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EffectCraft CLI Tutorial: Save and Render an Animation

Practice EffectCraft with an original two-second animation: inspect keys, edit position, save and reopen a native project, then export GIF and PNG using verified Windows CLI steps.

The Goal: Save, Reopen and Render a Native Animation

This two-second exercise has Background and Moving Block solid layers, at 24 fps and 640 × 360. The sample moves from x=80 to x=560. You will change the endpoint to x=500, save a new project, reopen it and export GIF/PNG.

The CLI path below was verified with official Windows x64 v0.9.2 binaries. For mouse-driven steps, open the separately tested illustrated desktop tutorial below; both tutorials share the same original project.

Original animation at zero seconds, with the yellow block on the left.
Original sample first frame, rendered by the CLI.
Show the original two-second GIF preview
Actual exported animation of the yellow block moving left to right.
Original sample GIF: 48 frames; your edited version will stop at x=500.

1. Download the Package and Project, Then Open the Right Folder

  1. Download and verify the Windows x64 portable ZIP from the product guide and confirm your computer is x64. ARM64/x86 packages are listed separately but untested in this tutorial.
  2. Fully extract the ZIP. Open the subfolder containing effectcraft-cli.exe; do not run inside the ZIP.
  3. Download first-motion.ecproj below and copy it to that same subfolder, retaining the .ecproj extension.
  4. Type powershell in Explorer’s address bar and press Enter. The terminal’s current folder should contain both the CLI and sample. Run the commands below one at a time in this folder and stop at any failed step to inspect its error.

Download the native sample Choose an official package · Download the original preview GIF

2. Read the Composition and Keyframes

.\effectcraft-cli.exe info --project first-motion.ecproj --json

A successful result reports First Motion, 640 × 360, duration 2, frameRate 24 and two layers. Then read the endpoint:

.\effectcraft-cli.exe get "First Motion" "Moving Block" transform/position --time 1.5 --project first-motion.ecproj --json

Expect two keys: [80,180,0] at 0 seconds and [560,180,0] at 1.5 seconds. The last zero is the Z component. Keyframes give a property different values at different times; interpolation creates motion between them.

3. Change the Endpoint and Save a Separate Project

.\effectcraft-cli.exe set "First Motion" "Moving Block" transform/position "[500,180]" --time 1.5 --project first-motion.ecproj --save-as first-motion-edited.ecproj --json

A successful response includes saved with first-motion-edited.ecproj as the target. Keep the original. The end key should now be [500,180,0]; change one parameter and check a simple result first.

4. Reopen the Saved Project and Confirm the Edit

.\effectcraft-cli.exe get "First Motion" "Moving Block" transform/position --time 1.5 --project first-motion-edited.ecproj --json

This fresh CLI call rereads the new project from disk. It should show two keys and an endpoint of [500,180,0]. A successful edit command alone does not establish saving and reopening.

5. Export a GIF and the End-Key PNG

.\effectcraft-cli.exe render --project first-motion-edited.ecproj --comp "First Motion" --out first-motion-edited.gif --format gif --start 0 --end 2 --fps 24 --json
.\effectcraft-cli.exe render-frame --project first-motion-edited.ecproj --comp "First Motion" --time 1.5 --out first-motion-edited.png --json

Files are written to the current folder. Expect a 640 × 360 GIF with 48 frames and a PNG with the block centered at x=500, y=180. Open both outputs to inspect movement and endpoint. The downloadable original GIF ends at x=560 and differs from your edit.

Original project at 1.5 seconds, with the yellow block at x=560.
Reference output from the original sample at x=560; your edited block should be farther left at x=500.

Illustrated Desktop Tutorial for the Same Exercise

For mouse-driven steps, open the EffectCraft v0.9.2 desktop tutorial. Our actual screenshots cover opening, P to reveal Position, editing the 1.5-second key, Save As, reopening and render-queue GIF export.

What to Check If a Step Fails

  • Command not found: check that the terminal folder contains effectcraft-cli.exe and the package is fully extracted.
  • File not found: confirm first-motion.ecproj is in the same folder and has no extra .txt extension.
  • No First Motion or Moving Block: run info and check the original sample’s names; these commands are not universal for other projects.
  • Save or export failure: check folder write access, the full error and output path; keep the original.
  • Web graphics-device loss occurred in our old v0.8.0 test; v0.9.2 Web was not retested. Record the exact version and error rather than applying an old result to a new release.

Test Scope, FAQ and Sources

October 13, 2026 Windows 11 x64 CPU CLI check: native save/reopen, position reads, saved endpoint edit/reopen, 48-frame GIF and original/edited PNG frames. Pixel checks confirmed movement. The basic desktop workflow was tested separately in the illustrated tutorial. New-version Web interaction, audio, fonts, complex effects, 3D and cross-platform behavior remain untested.

Can I rename an AE project to open it?

No. This is a real native EffectCraft project; changing an extension does not convert a file’s structure.

Does the sample require fonts or external media?

No; it contains only two solid layers.

Is this enough for client work?

This small exercise checks a limited workflow, not all project, effect and output requirements.

Official CLI documentation · v0.9.2 README · AE comparison and limits