https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/227/18794
http://aescripts.com/templater/
https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/10-time-saving-tips-in-after-effects/
http://www.molecularmovies.com/img/pdf_tutorials/AEbasics.pdf
https://www.themarketingtechnologist.co/creating-dynamic-videos-using-javascript-and-after-effects-the-basics/

• position wiggle

  fps=5; //frequency
  amount=8;  //amplitude
  wiggle(fps,amount,octaves = 1, amp_mult = 0.5,(Math.round(time*fps))/fps);

• run from cmd to call a javascript (your may or may not need full path)

  afterfx.exe -s "var myArg="I'm a string!"; $.evalFile("Your path to script here")"
  c:\PathToAE\AfterFX.exe -r C:\"path"\"script name".jsx 

• study example:
  • https://www.creativecrash.com/maya/script/renderlayers-and-passes-to-after-effects

Details on Javascript UI, can refer to my Photoshop javascript study: scriptUI in detail

• ref:
  • Adobe offical ScriptUI reference (Javascript Tool Guide): https://wwwimages2.adobe.com/content/dam/acom/en/devnet/scripting/pdfs/javascript_tools_guide.pdf
  • ScriptUI for dummies:
    • http://www.kahrel.plus.com/indesign/scriptui.html
    • https://indd.adobe.com/view/a0207571-ff5b-4bbf-a540-07079bd21d75
    • https://adobeindd.com/view/publications/a0207571-ff5b-4bbf-a540-07079bd21d75/y2c4/publication-web-resources/pdf/scriptui-2-13-f-2017.pdf
  • Video tutorial:
    • https://www.provideocoalition.com/after-effects-extendscript-training-complete-series/
  • Article tutorial:
    • http://aesnippets.blogspot.com/2016/07/how-to-make-something-useful-in.html

ScriptUI vs Dockable ScriptUI in AfterEffects

• In general Adobe application, scriptUI are only 2 types: Pallete, Dialog; But in AfterEffects, there are 3 types: Dockable Pallete, non-dock normal Pallete, Dialog
• for ScriptUI pallete to become dockable window, it needs
  1. code written in certain format way
  2. code file need to be in ScriptUI folder in application folder, and it opened from Windows menu

ScriptUI dockable code

• show project file in explorer

  app.executeCommand(app.findMenuCommandId("Reveal in Explorer"));

• show layer file path

  var theLayer = app.project.activeItem.selectedLayers[0];
  alert(theLayer.source.file.fsName);

• reveal layer source in project panel

  // ref: http://www.smipple.net/snippet/francoisgfx/Reveal%20Layers%20in%20Project
  var proj = app.project;
  var comp = proj.activeItem;
  if(comp){
      var selectedLayers = comp.selectedLayers;
      if(selectedLayers.length > 0){
          for(var l = 0 ; l < selectedLayers.length ; l++){
              selectedLayers[l].source.selected = true;
          }
      }
  }

• write to info panel as output

  write('info here'); writeln('info breakline');

• app interaction

  app.activate(); // bring to front
  app.beginSuppressDialogs(); // no error pop-up; endSuppressDialogs
  // make undo group
  app.beginUndoGroup(commentString);
  app.endUndoGroup(commentString);

• current info

  app.activeViewer; // current focused viewer (comp, layer, footage panel)

• get all item (Comp and Footage)

• set expression for selected attributes

  // ref: http://www.smipple.net/snippet/francoisgfx/Set%20Expression%20to%20selected%20property%20%28in%20AE%29
  var link_expression = 'wiggle(10,30);'
   
  var cur_comp = app.project.activeItem; // our current selected & opened comp
  if(cur_comp && cur_comp.selectedLayers[0].selectedProperties[0]){ // if a comp and at least one property is selected
      for(var i = 0 ; i < cur_comp.selectedLayers.length; i++){ // go trough each selected layers
          var cur_layer = cur_comp.selectedLayers[i];
          for(var j = 0 ; j < cur_layer.selectedProperties.length; j++){ // go through each selected properties
              var cur_attr = cur_layer.selectedProperties[j];
              if(cur_attr.canSetExpression) {
                  cur_attr.expression = link_expression;
              }else{
                  alert("Can't add expression to the selected property");
              };
          };
      };
  }else{
      alert("properties of an effect or a layer has to be selected");
  };

• example

  app.project.renderQueue.items.add(myComp).applyTemplate("TemplateName");

• since CS5 for Bridge, InDesign, InCopy, AE, Photoshop have socket object

• http://www.smipple.net/tag/ae
• http://www.adobepress.com/articles/article.asp?p=1648576&seqNum=3
• script UI builder： https://aescripts.com/p9-scriptui-builder/