Issue with responding to AEGP from custom effect.

Question

Hi,
    I checked ProjectDumper & Shifter projects. I noticed that ProjectDumper is communicating with Shifter effect through
suites.EffectSuite2()->AEGP_EffectCallGeneric(S_my_id, effectH, &fake_timeT, (void*)"ProjDumper says hello to Shifter");
But when I tried to communicate from Sweetie to Checkout using the AEGP_EffectCallGeneric call, I'm not getting any callbacks.
In the Checkout project I'm handling PF_Cmd_COMPLETELY_GENERAL also. But when AEGP_EffectCallGeneric() is called from Sweetie project, I'm not getting the call to EntryPoint in Checkout project.
This is sample code :
In Sweetie project:
A_Time                    fake_timeT = {0, 100};
suites.EffectSuite2()->AEGP_EffectCallGeneric(      S_my_id,            /* >> */
                                                  effectPH,            /* >> */
                                                  &fake_timeT,//const A_Time        *timePT,                /* >> Use the timebase of the layer to which effect is applied. */
                                                  //PF_Cmd_COMPLETELY_GENERAL,                /* >> new parameter from version 2 */
                                                  (void*)"Hello");
In Checkout project :
DllExport   
PF_Err
EntryPointFunc (   
    PF_Cmd            cmd,
    PF_InData        *in_data,
    PF_OutData        *out_data,
    PF_ParamDef        *params[],
    PF_LayerDef        *output,
    void            *extraP )
     PF_Err        err = PF_Err_NONE;
    switch (cmd)
          case PF_Cmd_COMPLETELY_GENERAL:
           err = RespondToAEGP(in_data,out_data,params,output,extraP);
           break;
Am I missing something? What else should I need to do to get the callback to EntryPointFunc() in Checkout project?
Thanks,
Dheeraj

Answer 1

//this has to give AEGP_EffectRefH corresponding to Checkout right?
wrong.
but let's discuss that later.
let's assume for a moment that you get get a valid effectRefH.
you say the you call the effect back as soon as the effect calls the AEGP via a suite.
do you wait until the effect exits from it's call? maybe it' still busy with original call from which it called your AEGP.
if you want to be sure it's free, you have to wait until the calling effect finished and only then contact it.
you could do that using idle_hook.
when the effect calls the AEGP, the AEGP sets a flag and waits until an idle_hook call.
when that comes, it sees it has a flag on, and initiates the effectCallGenreic at a time in which the effect is surely idle.
another alternative based on the suumption that you reply immeidately without letting the original caller exit first,
is to reply back via that same suite that did the calling.
when an effect calls your AEGP via your suite it can pass an empty structure or a pointer to any piece of data, and have the AEGP fill it with data and instructions.
the process continues with the calling effect without using effectCallGeneric.
back to that thing from the beginning.
as far as i know, the AEGP_GetNewEffectForEffect works for the calling effect, regardless of the pIndata->effect_ref passed to the function.
you can use that function from within effects with a NULL for an pIndata->effect_ref, and it will still work.
you'll have to get the effectPH the old fashioned way, using AEGP_GetLayerEffectByIndex.
actually there are a few ways for you to get the AEGP_EffectRefH.
the first would be to have the effect find out it's own effectRef using GetNewEffectForEffect,
and have the effect deliver that to the AEGP via your suite.
that effect ref would be valid as long as the calling effect didn't exit yet. that effect ref will also have to be disposed of.
after the effect has exited it's call, your can't count on the effectRef bieng valid anymore.
it could work, but it will fail if any other plug-in has acquired an effectRef in the mean time.
you could have the effect deliver it's LayerH to the AEGP, and have the AEGP search that LayerH for your effect, and get it's reff using AEGP_GetLayerEffectByIndex.
the LayerH is less likely to change under you than an EffectRefH is, but still, you can't count on it 100%.
sadly, there's no API a project wide, and lasting way of recognising an effect.
the only full 100% proof solution would be to send the AEGP the itemID of the comp, and the layerID of the correct layer, and have the AEGP look for the matching comp in the project, and the matching layer in the comp, and the correct effect on the layer.
the itemID and layerID both last for the lifetime of the project, and are stored with the project.
they will only change is the project is imported into another project.
for short term tracking of effects i personally store the layerH and scan that layer for the correct effect.
i keep telling myself i have to convert to the full solution, but i guess i'm too lazy to implement it (and it sacns the whole project each time it's used).
you should decide how much faith you put into having the effectRefH, layerH, or compH not change under you without notice.