Actions12
Overview
This node integrates with the Nexrender API to manage rendering jobs for Adobe After Effects projects. It allows users to create, update, retrieve, list, and delete rendering jobs programmatically. The "Update" operation specifically modifies an existing job by its unique identifier (Job UID), updating properties such as project source, composition, render settings, assets, and post-processing actions.
Common scenarios include automating video rendering workflows where After Effects templates are dynamically modified and rendered on a server or cloud environment. For example, marketing teams can automate personalized video generation by updating template compositions and assets before rendering final videos.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Job UID | Unique identifier of the job to update. |
| AEP Project Source | Location URI of the After Effects project file (.aep) to be used for rendering. Examples: local file path, HTTP URL, cloud storage URI. |
| Composition | The composition path within the project to render, e.g., "MainComp->PreComp->PrePreComp". |
| Continue On Missing | Boolean flag indicating whether rendering should continue if some assets are missing. |
| Workfolder Render Output Path | Temporary output location for the rendered file during processing. |
| Keep Renders After Finish | Whether to keep the final rendered files after the job finishes. |
| Use Job UID As Final Render Filename | If true, the final render filename will use the Job UID. Useful for uniquely identifying renders. |
| Copy Final Render To (Folder) | Folder path to copy the final render to, applicable if keeping renders and using Job UID as filename. |
| Copy Final Render To (File) | File path to copy the final render to, applicable if keeping renders but not using Job UID as filename. |
| Output Module | After Effects output module preset name, e.g., "Lossless with Alpha". |
| Output Extension | File extension for the output render, e.g., "mov". |
| Render Settings | After Effects render settings preset name, e.g., "Best Settings". |
| Starting Frame Number | Frame number to start rendering from. |
| Ending Frame Number | Frame number to end rendering at. |
| Image Sequence | Boolean indicating if the output is an image sequence instead of a video file. |
| Render Priority | Numeric priority of the job; lower numbers indicate higher priority. |
| Job Tags | String tags for categorizing or filtering jobs. |
| Assets | Collection of assets to override or add to the job. Each asset includes type (audio, data, image, static, video), source URI, provider (e.g., file, HTTP, S3), layer identification (name or index), and other asset-specific properties. |
| Insert Manual Assets | Boolean to enable manual JSON input for assets instead of structured UI input. |
| Manual Assets JSON | Raw JSON string defining assets manually when manual assets insertion is enabled. |
| Actions | Collection of render actions to perform at different stages: pre-download, post-download, pre-render, post-render. Each action includes a type and JSON configuration describing the action details. |
Output
The node outputs a single JSON object representing the response from the Nexrender API for the update operation. This typically includes the updated job details such as job UID, status, render progress, timestamps, and any metadata related to the job.
No binary data output is produced by this node.
Dependencies
- Requires access to a Nexrender API endpoint.
- Requires an API authentication token credential configured in n8n to authorize requests.
- The node uses HTTP requests to communicate with the Nexrender service.
- The After Effects project files and assets must be accessible via the specified URIs.
Troubleshooting
- No credentials returned!: Indicates that the required API authentication token was not provided or configured correctly. Ensure the credential is set up in n8n.
- API Response Error: Errors returned by the Nexrender API, often due to invalid parameters, missing job IDs, or inaccessible project files. Check the error message for details and verify all inputs.
- Unknown Error: Could be network issues or unexpected exceptions. Verify connectivity to the Nexrender API endpoint.
- Invalid Asset Configuration: When specifying assets, ensure correct types, valid URIs, and proper layer identification to avoid job failures.
- File Access Issues: Make sure the After Effects project source and asset files are reachable from the Nexrender server environment.
Links and References
- Nexrender GitHub Repository
- Nexrender Documentation
- Adobe After Effects Scripting Guide (for understanding compositions and render settings)