Composing compositions

Hello, I'm new to Fusion and I'd like to know if it's possible to somehow include an existing composition into another composition. My use case is that I'd like to define common visual elements that would be used in multiple compositions, but instead of copying and pasting the nodes from one composition to the next, I'd like to define them once and then re-use them in multiple compositions. This would have the added advantage of making changes to a single file if I change my mind.

Perhaps there is another mechanism that would satisfy this use case -- but I can't seem to find it!

Many thanks!

It's a common wish list item. There's no easy way to do it. FuScript lets you make your own setup for this, but that's a lot of work.

If they are always the same and don't need any adjustments the best is to render the pre comp elements and use a loader

The tricky part is when they aren't. Like say, lower thirds.

I was wondering: are comps in Bins references to external files, or are they stored inside the bins?
If it's the former you could change the original comp that the bin is referring to, to update the template. That would be at least a partial solution for new comps.

External files. But once you add them to your comp, they're not. So any changes aren't reflected.

The only options you have now are a script based update or a Fuse. Doing either for any level of complexity or robustness is way beyond most users' abilities.

Many thanks for the responses, good to know that others are thinking along the same lines! I'm also a programmer so I may attempt scripting like that at some point when I know the Fusion API a bit better.

Well, the OP was talking very generically about visual elements, so I guess in most of the cases working with Bins might just be fine? As it was previously mentioned, there are limitations, but it still might be a workable solution, if those are static elements.

Well, the OP was talking very generically about visual elements, so I guess in most of the cases working with Bins might just be fine?

This would have the added advantage of making changes to a single file if I change my mind.

Bins and macros and MDI (well, whatever it is now) handle static elements. It's the dynamic stuff that there isn't a good solution for.

in 2009 i made a (maybe crude) script to "reference" other comps into your current one.

it imported the reference comp as a group and you could reload the nodes inside with the latest version of the referenced comp.

you can read about it here:
http://pigsfly.com/index.php?/topic/571 ... e-approach