Main Functions
Group Functions
Installation
Step 1: Installing the Script
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.
If you're not using the manager app, download the script from aescripts.com, then copy the file --- Workflower ---.jsxbin and paste it to After Effects' scripts folder:
- Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects XX\Support Files\Scripts
- Mac: /Applications/Adobe After Effects XX/Scripts
Be aware that the Workflower script has to go into the main Scripts folder, NOT the ScriptUI Panels folder, where most other scripts go into.
Also, you need to put --- Workflower ---.jsxbin 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 script 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.)
Workflower Script at the Top of the Folder
Also, be aware that you should NEVER rename the script file. If it doesn't have exactly that name, the script won't work.
After copying the script, (re-)start After Effects, go to File / Scripts and click on --- Workflower ---.jsxbin. You will be asked whether you want to use shortcuts with Workflower. (Because Workflower is pretty much unusable without shortcuts, this is strongly recommended.)
Step 2: Installing the Shortcuts
After choosing to use Workflower with shortcuts, the Keyboard Shortcuts panel will come up.
Workflower Keyboard Shortcuts Panel
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.
Saving a Copy of the Default Shortcut File
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. Worklower'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
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.
If you're not using the manager app, download the new version of Workflower from aescripts.com and you will receive a file named --- Workflower ---.jsxbin again. Just copy --- Workflower ---.jsxbin and paste it to the AE's scripts folder. Choose to overwrite the existing --- Workflower ---.jsxbin. Now you have successfully updated to the newest version. You don't even have to restart After Effects.
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
Setting up a KBar Button for 'Create Group'
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
Workflower Function
Function Name in KBar
menu
Settings
settings
keyboardShortcuts
refreshLayout
nonIndentLayout
expressionModeLayout
refreshConnections
quickRefreshConnections
addRemoveLayerReferences
linkUnlinkProperties
Group Functions
Workflower Function
Function Name in KBar
createGroup
duplicateGroup
expandGroup
expandAllSubGroups
selectGroup
ungroup
dissolveGroup
deleteLayerCloneGroup
parentGroup
parentExceptionLayer
centerHeader
enableGroup
soloGroup
lockGroup
Layer Functions
Workflower Function
Function Name in KBar
createMatte
mergeMattes
cloneAndPrecomp
cloneInComp
showCloneLayers
linkedAdjustmentLayer
mattedAdjustmentLayer
renameLayers
renameLayersByNumber
relabelLayers
relabelLayers(label-ID), e.g. relabelLayers(3)
storeLayers1
storeLayers2
storeLayers3
storeLayers4
pasteLayers1
pasteLayers2
pasteLayers3
pasteLayers4
precompose
Icons
If you want to use Workflower icons in KBar, you can download them as PNGs below.
kbar_workflower_icons_v1-1.zip
70KB
Binary
Batch-create all Buttons
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 (inlcuding the modifier keys).
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.
Last modified 3d ago