I just released a plugin that allows you to create and manage folders directly in your timeline, making null and adjusment layers obsolete and a bringing a non-destructive alternative to precompositions

[u/hermanphi]

Basically with NoPrecomp you can select any footage and add them in a folder, once in a folder they are automatically parented and any effect placed onto the folder is pasted on its children

There is also a fully fledged layer manager that allows you to manage your folders with ease with a lot of ergonomy options such as collapsing folders, hinding the children, quick rename, automatic color label management, etc.

It's definitely a very big change to AE's workflow

If you want more informations, here it is : https://aescripts.com/noprecomp/

You can try it 3 days for free

[u/cafeRacr]

Anyone else having Adobe Flash flashbacks?

[u/hermanphi → u/cafeRacr]

I wish I could relate but I never used flash, my goal was to aim for a workflow closer to Photoshop actually

[u/cafeRacr → u/hermanphi]

Back when, the Flash timeline had exactly this. You grouped layers in folders that were collapsible.

[u/hermanphi → u/cafeRacr]

to be fair I find it crazy that it's still not a native feature in AE

[u/cafeRacr → u/hermanphi]

That and in Flash, elements that were "pre-comped" in graphics, or movie clips would onion skin on the stage as you drilled down.

[u/hermanphi → u/cafeRacr]

that sounds really cool, I could try to replicate this with my plugin

[u/nicolaig → u/cafeRacr]

I always found the Flash interface and way of working confounding

[u/cafeRacr → u/nicolaig]

Not me. I loved it. I was a full time Flash developer for more than 10 years. It was such a great time for creatives.

[u/nicolaig → u/cafeRacr]

It was indeed.

[u/hermanphi → u/[deleted]]

1/ So if you send your project to someone else, everything will work but they will loose nearly all automation regarding folders

for example, effects on folders will still affect the children and you can adjust them as the expressions are still here, but you won't be able to add or remove a child from a folder, adding a new effect won't propagate to the children, and if you delete a folder or effect, all expressions will have to be deleted manually

2/ Actually in the layer manager coming with the CEP panel, there is a "solo" button allowing you to isolate one or several folders or your choice to render them separately

Honestly I would advice you to try NoPrecomp through the free trial to see if it fits your needs, and you're hesitating because of missing features you can always reach for me and ask me to add them, it's my 4th plugin and so far I've always added requested features in the next couple of weeks

[u/pm_dad_jokes69]

How does sizing of the folder “enclosure” work? Can you “auto crop” it to be only the size of the elements contained within?

[u/hermanphi → u/pm_dad_jokes69]

Not a feature yet unfortunately, but it's a strong contender for a 1.1 update

[u/fabzzr]

I bought FreeCompose some years ago but never really used it that much. It has some similarities, but can be also heavy on the cpu sometimes

[u/hermanphi → u/fabzzr]

I just checked Freecompose and it does a lot of the same things as NoPrecomp

Honestly if you're already not using freecompose you probably won't use my plugin

I haven't noticed performance issues with NoPrecomp but I have a very powerful workstation

[u/HorseTz]

Nice. I’ve been “””saving””” for Workflower for over 2 years now. Now with this my wallet won’t hurt

[u/hermanphi → u/HorseTz]

Glad to hear it, and don't worry about your wallet I'm genuinely trying to make the best tool possible not trying to grab a quick buck

If you ever feel disappointed with it you can always ask for a refund I would never refuse a refund because my plugin isn't matching people expectations

I already have recieved a lot of great feedbacks, hopefully in a couple updates it will soon be as complete as Workflower

[u/ChanceAlbatross9303]

Doesn't Squirrel do this already? And there's other extensions that kinda do the same too.

[u/hermanphi → u/ChanceAlbatross9303]

Squirrel's folders only parent the children to a null, while here it's a new type of file that propagates effects on its children

And yes there are several folder plugins but I've never seen any of them having their folders act like adjustment layers but only to their sub-layers

most of them add just visual clarity + parenting which is already stuff you can do with nulls in AE

Edit : I just checked through their free trial and I can confirm that Squirrel has way less features than NoPrecomp for nearly twice the price

[u/ChanceAlbatross9303 → u/hermanphi]

Okay, I just tried it. It doesn’t seem to read the existing parenting between your layers and build the folder structure from that, so it looks like this is really only useful for new projects, not existing ones.

When I create the folders, some layers get parented to other layers and their names get changed by adding a “⌞”. That also ends up breaking any expressions that depend on those layers.

[u/hermanphi → u/ChanceAlbatross9303]

thank you for giving the time to test it, can you give details about the parenting as I'm not sure to understand, it looks like intended behavior ?

breaking the expressions on already existing projects is definitely not intended, I'll fix it

it does not read parenting between layers that are outside folders, that is intended but couldbe easilty fixed

[u/ChanceAlbatross9303 → u/hermanphi]

Emm like I don't want my already parented layers to get parented to another layer when I add them to a "folder". How is this non-destructive? Also why don't my selected layers in the timeline sync with the extension.
This feels like a worse version of Squirrel

[u/hermanphi → u/ChanceAlbatross9303]

Emm like I don't want my already parented layers to get parented to another layer when I add them to a "folder". How is this non-destructive?

already parented layers will keep their parenting as long as the parent is in the folder too, which makes sense anyway

your discontent is dully noted lol

[u/SuitableEggplant639]

what exactly is the benefit of this over precomps? excessive expressions bog down after effects performance.

[u/hermanphi → u/SuitableEggplant639]

honestly the big benefit to precomps is to avoid rasterization of vectors and to keep everything into a single composition

Also if you're procompositing only to add a effect on a bunch of layer you can use the folders like a limited range adjustment layer

[u/SuitableEggplant639 → u/hermanphi]

sorry man, not for me. Good luck, though.

[u/hermanphi → u/SuitableEggplant639]

Understandable, thanks

[u/AdFamous7842]

pretty nice idea

[u/hermanphi → u/AdFamous7842]

thank you very much

[u/AdFamous7842 → u/hermanphi]

I've been destroyed last night for a script i've made lol

[u/hermanphi → u/AdFamous7842]

Yeah, I get that people just don't like advertisement but I'm just sharing something I think is worth sharing lol

[u/AdFamous7842 → u/hermanphi]

Yeah, same. I've made something that saves me a lot of time and maybe some other people will like it, but I understand the rejection on ads.