BlockToPlayhead ⏯️

Two tiny After Effects scripts that move your selected layers to the playhead as one block, so the timing between them stays exactly the same.

AE's own [ and ] snap each layer to the playhead on its own, which collapses a staggered sequence into a pile. These scripts move the whole group instead.

Script	What lands on the playhead
BlockInToPlayhead.jsx	the earliest in-point of the selection
BlockOutToPlayhead.jsx	the latest out-point of the selection

What it does

Select any number of layers, run a script, and:

1. It finds the block's edge: the earliest in-point (or the latest out-point).
2. It works out how far that edge is from the playhead.
3. It shifts every selected layer by that same amount. Overlaps, gaps, stagger and layer order are all kept.
4. It all happens inside a single undo step.

Trimmed layers are handled by their visible in/out points, just like AE's [ / ]. Locked layers are left where they are.

Example

Before                          After  (BlockInToPlayhead)
          ▼ playhead                      ▼ playhead
Layer A   |      [=====]                  [=====]
Layer B   |           [======]                 [======]

Installation

As a Regular Script

• Place both .jsx files in your Scripts folder and run via File → Scripts:

  Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects [version]\Support Files\Scripts\
  macOS:   /Applications/Adobe After Effects [version]/Scripts/
  

As a Hotkey (recommended)

Keep the .jsx files in a folder without spaces in the path and trigger them from AutoHotkey. I use Ctrl+Alt+Shift+[ and Ctrl+Alt+Shift+]:

#If WinActive("Adobe After Effects")
^!+[:: ;block in-point to playhead
WinGet, active_AE_path, ProcessPath, A
run,"%active_AE_path%" -r C:\ae_jsx\BlockInToPlayhead.jsx,, Hide
return

^!+]:: ;block out-point to playhead
WinGet, active_AE_path, ProcessPath, A
run,"%active_AE_path%" -r C:\ae_jsx\BlockOutToPlayhead.jsx,, Hide
return
#If

AfterFX.exe -r takes the path raw. Don't put quotes around it and don't use a path with spaces, or it silently does nothing.

Requirements

• Adobe After Effects (any version with scripting support)
• At least 1 selected layer in an active composition

License

MIT