This is something that has bugged me for years.  I open a project, render.  Hop into a different project. Add to Render Queue.  Now all of my settings are pointing to the other projects render paths... 

I work for an advertising agency and I am constantly rendering work for multiple clients. When going back and forth the only way to retain output paths is to duplicate the item in the render queue.  Why?  Each composition should have the option within the -- Composition Settings -- to set a render path.  When you duplicate the comp, the render path stays.  This seems like a simple concept but I am sure is more complicated on the back end. 

I want to be able to add a render path to the comp, within comp settings.  This way when I send to render queue I know it is going to the right place without having to constantly click on modules, outputs, and so on.  This would save so much time!!  When duplicating the comp to version up...the path stays with the new comp name allowing for fast and convenient incrementing.

Anyways, thanks for reading!

• David 

I'm often using scaled down proxy footage for multiple compositions on big projects to speed up workflows. For final quality renders, I am currently limited to either using AE's render queue using the "Best Settings" render setting which locks me from doing more work in AE, or manually turning off all my proxy links before sending my comp to the AME queue.

I understand the dynamic link protocol has limitations which is why I suggest adding a dialog box or a preference option where AE users can choose the render settings that get translated to AME, allowing options other than "Current Settings"

I posted this over at the Community forum and somebody suggested i post here so here goes:

It just feels like EVERY TIME i have a deadline and normally right at the end of the project when it comes the time to render/export, After Effects or Media Encoder finds some new and unique way to give me problems..

If it's not some bizarre installation or authorisation issue, it's AddToMediaEncoder queue doing nothing. Or it launches MediaEncoder and doesn't add to queue. Or it complains DynamicLink isn't working. Or even adding the composition to the queue manually via MediaEncoder looks like it's working but the progress spinner loading composition bar thing just spins and spins and spins. Or some other new way that i haven't hitherto experienced..

And so after navigating my myriad of versions of MediaEncoder and testing each one, i decide to take my life in my hands and open Creative Cloud desktop and and look for an update. But do i update ONLY MediaEncoder, or also AfterEffects - if i update AE i might end up with plugin problems which i don't want.. Okay i decide, i'll try just Media Encoder and see what happens. And then alas, "Holy Christ on a f----ng Bike', i exclaim - there's two f----ng different versions of MediaEncoder and both apparently have updates available - what in the f--- do i do now...

And so i updated both. And.. It appears to have worked AddingToQueue from AfterEffects. Although, it's launched through version 2019.. I apparently have 2020 installed which apparently does nothing useful. Tbh i have no idea which version is which, 12.3.65.23.3.or 15.2.4.3.6.7, or the other one, or which version of AfterEffects actually works with which version..

But i beg - please help me eliminate this pain because i am unsure if i can continue to justify continuing to pay for this on a month to month basis. Tbh i'd be happy to use just one static AE and MediaEncoder version, the 'most recent' feature i use regularly is the Puppet Tool and that's f*****g years old now, i don't need any of these updates.

The only other option i think i have to have a stable AfterEffects->MediaEncoder setup that i know is reliable and will not f---- my sh-- up every time i need it most is to cancel my subscription and install a pirated version. I know any of the little-guy staff members that read this are not going to care about that one way or another. But i just think it's sad that i actually have to consider doing that. And so Adobe, please stop. I don't need this s--t. This is not the first time i've felt complelled to complain but it may be the last.

I always use the work area to preview (not the option where it starts from the timeline). I also often use the option to Skip frames where AE only RAMs only every 2nd, 5th, 10th, or whatever frame, to save time. I also shuffle or extend the work area up and down to preview different areas. Years ago it use to count which skipped frames to preview from the beginning of the timeline, but now it counts from the beginning of the work area!!! So even if I push the area down a second, or a frame, even though the area is mostly already cached, if the beginning of the work area doesn't sync to a frame already done, it has to start again!