AVLayer object

app.project.item(index).layer(index)

The AVLayer object provides an interface to those layers that contain AVItem objects (composition layers, footage layers, solid layers, text layers, and sound layers).

  • AVLayer is a subclass of Layer. All methods and attributes of Layer, in addition to those listed below, are available when working with AVLayer. See “Layer object” on page 86.
  • AVLayer is a base class for TextLayer, so AVLayer attributes and methods are available when working with TextLayer objects. See “TextLayer object” on page 188.

AE Properties

Different types of layers have different AE properties. AVLayer has the following properties and property groups:

  • Marker
  • Time Remap
  • Motion Trackers
  • Masks
  • Effects
  • Transform
    • Anchor Point
    • Position
    • Scale
    • Orientation
    • X Rotation
    • Y Rotation
    • Rotation
    • Opacity
  • Layer Styles
  • Geometry Options Ray-traced 3D
  • Material Options
    • Casts Shadows
    • Light Transmission
    • Accepts Shadows
    • Accepts Lights
    • Appears in Reflections Ray-traced 3D
    • Ambient
    • Diffuse
    • Specular Intensity
    • Specular Shininess
    • Metal
    • Reflection Intensity Ray-traced 3D
    • Reflection Sharpness Ray-traced 3D
    • Reflection Rolloff Ray-traced 3D
    • Transparency Ray-traced 3D
    • Transparency Rolloff Ray-traced 3D
    • Index of Refraction Ray-traced 3D
  • Audio
    • Audio Levels

Example

If the first item in the project is a CompItem, and the first layer of that CompItem is an AVLayer, the following sets the layer quality, startTime, and inPoint.

var firstLayer = app.project.item(1).layer(1);
firstLayer.quality = LayerQuality.BEST;
firstLayer.startTime = 1;
firstLayer.inPoint = 2;

Attribute List

Attribute Description
source The source item for this layer.
isNameFromSource When true, the layer has no expressly set name, but contains a named source.
height The height of the layer.
width The width of the layer.
audioEnabled When true, the layer's audio is enabled.
motionBlur When true, the layer's motion blur is enabled.
effectsActive When true, the layer's effects are active.
adjustmentLayer When true, this is an adjustment layer.
guideLayer When true, this is a guide layer.
threeDLayer When true, this is a 3D layer.
threeDPerChar When true, 3D is set on a per-character basis in this text layer.
environmentLayer When true, this is an environment layer.
canSetCollapseTransformation When true, it is legal to change the value of collapseTransformation.
collapseTransformation When true, collapse transformation is on.
frameBlending When true, frame blending is enabled.
frameBlendingType The type of frame blending for the layer.
canSetTimeRemapEnabled When true, it is legal to change the value of timeRemapEnabled.
timeRemapEnabled When true, time remapping is enabled on this layer.
hasAudio When true, the layer contains an audio component.
audioActive When true, the layer's audio is active at the current time.
blendingMode The blending mode of the layer.
preserveTransparency When true, preserve transparency is enabled.
trackMatteType if layer has a track matte, specifies the way it is applied.
isTrackMatte When true, this layer is being used as a track matte for the layer below it.
hasTrackMatte When true, the layer above is being used as a track matte on this layer.
quality The layer quality setting.
autoOrient The type of automatic orientation for the layer.

Method List

Method Description
audioActiveAtTime() Reports whether this layer's audio is active at a given time.
calculateTransformFromPoints() Calculates a transformation from a set of points in this layer.
replaceSource() Changes the source item for this layer.
sourceRectAtTime() Retrieves the source rectangle of a layer.
openInViewer() Opens the layer in a Layer panel.

adjustmentLayer attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).adjustmentLayer

True if the layer is an adjustment layer.

Type: Boolean read/write.

audioActive attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).audioActive

True if the layer's audio is active at the current time.

For this value to be true, audioEnabled must be tr ue, no other layer with audio may be soloing unless this layer is soloed too, and the time must be between the inPoint and outPoint of this layer.

Type: Boolean read-only

audioActiveAtTime() method

app.project.item(index).layer(index).audioActiveAtTime(time)

Returns true if this layer's audio will be active at the specified time. For this method to return true, audioEnabled must be true, no other layer with audio may be soloing unless this layer is soloed too, and the time must be between the inPoint and outPoint of this layer.

Parameters:

  • time The time, in seconds. A floating-point value.

Returns: Boolean

audioEnabled attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).audioEnabled

When true, the layer's audio is enabled. This value corresponds to the audio toggle switch in the Timeline panel.

Type: Boolean read/write

autoOrient attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).autoOrient

The type of automatic orientation to perform for the layer.

Type: An AutoOrientType enumerated value; read/write. One of:

  • AutoOrientType.ALONG_PATH Layer faces in the direction of the motion path.
  • AutoOrientType.CAMERA_OR_POINT_OF_INTEREST Layer always faces the active camera or points at its point of interest.
  • AutoOrientType.CHARACTERS_TOWARD_CAMERA Each character in a per-character 3D text layer automatically faces the active camera.
  • AutoOrientType.NO_AUTO_ORIENT Layer rotates freely, independent of any motion path, point of interest, or other layers.

blendingMode attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).blendingMode

The blending mode of the layer.

Type: A BlendingMode enumerated value; read/write. One of:

  • BlendingMode.ADD
  • BlendingMode.ALPHA_ADD
  • BlendingMode.CLASSIC_COLOR_BURN
  • BlendingMode.CLASSIC_COLOR_DODGE
  • BlendingMode.CLASSIC_DIFFERENCE
  • BlendingMode.COLOR
  • BlendingMode.COLOR_BURN
  • BlendingMode.COLOR_DODGE
  • BlendingMode.DANCING_DISSOLVE
  • BlendingMode.DARKEN
  • BlendingMode.DARKER_COLOR
  • BlendingMode.DIFFERENCE
  • BlendingMode.DISSOLVE
  • BlendingMode.EXCLUSION
  • BlendingMode.HARD_LIGHT
  • BlendingMode.HARD_MIX
  • BlendingMode.HUE
  • BlendingMode.LIGHTEN
  • BlendingMode.LIGHTER_COLOR
  • BlendingMode.LINEAR_BURN
  • BlendingMode.LINEAR_DODGE
  • BlendingMode.LINEAR_LIGHT
  • BlendingMode.LUMINESCENT_PREMUL
  • BlendingMode.LUMINOSITY
  • BlendingMode.MULTIPLY
  • BlendingMode.NORMAL
  • BlendingMode.OVERLAY
  • BlendingMode.PIN_LIGHT
  • BlendingMode.SATURATION
  • BlendingMode.SCREEN
  • BlendingMode.SILHOUETE_ALPHA
  • BlendingMode.SILHOUETTE_LUMA
  • BlendingMode.SOFT_LIGHT
  • BlendingMode.STENCIL_ALPHA
  • BlendingMode.STENCIL_LUMA
  • BlendingMode.VIVID_LIGHT

calculateTransformFromPoints() method

app.project.item(index).layer(index).calculateTransformFromPoints(
    pointTopLeft, 
    pointTopRight, 
    pointBottomRight
    )

Calculates a transformation from a set of points in this layer.

Parameters:

  • pointTopLeft The top left point coordinates in the form of an array, [x, y, z].
  • pointTopRight The top right point coordinates in the form of an array, [x, y, z].
  • pointBottomRight The bottom right point coordinates in the form of an array, [x, y, z].

Returns: An Object with the transformation properties set.

Example:

var newLayer = comp.layers.add(newFootage);
newLayer.threeDLayer = true;
newLayer.blendingMode = BlendingMode.ALPHA_ADD;
var transform = newLayer.calculateTransformFromPoints(tl, tr, bl);
for(var sel in transform) {
    newLayer.transform[sel].setValue(transform[sel]);
}

canSetCollapseTransformation attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).canSetCollapseTransformation

True if it is legal to change the value of the collapseTransformation attribute on this layer.

Type: Boolean read-only

canSetTimeRemapEnabled attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).canSetTimeRemapEnabled

True if it is legal to change the value of the timeRemapEnabled attribute on this layer.

Type: Boolean read-only

collapseTransformation attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).collapseTransformation

True if collapse transformation is on for this layer.

Type: Boolean read/write.

effectsActive attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).effectsActive

True if the layer's effects are active, as indicated by the [f] icon next to it in the user interface.

Type: Boolean read/write.

environmentLayer attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).environmentLayer

True if this is an environment layer in a Ray-traced 3D composition. Setting this attribute to true automatically makes the layer 3D (threeDLayer becomes true).

Type: Boolean read/write.

frameBlending attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).frameBlending

True if frame blending is enabled for the layer.

Type: Boolean read-only

frameBlendingType attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).frameBlendingType

The type of frame blending to perform when frame blending is enabled for the layer.

Type: A FrameBlendingType enumerated value; read/write. One of:

  • FrameBlendingType.FRAME_MIX
  • FrameBlendingType.NO_FRAME_BLEND
  • FrameBlendingType.PIXEL_MOTION

guideLayer attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).guideLayer

True if the layer is a guide layer.

Type: Boolean read/write

hasAudio attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).hasAudio

True if the layer contains an audio component, regardless of whether it is audio-enabled or soloed.

Type: Boolean read-only

AV Layer hasTrack M atte attribute
app.project.item(index).layer(index).hasTrackMatte

True if the layer in front of this layer is being used as a track matte on this layer. When true, this layer's track- MatteType value controls how the matte is applied.

Type: Boolean read-only

AV Layer height attribu te
app.project.item(index).layer(index).height

The height of the layer in pixels.

Type: Floating-point; read-only

isNameFromSource attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).isNameFromSource

True if the layer has no expressly set name, but contains a named source. In this case, layer.name has the same value as layer.source.name. False if the layer has an expressly set name, or if the layer does not have a source.

Type: Boolean read-only

isTrackMatte attribute

app.project.item(index)layer(index).isTrackMatte

True if this layer is being used as a track matte for the layer behind it.

Type: Boolean read-only

motionBlur attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).motionBlur

True if motion blur is enabled for the layer.

Type: Boolean read/write.

openInViewer() method

app.project.item(index).layer(index).openInViewer()

Opens the layer in a Layer panel, and moves the Layer panel to front and gives it focus.

Parameters: None.

Returns: Viewer object for the Layer panel, or null if the layer could not be opened (e.g., for text or shape layers, which cannot be opened in the Layer panel).

preserveTransparency attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).preserveTransparency

True if preserve transparency is enabled for the layer.

Type: Boolean read/write.

quality attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).quality

The quality with which this layer is displayed.

Type: A LayerQuality enumerated value; read/write. One of:

  • LayerQuality.BEST
  • LayerQuality.DRAFT
  • LayerQuality.WIREFRAME

replaceSource() method

app.project.item(index).layer(index).replaceSource (newSource, fixExpressions)

Replaces the source for this layer.

Parameters:

  • newSource The new source AVItem object.
  • fixExpressions Tr u e to adjust expressions for the new source, false otherwise. Note that this feature can be resource-intensive; if replacing a large amount of footage, do this only at the end of the operation. See also “Project autoFixExpressions() method” on page 115.

Returns: Nothing.

source attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).source

The source AVItem for this layer. The value is null in a Text layer. Use AVLayer.replaceSource() to change the value.

Type: AVItem object read-only

sourceRectAtTime() method

app.project.item(index).layer(index).sourceRectAtTime(timeT, extents)

Retrieves the rectangle bounds of the layer at the specified time index, corrected for text or shape layer content. Use, for example, to write text that is properly aligned to the baseline.

Parameters:

  • timeT The time index, in seconds. A floating-point value.
  • extents True to include the extents, false otherwise. Extents apply to shape layers, increasing the size of the layer bounds as necessary.

Returns: A JavaScript object with four attributes [top, left, width, height].

threeDLayer attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).threeDLayer

True if this is a 3D layer.

Type: Boolean read/write

threeDPerChar attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).threeDPerChar

True if this layer has the Enable Per-character 3D switch set, allowing its characters to be animated off the plane of the text layer. Applies only to text layers.

Type: Boolean read/write.

timeRemapEnabled attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).timeRemapEnabled

True if time remapping is enabled for this layer.

Type: Boolean read/write

trackMatteType attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).trackMatteType

If this layer has a track matte, specifies the way the track matte is applied.

Type: A TrackMatteType enumerated value; read/write. One of:

  • TrackMatteType.ALPHA
  • TrackMatteType.ALPHA_INVERTED
  • TrackMatteType.LUMA
  • TrackMatteType.LUMA_INVERTED
  • TrackMatteType.NO_TRACK_MATTE

width attribute

app.project.item(index).layer(index).width

The width of the layer in pixels.

Type: Floating-point read-only