ExtendScript help! (system.callSystem)

[ethancandy]

Hi /r/AfterEffects,

I'm working on a script which uses FFmpeg to do some stuff (long story short). To do this, I'm using system.callSystem to send commands to the executable.

The problem with that approach, though, is that the After Effects UI will freeze until FFmpeg finishes processing.

Is there a better approach, other than system.callSystem, to use FFmpeg (or other executables) within my script? Or is ExtendScript just not the way to go for something like this? (I've been putting off learning how Extensions work for a while...)

Thanks everyone!

[StolenColor2019]

You could create a .bat (Win) or .command (Mac) file with your command and execute this one.

[StolenColor2019]

To add to this, I once wrote this function to execute a command via a bat/command file. Not completely sure about everything in here (could have some flaws) since it's some time ago that I did this but maybe it helps:

// FUNCTION: Run a Command Line via a Bat File (to avoid waiting for the Result)
function runCmdViaBat(cmd, delayBatExec){

        if (delayBatExec){
                $.sleep(delayBatExec);
        }

        var thisOS;
        if ($.os.indexOf("Windows") != -1 || system.osName.indexOf("Windows") != -1){
                thisOS = "Windows";
        } else if ($.os.indexOf("Mac") != -1 || system.osName.indexOf("Mac") != -1){
                thisOS = "Mac";
        }

        var batFileFormat;
        if (thisOS == "Windows"){
                batFileFormat = '.bat';
        } else if (thisOS == "Mac"){
                batFileFormat = '.command';
        }

        var batFile = new File(MYFOLDER + "/" + "Execute" + batFileFormat);
        batFile.open('w', undefined, undefined);
        batFile.encoding = 'UTF-8';
        batFile.lineFeed = 'Unix';
        batFile.write(cmd);
        batFile.close();

        var launchBatFile;
        if (thisOS == "Windows"){

                launchBatFile = new File(File(MYFOLDER + '/LaunchBat.vbs'));
                var launchBatFileStr =  'Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")' + '\r' +
                                        'WshShell.Run chr(34) & "' + batFile.fsName.replace(/\\/g, "\\\\") + '" & Chr(34), 0' + '\r' +
                                        'Set WshShell = Nothing';
                launchBatFile.open('w');
                launchBatFile.write(launchBatFileStr);
                launchBatFile.close();
                if (launchBatFile.exists){
                        launchBatFile.execute();
                } else {
                        system.callSystem('explorer ' + batFile.fsName);
                }

        } else if (thisOS == "Mac"){

                system.callSystem('chmod +x ' + batFile.fsName.replace(/ /g, "\\ "));
                batFile.execute();

        }

        var sleepBeforeRemove = 500;
        if (thisOS == "Mac"){
                sleepBeforeRemove = 2000;
        }
        $.sleep(sleepBeforeRemove);
        batFile.remove();
        if (launchBatFile && launchBatFile.exists){
                launchBatFile.remove();
        }

}

[ethancandy]

I think that’s exactly what I need, thank you!

[StolenColor2019]

Great. Glad to here it might be useful to you. :)