by KiwiVFX·Workflow
Images © KiwiVFX. Used for product review; image policy.
Stacker earns its place in the aescripts library for handling layer organization with alignment, keyframe, and parenting options across After Effects versions from CS3 to 2024.
Stacker is a layer management script for After Effects developed by KiwiVFX. It arranges layers toward the bottom, top, left, or right sides, and includes options for layer alignment, a fixed starting position, keyframes, and more. Settings are auto-saved, and save and load options let you move settings between computers, including between PC and Mac.
Version 1.3.5 introduced an initiate script that pre-loads text messages, sets settings, and shows a progress bar, along with a new layout and design. This release added scale support, an Ignore Parent's Rotation option, a Connect to Parent's Opacity option, an anchor point option for fixed X and Y positions, and reset functionality. The Organize checkbox was replaced by a "Move Layers to the Top" option, and Sort Compositions received lighter sorting.
Stacker runs across a wide range of After Effects versions, from CS3 through the 2024 release. A demo video is available, and it can be tried for free.
Stacker is best for after Effects artists managing and arranging layers across compositions.
Stacker is completely free to download and use.
Stacker supports a broad range of After Effects versions, spanning After Effects 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020, as well as CC 2019, CC 2018, CC 2017, CC 2015.3, CC 2015, CC 2014, CC, CS6, CS5.5, CS5, CS4, and CS3. That coverage lets it run on both current releases and much older builds. Note that settings are not transferred between After Effects versions, though you can save and load them when moving to a new version.
Stacker includes save and load options that let you move settings between computers, including between PC and Mac. Settings are also auto-saved, and version 1.3.5 added reset functionality. Save and load paths are saved, though this does not apply to Mac. For versions below After Effects v12, settings are saved to the data file. Because settings are not transferred automatically between After Effects versions, you can use save and load when moving to a new version.
Stacker is listed as free in this catalog, and you can try it for free to use its layer management features. For current licensing details, check the developer's page. The version listed here is 1.3.5, updated on October 28, 2024, which added scale support, an anchor point option for fixed positions, reset functionality, and a new layout and design among other changes.
Stacker 1.3.5, released on October 28, 2024, added an initiate script that pre-loads text messages, sets settings, and displays a progress bar, along with a new layout and design. It introduced scale support, an Ignore Parent's Rotation option, a Connect to Parent's Opacity option, an anchor point option for fixed X and Y positions, and reset functionality. The Organize checkbox was replaced by a "Move Layers to the Top" option, Sort Compositions received lighter sorting, and settings are now auto-saved.
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