Identifying a specific effect instance via AEGP_EffectCallGeneric() / PF_Cmd_COMPLETELY_GENERAL

[reimundd1593001]

Hi,

The objective is to identify and select a certain effect instance among all instanciated effects. I'm using the following code segment to iterate and scan all the effects currently applied:

    // Data structure used for identification
    typedef struct
    {
        uint64_t uniqueID;
        bool isKeyEffect;
    }
    t_struct;
    ...
    AEGP_ItemH itemH2 = 0;
    AEGP_CompH compH = 0;
    err = suites.ItemSuite8()->AEGP_GetActiveItem(&itemH2);
    if(itemH2 == 0)
        return err;
    err = suites.CompSuite9()->AEGP_GetCompFromItem(itemH2, &compH);
    if(compH == 0)
        return err;
    AEGP_Collection2H collectionH = 0;
    AEGP_LayerH layerH = 0;
    A_long numLayers = 0;
    t_struct key =
    {
        getEffectID(),
        false
    };
    bool found = false;
    if(AEGP_GetCompNumLayers(compH, &numLayers) == PF_Err_NONE)
    {
        // Scan comp layers
        for(A_long i = 0; i<numLayers; i++)
        {
            suites.LayerSuite7()->AEGP_GetCompLayerByIndex(compH, i, &layerH);
            AEGP_EffectRefH layerEffH;
            A_Time t = {};
            A_long numEffects;
            if(suites.EffectSuite3()->AEGP_GetLayerNumEffects(layerH, &numEffects) == PF_Err_NONE)
            {  
                // Scan all instanciated effects
                for(A_long j = 0; j<numEffects; j++)
                {
                    suites.EffectSuite3()->AEGP_GetLayerEffectByIndex(0, layerH, j, &layerEffH);
                    AEGP_InstalledEffectKey keyH;
                    suites.EffectSuite3()->AEGP_GetInstalledKeyFromLayerEffect(layerEffH, &keyH);
                    //// This one is the problem: It never triggers any PF_Cmd_COMPLETELY_GENERAL event.
                    //// It returns PF_Err_NONE, however.
                    err = suites.EffectSuite3()->AEGP_EffectCallGeneric(0, layerEffH, &t, PF_Cmd_COMPLETELY_GENERAL, (void*) &key);
                    ////
                    if(key.isKeyEffect)
                    {
                         // Select effect
                         ...
                         found = true;
                    }
                    suites.EffectSuite1()->AEGP_DisposeEffect(layerEffH);
                    if(found)
                        break;
                }
            }
        }
    }

getEffectID() returns a unique 64 bits identifier generated when my effect is instanciated.

Now in my event handler I try to do the following to identify my "key" instance:

     switch(cmd)
     {
            case PF_Cmd_COMPLETELY_GENERAL:
                {
                    // Identify effect  
                    t_struct *ptr = (t_struct*) extra;
                    ptr->isKeyEffect = (ptr->uniqueID == getEffectID());
                }
                break;
            ...
     }

The problem is that on Mac AEGP_EffectCallGeneric() doesn't trigger any PF_Cmd_COMPLETELY_GENERAL event, while it does on Windows. Any hint on what I am doing wrong here?

Thanks!

Best,

Reimund

[shachar carmi]

well... AEGP_EffectCallGeneric() is a bit strange.

in my experience you can't call AEGP_EffectCallGeneric from a certain

effect to an effect of the same type. for example, a "Gaussian blur" effect

can't call AEGP_EffectCallGeneric to another instance of "Gaussian blur".

if that is the case in your plug-in, then perhaps you should create a

separate AEGP that would handle these calls during idle process.

i did try "bouncing" the AEGP_EffectCallGeneric call through a separate

AEGP via a custom suite, alas if the call chain originates from an effect

and the target is an effect of the same type, it wouldn't work.

[reimundd1593001]

Hi Shachar,

Thanks for your swift response. That's a bummer as creating a separate AEGP for this type of task seems a little like overkill, doesn't it?

Is there any other simple way for an effect to identify itself, e.g. given an AEGP effect handle (AEGP_EffectRefH) is there a way to access the underlying effect's sequence data handle?

Thanks!

Best,

Reimund

[shachar carmi]

only an effect instance has access to it's sequence data handle, and only

when AE passes that handle to the instance. AE may move that memory chunk

between calls.

telling a specific instance by some id is VERY tricky. i personally use a

similar mechanism as you, and i do use AEGP_EffectCallGeneric exactly for

that. i just set up my system in a way where a plug-in need the sequence

data of other instances of his own kind.

as for shipping an extra AEGP just for that task, i don't see it as an

overkill. the user runs an installer. he couldn't care less is it's just 1

file written to the install folder or 100.

i don't know what your instance identification needs are, but perhaps you

can use a different solution. for example, if the identification doesn't

need to survive a project save/load, then you can change some hidden

param's name to be the identifier (it can be done without creating n undo

entry), and that param's name can be read directly by other effects via the

stream suite. just throwing an idea out there.

[reimundd1593001]

I think the latter would work. Can you give me a hint on how to access another effect's parameter names via the stream suite though?

Thanks!

[shachar carmi]

get the effect ref and stream ref as you normally would,

then AEGP_GetStreamName() would do the trick.

On Fri, Aug 3, 2018 at 10:28 PM, reimundd1593001 <forums_noreply@adobe.com>

[reimundd1593001]

Okay, I see. What would be the correct way to change the parameter name then (I mean AFTER an effect has been instanciated)?

[shachar carmi · Accepted solution]

AEGP_SetStreamName()

[reimundd1593001]

Thanks shachar!

I was a little puzzled by the "Only valid for children of AEGP_StreamGroupingType_INDEXED_GROUP" comment in the SDK doc, but it seems like it works just fine.