@autoaiai/aicut 0.1.11 → 0.1.13

package/skills/after-effects/references/expression-library.md

@@ -1,184 +0,0 @@
-# After Effects Expression Library, Rigging & Export
-
-A deeper cookbook. All expressions are JavaScript (the modern AE expression engine). They evaluate on the property they are pasted on, where `value`, `time`, `index`, `thisLayer`, `thisComp` are in scope.
-
-## Inertial bounce (parameterized)
-
-```js
-// Overshoot/settle after the most recent keyframe. Tune amp/freq/decay.
-amp = 0.10;     // 0.05 = subtle, 0.2 = bouncy
-freq = 3.0;     // oscillations per second
-decay = 5.0;    // higher = settles faster
-
-n = 0;
-if (numKeys > 0) {
-  n = nearestKey(time).index;
-  if (key(n).time > time) n--;
-}
-if (n === 0) {
-  value;
-} else {
-  t = time - key(n).time;
-  v = velocityAtTime(key(n).time - thisComp.frameDuration / 10);
-  value + v * amp * Math.sin(freq * t * 2 * Math.PI) / Math.exp(decay * t);
-}
-```
-
-Inertial bounce works on multi-dimensional properties because `velocityAtTime` returns a vector; the arithmetic is per-component.
-
-## Loop variants
-
-```js
-loopOut("cycle");          // A B C A B C ...
-loopOut("pingpong");       // A B C B A B C ...
-loopOut("offset");         // continues accumulating the delta each cycle
-loopOut("continue");       // linear extension of the final velocity (no loop)
-loopOut("cycle", 3);       // loop only the last 3 keyframes
-loopIn("cycle", 2);        // loop the first 2 keyframes, backwards in time
-loopOutDuration("cycle", 2); // loop the last 2 SECONDS of keyframes
-```
-
-Use `offset` for endless conveyor/scroll motion; `continue` for inertia past the last keyframe without oscillation.
-
-## Wiggle — advanced
-
-```js
-// Full signature: wiggle(freq, amp, octaves, amp_mult, time)
-wiggle(2, 30, 3, 0.5);     // 3 octaves adds finer detail
-
-// Per-axis wiggle (different amplitude X vs Y)
-x = wiggle(2, 50)[0];
-y = wiggle(2, 10)[1];
-[x, y];
-
-// Wiggle only rotation while keeping keyframed position
-wiggle(1, 5);              // on Rotation
-
-// Smooth, looping ambient motion without true wiggle (loopable):
-amp = 20; period = 4;      // seconds
-[Math.sin(time / period * 2 * Math.PI) * amp,
- Math.cos(time / period * 2 * Math.PI) * amp] + value;
-```
-
-`wiggle` is non-looping noise; for seamless loops use periodic sin/cos as above.
-
-## Stable randomness across a grid
-
-```js
-seedRandom(index, true);        // timeless=true → constant over time, varies per layer
-startDelay = random(0, 0.5);    // each layer gets a stable random delay
-opacity = ease(time, startDelay, startDelay + 0.4, 0, 100);
-```
-
-`seedRandom(index, false)` (timeless=false) lets `random()` vary over time — use for flicker; `true` for stable offsets.
-
-## Time remap & valueAtTime echoes
-
-```js
-// Trailing/echo: sample the lead layer in the past, staggered by index
-delay = 0.08 * (index - 1);
-thisComp.layer("Lead").transform.position.valueAtTime(time - delay);
-
-// Speed-ramp a time-remapped layer using easing on the source time
-src = thisComp.layer("Source");
-linear(time, 0, 2, 0, src.source.duration);   // play a 2s window of the source
-
-// Sample own value in the past for motion smear / trail
-valueAtTime(time - 0.1);
-```
-
-## Rigging walkthrough
-
-### Control types and how to read them
-
-```js
-ctrl = thisComp.layer("Controls");
-ctrl.effect("Intensity")("Slider");   // number
-ctrl.effect("Visible")("Checkbox");   // 1 or 0
-ctrl.effect("Brand")("Color");        // [r,g,b,a] 0..1
-ctrl.effect("Spin")("Angle");         // degrees
-ctrl.effect("Anchor")("Point");       // [x,y]
-```
-
-### One slider, staggered reveal across N layers
-
-```js
-// On each layer's Opacity:
-master = thisComp.layer("Controls").effect("Reveal")("Slider"); // 0..100 driver
-per = 6;                       // frames of stagger per layer
-shift = framesToTime(per * (index - 1));
-ease(master, 0, 100, 0, 100) * (time > shift ? 1 : 0);
-```
-
-### Coordinate-space conversions
-
-```js
-// Place this layer where another parented layer appears in comp space
-target = thisComp.layer("Marker");
-fromComp(target.toComp(target.anchorPoint));
-
-// World position of a point on this layer
-toComp([0, 0]);
-```
-
-`toComp` converts layer space → composition space; `fromComp` does the inverse. Use them whenever layers are parented or live in different (nested) comps.
-
-### Linking many layers to a master null
-
-1. Select all children → set Parent to the null.
-2. Animate only the null; children inherit transform.
-3. For non-transform links (effects, opacity), pick-whip to the control layer's effect.
-
-## Essential Graphics / MOGRT export steps
-
-1. **Window → Essential Graphics**, choose the master comp.
-2. Drag exposed properties (Slider, Checkbox, Color, Text Source, Media replacement) into the panel.
-3. Add **Group** headers, rename controls, fill comment fields for editors.
-4. Use **Drop-Zone / Media Replacement** for swappable footage/logos.
-5. Click **Export Motion Graphics Template**, choose destination (Local Templates Folder / Library / file). Toggle "Make fonts available" and check "Raster/vector" compatibility for Premiere.
-6. Test in Premiere Pro's Essential Graphics → Browse panel.
-
-Keep all motion driven by expressions referencing the exposed controls so editors only touch the exposed params; hide internal layers with shy.
-
-## Lottie / Bodymovin export
-
-Supported reliably:
-- Shape layers, solids, transforms (position/scale/rotation/opacity/anchor).
-- Masks and track mattes (alpha), parenting, basic gradients.
-- Trim Paths, simple repeaters.
-- Expressions: enable in Bodymovin settings, but verify on the target renderer — `lottie-web`, lottie-ios, and lottie-android differ in expression and effect support.
-
-Not supported / risky (bake or avoid):
-- Blend modes, most native Effects, layer blurs, 3D layers/cameras, time remapping, adjustment-layer effects.
-
-Workflow:
-1. Install Bodymovin extension; **Window → Extensions → Bodymovin**.
-2. Select comp(s), set destination, choose Standard/Demo.
-3. Settings: enable "Glyphs"/"Hidden", "Expressions" only if needed; "Assets" → export images or use base64.
-4. Render `data.json`. Preview in a Lottie player; check file size and that masks/mattes survived.
-5. For web, load with `lottie-web`:
-
-```js
-import lottie from 'lottie-web';
-lottie.loadAnimation({
-  container: document.getElementById('lottie'),
-  renderer: 'svg',          // 'canvas' for heavy fills, better perf
-  loop: true, autoplay: true,
-  path: '/data.json',
-});
-```
-
-## Media Encoder presets
-
-| Use | Codec / format | Settings |
-|---|---|---|
-| Web/social delivery | H.264 (MP4) | VBR 2-pass, 1080p ~12–16 Mbps; 4K ~35–50 Mbps |
-| Master/intermediate | ProRes 422 HQ (MOV) | full range, matched fps |
-| With alpha | ProRes 4444 (MOV) | enable alpha channel |
-| Lossless interchange | PNG sequence or ProRes 4444 | per-frame, alpha |
-| GIF | via Media Encoder/Photoshop | reduce palette, dither, cap dimensions |
-
-Tips:
-- Match the comp frame rate; avoid frame-blending unless intentionally retiming.
-- H.264 cannot store alpha — composite onto a background or use ProRes 4444 / PNG.
-- For crisp text, render at the delivery resolution (don't upscale); set quality to maximum and use 2-pass VBR.

package/skills/after-effects/references/expressions.md

@@ -1,134 +0,0 @@
-# Expressions, Rigging & MOGRT
-
-After Effects is GUI software, so this delivers knowledge: ready-to-paste JavaScript expressions, rigging setups that make motion controllable, and template/export pipelines. Expressions read on the property they are pasted on; `value` is that property's keyframed/static value, `time` is the composition time in seconds, and `index`, `thisLayer`, `thisComp` are in scope.
-
-For a deeper cookbook (tuned inertial bounce, every loop variant, advanced per-axis wiggle, `valueAtTime` echoes, `seedRandom` grids, full rigging walkthrough, Essential Graphics → MOGRT steps, Lottie/Bodymovin + Media Encoder presets), see `expression-library.md`.
-
-## Core expressions
-
-### Inertial bounce (overshoot after the last keyframe)
-
-Paste on a Position, Scale, or Rotation property. It continues the velocity at the final keyframe into a damped sine — the classic "settle" motion.
-
-```js
-amp = 0.08;   // overshoot amount
-freq = 2.5;   // oscillations per second
-decay = 6.0;  // how fast it settles
-n = 0;
-if (numKeys > 0) {
-  n = nearestKey(time).index;
-  if (key(n).time > time) n--;
-}
-if (n > 0) {
-  t = time - key(n).time;
-  v = velocityAtTime(key(n).time - 0.001);
-  value + v * (amp * Math.sin(freq * t * 2 * Math.PI) / Math.exp(decay * t));
-} else {
-  value;
-}
-```
-
-### Looping
-
-```js
-loopOut("cycle");        // repeat keyframed range forever
-loopOut("pingpong");     // bounce back and forth
-loopOut("offset");       // continue, accumulating (e.g. continuous travel)
-loopOut("continue");     // extend final velocity linearly
-loopOut("cycle", 2);     // loop only the last 2 keyframes
-loopIn("cycle");         // mirror, before the first keyframe
-```
-
-### Wiggle and stable randomness
-
-```js
-wiggle(2, 30);              // 2 wiggles/sec, amplitude 30 (units match the property)
-seedRandom(index, true);   // unique-but-stable per layer; timeless=true
-random(0, 100);            // stable after seedRandom
-wiggle(freq, amp, octaves=1, amp_mult=0.5, t=time);  // full signature
-```
-
-`seedRandom(index, true)` before `random()` or `wiggle()` makes each layer differ but stay constant across renders — essential for grids of layers that must not flicker.
-
-### Time remap & value-at-time
-
-```js
-// Sample another property/layer at a shifted time (echo/trailing motion)
-delay = 0.2 * index;
-thisComp.layer("Lead").transform.position.valueAtTime(time - delay);
-
-// Speed up a precomp via time remap
-linear(time, 0, thisComp.duration, 0, 6);  // 6s source mapped over comp duration
-```
-
-## Rigging
-
-Make motion controllable instead of hand-keyed:
-
-1. Add a null/control layer (often a "Controls" layer). Add **Slider Control**, **Checkbox Control**, **Color Control**, **Angle Control**, or **Point Control** effects to it.
-2. Reference them with the pick-whip or by path:
-
-```js
-ctrl = thisComp.layer("Controls");
-amt  = ctrl.effect("Intensity")("Slider");      // Slider Control → ADBE Slider Control-0001
-on   = ctrl.effect("Enable")("Checkbox");       // Checkbox: 1 or 0
-col  = ctrl.effect("Tint")("Color");
-
-if (on == 1) value * amt else value;
-```
-
-3. Parent transforms to a null so one move drives many layers. Use `toComp`/`fromComp` to convert coordinate spaces when layers are parented or in different comps.
-
-```js
-// Stagger N layers off one master slider
-master = thisComp.layer("Controls").effect("Reveal")("Slider");
-delay  = 4 * index;     // 4 frames per layer
-master.valueAtTime(time - framesToTime(delay));
-```
-
-## Essential Graphics / MOGRT
-
-1. Open **Window → Essential Graphics**, pick the comp as the Master.
-2. Drag the Slider/Checkbox/Color/Text source properties into the panel to expose them.
-3. Group, rename, and set comment fields for editors.
-4. **Export Motion Graphics Template** → a `.mogrt` usable in Premiere Pro / AE. Keep driving expressions referencing the exposed controls so editors change only the exposed params.
-
-Set "Allow fonts to substitute" off and embed/package fonts where possible so the template renders consistently elsewhere.
-
-## Export from expressions/template work
-
-### To Lottie (Bodymovin / `@lottiefiles/bodymovin`)
-
-- Stick to Lottie-supported features: shape layers, transforms, masks, track mattes, basic expressions converted to keyframes.
-- Avoid blur-heavy effects, blend modes, 3D layers, and most native effects — they don't translate.
-- Bake expressions to keyframes if the renderer is strict, or use the `expressions` flag in Bodymovin and test on the target player (web/iOS/Android renderers differ).
-- Run **Bodymovin → Render** to produce `data.json` (+ optional images). Verify in a Lottie preview before handoff.
-
-### To video (Media Encoder)
-
-- **File → Export → Add to Adobe Media Encoder Queue** (or render queue for AE-native).
-- Delivery: **H.264** (MP4), bitrate ~10–20 Mbps for 1080p, VBR 2-pass.
-- Master/intermediate: **ProRes 422 HQ** (or ProRes 4444 when alpha is needed).
-- Transparency: ProRes 4444 or PNG/QuickTime with an alpha channel; H.264 cannot carry alpha. (See `export-recipes.md` for the full codec/alpha/bitrate matrix.)
-
-## Quick reference
-
-| Goal | Expression |
-|---|---|
-| Loop keyframes | `loopOut("cycle")` |
-| Continuous travel | `loopOut("offset")` |
-| Subtle life | `wiggle(2, 20)` |
-| Stable per-layer random | `seedRandom(index,true); random(...)` |
-| Settle/overshoot | inertial bounce (above) |
-| Echo another layer | `valueAtTime(time - delay)` |
-| Read a slider | `effect("Name")("Slider")` |
-| Frames ↔ seconds | `framesToTime(n)` / `timeToFrames(t)` |
-
-## Gotchas
-
-- An expression overrides keyframes on that property unless it incorporates `value`; start most expressions from `value`.
-- `index` is the layer's stacking number — it changes if layers are reordered; prefer named lookups for stable rigs.
-- Expression errors disable the expression and show a yellow banner; check the property's path names (effect names must match exactly, including duplicates' suffixes).
-- Pre-compose for reuse; name layers; use shy/lock and guide layers for safe areas before handoff.
-</content>
-</invoke>

package/skills/after-effects/references/performance-triage.md

@@ -1,138 +0,0 @@
-# Performance Triage — Slow, Laggy, Crashing, Frozen
-
-Diagnose slow previews, slow renders, freezes, and crashes in a fixed order, from cheapest fix to most invasive. Work top-down and stop when the symptom clears — most issues are solved in the first few steps.
-
-Most fixes live in Preferences. Open `Edit > Preferences` (Windows) or `After Effects > Settings/Preferences` (macOS).
-
-## First: identify the symptom
-
-- **Slow / non-real-time previews (RAM preview)** → Flow A
-- **Slow renders (final output)** → Flow B
-- **Crashes / freezes / hangs** → Flow C
-
-## Flow A — Slow previews (do in order)
-
-1. **Set Resolution to Auto/Half/Third.** In the Composition viewer, change Resolution from Full to **Half** or **Third**. Adaptive/Draft resolution gives the biggest instant win.
-2. **Enable Multi-Frame Rendering (MFR).** `Preferences > Memory & Performance > Enable Multi-Frame Rendering`. Uses all CPU cores for preview and render (AE 2022+). Confirm "CPUs reserved for other applications" isn't set too high.
-3. **Check RAM allocation.** `Preferences > Memory & Performance`. Leave ~6 GB for the OS; give the rest to AE. Too little RAM = a tiny green preview bar.
-4. **Set Fast Previews to Adaptive Resolution.** Viewer's lightning-bolt icon → **Adaptive Resolution** (degrades resolution only while interacting).
-5. **Purge the cache.** `Edit > Purge > All Memory & Disk Cache`. Stale/full cache stalls previews.
-6. **Verify the Disk Cache is on a fast drive.** `Preferences > Media & Disk Cache` → Enable Disk Cache, point it at a fast **SSD/NVMe**, give it 50–100+ GB. Never on a slow external HDD.
-7. **Solo the offending layer/effect.** Toggle effects off (the fx switch) or solo layers to find the bottleneck. Heavy culprits: blurs, glows, Mocha/tracking, particles, expressions, large 3D, and many third-party plugins.
-8. **Enable GPU / hardware-accelerated decoding.** `Preferences > Video Preview` (Mercury GPU) and `Preferences > Import > Hardware Accelerate H.264/HEVC decoding`. Helps long-GOP source footage.
-9. **Pre-render or proxy heavy comps.** Pre-render a finished/slow precomp to ProRes and set it as a **proxy** (`File > Create Proxy`, or right-click footage → Set Proxy). Frees compute for the part being worked on.
-10. **Trim the work area** to just the section in progress so RAM preview fills faster.
-
-## Flow B — Slow renders (do in order)
-
-1. **Confirm Multi-Frame Rendering is on** (`Memory & Performance`) — the single largest render speedup on multi-core CPUs.
-2. **Render with the Render Queue for masters, AME for delivery** — and don't run heavy work in AE while AME renders.
-3. **Enable hardware-accelerated decoding** for H.264/HEVC sources (`Preferences > Import`).
-4. **Pre-render slow precomps** once and reuse them, instead of recomputing every frame. Heavy effect stacks, time-remapping, and 3rd-party renderers benefit most.
-5. **Replace effects with cheaper equivalents** where possible (e.g., Fast Box Blur over Gaussian; native over plugin).
-6. **Convert long-GOP source to an intermediate** (ProRes/DNxHR). Decoding H.264 every frame is slow; ProRes is cheap to read.
-7. **Check the renderer:** `Composition > Composition Settings > 3D Renderer`. Classic 3D is fastest; Cinema 4D/Ray-traced renderers are far slower.
-8. **Disk Cache on NVMe** so repeated frames aren't recomputed.
-9. **Close other apps**, especially other Adobe apps and browsers, to free RAM/CPU for MFR.
-
-## Flow C — Crashes / freezes / hangs (do in order)
-
-1. **Purge cache** (`Edit > Purge > All`). A full/corrupt cache causes hangs.
-2. **Clear the Disk Cache folder** in `Preferences > Media & Disk Cache > Empty Disk Cache`. Corrupt cache files cause crash-on-open.
-3. **Update GPU drivers** (NVIDIA Studio driver / AMD). Outdated/Game-Ready drivers cause Mercury GPU crashes. As a test, switch Project renderer GPU→CPU (`File > Project Settings > Video Rendering and Effects: Mercury Software Only`).
-4. **Reset Preferences:** hold `Ctrl+Alt+Shift` (Win) / `Cmd+Opt+Shift` (Mac) while launching AE. Corrupt prefs are a top crash cause.
-5. **Disable third-party plugins** by temporarily moving them out of the plug-ins folder, then reintroduce to find the offender. Old plugins are a leading crash/freeze source after AE updates.
-6. **Check Disk Cache and Output drives for free space.** A full scratch/cache disk causes freezes mid-render.
-7. **Lower or disable MFR** if crashes appear only during multi-frame render — some plugins are not MFR-safe; reserve more CPUs or disable MFR for those projects.
-8. **Roll back the AE version** if crashes started right after an update. Install a previous version via Creative Cloud (Other Versions) — many crash waves are version-specific regressions.
-9. **Look for a single corrupt asset** — import comps one at a time, or replace footage, to isolate a bad file.
-
-## Quick reference
-
-| Symptom | First three moves |
-|---|---|
-| Choppy RAM preview | Half resolution → enable MFR → purge cache |
-| Tiny green preview bar | Raise RAM allocation → SSD disk cache → trim work area |
-| Slow final render | Enable MFR → HW decode H.264 → pre-render precomps |
-| Crash on launch | Reset prefs (modifier keys) → empty disk cache → update GPU driver |
-| Crash mid-render | Free disk space → disable/reserve CPUs for MFR → disable 3rd-party plugins |
-| Started after update | Roll back AE version → update plugins → reset prefs |
-| Laggy with footage | HW-accelerated decode → transcode to ProRes → proxy heavy comps |
-
-## Gotchas
-
-- **MFR needs RAM per core.** With many cores but little RAM, MFR can underperform or stall — aim for several GB per active core.
-- **Game-Ready drivers crash AE.** Prefer the **Studio** driver branch on NVIDIA.
-- **Disk Cache on an external HDD is worse than none** — it must be SSD/NVMe to help.
-- **Plugins lag behind AE updates.** After a major AE upgrade, a sudden crash wave usually means a plugin needs updating or is not MFR-safe.
-- **Purging clears the green bar.** Previews must rebuild afterward; that initial slowness is expected, not a new problem.
-- **CPU/GPU effects are not equal.** A few GPU-accelerated effects are fast; mixing many CPU-only effects forces round-trips that kill preview speed.
-- **Don't render in AE and AME simultaneously** on the same machine — they fight for cores and RAM.
-
----
-
-# AE Performance — Detailed Diagnostics Reference
-
-## Preference locations and recommended values
-
-| Setting | Path | Recommended |
-|---|---|---|
-| RAM for AE | Preferences > Memory & Performance | Total RAM minus ~6 GB for OS |
-| Multi-Frame Rendering | Memory & Performance > Enable MFR | On; reserve 0–2 CPUs for other apps |
-| Disk Cache | Media & Disk Cache > Enable Disk Cache | On, SSD/NVMe, 50–150 GB |
-| Conformed media cache | Media & Disk Cache | On SSD, separate from project if possible |
-| HW decode (H.264/HEVC) | Import > Hardware Accelerate Decoding | On |
-| Mercury GPU | Project Settings > Video Rendering and Effects | GPU (CPU as crash test) |
-| Fast Previews | Viewer lightning icon | Adaptive Resolution |
-
-## Multi-Frame Rendering (MFR) tuning
-- Introduced in AE 2022 (22.x); renders multiple frames in parallel across CPU cores for both preview and final render.
-- **RAM is the limiter.** Each rendering frame needs memory; with too little RAM, AE quietly reduces the cores it uses. Target several GB of free RAM per logical core you want active.
-- "CPUs reserved for other applications" trades render speed for system responsiveness. Set 0–2 on a dedicated machine.
-- Some legacy/3rd-party effects are **not MFR-safe** and can crash or render incorrectly under MFR. If a specific project crashes only with MFR on, disable MFR for that project or update the plugin.
-
-## GPU and drivers
-- Use the **NVIDIA Studio Driver** (not Game Ready) for stability with Adobe apps; keep AMD drivers current too.
-- Mercury GPU acceleration speeds some effects and the renderer. If AE crashes on launch or while playing back, switch `Project Settings > Video Rendering and Effects` to **Mercury Software Only** to confirm GPU/driver fault, then update drivers.
-- Hardware-accelerated **decoding** (separate from rendering) speeds reading H.264/HEVC source footage; enable in `Preferences > Import`.
-
-## Disk cache sizing and placement
-- Put the disk cache on the **fastest local drive** (internal NVMe ideal). Never on a slow USB HDD or a network drive.
-- 50–150 GB is typical; more helps long projects retain cached frames between sessions.
-- Symptoms of a bad cache: hangs on open, garbage frames, refusal to play. Fix via `Empty Disk Cache` and `Edit > Purge > All`.
-- Keep the cache drive from filling up — a full cache/scratch disk causes mid-render freezes.
-
-## Pre-render and proxy workflow
-1. Identify a slow, finished precomp (heavy effects, particles, 3D, tracking).
-2. Add it to the Render Queue and render to **ProRes 422/422 HQ** (or PNG sequence).
-3. Right-click the footage/comp in the Project panel → **Set Proxy > File**, select the rendered file. A box icon shows the proxy is active.
-4. Toggle the proxy off for final render if you want to re-render at full quality, or keep it if the pre-render is final.
-5. Alternatively `File > Create Proxy > Movie/Still` to queue a proxy directly.
-- Proxies let AE substitute a cheap-to-read file for an expensive comp/footage during editing.
-
-## Heavy effect culprits (preview/render cost)
-- Gaussian Blur, Camera Lens Blur, Glow → use Fast Box Blur where acceptable.
-- Particle systems (Particular, Form), Element 3D, Plexus.
-- Mocha tracking, Warp Stabilizer (analysis), motion tracking.
-- Expressions that read many layers/time, especially per-frame heavy ones.
-- Nested precomps with collapsed transformations and continuous rasterization.
-- Ray-traced / Cinema 4D 3D renderer vs Classic 3D.
-
-## Version-specific culprits
-- After a **major AE update**, a sudden crash/slowdown wave usually traces to a third-party plugin not yet updated for that AE version — update plugins or remove them to test.
-- If problems began immediately after updating AE, install the **previous version** from Creative Cloud → app → Other Versions, and report the regression.
-- Reset corrupt preferences by holding `Ctrl+Alt+Shift` (Win) / `Cmd+Opt+Shift` (Mac) during launch; this resolves many post-update oddities.
-
-## Isolation checklist for crashes
-1. Reset preferences (modifier-key launch).
-2. Empty disk cache + Purge All.
-3. Update GPU driver (Studio branch).
-4. Move 3rd-party plugins out, relaunch, reintroduce one at a time.
-5. Switch Mercury to Software Only to rule out GPU.
-6. Import comps/footage incrementally to find a corrupt asset.
-7. Disable MFR for the project if crashes are MFR-specific.
-8. Roll back AE version if the crash wave is version-correlated.
-
-## When to pre-compose vs pre-render
-- **Pre-compose** to organize and to apply an effect to a group — does not by itself speed anything up (it can even add overhead).
-- **Pre-render** (render to a file + use as proxy/footage) when a precomp is finished and slow — this is the actual performance win.

package/skills/after-effects/references/project-hygiene.md

@@ -1,188 +0,0 @@
-# Project Hygiene — Organize, Relink, ExtendScript
-
-Keep AE projects organized, portable, and automatable: consistent naming, a clear folder/bin structure, label discipline, pre-comp discipline, reliable relinking when files move, and ExtendScript (.jsx) automation for repetitive tasks.
-
-## Folder (bin) structure
-
-Create folders in the Project panel (the folder icon at the bottom). A reliable layout:
-
-```
-01_Comps/         finished/active compositions
-02_Precomps/      nested precomps
-03_Footage/       imported video
-04_Images/        stills, logos, textures
-05_Audio/
-06_Solids/        (AE's auto "Solids" folder — keep it here)
-07_Assets_3D/
-99_Old/           deprecated comps/layers, not deleted yet
-```
-
-Numeric prefixes force a stable sort order. After importing, immediately drag items into the right bin — `File > Reduce Project` and `File > Consolidate All Footage` help later, but discipline up front prevents chaos.
-
-## Naming conventions
-
-- **Comps:** `PROJECT_section_descriptor_v01` (e.g., `BRAND_intro_logoBuild_v03`). Version with zero-padded `v01`, `v02`.
-- **Precomps:** prefix `PRE_` or suffix `_pre` so they're obvious in lists.
-- **Layers:** rename solids/nulls to their role (`CTRL_master`, `BG_gradient`, `MATTE_text`). Never ship "Black Solid 12".
-- **No spaces / special chars** in filenames destined for render farms or cross-OS sharing — use `_` and `-`.
-- Keep names short but unique; long names truncate in the timeline.
-
-## Label colors
-
-Use the Label color (the swatch left of each Project/Timeline item) as a visual system. Pick a convention and apply it consistently, e.g.:
-- Red = control/null layers
-- Blue = footage
-- Green = precomps
-- Yellow = text
-- Purple = adjustment/effects layers
-
-Right-click an item → **Label** to set. Select multiple, then `Edit > Label > Select Label Group` to act on a whole color at once. Customize label names/colors in `Preferences > Labels`.
-
-## Pre-comp discipline
-
-- Pre-compose (`Layer > Pre-compose`, `Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+C`) to **group** related layers and to apply one effect to a group — not reflexively for everything.
-- When pre-composing a single layer, choose **"Leave all attributes in"** vs **"Move all attributes into the new composition"** deliberately: "Move" carries transforms/effects inside; "Leave" keeps them on the outer layer.
-- Name the precomp immediately and file it in `02_Precomps`.
-- Avoid deep nesting beyond a few levels — it slows navigation and makes relinking/debugging painful.
-- Match precomp duration and frame rate to need; an over-long precomp wastes cache.
-
-## The "moved one file and everything broke" rescue
-
-AE references footage by file path. Moving, renaming, or sending a project without its assets breaks links (shown as **colored bars / "Missing Footage"** placeholders).
-
-### Fix options, in order
-1. **Relink one, fix many:** double-click a missing item (or right-click → **Replace Footage > File**). Point it at the moved file; AE offers to relink *all* missing items from the same folder automatically. This single step usually fixes the whole project.
-2. **Find Missing Footage:** `File > Dependencies > Find Missing Footage` lists every broken link to resolve.
-3. **Replace Footage:** right-click footage → **Replace Footage > File** to swap an asset while keeping every use, effect, and keyframe intact.
-
-### Prevent it: Collect Files
-Before moving or sharing a project, use `File > Dependencies > Collect Files`. This copies the project plus every used asset into one new folder with relative structure, so links survive on any machine. Always hand off projects as a Collect Files package, not a bare `.aep`.
-
-Related: `File > Dependencies > Consolidate All Footage` (merge duplicate imports), `Remove Unused Footage`, and `Reduce Project` (strip everything not used by selected comps) to slim a project before collecting.
-
-## Batch automation with ExtendScript (.jsx)
-
-AE scripts (ExtendScript / JSX) automate repetitive work. Run via `File > Scripts > Run Script File...`, or place in the **ScriptUI Panels** folder to dock as a panel. Always wrap edits in `app.beginUndoGroup("name") ... app.endUndoGroup()` so one Undo reverts the whole batch.
-
-Common automations (full code in `../scripts/`):
-- **Batch rename** selected layers with a base name + auto-increment (`../scripts/batch-rename.jsx`).
-- **Sequential offset** — stagger selected layers in time by N frames each, a staggered "domino" start (`../scripts/sequential-offset.jsx`).
-- **Apply an effect** (e.g., a Gaussian Blur, or any matchName) across all selected layers at once (`../scripts/apply-effect-to-layers.jsx`).
-
-Minimal pattern:
-```javascript
-app.beginUndoGroup("My Batch Op");
-var comp = app.project.activeItem;
-if (comp && comp instanceof CompItem) {
-  var sel = comp.selectedLayers;
-  for (var i = 0; i < sel.length; i++) {
-    // operate on sel[i]
-  }
-}
-app.endUndoGroup();
-```
-
-## Quick reference
-
-| Task | How |
-|---|---|
-| New bin | Folder icon at bottom of Project panel |
-| Set label color | Right-click item → Label |
-| Relink missing footage | Double-click item / Replace Footage > File |
-| List broken links | File > Dependencies > Find Missing Footage |
-| Package for handoff | File > Dependencies > Collect Files |
-| Swap an asset everywhere | Replace Footage > File |
-| Slim project | Reduce Project / Remove Unused Footage |
-| Run a script | File > Scripts > Run Script File... |
-| Pre-compose | Layer > Pre-compose (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+C) |
-
-## Gotchas
-
-- **Collect Files before moving anything.** Moving the `.aep` alone always breaks links.
-- **Relinking one item often relinks the rest** from the same folder — try that before fixing each by hand.
-- **Replace Footage preserves effects/keyframes;** deleting + re-importing does not.
-- **AE auto-creates a "Solids" folder** — don't scatter solids elsewhere or it regenerates duplicates.
-- **Scripts need `app.beginUndoGroup`/`endUndoGroup`** or a batch becomes many separate undos.
-- **Applying effects by name needs the `matchName`,** not the display name (e.g., `"ADBE Gaussian Blur 2"`), to be reliable across AE language versions.
-- **Allow Scripts to Write Files** must be enabled in `Preferences > Scripting & Expressions` for scripts that save/render.
-- **Deep precomp nesting** makes both performance and relinking worse — keep it shallow.
-
----
-
-# AE Project Organization — Detailed Reference
-
-## Full folder (bin) template
-```
-PROJECT.aep
-├── 00_Output/        (final renders live next to project on disk)
-01_Comps/             master & active comps
-02_Precomps/          nested precomps (prefix PRE_)
-03_Footage/           video clips
-04_Images/            stills, logos, vector, textures
-05_Audio/             music, VO, SFX
-06_Solids/            AE auto-folder; leave it here
-07_Assets_3D/         OBJ/C4D/3D model assets
-08_Reference/         storyboards, briefs, temp ref
-99_Old/               deprecated, kept until final
-```
-Numeric prefixes lock sort order. Keep the on-disk asset folders mirroring these bins so Collect Files stays clean.
-
-## Naming scheme
-| Item | Pattern | Example |
-|---|---|---|
-| Master comp | `PROJ_section_v##` | `BRAND_main_v04` |
-| Sub/shot comp | `PROJ_section_shot_v##` | `BRAND_intro_logo_v02` |
-| Precomp | `PRE_descriptor` | `PRE_textReveal` |
-| Null/control | `CTRL_role` | `CTRL_master` |
-| Solid/BG | `BG_role` | `BG_gradient` |
-| Matte | `MATTE_role` | `MATTE_logoTrack` |
-| Adjustment | `ADJ_role` | `ADJ_grade` |
-
-Rules: zero-pad versions; no spaces/special characters for farm/cross-OS safety; keep unique and short.
-
-## Label color system (example)
-| Color | Meaning |
-|---|---|
-| Red | Control / null layers |
-| Blue | Footage |
-| Green | Precomps |
-| Yellow | Text |
-| Purple | Adjustment / effects |
-| Orange | Audio |
-| Gray | Disabled / old |
-
-Set via right-click → Label. Customize names/colors in `Preferences > Labels`. Use `Edit > Label > Select Label Group` to select everything of one color.
-
-## Relink / missing footage — full workflow
-1. **Identify:** missing items show as colored bars with "Missing" placeholders; the Project panel marks them.
-2. **Relink one to fix many:** right-click a missing item → **Replace Footage > File** (or double-click it). Choose the relocated file. AE prompts to relink all other missing files found in the same folder — accept to fix the batch at once.
-3. **Enumerate:** `File > Dependencies > Find Missing Footage`, `Find Missing Fonts`, `Find Missing Effects` to locate every broken dependency.
-4. **Swap assets:** **Replace Footage > File** swaps the source while preserving all layer instances, effects, masks, and keyframes.
-
-## Collect Files (portable handoff)
-- `File > Dependencies > Collect Files`.
-- Options: Collect Source Files = **All**; enable **Reduce Project** to drop unused; optionally **Generate Report**.
-- Produces a folder containing the `.aep` plus a `(Footage)` subfolder with every used asset, preserving relative links so the project opens anywhere.
-- Always deliver/move projects as a Collect Files package, never a lone `.aep`.
-
-## Slimming a project
-- `File > Reduce Project` — removes all items not used by the currently selected comp(s). Destructive to unused items; save first.
-- `File > Dependencies > Consolidate All Footage` — merges duplicate imports of the same file.
-- `File > Dependencies > Remove Unused Footage` — drops footage no comp references.
-- Run these before Collect Files to keep the package small.
-
-## Scripting setup
-- Enable `Preferences > Scripting & Expressions > Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network` for scripts that save or render.
-- Run a script: `File > Scripts > Run Script File...`.
-- Dock a panel script: place the `.jsx` in `(AE install)/Scripts/ScriptUI Panels/`, restart AE, open from the `Window` menu.
-- Wrap every batch in `app.beginUndoGroup("...")` / `app.endUndoGroup()` so it undoes in one step.
-- Apply effects by **matchName** (internal id like `"ADBE Gaussian Blur 2"`), not the localized display name, for cross-version reliability. Use `layer.property("ADBE Effect Parade").addProperty(matchName)`.
-
-## Pre-comp discipline details
-- "Leave all attributes in the new composition" keeps the outer layer's transform; "Move all attributes" pushes them inside the precomp. Choosing wrong shifts/rescales the result.
-- Trim precomp duration to the content; over-long precomps waste RAM/disk cache.
-- Name and file precomps immediately; never leave "Pre-comp 1".
-- Keep nesting shallow (2–3 levels) for performance and easier relinking/debugging.
-
----
-Keep the project tidy and named well and footage relinks without a fight. Built by **[iart.ai](https://iart.ai/?utm_source=github&utm_medium=readme&utm_campaign=motion-design-skills&utm_content=skill_footer&utm_term=after-effects)** — the AI motion agent for editable, on-brand motion graphics.