be:

1. Instead of var comp = app.project.activeItem; you need to loop through project items (outside of ColoriseByType function)
for (var i = 1; i <= app.project.numItems; i++)

2. Then, add conditioning:
var curItem = app.project.item(i);
if(curItem.typeName == "Composition"){
}

3. If above condition true, run your function with the following line:
ColoriseByType(curItem)

Since you are learning, I am purposefully not making it as a direct actionable code 😉

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.
Boxer – Dynamic Text Boxes Template with a Live Preview

[Chaz Chester]

Hi, Thomas. Thank you for helping me with this. I’m getting an error that says “comp is undefined”. I’ve tried a few different ways and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. Could you show me how to add these lines to the script, please?

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Here are few things you need to make, assuming all from previous post is done as described:

1. Change function ColoriseByType() to function ColoriseByType(comp)
2. Delete var comp = app.project.activeItem; // Get active composition

You need to cover the basics on how functions works and how variables are passed/retrieved by different objects, within global/local scopes.

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.
Boxer – Dynamic Text Boxes Template with a Live Preview

[Chaz Chester]

Sorry, Tomas, I’m still a little lost. This is what I currently have. Could you show me where I’m messing up, please?

for (var i = 1; i <= app.project.numItems; i++)
var curItem = app.project.item(i);
if(curItem.typeName == “Composition”){
}
function ColoriseByType(comp){
app.beginUndoGroup(“Colorize By Type”); // Begin undo group
var layers = comp.selectedLayers; // Get selected layers
var colors = {‘none’: 0, ‘red’: 1, ‘yellow’: 2, ‘offwhite’: 3, ‘pink’: 4, ‘lavender’: 5, ‘peach’: 6, ‘audition’: 7, ‘blue’: 8,
‘green’: 9, ‘purple’: 10, ‘orange’: 11, ‘brown’: 12, ‘fuchsia’: 13, ‘cyan’: 14, ‘sandstone’: 15, ‘darkgreen’: 16}; // Label colors
var adjustmentlayer = colors[‘fuchsia’];
var avlayer = colors[‘cyan’];
var audiolayer = colors[‘audition’];
var cameralayer = colors[‘purple’];
var complayer = colors[‘sandstone’];
var guidelayer = colors[‘darkgreen’];
var lightlayer = colors[‘yellow’];
var nulllayer = colors[‘green’];
var shapelayer = colors[‘orange’];
var solidlayer = colors[‘blue’];
var textlayer = colors[‘red’];
if (layers != 0) { // If there is layer selection
for (var i = 0; i < layers.length; i++) { // Loop through layers
if (layers[i] instanceof AVLayer) { layers[i].label = avlayer; // If avlayer
if (!layers[i].hasVideo) { layers[i].label = audiolayer; } // If audio layer
if (layers[i].source.mainSource instanceof SolidSource) { layers[i].label = solidlayer; } // If solid layer
if (layers[i].nullLayer == true) { layers[i].label = nulllayer; } // If null layer
if (layers[i].adjustmentLayer == true) { layers[i].label = adjustmentlayer; } // If adjustment layer
if (layers[i].source instanceof CompItem) { layers[i].label = complayer; } // If composition layer
}
if (layers[i] instanceof ShapeLayer) { layers[i].label = shapelayer; } // If shape layer
if (layers[i] instanceof TextLayer) { layers[i].label = textlayer; } // If text layer
if (layers[i] instanceof CameraLayer) { layers[i].label = cameralayer; } // If camera layer
if (layers[i] instanceof LightLayer) { layers[i].label = lightlayer; } // If light layer
if (layers[i].guideLayer) { layers[i].label = guidelayer; } // If guide layer
}
} else { // If there is no layer selection
for (var i = 1; i <= comp.layers.length; i++) { // Iterate through layers
if (comp.layer(i) instanceof AVLayer) { comp.layer(i).label = avlayer; // If AVLayer
if (!comp.layer(i).hasVideo) { comp.layer(i).label = audiolayer; } // If audio layer
if (comp.layer(i).source.mainSource instanceof SolidSource) { comp.layer(i).label = solidlayer; } // If solid layer
if (comp.layer(i).nullLayer == true) { comp.layer(i).label = nulllayer; } // If null layer
if (comp.layer(i).adjustmentLayer == true) { comp.layer(i).label = adjustmentlayer; } // If adjustment layer
if (comp.layer(i).source instanceof CompItem) { comp.layer(i).label = complayer; } // If composition layer
}
if (comp.layer(i) instanceof ShapeLayer) { comp.layer(i).label = shapelayer; } // If shape layer
if (comp.layer(i) instanceof TextLayer) { comp.layer(i).label = textlayer; } // If text layer
if (comp.layer(i) instanceof CameraLayer) { comp.layer(i).label = cameralayer; } // If camera layer
if (comp.layer(i) instanceof LightLayer) { comp.layer(i).label = lightlayer; } // If light layer
if (comp.layer(i).guideLayer) { comp.layer(i).label = guidelayer; } // If guide layer
}
}
app.endUndoGroup(); // End undo group
}
ColoriseByType(); // Run the function

[Chaz Chester]

Can anyone help me with this? I’m sorry if I’m being a pain, I just can’t seem to get this script to do what I need on my own.

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Chaz, here it is, tested, works as expected. With pure honesty – it doesn’t seem you know what programming logic is about, strongly suggest going through fundamentals before trying to modify any code. It will be simpler, and a lot more beneficial learning curve. Good luck !

for (var i = 1; i <= app.project.numItems; i++){
var curItem = app.project.item(i);
if (curItem.typeName == "Composition") {
ColoriseByType(curItem); // Run the function
}
}

function ColoriseByType(comp) {
app.beginUndoGroup("Colorize By Type"); // Begin undo group
var layers = comp.selectedLayers; // Get selected layers
var colors = {
'none': 0, 'red': 1, 'yellow': 2, 'offwhite': 3, 'pink': 4, 'lavender': 5, 'peach': 6, 'audition': 7, 'blue': 8,
'green': 9, 'purple': 10, 'orange': 11, 'brown': 12, 'fuchsia': 13, 'cyan': 14, 'sandstone': 15, 'darkgreen': 16
}; // Label colors
var adjustmentlayer = colors['fuchsia'];
var avlayer = colors['cyan'];
var audiolayer = colors['audition'];
var cameralayer = colors['purple'];
var complayer = colors['sandstone'];
var guidelayer = colors['darkgreen'];
var lightlayer = colors['yellow'];
var nulllayer = colors['green'];
var shapelayer = colors['orange'];
var solidlayer = colors['blue'];
var textlayer = colors['red'];
if (layers != 0) { // If there is layer selection
for (var i = 0; i < layers.length; i++) { // Loop through layers
if (layers[i] instanceof AVLayer) {
layers[i].label = avlayer; // If avlayer
if (!layers[i].hasVideo) { layers[i].label = audiolayer; } // If audio layer
if (layers[i].source.mainSource instanceof SolidSource) { layers[i].label = solidlayer; } // If solid layer
if (layers[i].nullLayer == true) { layers[i].label = nulllayer; } // If null layer
if (layers[i].adjustmentLayer == true) { layers[i].label = adjustmentlayer; } // If adjustment layer
if (layers[i].source instanceof CompItem) { layers[i].label = complayer; } // If composition layer
}
if (layers[i] instanceof ShapeLayer) { layers[i].label = shapelayer; } // If shape layer
if (layers[i] instanceof TextLayer) { layers[i].label = textlayer; } // If text layer
if (layers[i] instanceof CameraLayer) { layers[i].label = cameralayer; } // If camera layer
if (layers[i] instanceof LightLayer) { layers[i].label = lightlayer; } // If light layer
if (layers[i].guideLayer) { layers[i].label = guidelayer; } // If guide layer
}
} else { // If there is no layer selection
for (var i = 1; i <= comp.layers.length; i++) { // Iterate through layers
if (comp.layer(i) instanceof AVLayer) {
comp.layer(i).label = avlayer; // If AVLayer
if (!comp.layer(i).hasVideo) { comp.layer(i).label = audiolayer; } // If audio layer
if (comp.layer(i).source.mainSource instanceof SolidSource) { comp.layer(i).label = solidlayer; } // If solid layer
if (comp.layer(i).nullLayer == true) { comp.layer(i).label = nulllayer; } // If null layer
if (comp.layer(i).adjustmentLayer == true) { comp.layer(i).label = adjustmentlayer; } // If adjustment layer
if (comp.layer(i).source instanceof CompItem) { comp.layer(i).label = complayer; } // If composition layer
}
if (comp.layer(i) instanceof ShapeLayer) { comp.layer(i).label = shapelayer; } // If shape layer
if (comp.layer(i) instanceof TextLayer) { comp.layer(i).label = textlayer; } // If text layer
if (comp.layer(i) instanceof CameraLayer) { comp.layer(i).label = cameralayer; } // If camera layer
if (comp.layer(i) instanceof LightLayer) { comp.layer(i).label = lightlayer; } // If light layer
if (comp.layer(i).guideLayer) { comp.layer(i).label = guidelayer; } // If guide layer
}
}
app.endUndoGroup(); // End undo group
}

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.
Boxer – Dynamic Text Boxes Template with a Live Preview

[Chaz Chester]

Thank you, Tomas! I really appreciate it. I’ve been having success with some of the modifications I’ve been doing, but you’re right, I’m not up to speed on programming logic. Is there a good resource you would recommend for learning ExtendScript/Java?

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Chaz, you are welcome! While myself I landed into Extendscript with previous programming experience & knowledge, the courses from David Torno were amazing to begin with:

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

He covers the basics of JS too, which could be pretty much enough to get your feet wet. And from there – the sky is the limit. Good luck !

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.
Boxer – Dynamic Text Boxes Template with a Live Preview