Workflower User Guide
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Main Functions
Group Functions
Coming soon
Coming soon in Workflower 1.1
We've been working hard on new features for Workflower 1.1. There is no date set yet but expect it to be released in November December (ahem, sorry). So, what will be included in the new release?
Speed Improvements
The speed of Refresh Layout has been greatly improved. In most cases, it should be around 4 times faster! This is especially useful when working on larger comps with a lot of layers.
Since the layout is being refreshed within every function, this speed improvement will impact the execution of all functions.
Group Opacity
You will have the ability to adjust the opacity of all group layers at once.
On the Group || Settings effect, enable Group Opacity and execute Refresh Layout. Workflower will then add an expression to the opacity of the layers and it will add a special opacity slider effect to all group layers as it does with Prime Clone layers. Execute Reveal Layer Opacity (Win: Alt+F1, Mac: Ctrl+3) to reveal the slider in the timeline.
Additionally, you can also enable Group Trim. Using this option, all layers outside of the group header's in and out point won't be visible. (Please note that Group Trim will disable the new feature Adjust Group Header In/Out Point to contained Layers which is explained below.)
Masks & Effects to Group Header
In addition to the ability to use a Group Matte and Group Linked Adjustment Layer, you will have the option to apply masks and effects directly to the group header. That way, you can keep your group header collapsed and still work on your group effects and masks.
To make use of this, simply add masks (no shapes) and/or effects to the group header and execute Refresh Connections (Win: Ctrl+Alt+Q, Mac: Ctrl+Q). This will create a Group Matte layer which is linked to the group header, and/or a Group Linked Adjustment Layer which will consider effects from the group header in addition to its own effects.
Please be aware that only masks will be considered for the Group Matte, not effects altering the alpha, as they will already be considered for the Group Linked Adjustment Layer.
Automatic Trimming
If enabled, the group header's in and out point will be adjusted to the group's layers once you execute Refresh Layout. That way, you always know the group's position in time even when the group is collapsed.
Additionally, there is even more automatic trimming: Group Mattes and Group Adjustment Layers will be adjusted to their group header, track mattes to their matted layers, Precomp Clones to its contained layers, as well as adjustment layers which are matted to clones. (You can disable any of these options by going to Settings > Trimming.)
To exempt any of these layers from being trimmed, simply add a marker to the layer with the comment 'TTT' (without quotation marks) or execute Exempt Layer from Trimming by going to the main menu, holding down Alt/Option and clicking on the Rename Layer/s button.
Convert Groups to/from Precomps
You will be able to convert groups to precomps and vice versa. Simply select the group/precomp and execute Precompose.
All group transforms (if parenting is enabled), Group Mattes, Group Clones and Group Adjustment Layers will also be converted so that the precomp layer (or the group when converting from a precomp) will inherit these attributes. Among other things, converting a group to a precomp can be useful to improve performance since mattes, effects, etc. don't have to be copied to all group layers.
If no single group/precomp is selected, you can use this function to regularly precomp layers as well. In addition to saving the need for refreshing the layout two times afterwards (in the main comp + precomp), it also offers more options for precomposing: The ability to set the start timecode to zero, as well as the option to set a custom label setting within the precomp.
Shy Group Matte Layers
When using a Group Matte, Matte Merge layers will be added above every group layer as a track matte. This, however, makes it more difficult to see the structure of layers. That's why you will have the option to shy Matte Merge layers that only contain Group Matte effects. (You can disable this feature too.)
If you want to move a group layer, select it and execute Select Group (Shift+D). This will additionally select the shy'd Matte Merge layer above and temporarily unshy all Matte Merge layers, so that you can move your layers without any confusion. The next time you execute Refresh Layout, all Matte Merge layers will be shy'd again.
Also, when you just select group layers without the shy'd Matte Merge layers above and you execute Duplicate Group, the layers including their Matte Merge layers will be duplicated. The same goes for when executing Create Group.
And more!
But that's not even all. Here are some other new features:
- More integration of Refresh Connections functionality into Refresh Layout. For example, when you add/remove a layer to/from a group, group mattes and group effects will now be added/removed without the need for executing Refresh Connections anymore.
- An advanced way to duplicate groups and layers. For example, all effects that reference other selected layers will be updated to their duplicates, as well as a more straightforward naming of the duplicates, an automated way of updating group mattes and group adjustment layers to the duplicated group, and more.
- New function: Expand / Collapse All Sub-Groups.
- ... as well as a bunch of other little features and fixes.
If you are an existing customer and you want to try out the newest beta, just send us a support ticket and we'll make it happen.
What's next?
In the future, we also want to work on these features:
- Better compatibility with other scripts and plugins.
- Better performance for the execution speed of various functions, as well as for when working inside AE with the layers that Workflower created.
If you have other ideas for new features, just send us an inspiration submission via a support ticket!
Last modified 12d ago