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AEIO_ModuleInfo

This is the structure where your AEIO will define its basic properties.

Notice that, in addition to describing the filetypes and extensions supported by your AEIO, you also describe your signature and behavior using the AEIO_ModuleFlags. We love flags.

AEIO_ModuleInfo Members

Member

Purpose

sig

A long, uniquely identifying your plug-in.

Many developers prefer to use a decidedly Mac-ish four character code here.

Please let us know what sig you're using.

name

Descriptive name for your AEIO plug-in.

flags

Set of AEIO_ModuleFlags.

flags2

Set of AEIO_ModuleFlags2.

max_width, max_height

The maximum dimensions supported by your format.

num_filetypes

The number of filetypes supported by your AEIO.

num_extensions

The number of file extensions supported by your AEIO.

num_clips

The number of clipboard formats supported by your AEIO.

create_kind

The macOS four character code for files created by your AEIO.

create_ext

The file extension for files created by your AEIO.

read_kinds

This array of 16 AEIO_FileKinds need not be entirely filled out, but the first [num_filetypes + num_extensions + num_clips] ones must be populated, in that order.

num_aux_extensions

The number of auxiliary extensions supported by your AEIO.

Say, for example, that you're writing an AEIO to import information from a 3D program that saves scene information into a .123 file, and camera information into a .xyz file.

The .xyz would be an auxiliary extension; it's not necessary to get the rest of the scene information, but it's associated with the .123 files.

aux_ext

The file extension of the auxiliary filetype(s) supported by your AEIO.

Behavior Flags

AEIOs set these flags (like effect plug-ins use global outflags) in AEIO_ModuleInfo.flags to indicate their behavior to After Effects. Some flags are only relevant to input, and some are only relevant to output.

AEIO_ModuleFlags

Flag

Purpose

I or O?

AEIO_MFlag_INPUT

AEIO is an input module.

Input!

AEIO_MFlag_OUTPUT

AEIO is an output module (one plug-in can be both).

Output!

AEIO_MFlag_FILE

Each clip imported directly corresponds to a file, somewhere.

Both

AEIO_MFlag_STILL

Supports still images, not video.

Output

AEIO_MFlag_VIDEO

Supports video images, not stills.

Output

AEIO_MFlag_AUDIO

Supports audio.

Output

AEIO_MFlag_NO_TIME

Time information isn't part of the file format.

This would be the case with numbered stills, with individual frames imported based on the composition's time settings.

Input

AEIO_MFlag_INTERACTIVE_GET

A new input sequence necessitates user interaction.

This would be the case for a non-file-based input module.

Input

AEIO_MFlag_INTERACTIVE_PUT

A new output sequence necessitates user interaction.

This would be the case for a non-file-based output module.

Output

AEIO_MFlag_CANT_CLIP

The AEIO's drawing functions cannot accept dimensions smaller than the requested dimensions.

Input

AEIO_MFlag_MUST_INTERACT_PUT

The AEIO must display a dialog box, even if a valid options data handle is available.

Output

AEIO_MFlag_CANT_SOUND_INTERLEAVE

The AEIO requires that all video data be processed, then sound data (instead of interleaving the processing the video and audio).

Output

AEIO_MFlag_CAN_ADD_FRAMES_NON_LINEAR

The AEIO supports adding non-sequential frames.

Output

AEIO_MFlag_HOST_DEPTH_DIALOG

The AEIO wants After Effects to display a bit-depth selection dialog.

Input

AEIO_MFlag_HOST_FRAME_START_DIALOG

The AEIO wants After Effects to display a dialog requesting that the user specify a starting frame.

Input

AEIO_MFlag_NO_OPTIONS

The AEIO does not accept output options.

Output

AEIO_MFlag_NO_PIXELS

The AEIO's file format doesn't actually store pixels. Currently unused as of CS6.

(unused)

AEIO_MFlag_SEQUENCE_OPTIONS_OK

The AEIO will adopt the sequence options of its parent if a folder is selected.

Input

AEIO_MFlag_INPUT_OPTIONS

The AEIO has user options associated with each input sequence.

Note

The options information must be flat (not referring to any data contained in external pointers or handles).

Input

AEIO_MFlag_HSF_AWARE

The AEIO will provide horizontal scaling factor (pixel aspect ratio) information for each new sequence.

This prevents After Effects from guessing.

Input

AEIO_MFlag_HAS_LAYERS

The AEIO supports multiple layers in a single document.

Input

AEIO_MFlag_SCRAP

The AEIO has a clipboard parsing component.

Input

AEIO_MFlag_NO_UI

After Effects should display no UI for this module

(do not combine this flag with AEIO_MFlag_HOST_DEPTH_DIALOG or AEIO_MFlag_HOST_FRAME_START_DIALOG)

Input

AEIO_MFlag_SEQ_OPTIONS_DLG

The AEIO has sequence options accessible from the More Options button in the Interpret Footage dialog.

Input

AEIO_MFlag_HAS_AUX_DATA

The file format supported by the AEIO has depth information, normals, or some other non-color information related to each pixel.

Input

AEIO_MFlag_HAS_META_DATA

The file format supported by the AEIO supports user-definable metadata.

If this flag is set, the embed pop-up in the output module dialog will be enabled.

Output

AEIO_MFlag_CAN_DO_MARKERS

The file format support by the AEIO supports markers, url flips, and/or chapters.

Output

AEIO_MFlag_CAN_DRAW_DEEP

The AEIO can draw into 16bpc ("deep") PF_EffectWorlds.

Input

AEIO_MFlag_RESERVED4

Special super-secret flag. Doesn't do anything...or does it? (No, it doesn't.)

???

AEIO_ModuleFlags2

Gotta have dem flags...

Flag Purpose I or O?
AEIO_MFlag2_AUDIO_OPTIONS The AEIO has an audio options dialog. Output
AEIO_MFlag2_SEND_ADDMARKER_BEFORE_ADDFRAME The AEIO wants to receive marker data before outputting video or audio (useful for MPEG streams). Output
AEIO_MFlag2_CAN_DO_MARKERS_2 The AEIO supports combined markers; URL flips, chapters, and comments. Output
AEIO_MFlag2_CAN_DRAW_FLOAT The AEIO can draw into float (32-bpc) worlds. Input
AEIO_MFlag2_CAN_DO_AUDIO_32 Supports 32-bit audio output. Output
AEIO_MFlag2_SUPPORTS_ICC_PROFILES Supports ICC profiles. Both
AEIO_MFlag2_CAN_DO_MARKERS_3 The AEIO supports combined markers; URL flips, chapters, comments, and cue points. Output
AEIO_MFlag2_SEND_ADDMARKER_BEFORE_STARTADDING The AEIO wants to process markers before video during export. Output
AEIO_MFlag2_USES_QUICKTIME On MacOS, prior to the host calling AEIO_AddFrame or AEIO_OutputFrame from AEIO_FunctionBlock4, it will lock the global QuickTime mutex. Output