Templater ExtendScript API Reference

Returns an object with properties that specify the start and end positions of the data within the data source. You can access only two properties in this object: the start and the end of the batch that Templater retrieved from the data source.

• $D.range().start — Returns a numerical value representing the ordinal position of the first row of data that Templater retrieved for the current batch operation.
• $D.range().end — Returns a numerical value representing the ordinal position of last row that Templater retrieved for the current batch operation.

NOTE  When Templater Bot is enabled, values for start and end may not represent the actual range processed.

Provides access to retrieve or manipulate the batch of jobs that Templater processes. There are three methods that belong to this object.

• $D.batch.get(key) — If no key parameter is supplied, this returns an array containing objects, each representing an individual job to be processed by Templater. Each job object has property keys that match those found in the data source. If a key parameter is supplied, this method returns an array containing the values for the property key found in each object within the array.
• $D.batch.set(function, context) — If a function is passed as the first parameter, each job object in the batch array can be processed by the function. This is useful if you want to quickly manipulate each job according to a function. Optionally, you can pass a reference object to specify the value of this within the passed function. Behind the scenes, this method makes use of the forEach() method as per Mozilla’s specification. If no parameters are passed, this method returns an array of job objects — the same as what is returned with the $D.batch.get() method.
  
  For example, if you have a column named "title" in a connected Google Sheet, you can write the following code to truncate all values that are longer than 10 characters and then append "..." to the truncated string:
  

  var truncate = function(job) {
      count = 10;
      (job.title.length > count) ? job.title = job.title.slice(0, count) + '...' : job.title;
  }
  
  $D.batch.set(truncate);  //All "title" properties in all jobs within batch are truncated if they are longer than ten characters

• $D.batch.file()  — Returns an ExtendScript File object representing the file containing the details for the batch of jobs.

Provides access to retrieve or manipulate the individual jobs that Templater processes. There are three methods that belong to this object.

• $D.job.get(key) — If no key parameter is supplied, this returns a singular object representing the processed job. If the data source is a spreadsheet, the property key names are the same as the column header names. If a key parameter is supplied, this method will return the value of that property key from the processed job.
  
  For example, if you have a column named "price" in a connected Google Sheet, you can write the following code to access that data for the processed job:
  

  var pricetag = $D.job.get("price"); //"pricetag" variable is assigned value of "price" column for current job

• $D.job.set(key, value) — Both key and value parameters are required. If no parameters are supplied this method returns null. If a key and value parameter are supplied, this method sets the key of job object to the supplied value.
  
  For example, if you have a column named "firstname" in a connected Google Sheet, you can write the following code to set or change the value of that data with the following code:
  

  $D.job.set("firstname","Jane Smith") //value for "firstname" property in current job is updated to "Jane Smith"

• $D.job.file  — Returns an ExtendScript File object representing the file containing the details for the processed job.

Returns an object containing arrays of layer objects as specified by the Adobe After Effects Scripting Guide. These arrays are categorized into several types:

• $D.harvest().text — Returns an array of all the text layers that have the Templater Settings effect applied to them.
• $D.harvest().footage — Returns an array of all the footage layers that have the Templater Settings effect applied to them.
• $D.harvest().solid — Returns an array of all the solid layers that have the Templater Settings effect applied to them.
• $D.harvest().comp — Returns an array of all the precomposition layers that have the Templater Settings effect applied to them.
• $D.harvest().adj — Returns an array of all the adjustment layers that have the Templater Settings effect applied to them.

Provides access to methods for invoking Templater's spatial and temporal intelligence. ExtendScripts using these methods are likely to be registered with either Templater's "Before Update" or "After Update" event.

• $D.update.layout() — Invokes Templater's algorithm for automatic spatial layout of dynamic layers within all compositions.
• $D.update.timeline() — Invokes Templater's algorithm for automatic temporal arrangement of dynamic layers within all compositions.

Returns a string constant that specifies which task Templater was invoked with. The following are possible return values:

• PREVIEW
• RENDER
• REPLICATE

Returns an object that describes the After Effects composition that Templater is currently targeting in its process. See the AE Enhancer’s After Effects Scripting Guide for details on what properties you can access with this object. If no target is specified, this returns false.

Returns an object with the properties regarding the current output that Templater devised during processing. Properties in the returned output object include the following:

• name — Output name that Templater devised for a specific job
• loc — Absolute path to the directory containing the output file
• file — Absolute path to the output file Templater generated
• template — Name of the render settings template used during output
• module — Name of the output module used during output

Returns a constant string that references the last broadcast event. The following string constants are possible return values:

• bot_pre_data
• bot_pre_batch
• bot_pre_job
• bot_pre_ftg
• bot_pre_dl
• bot_pre_rndr
• bot_post_data
• bot_post_batch
• bot_post_job
• bot_post_ftg
• bot_post_dl
• bot_post_layr
• bot_post_rndr
• bot_on_enable
• bot_on_shutdown

Returns a constant string value that references the ID or name of the Bot that executed the ExtendScript. This value is the same as that found in the "Bot Name" field within Templater’s preference dialog. It is also the value of the "name" property within the "bot" object in the templater-options.json file used during command line interface execution.

This object allows developers to log messages and errors to Templater’s log files including templater.log and templater.err.

There are four methods that belong to the $D.log object.

• $D.log.msg(label, message, data) — Use this method within a registered ExtendScript file to log a message to the templater.log file.
  • label — Pass a string value to include a label in the log message.
  • message — Pass a string value to include a message readout for the log.
  • data — Pass an object value to log any data to inspect in the log file. You can use the .to_console(true) method to log an inspection of the data object passed.
• $D.log.err(code, description, msg, details) — Use this method within a registered ExtendScript file to log an error to the templater.err file.
  • code — Pass an integer value to include an error code in the error object.
  • description — Pass a string value to include a short, general description of the error code.
  • msg — Pass a string value to include a message about the specific error.
  • details — Pass a string value to include suggestions for how to fix the error or why the error occurred.

• $D.log.location() — Returns an ExtendScript Folder object representing the folder or directory containing the templater.log file.
• $D.log.file() — Returns an ExtendScript File object representing the templater.log file.

NOTE  Available in Templater 3.4 or later.

Returns the download record; that is, an object with properties regarding a footage file downloaded from a remote source. This object is written to the templater.log file. Properties available in the returned object with the pre_bot_dl event include:

• remote_uri — Path or URL to the location of the footage for download
• name — Name Templater assigns to the downloaded file (minus the file extension)
• dir — Directory to which Templater will save the downloaded footage
• mime — null
• ext — null
• file — null

Properties available in the returned object with the post_bot_dl event include:

• remote_uri — Path or URL to the location of the footage that was downloaded
• name — Name Templater assigned to the downloaded file (minus the file extension)
• dir — Directory to which Templater saved the downloaded footage
• mime — MIME type of the downloaded file
• ext — Extension Templater assigned to the file
• file — Complete path to the downloaded file, including file name with extension

NOTE  Available in Templater 3.4 or later.

Returns name and source information about the After Effects AVLayer into which the downloaded, processed footage, or FootageItem, will be injected. See the AE Enhancer’s After Effects Scripting Guide for details on attributes of the AVLayer object and the FootageItem object. The layer source information value may be different for the pre-processing footage and the post-processing footage.

NOTE  Available in Templater 3.4 or later.

Returns the full path to the footage source in After Effects.

NOTE  Available in Templater 3.4 or later.

Returns the ID that After Effects assigns to the footage item. This value may be different for the pre-processing footage and the post-processing footage.