Installation
Step 1: Installing the Script
Option 1: Install using the Manager App
To install the script, you can use the aescripts + aeplugins manager app. Make sure to use at least version 1.5.344.0 of the app, otherwise, the script won't be installed correctly.
When you're installing the trial, click on Account > Add Trial in the app and search for Workflower 2. After you added the trial, you can simply click on Install.
When you've already licensed Workflower 2, you can install it from the Licenses tab.
If you receive an error upon opening AE because the WQ plugin cannot load (seems to be mostly an issue on Mac), please read the following section.
Option 2: Manual Install
If you're not using the manager app, please follow these instructions:
Download the script from aescripts.com.
In the zip, you find a file called "--- Workflower ---.jsxbin".
As of Workflower version 2.0 you also get a folder called "ScriptUI Panel (OPTIONAL)" within which you find a file called "Workflower ScriptUI Panel.jsxbin".
As well as a folder called "Additional Plug-in (OPTIONAL)" within which you find a folder called "TerribleJunkShow" that contains a plug-in named "WQ.aex" (Win) / "WQ.plugin" (Mac). (The plug-in allows for double-click behavior on group headers.)
It is mandatory to install "--- Workflower ---.jsxbin" while it is optional to install "Workflower ScriptUI Panel.jsxbin" and "WQ.aex" / "WQ.plugin".
Main Script File
Copy and paste "--- Workflower ---.jsxbin" into After Effects' Scripts folder:
Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects XX\Support Files\Scripts
Mac: /Applications/Adobe After Effects XX/Scripts
ScriptUI Panel File
Copy and paste "Workflower ScriptUI Panel.jsxbin" into After Effects' ScriptUI Panels folder:
Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects XX\Support Files\Scripts\ScriptUI Panels
Mac: /Applications/Adobe After Effects XX/Scripts/ScriptUI Panels
Additional WQ Plug-In
Copy and paste the entire folder "TerribleJunkShow" (not only "WQ.aex" or "WQ.plugin") into After Effects' Plug-ins folder:
Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects XX\Support Files\Plug-ins
Mac: /Applications/Adobe After Effects XX/Plug-ins
In case you experience issues with the WQ plug-in upon opening After Effects (seems to be only an issue on Mac), please check out this section.
Taking Precautions with Workflower's Script Files
You need to put the script files into the system scripts folder, as specified above, not the user scripts folder. Otherwise, the script won't work. That's why you also can't install the script via the File > Scripts > Install Script File... which would put the script into the user scripts folder.
If accidentally put --- Workflower ---.jsxbin into the ScriptUI Panels folder or into the user scripts folder and you then copied the file to the correct location, you need to make sure the file at the wrong location is deleted because the script otherwise won't work.
Make sure that the main script "--- Workflower ---.jsxbin" is the first or one of the first entries in the folder. (However, because of its name, starting with "---", it should appear at the top or near the top most of the time anyway.) This is important because After Effects can apply shortcuts only to the first 20 scripts within the scripts folder. So "--- Workflower ---.jsxbin" should be at least script 20 when you're on Windows, or pretty much script 1 when you're on Mac. (On Mac, Workflower will have to install more scripts in the scripts folder to apply shortcuts. For more on this, read the chapter on Shortcut Modes.)
Also, be aware that you should NEVER rename the script files. If they don't have exactly that name, the script won't work.
After Installing the Script Files
After copying the script files or installing them via the manager app, (re-)start After Effects, go to File / Scripts and click on "--- Workflower ---.jsxbin".
If you didn't install the ScriptUI Panel yourself, Workflower will now inform you about how to install it yourself.
Afterwards, you will be directed to install the shortcuts.
Possible Issues with the WQ Plug-In
On Mac, the OS might refuse to load the plug-in upon launching After Effects since Apple cannot scan for malicious software:
If that's the case, please do the following:
Make sure the problem just occurred. If it didn't, start After Effects so the error will be triggered.
Open up your System Preferences
Go to Privacy & Security:
On MacOS Ventura/Sonoma and later, scroll down the Privacy & Security settings page. On MacOS Monterey and earlier, make sure you're at the General tab of the Privacy & Security settings page.
Allow WQ.plugin to load:
Restart After Effects
You will get the same error message but this time you can click on Open:
You may also take a look at this quick video tutorial on how to fix the issue.
If you experience something similar on Windows, please make sure to exempt the plug-in from a security check as well.
Step 2: Installing the Shortcuts
During the installation process of Workflower, eventually the Keyboard Shortcuts panel will come up.
In the Keyboard Shortcuts panel, the default shortcuts will have been set (if chosen before). You can customize your shortcuts by clicking on Edit next to the shortcut. When you're done, make sure to click on Save to apply the shortcuts. (Otherwise, no shortcuts will be applied.)
From now on, you can access any Workflower function via a shortcut. Either by hitting the shortcut of the main panel (from where you can access every function) or the shortcut of the desired function itself.
For more information on shortcuts and the different shortcut modes (the default mode is a different one on Windows than on Mac), read the chapter on Shortcuts.
Keyboard Layout Presets
Workflower will always set shortcuts on the current Keyboard Layout in After Effects. It is not possible, however, to set shortcuts on the default layout (After Effects Default.txt). Go to the After Effects Keyboard Shortcuts panel to change it. Click on Save As... to create a copy of it and define a new preset.
If After Effects is running in another language than English, it will be possible to set Workflower shortcuts on the default file (since it will not be the After Effects Default.txt file); it is recommended, however, to create a copy of that, too, in order to have a backup copy the original shortcuts.
After creating the new preset, click on OK and open up the Workflower Keyboard Shortcuts panel to set the shortcuts.
When, at some point, you switched the Keyboard Layout within After Effects, hitting a Workflower shortcut might not have an effect since no shortcuts have been associated with the new keyboard layout. In that case, go to File / Scripts and click on "--- Workflower ---.jsxbin" again. Workflower's main panel will come up. Now go to the Workflower Keyboard Shortcuts panel and set shortcuts for this layout.
(Step 3:) Updating the Script
Option 1: Update using the Manager App
To update the script, you can use the aescripts + aeplugins manager app. Make sure to use at least version 1.5.344.0 of the app, otherwise, the script won't be installed correctly.
After updating make sure to restart After Effects in case you have it open already.
Option 2: Manual Update
If you're not using the manager app, download the new version of Workflower from aescripts.com and you will receive files named "--- Workflower ---.jsxbin", "Workflower ScriptUI Panel.jsxbin" and "WQ.aex" / "WQ.plugin" again.
Just copy "--- Workflower ---.jsxbin" and paste it to the AE's Scripts folder. Choose to overwrite the existing "--- Workflower ---.jsxbin". Repeat the same process for "Workflower ScriptUI Panel.jsxbin" but copy it into AE's ScriptUI Panels folder, as well as for the folder "TerribleJunkShow" that contains the WQ plug-in that you copy to AE's Plug-ins folder.
Now you have successfully updated to the newest version. Afterwards, make sure to restart After Effects in case you have it open already.
When you're on Mac, or you're using Individual Scripts Mode on Windows, after updating the main script file, all other shortcut slots will have to be updated to the newest version as well. Just execute any Workflower function and all shortcut slots will be automatically updated.
(Step 4:) Setting up KBar Buttons
(Added in version 1.0.4)
Workflower supports KBar buttons. To make use of this, create a button in KBar and link it to the script file "--- Workflower ---.jsxbin". This also applies when you're on Mac or you're using Individual Scripts Mode on Windows - do not link it to another shortcut slot file in that case (like "--- Workflower II Function 03 ---.jsxbin").
Function Names
To link a KBar button to a specific function, use these script function names:
Main Functions
Group Functions
Layer Functions
Icons
If you want to use Workflower icons in KBar, you can download them as PNGs below.
(Note: Icons have been updated for version 2.0.)
Batch-create all Buttons
As of version 1.1.3, you can create all of Workflower's buttons at once as a KBar toolbar.
Simply go to the Layout Settings and click on Install WF KBar Toolbar. Workflower will then create a new toolbar in KBar and replicate the entire Main Menu.
After installing, (re-)start KBar and click on its hamburger menu to select the Workflower toolbar.
For safety, Workflower will create a backup of your old KBar settings file and save it next to the current one. So if you want to go back, you can always go back to your old KBar settings. To do that, simply go to KBar's Settings, click on Restore and select the backup file.
As of version 2.0, buttons will be added without modifier keys. That way, you may want to use KBar over Workflower's ScriptUI Panel if you prefer to have all buttons visible at the same time.
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