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, delete, and check the health of Nexrender tasks. The primary use case is automating video rendering workflows by programmatically submitting After Effects project files (AEP) along with compositions, assets, and render settings to a Nexrender server.
Typical scenarios include:
- Automating batch video rendering pipelines.
- Dynamically modifying After Effects templates with custom assets or data.
- Integrating rendering jobs into larger automation workflows, such as post-processing or uploading rendered videos.
- Monitoring and managing render job statuses.
For example, a user can create a new render job specifying the AEP project source, composition, frame range, output settings, and assets to replace in the template. Once submitted, Nexrender processes the job and returns details about the created task.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| AEP Project Source | Location URI of the After Effects project file (.aep) to be rendered. Supports local file paths or remote URLs. |
| Composition | The composition path inside the AEP 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 within the work folder. |
| Keep Renders After Finish | Whether to keep the final rendered files after the job finishes. |
| Use Job UID As Final Render Filename | If true, uses the job's unique ID as the filename for the final render output. |
| Copy Final Render To (Folder) | Folder path where the final render will be copied if Use Job UID is true and Keep Renders is enabled. |
| Copy Final Render To (File) | File path where the final render will be copied if Use Job UID is false and Keep Renders is enabled. |
| Output Module | After Effects output module preset name for the render job (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 at which rendering starts. |
| Ending Frame Number | Frame number at which rendering ends. |
| Image Sequence | Boolean indicating if the output is an image sequence rather than a video file. |
| Render Priority | Numeric priority of the render job; lower numbers indicate higher priority. |
| Job Tags | String tags for categorizing or labeling the job. |
| Assets | Collection of assets to override or inject into the project. Each asset includes: type (audio, data, image, static, video), source URI, provider (file, HTTP, S3, etc.), layer identification (by name or index), property to modify, value or expression, caching options, and large file flag. |
| Insert Manual Assets | Boolean to enable manual JSON input for assets instead of using the UI collection. Not recommended unless advanced customization is needed. |
| Manual Assets JSON | Raw JSON string defining assets manually when Insert Manual Assets is enabled. |
| Actions | Collection of render actions to perform at different stages: pre-download, post-download, pre-render, post-render. Each action includes its type and JSON configuration detailing the action modules and parameters. |
Output
The node outputs the JSON response from the Nexrender API corresponding to the requested operation:
- For Create operation, it returns the newly created job object including job ID, status, and all submitted parameters.
- For Update, Get, List, and Delete operations, it returns the respective job information or confirmation.
- For Health Check, it returns the health status of the Nexrender server.
The output JSON structure reflects the Nexrender job schema, including fields like uid, state, template, assets, actions, tags, priority, and timestamps.
No binary data is output by this node.
Dependencies
- Requires access to a running Nexrender server API endpoint.
- Requires an API authentication token credential to authorize requests.
- The node expects the Nexrender API domain and endpoint URL configured in credentials.
- Network connectivity to the Nexrender server must be available.
Troubleshooting
- No credentials returned!: Indicates missing or misconfigured API authentication credentials. Ensure the API key/token is set up correctly in n8n credentials.
- API Response Error: Errors returned by the Nexrender API, such as invalid job parameters, unauthorized access, or resource not found. Review the error message for details and verify request parameters.
- Unknown Error: Generic errors possibly due to network issues or unexpected exceptions. Check network connectivity and Nexrender server availability.
- Invalid JSON in Manual Assets or Actions: When using manual JSON inputs, ensure the JSON syntax is correct to avoid parsing errors.
- Missing required properties: Properties like AEP Project Source, Composition, and frame range are mandatory for creating jobs. Verify these are provided.