Metadata-Version: 2.4
Name: after-effects-automation
Version: 0.1.4
Summary: A Python tool for automating Adobe After Effects workflows
Home-page: https://github.com/jhd3197/after-effects-automation
Author: Juan Denis
Author-email: juan@vene.co
Classifier: Development Status :: 3 - Alpha
Classifier: Intended Audience :: Developers
Classifier: Topic :: Multimedia :: Video
Classifier: Programming Language :: Python :: 3
Classifier: Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7
Classifier: Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8
Classifier: Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9
Classifier: License :: OSI Approved :: MIT License
Classifier: Operating System :: Microsoft :: Windows
Requires-Python: >=3.7
Description-Content-Type: text/markdown
License-File: LICENSE
Requires-Dist: python-dotenv>=0.19.0
Requires-Dist: pyautogui>=0.9.53
Requires-Dist: pydirectinput>=1.0.4
Requires-Dist: pywinauto>=0.6.8
Requires-Dist: pandas>=1.3.0
Requires-Dist: pydantic>=1.8.2
Requires-Dist: jsmin>=3.0.0
Requires-Dist: mutagen>=1.45.1
Requires-Dist: moviepy>=1.0.3
Requires-Dist: flask>=2.0.0
Requires-Dist: flask-cors>=3.0.0
Requires-Dist: werkzeug>=2.0.0
Requires-Dist: psutil>=5.8.0
Dynamic: author
Dynamic: author-email
Dynamic: classifier
Dynamic: description
Dynamic: description-content-type
Dynamic: home-page
Dynamic: license-file
Dynamic: requires-dist
Dynamic: requires-python
Dynamic: summary

# 🎬 After Effects Automation

[![PyPI version](https://badge.fury.io/py/after-effects-automation.svg)](https://badge.fury.io/py/after-effects-automation)
[![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
[![Python 3.7+](https://img.shields.io/badge/python-3.7+-blue.svg)](https://www.python.org/downloads/)
[![Downloads](https://static.pepy.tech/badge/after-effects-automation)](https://pepy.tech/project/after-effects-automation)

![au_automation](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/13461850/204080205-624daba4-9883-429b-aa16-e4bb0b3221d7.png)

**Automate Adobe After Effects with Python** - Create, modify, and render AE compositions programmatically.

Perfect for batch video production, template-based workflows, and automated content creation.

**📦 PyPI Package:** [pypi.org/project/after-effects-automation](https://pypi.org/project/after-effects-automation/)


> [!TIP]
> Starring this repo helps more developers discover after-effects-automation ✨
>
>![after-effects-automation](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/ed2e4f26-4e0e-493f-8f80-33a4e9b9299f)
>
>  🔥 Also check out my other project [RepoGif](https://github.com/jhd3197/RepoGif) – the tool I used to generate the GIF above!

---

## 📑 Table of Contents
- [⚡ Quick Start](#-quick-start)
- [✨ Features](#-what-can-it-do)
- [📚 Documentation](#-documentation)
- [🎯 Examples](#-examples)
- [⚙️ How It Works](#-how-it-works)
- [🛠️ CLI & Web Editor](#-cli-tools)
- [🐛 Troubleshooting](#-troubleshooting)

---

## ⚡ Quick Start

```bash
# 1. Install from PyPI
pip install after-effects-automation

# 2. Setup After Effects integration
python install_ae_runner.py

# 3. Run an example
cd examples/basic_composition
python run.py

```

**That's it!** A 10-second video will be created automatically.

**📦 PyPI:** [pypi.org/project/after-effects-automation](https://pypi.org/project/after-effects-automation/)
**📖 Need more help?** See the [Quick Start Guide](QUICK_START.md)

---

## ✨ What Can It Do?

* **🎨 Template Creation** - Build AE templates programmatically
* **📝 Text Automation** - Update text layers with dynamic content
* **⚡ Batch Processing** - Render hundreds of variations automatically
* **🎬 Scene Management** - Assemble complex timelines from templates
* **🔧 Full AE Control** - Access all After Effects features via Python
* **🚀 Fast Workflow** - Batch system speeds up multi-scene projects

---

## 📚 Documentation

| Guide | Description |
| --- | --- |
| [Installation](INSTALLATION.md) | Complete installation and setup |
| [Quick Start](QUICK_START.md) | Get started in 5 minutes |
| [Examples](examples/README.md) | Practical working examples |
| [CLI Guide](CLI_GUIDE.md) | Command-line usage |
| [Troubleshooting](TROUBLESHOOTING.md) | Common issues and fixes |
| [Process Management](PROCESS_MANAGEMENT.md) | Understanding the automation flow |

---

## 🎯 Examples

### Basic Composition

Create a video with intro and outro in ~2 minutes:

```bash
cd examples/basic_composition
python run.py

```

### Text Animation

Multi-layer text with dynamic content:

```bash
cd examples/text_animation
python run.py

```

### Render Only

Quickly render existing .aep files:

```bash
cd examples/render_only
python render.py

```

**📖 More Examples:** See [examples/README.md](examples/README.md)

---

## 🖥️ Compatibility

| Software | Versions |
| --- | --- |
| **After Effects** | 2024, 2025, 2025 Beta (CC versions should work) |
| **Python** | 3.7+ |
| **OS** | Windows, macOS, Linux (experimental) |

---

## ⚙️ How It Works

```mermaid
graph LR
    A[Python Script] -->|JSON Commands| B(JS Bridge)
    B -->|ExtendScript| C{After Effects}
    C -->|Builds| D[Composition]
    D -->|aerender| E[Final Video]

```

1. **Python** defines what you want to create
2. **JavaScript bridge** sends commands to After Effects
3. **After Effects** builds the composition
4. **aerender** renders the final video

**📖 Technical Details:** See [Process Management Guide](PROCESS_MANAGEMENT.md)

---

## 🚀 Features Detail

### Core Features

* ✅ Automated composition creation & Timeline manipulation
* ✅ Text layer updates & Property keyframing
* ✅ Resource management & Batch rendering

### Advanced Features

* ✅ **Batch Script Execution** - Multiple commands in single operation
* ✅ **Smart Defaults** - Intelligent composition detection
* ✅ **Process Management** - Efficient AE instance handling
* ✅ **Real-time Communication** - File-based command queue

### Recent Improvements (v0.0.4+)

* 🆕 **Fixed Batch System** - Black video bug resolved
* 🆕 **Render-Only Mode** - Quick .aep file rendering
* 🆕 **UTF-8 Support** - Proper Unicode handling on Windows
* 🆕 **Smart Composition Defaults** - Auto-detects correct composition

---

## 🛠️ CLI Tools

### Automation

Run automation from a config file using the command line:

```bash
ae-automation config.json

```

### Web Editor (Visual Interface)

Prefer a GUI? Launch the visual editor to modify your configs without touching JSON.

```bash
ae-editor config.json

```

*(Note: Replace this link with your actual screenshot link)*

---

## 🐛 Troubleshooting

### Common Issues

**After Effects won't start?**

* Check `.env` has correct AE path
* Verify AE version matches path (2024 vs 2025)

**Scripts not executing?**

* Enable scripting: `Edit > Preferences > Scripting & Expressions`
* Install startup script: `python install_ae_runner.py`

**Empty/black video?**

* Update to latest version: `pip install --upgrade after-effects-automation`
* This was a bug in the batch system (now fixed)

**📖 More Solutions:** See [Troubleshooting Guide](TROUBLESHOOTING.md)

---

## 🤝 Contributing

Contributions welcome! Here's how:

1. **Report bugs** - [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/jhd3197/after-effects-automation/issues)
2. **Share examples** - Add to `examples/` folder
3. **Improve docs** - All `.md` files in repo
4. **Submit PRs** - Bug fixes and features

---
## 📄 License

This project is licensed under the **MIT License**.
See the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for full details.

**Adobe After Effects** is a trademark of Adobe Inc. This project is **not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Adobe Inc.**

---

### Disclaimer

This project is an **automation and middleware tool** for Adobe After Effects.
It requires a **valid Adobe Creative Cloud license** to use.

The tool works by translating Python commands into **Adobe-supported ExtendScript (JavaScript)** instructions that After Effects already supports natively.

* It does **not** modify, crack, patch, or bypass Adobe software
* It does **not** distribute Adobe assets or binaries
* It does **not** enable use of After Effects without a license

We do **not** support or condone software piracy in any form.

By using this project, you confirm that you have obtained Adobe After Effects through official channels at [https://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects.html](https://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects.html).

---

## 📞 Get Help

* **📦 PyPI Package** - [pypi.org/project/after-effects-automation](https://pypi.org/project/after-effects-automation/)
* **📖 Documentation** - Read the guides in `/docs` folder
* **💡 Examples** - Working code in `examples/` folder
* **🐛 Issues** - [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/jhd3197/after-effects-automation/issues)
* **💬 Discussions** - [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/jhd3197/after-effects-automation/discussions)

---

**Made with ❤️ by the After Effects Automation community**
