Camera layer

CameraLayer ¶

Bases: Layer

The CameraLayer object represents a camera layer within a composition.

Example

from py_aep import parse

app = parse("project.aep")
comp = app.project.compositions[0]
camera = comp.camera_layers[0]
print(camera.name)

Info

CameraLayer is a subclass of Layer object. All methods and attributes of Layer are available when working with CameraLayer.

See: https://ae-scripting.docsforadobe.dev/layer/cameralayer/

Attributes¶

active ¶

active: bool

When True, the layer is active at the current time.

Overrides [PropertyBase.active][] to evaluate [active_at_time][] at time.

adjustment_layer ¶

adjustment_layer: bool

True if the layer is an adjustment layer.

Always False for [CameraLayer][] and [LightLayer][] objects. Overridden in [AVLayer][] to read from the binary chunk.

auto_name ¶

auto_name: str

The automatic (display) name derived from match_name.

auto_orient ¶

auto_orient = enum(AutoOrientType, '_ldta', 'auto_orient')

The type of automatic orientation to perform for the layer. Read / Write.

can_set_enabled ¶

can_set_enabled: bool

True if the enabled attribute value can be set.

This is True for all layers, effect property groups, shape vector groups, text path options, and the Layer Styles group and its individual styles. Read-only.

comment ¶

comment: str

A descriptive comment for the layer. Read / Write.

containing_comp ¶

containing_comp: CompItem

The composition that contains this layer. Read-only.

effects ¶

effects: PropertyGroup | None

Contains a layer's effects.

This is the Effects PropertyGroup (match name ADBE Effect Parade). Each child in [properties][PropertyGroup.properties] is itself a [PropertyGroup][] representing one effect. None when the layer has no effects.

elided ¶

elided: bool

When True, the property is not shown in the UI. An elided property is still present in the timeline but hidden from view. Read-only.

enabled ¶

enabled = ChunkField[bool]('_ldta', 'enabled')

When True, the layer is enabled. Overrides PropertyBase.enabled to read from the ldta chunk. Read / Write.

environment_layer ¶

environment_layer: bool

True if the layer is an environment layer.

Always False for [CameraLayer][] and [LightLayer][] objects. Overridden in [AVLayer][] to read from the binary chunk.

essential_property_uuids ¶

essential_property_uuids: list[str] = (
    essential_property_uuids
)

UUIDs of Essential Properties overrides on this layer.

Each UUID corresponds to an [EssentialGraphicsController][] in the source composition's Essential Graphics panel.

frame_in_point ¶

frame_in_point: int

The "in" point of the layer, expressed in composition time (frames). Read / Write.

frame_out_point ¶

frame_out_point: int

The "out" point of the layer, expressed in composition time (frames). Read / Write.

frame_start_time ¶

frame_start_time: int

The start time of the layer, expressed in composition time (frames). Read / Write.

frame_time ¶

frame_time: int

The current time of the layer, expressed in composition time (frames). Read-only.

has_video ¶

has_video: bool

True if the layer has a video switch in the Timeline panel.

Always False for [CameraLayer][] and [LightLayer][] objects.

id ¶

id = ChunkField[int]('_ldta', 'layer_id', read_only=True)

Unique and persistent identification number used internally to identify a Layer between sessions. Read-only.

in_point ¶

in_point: float

The "in" point of the layer, expressed in composition time (seconds). Read / Write.

index ¶

index: int

The 0-based index position of the layer in its containing comp.

Warning

Unlike ExtendScript (1-based), this uses Python's 0-based convention so that comp.layers[layer.index] works directly.

is_effect ¶

is_effect: bool

When True, this property is an effect [PropertyGroup][]. Read-only.

is_mask ¶

is_mask: bool

When True, this property is a mask [PropertyGroup][]. Read-only.

is_modified ¶

is_modified: bool

True if any child property is modified.

For indexed groups (such as Effects or Masks parades), the group is considered modified when it has any children - adding items to an indexed group is itself a modification. Shape vector groups (value) follow the same rule.

is_name_set ¶

is_name_set: bool

True if the name has been explicitly set by the user. Read-only.

label ¶

label = enum(Label, '_ldta', 'label')

The label color. Colors are represented by their number (0 for None, or 1 to 16 for one of the preset colors in the Labels preferences). Read / Write.

layer_type ¶

layer_type: str

The type of layer. Matches ExtendScript layerType values: "AVLayer", "LightLayer", "CameraLayer", "ParametricMeshLayer", or "Layer". Read-only.

locked ¶

locked = ChunkField[bool]('_ldta', 'locked')

When True, the layer is locked. This corresponds to the lock toggle in the Layer panel. Read / Write.

marker ¶

marker: Property | None

The layer's marker property.

A Property with match_name="ADBE Marker" whose keyframes hold marker values. None when the layer has no markers.

markers ¶

markers: list[MarkerValue]

A flat list of [MarkerValue][] objects for this layer.

Shortcut for accessing marker data without navigating the property tree. Returns an empty list when the layer has no markers.

Example

for marker in layer.markers:
    print(marker.comment)

masks ¶

masks: PropertyGroup | None

Contains a layer's masks.

This is the Masks PropertyGroup (match name ADBE Mask Parade). Each child in [properties][PropertyGroup.properties] is itself a [PropertyGroup][] representing one mask. None when the layer has no masks.

match_name ¶

match_name: str

A special name for the property used to build unique naming paths. The match name is not displayed, but you can refer to it in scripts. Every property has a unique match-name identifier. Read-only.

name ¶

name: None

null_layer ¶

null_layer = ChunkField[bool](
    "_ldta", "null_layer", read_only=True
)

When True, the layer was created as a null object. Read-only.

num_properties ¶

num_properties: int

The number of child properties in this group.

Equivalent to ExtendScript PropertyGroup.numProperties.

out_point ¶

out_point: float

The "out" point of the layer, expressed in composition time (seconds). Read / Write.

parent ¶

parent: Layer | None

The parent of this layer; can be None.

Offset values are calculated to counterbalance any transforms above this layer in the hierarchy, so that when you set the parent there is no apparent jump in the layer's transform.

For example, if the new parent has a rotation of 30 degrees, the child layer is assigned a rotation of -30 degrees.

To set the parent without changing the child layer's transform values, use the set_parent_with_jump method.

Read / Write.

parent_property ¶

parent_property: PropertyGroup | None

The parent [PropertyGroup][] of this property, or None for top-level layer property groups. Read-only.

properties ¶

properties: list[Property | PropertyGroup]

List of properties in this group. Read-only.

property_depth ¶

property_depth: int

The number of levels of parent groups between this property and the containing layer. The value is 0 for a layer. Read-only.

property_index ¶

property_index: int | None

The 0-based position of this property within its parent group.

Returns None for layers (property depth 0).

Warning

Unlike ExtendScript (1-based), this uses Python's 0-based convention so that group.properties[prop.property_index] works directly.

Read-only.

property_type ¶

property_type: PropertyType

The type of this property. One of PropertyType.PROPERTY, PropertyType.NAMED_GROUP, or PropertyType.INDEXED_GROUP. Read-only.

selected ¶

selected: bool

When True, the property is selected. Read / Write.

Note

Property selection is stored in the .aep binary format but very complex. Parsed projects report False for now.

shy ¶

shy = ChunkField[bool]('_ldta', 'shy')

When True, the layer is "shy", meaning that it is hidden in the Layer panel if the composition's "Hide all shy layers" option is toggled on. Read / Write.

solo ¶

solo = ChunkField[bool]('_ldta', 'solo')

When True, the layer is soloed. Read / Write.

start_time ¶

start_time = ChunkField[float]('_ldta', 'start_time')

The start time of the layer, expressed in composition time (seconds). Read / Write.

stretch ¶

stretch = ChunkField[float]('_ldta', 'stretch')

The layer's time stretch, expressed as a percentage. A value of 100 means no stretch. Values between 0 and 1 are set to 1, and values between -1 and 0 (not including 0) are set to -1. Read / Write.

text ¶

text: PropertyGroup | None

Contains a layer's text properties (if any).

time ¶

time: float

The current time of the layer, expressed in composition time (seconds). Read-only.

transform ¶

transform: PropertyGroup

Contains a layer's transform properties.

This is the Transform PropertyGroup (match name ADBE Transform Group). Individual transform properties (Position, Scale, Rotation, etc.) are accessible via [properties][PropertyGroup.properties].

Functions¶

active_at_time ¶

active_at_time(time: float) -> bool

Return whether the layer is active at the given time.

For this method to return True, three conditions must be met:

The layer must be enabled.
No other layer in the [containing_comp][] may be soloed unless this layer is also [solo][].
time must fall between [in_point][] (inclusive) and [out_point][] (exclusive).

Parameters:

time (float) –

The time in seconds.

add_property ¶

add_property(name: str) -> Property | PropertyGroup

Create and return a new property with the specified name, and add it to this group.

Indexed groups (and, as a named-group exception, the text animator Properties pool) support adding properties; see can_add_property. Accepted names cover every ExtendScript addable family: mask atoms (ADBE Mask Atom / Mask), the expression controls including the Dropdown Menu Control (e.g. ADBE Slider Control / Slider Control, ADBE Dropdown Control), shape elements on a contents group (e.g. ADBE Vector Shape - Rect, ADBE Vector Group), text selectors (e.g. ADBE Text Selector / Range Selector), text animators (ADBE Text Animator / Animator), and animator properties from the fixed pool (e.g. ADBE Text Position 3D / Position).

Note

Unlike ExtendScript, adding a property does not invalidate existing references to the group's other properties.

Parameters:

name (str) –

The display name or match name of the property to add.

Raises:

ValueError –

If a property with this name cannot be added to this group.

add_variable_font_axis ¶

add_variable_font_axis(
    axis_tag: str, font_file: str | None = None
) -> Property

Create and return a Property for a variable font axis, and add it to this group.

Mirrors ExtendScript PropertyGroup.addVariableFontAxis(). Can only be called on the ADBE Text Animator Properties group within a text animator. The axis binds to the first free of the 8 ADBE Text VF Axis slots; calling it again with an already active tag returns the existing property.

The axis bounds, default value, and display name are read from the variable font file with fontTools (After Effects reads them from the installed font; the project file does not store a font path). Pass font_file explicitly, or leave it None to locate the installed font from the text document's font family.

Note

This functionality was added in After Effects 26.0.

Parameters:

axis_tag (str) –

The 4-character tag identifying the variable font axis (e.g. wght, wdth, slnt, ital, opsz).
font_file (str | None, default: None ) –

Optional path to the variable font file. When None, the font is located in the OS font directories by the text document's font family.

Raises:

ValueError –

If this group is not a text animator Properties group, the font cannot be located or is not a variable font, axis_tag is not one of the font's axes, or all 8 axis slots are in use.

can_add_property ¶

can_add_property(name: str) -> bool

Check whether a property with the given name can be added.

Returns True if this group is an indexed group and name is a valid match name or display name for the group type. For the Effect Parade, the expression controls py_aep can create plus any effect already defined in the project (LIST:EfdG) are accepted.

Parameters:

name (str) –

A match name or display name to check.

copy_to_comp ¶

copy_to_comp(into_comp: CompItem) -> Layer

Copy this layer into another composition.

If the target is the same as this layer's [containing_comp][], the copy behaves like [duplicate][]: it is placed directly above the original and preserves parent and track matte references.

If the target is a different composition, the copy is placed at the top of the target layer stack and parent and track matte references are cleared.

Parameters:

into_comp (CompItem) –

The target CompItem.

Returns: The newly created Layer in the target composition.

duplicate ¶

duplicate() -> Layer

Create a duplicate of this layer in the same composition.

The duplicate is placed directly above (before) the original layer.

Returns:

Layer –

The newly created Layer.

move_after ¶

move_after(layer: Layer) -> None

Moves this layer to a position immediately after (below) the specified layer.

Parameters:

layer (Layer) –

The target layer in the same composition.

move_before ¶

move_before(layer: Layer) -> None

Moves this layer to a position immediately before (above) the specified layer.

Parameters:

layer (Layer) –

The target layer in the same composition.

move_to ¶

move_to(new_index: int) -> None

Move this property to a new 0-based index within its parent group.

Only valid for children of indexed groups.

Parameters:

new_index (int) –

The target 0-based position.

Raises:

ValueError –

If this property is not in an indexed group.
IndexError –

If new_index is out of range.

move_to_beginning ¶

move_to_beginning() -> None

Moves this layer to the topmost position of the composition.

move_to_end ¶

move_to_end() -> None

Moves this layer to the bottommost position of the composition.

property ¶

property(key: int | str) -> Property | PropertyGroup

Look up a child property by index or name.

Parameters:

key (int | str) –

An int index or a str display name / match name.

remove ¶

remove() -> None

Deletes this layer from the composition.

Layers that reference this layer as a parent become unparented (their transforms are recalculated to preserve world-space appearance). AVLayers that use this layer as a track matte lose their matte reference.

remove_all_keys ¶

remove_all_keys() -> None

Remove every keyframe from all properties in this group, recursively.

Calling this on a Layer clears the keyframes of every property on the layer, including its marker keyframes. Each animated property reverts to a static value; see Property.remove_all_keys.

remove_all_markers ¶

remove_all_markers() -> None

Remove all markers from this layer.

A no-op when the layer has no markers.

set_parent_with_jump ¶

set_parent_with_jump(new_parent: Layer | None) -> None

Sets the parent of this layer to the specified layer, without changing the transform values of the child layer.

There may be an apparent jump in the rotation, translation, or scale of the child layer, as this layer's transform values are combined with those of its ancestors.

If you do not want the child layer to jump, set the parent attribute directly. In this case, an offset is calculated and set in the child layer's transform fields, to prevent the jump from occurring.

Parameters:

new_parent (Layer | None) –

The new parent layer, or None to unparent.

Raises:

ValueError –

If new_parent is this layer itself, one of its descendants, or a layer in another composition.