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PF_EventExtra

This structure provide context information for the current event. After Effects passes a pointer to this structure in the extra parameter of the Entry Point function.

The PF_EventUnion (sent in the PF_EventExtra) varies with the event type, and contains information specific to that event.

Member Purpose
contextH Handle to the PF_Context.

This drawing context is used with the Drawbot suites for drawing,
and also for the UI Callbacks.
e_type Which event is occurring.
u A PF_EventUnion containing information specific to the event.
effect_win A PF_EffectWindowInfo about the event if it occurs within the effects window.

Otherwise, as of After Effects 5.0, effect_win can be replaced by a PF_WindowUnion.

This struct contains both a PF_EffectWindowInfo and an PF_ItemWindowInfo, which (for now) is simply the port rectangle for the item window.

Replacement only occurs if PF_USE_NEW_WINDOW_UNION was defined during compilation; otherwise, it will continue to be just a PF_EffectWindowInfo.
cbs Pointer to UI Callbacks, which are needed to translate points between layer, composition, and screen coordinate systems.
evt_in_flags Event Input Flags. This currently contains only one value, PF_EI_DONT_DRAW, which you should check before drawing!
evt_out_flags One or more of the following, combined with a bitwise OR operation:
  • PF_EO_NONE
  • PF_EO_HANDLED_EVENT tells After Effects you've handled the event.
  • PF_EO_ALWAYS_UPDATE forces After Effects to rerender the composite in response to every click or drag; this is the same behavior generated by 'alt-scrubbing' the parameter value.
  • PF_EO_NEVER_UPDATE prevents After Effects from rerendering the composite until the user stops clicking and dragging.
  • PF_EO_UPDATE_NOW tells After Effects to update the view immediately after the event returns after calling PF_InvalidateRect

PF_Context

PF_Context details the event's UI context.

Member Purpose
magic Do not change.
w_type The window type. If you have Custom Comp and ECW UIs in the same plug-in,
this is the way to differentiate between them (what kind of masochist are you, anyway?).
  • PF_Window_COMP,
  • PF_Window_LAYER,
  • PF_Window_EFFECT
reserved_flt Do not change.
plugin_state[4] An array of 4 A_longs which the plug-in can use to store state information for a given context.
reserved_drawref A DRAWBOT_DrawRef for use with the Drawbot suites.
*reserved_paneP Do not change.

PF_EffectWindowInfo

If an event occurs in the ECP, an PF_EffectWindowInfo is sent in PF_EventExtra.

Member Purpose
index This indicates which parameter in the effect window is being affected. The controls are numbered from 0 to the number of controls minus 1.
area This indicates if the control title (PF_EA_PARAM_TITLE) or the control itself (PF_EA_CONTROL) are being affected.
The title is the area still visible when the parameter's topic ("twirly") is spun up.
current_frame A PF_Rect indicating the full frame of the area occupied by the control.
param_title_frame A PF_Rect indicating the title area of the control.
horiz_offset A horizontal offset from the left side of the title area in which to draw into the title.