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 Nexrender tasks (jobs) programmatically within an n8n workflow.
The Update operation specifically modifies an existing Nexrender job by its unique identifier (Job UID). This is useful when you want to change project settings, compositions, assets, render parameters, or actions of a previously created job without creating a new one.
Common scenarios:
- Adjusting render settings or output paths after a job has been created.
- Adding or modifying assets or actions in an ongoing project pipeline.
- Changing frame ranges or output formats dynamically based on workflow conditions.
Practical example:
You have a video production pipeline where After Effects projects are rendered automatically. If a client requests changes to the composition or assets after submission, you can use this node’s Update operation to modify the existing job instead of starting over.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Job UID | Unique identifier of the Nexrender job to update. |
| AEP Project Source | Location URI of the After Effects project file (.aep) to be used as the template source. |
| Composition | The composition path inside the project that will be rendered (e.g., "MainComp->PreComp"). |
| 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 | When keeping renders, whether to name the final render file using the job UID. |
| Copy Final Render To (Folder) | Folder path to copy the final render to if Use Job UID is true and Keep Renders is true. |
| Copy Final Render To (File) | File path to copy the final render to if Use Job UID is false and Keep Renders is true. |
| Output Module | After Effects output module setting for the job (e.g., "Lossless with Alpha"). |
| Output Extension | File extension for the output render (e.g., "mov"). |
| Render Settings | After Effects render settings preset (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 job; lower numbers indicate higher priority. |
| Job Tags | String tags for categorizing or filtering jobs. |
| Assets | Collection of assets to include or override in the job. Each asset includes type (audio, data, image, static, video), source URI, provider (S3, HTTP, FTP, etc.), layer targeting info, property, value, expression, caching options, etc. |
| Insert Manual Assets | Boolean to enable manual JSON input for assets instead of using the structured asset collection. |
| 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 type and JSON configuration detailing the action modules and parameters. |
Output
The node outputs the JSON response from the Nexrender API corresponding to the updated job. This typically includes:
- Job metadata such as UID, state, creation and update timestamps.
- Current job configuration including template, assets, actions, and render settings.
- Status information about the job's progress and execution.
No binary data is output by this node.
Dependencies
- Requires access to a Nexrender server API endpoint.
- Requires an API authentication token credential configured in n8n (referred generically as an API key credential).
- The node uses HTTP requests to communicate with the Nexrender API.
Troubleshooting
No credentials returned!
Occurs if the required API authentication token is not configured or accessible. Ensure the credential is set up correctly in n8n.API Response Error:
Indicates the Nexrender API returned an error response. Check the message for details such as invalid job ID, malformed request body, or permission issues.Unknown Error:
Could be network issues, incorrect endpoint URL, or unexpected exceptions. Verify connectivity and API endpoint correctness.Invalid Job UID:
When updating, the job ID must exist. Using a non-existent or mistyped UID will cause errors.Malformed JSON in Manual Assets or Actions:
If manual JSON inputs are used, ensure they are valid JSON strings to avoid parsing errors.
Links and References
These resources provide further details on Nexrender job configurations, asset management, and After Effects project automation.