by Michael Helmrich·Workflow
Illustrative cover generated by AnyPlugins — no product screenshot available.
Smart Keyframe Navigator earns a spot in the aescripts library for extending the familiar k and j keys with selection-aware navigation, and it stays compatible across a long list of After Effects versions.
Smart Keyframe Navigator is a script for After Effects that lets you move through keyframes with your keyboard. With nothing selected, it behaves much like the default k and j keys, taking every keyframe into account.
The navigation changes with your selection. Select one or more layers, and it steps through the keyframes on those layers only. Select individual properties, and it treats only those as visible, which also works with properties spread across multiple layers.
Version 1.32 is compatible with a wide range of releases, from After Effects 2020 back to CS5.5, and the most recent update fixed a compatibility issue with the aeplugins manager app. An earlier update also let the script recognise keyframes whose time values fall between frames, which were previously ignored. A demo video is available, and the script is listed here as free.
Smart Keyframe Navigator is best for after Effects users who want to step through keyframes from the keyboard and control which layers or properties are taken into account.
Smart Keyframe Navigator is completely free to download and use.
Smart Keyframe Navigator lists compatibility with After Effects 2020, CC 2019, CC 2018, CC 2017, CC 2015.3, CC 2015, CC 2014, CC, CS6 and CS5.5. That covers a long stretch of releases, so it should slot into most established After Effects setups. The current version is 1.32, released on May 28, 2021, an update that fixed a compatibility issue with the aeplugins manager app. For confirmation on your exact build, check the developer's page before installing.
Smart Keyframe Navigator changes its behaviour based on what you have selected. With nothing selected, it works much like the default k and j keys and takes all keyframes into account. Select one or more layers, and it navigates only the keyframes on those layers. Select specific properties, and it acts as if only those are visible, a mode that also works with properties on several different layers at once, so keyboard navigation applies only to the selection.
Smart Keyframe Navigator is built to be triggered from the keyboard, and its files are named to sit near the top of the script stack. That naming matters because only the first 20 script files can be given a keyboard shortcut in After Effects, so the script keeps itself within reach of the shortcut editor. The manual covers handling of the keyboard shortcut editor, so for the exact steps refer to the documentation on the developer's page.
Smart Keyframe Navigator is listed here as free. This catalog does not record a specific price for it, so for current licensing details and download options the developer's page on aescripts is the best place to confirm. It reached version 1.32 in May 2021, with earlier updates through 2020 that fixed bugs and refined how it matches the default k and j key behaviour. Check there for the latest terms before you install.
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