Layer

Layer ¶

Bases: PropertyGroup

The Layer object provides access to layers within compositions.

Info

Layer is a subclass of PropertyGroup, which is a subclass of PropertyBase. All methods and attributes of PropertyGroup, in addition to those listed below, are available when working with Layer objects.

Info

Layer is the base class for CameraLayer object, LightLayer object and AVLayer object, so Layer attributes and methods are available when working with all layer types.

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

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, and text path options. 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 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", 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 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.

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.

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, any non-empty string is accepted (actual effect availability is validated at add time).

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.

Mirrors ExtendScript PropertyGroup.property(indexOrName). Delegates to __getitem__.

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.

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.