After Effects Monitor

The After Effects Monitor is a ScriptUI panel installed inside After Effects.
It receives scripts from the Browser Client and executes them using the native ExtendScript engine.

Starting and Stopping Monitoring

To begin receiving scripts, open the Monitor panel and click Start.
While monitoring is active, incoming scripts are executed immediately.

Click Stop to pause monitoring at any time.
No scripts will run while monitoring is paused.

Monitoring only runs while After Effects is open.

Execution Flow

1. A script is sent from the browser

2. The Desktop Bridge delivers it locally

3. The Monitor receives the script

4. After Effects executes it in the active project

Scripts are applied directly to the current After Effects session.

Monitoring States

The Monitor reflects its current state clearly:

• Active : ready to receive and execute scripts

• Paused : monitoring is stopped

• Bridge not active : the Bridge is not running

Each state helps you understand why scripts may or may not be executing.

When to Use the Monitor

Keep the Monitor running while you are actively working in After Effects.
Stop monitoring when you no longer want scripts to execute.

This gives you full control over when RunScript is active.