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/workflower/. (You can simply download the trial by clicking on 'TRY'. This also works for people with a license as trial and licensed product are the same file. If you have a license, you may also go to your account, then click on My Downloads & Licenses to download Workflower.)

Unzip the downloaded file. In the unzipped files, you'll find a folder called "00 Files":

Within this folder, you'll find all relevant files to copy-paste:

01 Script

In the folder "01 Script", you'll find the file "--- Workflower ---.jsxbin". Copy and paste this file into After Effects' Scripts folder:

Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects XX\Support Files\Scripts
Mac: /Applications/Adobe After Effects XX/Scripts

02 ScriptUI Panel

In the folder "02 ScriptUI Panel", you'll find the file "Workflower ScriptUI Panel.jsxbin". Copy and paste this file 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

03 Startup

In the folder "03 Startup", you'll find the file "Workflower Startup.jsxbin". Copy and paste this file into After Effects' Startup folder:

Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects XX\Support Files\Scripts\Startup
Mac: /Applications/Adobe After Effects XX/Scripts/Startup

04 Plug-in

In the folder "04 Plug-in Windows" or "04 Plug-in Mac" (choose depending on your OS), you'll find the folder "TerribleJunkShow". 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.

05 App Data

In the folder "05 App Data Windows" or "05 App Data Mac" (choose depending on your OS), you'll find the folder "Workflower for After Effects". Copy and paste the entire folder "Workflower for After Effects" (not only the content) into your system's App Data folder:

Windows: Path of %PROGRAMDATA%, by default this is C:\ProgramData
- (To find it, simply type C:\ProgramData into the search bar of the file browser as it might visibly not appear at the highest level of C:)
Mac: /Library/Application Support
- (To find it, simply go to the highest level of your main drive, then click on Library > Application Support)

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 all installation files. Repeat the steps as outlined in the Manual Installation instructions. Choose to replace all prior installed files.

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. As of Workflower 2.5, there are two ways of setting up the buttons:

1.) Set up via Linking Script File (since Workflower 1.0.4)

To set up a KBar button via linking, go to KBar's settings, click on Add Button and select Run JSX/JSXBIN File. Now 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"). Afterwards, put in your desired function name.

2.) Set up via Workflower API (since Workflower 2.5)

To set up via the Workflower API, go to KBar's settings, click on Add Button and select Run Scriptlet. Now put in this code:

wfAPI.kbarExecute("functionName")

So, when you want to add Create Group, you would write:

wfAPI.kbarExecute("createGroup")

The advantage of using the API over linking the script file is that the button will always call the Workflower file within the AE version that's currently running. When you're using Script File Linking on the other hand and you've linked the script file in another AE version, however, the wrong Workflower file will be called (e.g. you originally set up the buttons in AE 2023, then upgrade to AE 2024), meaning you will have to redirect each of the buttons to the current AE version.

To call a function via the API, Workflower needs to have been started once in your session. Opening and closing the ScriptUI Panel will suffice for example.

You may even check within your KBar command for this, so you don't have to manually open and close the ScriptUI Panel after every After Effects launch (you'll only need to change the functionName variable):

var functionName = "createGroup";
if (typeof wfAPI === "undefined"){
   var cmdID = app.findMenuCommandId("Workflower ScriptUI Panel.jsxbin");
   if (cmdID){
      app.executeCommand(cmdID);
      app.executeCommand(cmdID);
   }
}
wfAPI.kbarExecute(functionName);

Function Names

To link a KBar button to a specific function, use these script function names:

Main Functions

Workflower Function

Function Name in KBar

Main Menu

Settings

settings

Keyboard Shortcuts

keyboardShortcuts

Refresh Layout

refreshLayout

Toggle Non-Indented Layout

nonIndentLayout

Toggle Expression Mode

expressionModeLayout

Show / Hide Layer Relationships

showLayerRelationships

Refresh Connections

refreshConnections

Quick Refresh Connections

quickRefreshConnections

Add / Remove Layer / Mask References

addRemoveLayerReferences

Link / Unlink Properties

linkUnlinkProperties

Sort Project Items

sortProjectItems

Reveal Project File

revealProjectFile

Group Functions

Workflower Function

Function Name in KBar

Create Group

createGroup

Duplicate Group

duplicateGroup

Expand / Collapse Group

expandGroup

Expand / Collapse All Sub-Groups

expandAllSubGroups

Select Group

selectGroup

Delete Layer / Clone / Group

deleteLayerCloneGroup

Ungroup Layer/s

ungroup

Dissolve Group

dissolveGroup

Parent Layers to Group

parentGroup

Set Parent Exception Layer

parentExceptionLayer

Center Group Header

centerHeader

Enable / Disable Group

enableGroup

Solo Group

soloGroup

Lock Group

lockGroup

Relabel Layer / Group / Keyframe

relabelLayers

Relabel Layer/s with a specific label color

relabelLayers(label-ID), e.g. relabelLayers(3)

Layer Functions

Workflower Function

Function Name in KBar

createMatte

mergeMattes

cloneAndPrecomp

cloneInComp

showCloneLayers

Show and Solo Clone Layers

showAndSoloCloneLayers

Preview Custom Clone Size

previewCustomCloneSize

Create Linked Adjustment Layer

linkedAdjustmentLayer

Create Matted Adjustment Layer

mattedAdjustmentLayer

Convert Property to Comp Size

convertPropertyToCompSize

Rename Layer/s

renameLayers

Rename Layers by Number

renameLayersByNumber

storeLayers1

storeLayers2

storeLayers3

storeLayers4

Paste Stored Layers 1

pasteLayers1

Paste Stored Layers 2

pasteLayers2

Paste Stored Layers 3

pasteLayers3

Paste Stored Layers 4

pasteLayers4

Store Layers by ID

storeLayersByID

Paste Stored Layers by ID

pasteLayersByID

Save Global Store Comp

saveGlobalStoreComp

Load Global Store Comp

loadGlobalStoreComp

Tag / Untag Layer/s

tagUntagLayers

Perform Action on Tagged Layer/s

performOnTaggedLayers

Activate / Deactivate Tag Group 1

activateTag1

Activate / Deactivate Tag Group 2

activateTag2

Activate / Deactivate Tag Group 3

activateTag3

Reveal Layer Opacity

revealLayerOpacity

Show / Hide Move Indicator

showMoveIndicator

Precompose

precompose

Pre-Render

preRender

Show / Hide Pre-Render

showHidePreRender

Show / Hide Pre-Render WF Proxy

showHidePreRenderWFProxy

Push Frame to Photoshop

pushFrameToPhotoshop

Mark Pre-Render State

markPreRenderState

Exempt Layer Name from Alteration

nameExceptionLayer

Exempt Layer from Trimming

trimExceptionLayer

Trim Layer to Keyframes

trimLayerToKeyframes

Trim Layer to Layer

trimLayerToLayer

Create Control

createControl

Unshy Layers

unshy

Icons

If you want to use Workflower icons in KBar, you can download them as PNGs below.

(Note: Icons have been updated for version 2.5.)

98KB

kbar_workflower_icons_v2.5.zip

Batch-create all Buttons (Legacy)

This is a legacy function. Since Workflower now features its own ScriptUI Panel, buttons for functions added after v2.0 won't be created.

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.

Third-Party Licenses used in Workflower

FFmpeg (Multimedia Processing Suite)

FFmpeg Versions and Licensing

Default Installation (Bundled Version)
- Windows Version:
  - LGPL v3 compliant FFmpeg build from BtbN
  - Distributed under MIT license (build) and LGPL v3 (FFmpeg)
  - Code-signed for Windows security
  - Original build available at: https://github.com/BtbN/FFmpeg-Builds
  - Source code available at: https://ffmpeg.org/download
- Mac Version:
  - LGPL v3 compliant FFmpeg custom-build
  - Compiled specifically for Workflower
  - Unmodified FFmpeg source code
  - Source code available at: https://ffmpeg.org/download
- Automatically installed with the script
Fallback Option 1: Terminal Installation (Package Managers)
- License: Subject to the package managers' choice
- Installed independently via system package managers:
  - Windows: Winget (winget install ffmpeg)
  - Mac: Homebrew (brew install ffmpeg)
- Workflower only references the FFmpeg installation path and does not modify or redistribute the externally installed FFmpeg code.
Fallback Option 2: Manual Installation
- License: Varies based on chosen version
- User is responsible for:
  - Choosing appropriate version
  - License compliance
  - Proper installation
  - Maintaining installation path
- Workflower only references the FFmpeg manual installation path and does not modify or redistribute any externally installed FFmpeg code.

Why Different Licenses?

The bundled version is specifically compiled to be LGPL v3 compliant, allowing for more flexible integration with commercial software. Manual and package manager installations may vary in their licensing depending on the source and version chosen.

Compliance Information

Our bundled version uses unmodified FFmpeg source code compiled with LGPL v3 compliant options
Original FFmpeg source code is available at: ffmpeg.org/download
Users can choose which version to use based on their needs
Package manager and manual installations are handled independently of our script

Technical Implementation

The script interfaces with FFmpeg through standard CLI commands, regardless of which version is installed. The script only references the FFmpeg installation path and does not modify or redistribute any externally installed FFmpeg code.

Name that Color JavaScript (JavaScript Library)

By Chirag Mehta
Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License (CC BY 2.5)
http://chir.ag/projects/name-that-color/

WQ (After Effects Plug-in)

By Terrible Junk Show
https://www.terriblejunkshow.com

Full License Texts

Full license texts are available here:

FFmpeg: LGPL v3 License
BtbN: MIT License
Name that Color: CC BY 2.5 License

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Last updated 2 months ago

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