SoundFlow Script Automation: Architecture and Best Practices

Overview of SoundFlow’s Scripting Architecture

SoundFlow provides a global sf object that exposes various APIs for automation. These include modules like sf.ui (UI automation), sf.app (app-specific actions), sf.file (file I/O), sf.system (system commands), sf.keyboard (keyboard simulation), sf.mouse (mouse simulation), sf.clipboard (clipboard access), and more (AutomationRootApi | SoundFlow) (AutomationRootApi | SoundFlow). Each of these namespaces corresponds to an interface in SoundFlow’s AutomationRootApi. For example, sf.ui is an AxRoot for UI automation, sf.app.proTools provides Pro Tools–specific scripting functions, and sf.file/sf.system offer file system and OS controls. In practice:

• sf.ui (AxRoot) – Entrypoint for UI element automation via macOS Accessibility. Under sf.ui, you can access applications and their UI elements. For known apps, there are pre-defined properties (e.g. sf.ui.proTools, sf.ui.cubase, sf.ui.finder) returning an AxApplication object (AxRoot | SoundFlow) (AxRoot | SoundFlow). You can also access any app by bundle ID using sf.ui.app('<bundleId>'), which returns a reference to that application (AxRoot | SoundFlow) (AxRoot | SoundFlow). For example, sf.ui.app('com.avid.ProTools') would target Pro Tools, although in this case, you should use sf.ui.proTools because that is the specialized AxPtApplication which contains more functionality special for Pro Tools than the base AxApplication class. The AxApplication objects expose windows and UI elements of the app, via .windows, .mainWindow, .getMenuItem() and more.

• sf.app – High-level, app-specific workflow actions, typically implemented via direct API integration with the app in question. For instance, sf.app.proTools (part of the AutomationRootProToolsApi) contains functions that perform common Pro Tools tasks via the Pro Tools Scripting SDK (like renaming tracks, fetching memory locations, etc.) without manually manipulating the UI (Working with text in renaming tracks). These often leverage the app’s SDK or optimized routines. For example, sf.app.proTools.renameTrack({ oldName: 'Vox', newName: 'Vox Lead' }) will directly rename a track in the session, bypassing the UI (and thus not adding to Pro Tools’ undo queue) (Working with text in renaming tracks). Use these when available, as they are more efficient and handle underlying details for you. However, if the SDK action is limited or non existing, using UI automation via sf.ui is the next-best method.

• Other sf Modules –

  • sf.file for reading/writing files and directories,
  • sf.system for running shell commands or controlling apps (launching, activating, ensuring running, etc.),
  • sf.keyboard and sf.mouse for simulating input,
  • sf.clipboard for accessing clipboard text,
  • sf.wait() for delays, etc. These provide utility functions for tasks that support your automation scripts (e.g. waiting, logging, etc.), and follow similar patterns (each action returns a result object and can take optional error control parameters).

In summary, the global sf API (AutomationRootApi) is your toolkit: sf.ui gives you fine-grained UI control, while sf.app (and other high-level modules) give you more abstracted actions. A good strategy is to combine them – use high-level actions for efficiency and UI control for anything not directly provided.

Understanding the UI Node Hierarchy and Caching

All UI automation in SoundFlow is built on an in-memory hierarchy of AxNode objects that mirror the external app’s UI structure (When to use invalidate()). Under sf.ui, each application’s UI is represented as a tree of nested nodes (windows, groups, buttons, fields, etc.), each node exposing properties (like title, value, role) and child element collections. For example, sf.ui.proTools is an AxApplication node whose children include windows, mainWindow, menus, etc., and each window contains child elements such as groups, buttons, textFields, etc. This forms a UI node hierarchy that you can navigate with chainable properties.

SoundFlow aggressively caches parts of this hierarchy for performance (When to use invalidate()) (When to use invalidate()). Understanding cache behavior is crucial to ensure your script interacts with up-to-date UI state:

Dynamic Query Nodes (No Persistent Cache):

When you query UI through an AxElementArray (using filters like .windows.whoseTitle.is(...).first or .children.whoseRole.is(...).first), those queries bypass caching under the hood (When to use invalidate()). Each such call fetches the current UI elements matching the query, so you typically don’t need to invalidate in these one-off query chains. This design allows a “query language” style without worrying about stale results for common usage (When to use invalidate()).

Strongly-Associated Nodes (Cached):

Many top-level or frequently used UI nodes are cached after first retrieval for speed. For example, sf.ui.proTools.mainWindow or a cached reference to a specific button (like a Preview button in an Automation window) might be stored so subsequent access is faster (When to use invalidate()) (When to use invalidate()). SoundFlow’s smart caching will auto-refresh these if it detects they went stale (e.g. if a window closed, it will attempt to re-find it when accessed next) (When to use invalidate()). This is key to why UI scripts can run very fast.

Property Caching (Title & Value):

Two frequently read properties – title and value of UI elements – are also cached by SoundFlow (When to use invalidate()). This means if you retrieve an element’s title or value once, subsequent reads of the same property return the cached value unless invalidated. For example, reading myElement.value twice will give the same result even if the UI changed in between, unless you tell SoundFlow to refresh it.

Cache Invalidation:

To deal with changing UI state, SoundFlow provides an invalidate() method on nodes (and some property objects) to clear caches. Calling .invalidate() on an AxNode invalidates that node and all of its children (When to use invalidate()). Practically:

• Invalidate as specifically as possible (as far right in the chain as possible) (When to use invalidate()). For instance, to refresh a property, invalidate only that property: e.g. myElement.title.invalidate().value gives you the updated title text (When to use invalidate()). To refresh a particular window’s contents, invalidate that window node (e.g. sf.ui.proTools.mainWindow.invalidate()).

• Don’t over-invalidate. Only call invalidate() when needed, because excessive invalidation defeats caching and slows down your script (and even built-in commands that rely on caches) (When to use invalidate()). Use it surgically to reset stale parts of the tree.

• A common debugging technique is to add an invalidate high up (e.g. right after sf.ui.proTools) if something isn’t working, to see if it’s a cache issue (When to use invalidate()). If adding a broad invalidate fixes the problem, move the invalidate down the hierarchy (to a more specific node) until you pinpoint the necessary scope.

• SoundFlow often auto-invalidates certain things for you (e.g. when you switch apps or use the UI Picker tool). But as a rule of thumb, whenever your script’s next step depends on UI changes from a previous step, invalidate the affected nodes. Example: after opening a new window or changing something significant, you might do sf.ui.proTools.windows.invalidate() or specifically invalidate the new window node to refresh its content.

UI Hierarchy Navigation:

Each AxNode subtype (windows, groups, buttons, etc.) exposes child elements via properties. For instance, a window node has .groups, .buttons, .textFields, etc., each returning an AxElementArray of those child elements (AxDynamicElement | SoundFlow) (AxDynamicElement | SoundFlow). You can filter these with the whose... syntax or other query methods:

• whoseTitle.is("X") – filters elements whose title equals "X".

• whoseTitle.contains("Y"), whoseLabel.startsWith(...), whoseRole.is(...) etc. – similar filters for other properties.

• .first, .allItems[index] – select a specific element from the results (e.g. .first gives the first match, whereas .allItems returns the full array-like object). To convert into a full Javascript array for iteration in for .. of, use Array.from(...) on the .allItems sub property.

• Example: sf.ui.proTools.windows.whoseTitle.contains("Session").first finds the first open Pro Tools window with “Session” in its title. From there you can drill down: .groups.whoseTitle.is("Session Format").first.textFields.whoseTitle.is("NumericEntryText").first would navigate into that window’s groups to find a text field titled “NumericEntryText”. This chaining is how you locate specific UI nodes.

When you obtain a node reference, you can check if the UI element it represents exists with the .exists property (returns a boolean). For example, after querying a dialog window: let dlg = sf.ui.proTools.confirmationDialog; if (dlg.exists) { /* dialog is present */ }. Many scripts use .exists or elementWaitFor() (described below) to handle conditional UI.

Usage example (navigating and invalidating):

// Ensure Pro Tools is frontmost and UI is fresh
sf.ui.proTools.appActivateMainWindow();
sf.ui.proTools.mainWindow.invalidate(); 

// Get the "Session Setup" window (open it if not open)
const sessionSetupWindow = sf.ui.proTools.windows.whoseTitle.is('Session Setup').first;
if (!sessionSetupWindow.exists) {
    sf.ui.proTools.menuClick({ menuPath: ["Setup", "Session"] });
    sessionSetupWindow.elementWaitFor();  // wait for window to appear
}

// Access a nested text field inside the window's "Session Format" group
const sessionFormatGroup = sessionSetupWindow.groups.whoseTitle.is('Session Format').first;
const sessionFormatField = sessionFormatGroup.textFields.whoseTitle.is('NumericEntryText').first;

In the snippet above, we invalidate the Pro Tools main window to avoid stale UI references, open the Session Setup window if needed, then traverse into it to get a specific text field (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?) (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?). This showcases typical hierarchy navigation and conditional UI logic.

Querying and Interacting with UI Elements

Once you have references to AxNode elements, you can perform actions on them using SoundFlow’s predefined actions. These actions are methods like elementClick(), mouseClickElement(), elementSetTextFieldValue(), windowClose(), etc., available on the node objects. All UI actions follow a similar pattern:

• They are methods on an AxNode (or a specific subclass) that perform an interaction (click, set text, check a box, etc.).
• They accept an optional properties object as an argument to specify parameters and control behavior.
• They return a result object (not the raw value) which typically contains a success boolean and possibly other data (e.g., a value or reference). You often check result.success or use the returned object to chain further calls.

Common UI Actions and Patterns:

• elementClick([args]) – Simulates an accessibility “press” on the element (equivalent to clicking a button or menu item). This is the primary way to activate a UI element. If the element is a button or menu item, elementClick() will press it (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?). If it’s a checkbox, elementClick() toggles it (though for checkboxes, there is also checkboxSet() to explicitly enable/disable). By default, if the element is not found or not enabled, this action throws an error. You can provide an argument object with options like onError: 'Continue' (see Error Handling section) to override that.
• mouseClickElement([args]) – Physically moves the mouse cursor and clicks at the element’s location (AxDynamicElement | SoundFlow) (AxDynamicElement | SoundFlow). This is a lower-level click simulation. Use it if a normal elementClick doesn’t work (for example, some canvas elements or unusual controls might not respond to AX press but do to a real mouse click). It accepts args such as coordinates offset, which mouse button, etc. In general, prefer elementClick first, because it’s faster (no actual mouse movement) and works in the background. Use mouseClickElement only for cases where AX actions aren’t effective.
• elementWaitFor([args]) – Waits for a UI element’s existence state to meet a condition. By default, calling someElement.elementWaitFor() will pause until someElement.exists becomes true (up to a timeout). If you specify { waitForNoElement: true }, it does the opposite – waits until the element disappears (exists becomes false) (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?). This is extremely useful for synchronization: e.g., wait for a dialog to appear before clicking a button, or wait for a window to close before proceeding. You can also specify a custom timeout (and error handling) in the args. If the condition isn’t met in time, it throws an error (or returns success:false if using onError: 'Continue').
• getMenuItem(menuPath) – Finds a menu item in the application’s menu bar. You can call this on an app’s UI node to retrieve a menu item element. For example, sf.ui.proTools.getMenuItem('Window', 'Mix') returns the Mix window menu item (under the Window menu). The menu path can be provided as separate arguments or as an array. The returned object is an AxMenuItem element which has properties like .isMenuChecked (true if the menu item is checked/on) (How to beat the inconsistency of scripts in SoundFlow?) (How to beat the inconsistency of scripts in SoundFlow?), .exists, etc., and you can click it with elementClick(). Use getMenuItem when you need to inspect a menu item’s state before deciding an action (e.g., checking if an option is enabled).
• menuClick({ menuPath: [...] }) – A convenience action to directly select a menu item from the menubar (How to beat the inconsistency of scripts in SoundFlow?) (script doesn't do the good keyboard map.). You provide the path as an array of menu titles/submenu items. This action internally finds the item and triggers it in one go. It returns a result (which you can ignore if no need to check success). Use menuClick when you simply want to execute a menu command without needing to examine it first. For example, sf.ui.proTools.menuClick({ menuPath: ["Edit", "Mute Clips"] }) will invoke the Edit > Mute Clips command (script doesn't do the good keyboard map.).
• windowClose() – Closes a window element. You call this on a window AxNode (e.g. someWindow.windowClose()). It’s equivalent to clicking the red close button or pressing Cmd+W for that window. After calling windowClose(), you might use elementWaitFor({ waitForNoElement: true }) on that window to confirm it closed before continuing (as seen in some examples) (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?).
• Specialized element actions: Depending on the element’s role, there are dedicated actions. For instance, checkboxes have checkboxSet({ targetValue: "Enable"|"Disable" }) to explicitly check or uncheck (When to use invalidate()), text fields have elementSetTextFieldWithAreaValue() for certain Pro Tools text fields, etc. These are all accessible as methods on the element. SoundFlow’s API documentation (or code completion) lists available actions for each element type.

All these actions follow the pattern of returning a result object. For example, let res = someButton.elementClick(); will give a result (say ClickButtonResult) where res.success indicates if the click happened. Many result objects also contain useful info; e.g., a getString() action might return an object with a .value property containing the string.

Example – Querying and clicking a menu item:

// Check which Pro Tools main window is active (Mix or Edit)
const mixMenuItem = sf.ui.proTools.getMenuItem('Window', 'Mix');
if (mixMenuItem.isMenuChecked) {
    // If Mix window is active, switch to Edit window via menu
    sf.ui.proTools.menuClick({ menuPath: ["Window", "Edit"] });
}

In this snippet, we query the “Mix” menu item and use its .isMenuChecked property to determine if the Mix window is currently shown. If yes, we perform a menuClick on Window > Edit to bring up the Edit window (How to beat the inconsistency of scripts in SoundFlow?) (How to beat the inconsistency of scripts in SoundFlow?). This illustrates using getMenuItem for state and menuClick for action.

Example – Waiting for and clicking a dialog button:

// Assume a confirmation dialog may appear (e.g., "Are you sure?")
// Reference the standard confirmation dialog in Pro Tools:
let dlg = sf.ui.proTools.confirmationDialog;
dlg.elementWaitFor();  // wait until the dialog is present

// Click the "OK" button on the dialog
dlg.buttons.whoseTitle.is("OK").first.elementClick();

Here we use confirmationDialog (a shortcut AxNode for Pro Tools’ currently showing confirmation dialog) and wait for it to exist (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?). Then we find the button titled “OK” in that dialog’s buttons collection and click it (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?). This demonstrates waiting for UI and interacting with it reliably.

Error Handling Strategies in Scripts

Robust scripts anticipate errors – for example, an element not found, a command failing, or a user-cancelled action. SoundFlow scripting offers two mechanisms for error handling: JavaScript try/catch (traditional exception handling) and action-level error control via onError/onCancel options on actions.

1. Using try/catch: All SoundFlow actions will throw a JavaScript exception if they fail by default (unless told not to). You can wrap code in a try/catch to handle these. This is standard JS behavior. For instance:

try {
    sf.ui.proTools.windows.whoseTitle.is("Some Window").first.elementClick();
    // ... further actions
} catch (err) {
    log("Action failed: " + err);
    // perhaps recover or retry
}

Using try/catch is useful when you want to attempt an action and, if it fails, perform alternate steps or retry loops. For example, to keep retrying a function until it succeeds, you might do:

function keepAttempting() {
    for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {  // try up to 5 times
        try {
            doSomething();  // a function that may throw
            return true;    // success, exit loop
        } catch (e) {
            sf.wait({ intervalMs: 2000 });  // wait 2 seconds before retry
        }
    }
    return false;
}

This pattern was suggested for wrapping a bounce operation that occasionally failed – the code tries, catches the error, waits, and retries (Error handling of existing function). Using try/catch gives you full control but can make logic a bit more complex.

2. Using onError and onCancel in action calls: Every SoundFlow action method accepts optional control properties onError and onCancel in its argument object. These let you override the default throw-on-error behavior:

• onError can be "ThrowError" (the default), "Continue", or "Abort".
• onCancel can be "ThrowError" (default) or "Abort" or "Continue" for actions that can be canceled (not all actions support cancel).

When you set onError: "Continue", the action will not throw an exception on failure. Instead, it will return a result object with success: false (and typically an error message inside). Your script can then check the result rather than catching an exception (If a certain action is aborted, how to skip to next actions until a certain action.). This is often more convenient for branching logic.

Example using onError: "Continue" to handle a missing UI element:

// Try to go to memory location 101, but don't throw if it doesn't exist
let result = sf.ui.proTools.memoryLocationsGoto({ 
    memoryLocationNumber: 101, 
    onError: 'Continue' 
});
if (!result.success) {
    // Memory location 101 doesn't exist, skip related actions
} else {
    // It existed, proceed to bounce...
    sf.soundflow.runCommand({ commandId: '...', props: {} });
}

In this code, memoryLocationsGoto will attempt to recall location 101. If that memory location doesn’t exist, the action would normally throw an error – but with onError: "Continue", it instead returns success: false and the script continues (If a certain action is aborted, how to skip to next actions until a certain action.) (If a certain action is aborted, how to skip to next actions until a certain action.). We capture that result in result and decide what to do next. This approach (using result.success) makes the script flow linear and clear when dealing with expected failure conditions.

Similarly, onCancel can be used for actions that might be aborted or cancelled. For example, if an action opens a dialog that the user might cancel, you could set onCancel: "Continue" to handle that gracefully. There’s also an "Abort" option: if an action returns an Abort status (which means “skip the rest of this action sequence”), SoundFlow will stop executing subsequent actions in the same macro without throwing an exception. In practice, "Abort" is often used in multi-step macros to break out early. (When writing pure scripts, you’ll more commonly use "Continue" or try/catch.)

Important: Not all “failure” scenarios count as errors. Some API functions are designed to return a benign value when something isn’t found. For instance, sf.ui.proTools.trackGetByName({ name: "Foo" }) returns null in its .track property if the track isn’t found, rather than throwing (How to check if a track exists?). In such cases, onError won’t trigger because no exception occurs – it’s up to you to check the returned value. (As SoundFlow team member Raphael explains, trackGetByName tries a few times then returns null if not found, so onError does nothing there (How to check if a track exists?).) Always consult documentation or experiment to know whether a given function throws or returns a status.

Suppressing/ignoring errors: If you have an action that you expect might fail and you simply want to ignore it, onError: "Continue" is the easiest approach. This avoids scary error pop-ups in SoundFlow. Christian Scheuer (SoundFlow’s founder) notes that you can add onError: "Continue" to any action call to suppress its error message (Suppress error message?). Just be sure to then handle the success or result appropriately. If you truly want to ignore it, you can call the action and not check the result at all (the script will keep going). However, use this wisely – it’s best to handle the outcome so your script’s state is known.

Finally, remember that proper error handling is about making your script robust. It’s often better to solve the root cause of an error than to suppress it blindly (Suppress error message?). Use logging (log() statements) and SoundFlow’s debug console to inspect unexpected behaviors. And during development, favor explicit failures (so you notice issues) – then add onError: "Continue" or try/catch around cases you know are non-critical.

Best Practices for SoundFlow Script Automation

To create reliable and maintainable SoundFlow scripts, keep these best practices in mind:

Leverage Built-in Actions First:

Always check if there’s an official SoundFlow action or package for what you need. SoundFlow’s integrations (Pro Tools, etc.) provide high-level functions that are more efficient than manual UI scripting. For example, use sf.app.proTools.renameTrack or sf.ui.proTools.trackRename (if available) instead of writing your own routine to click and type into the track name field (Working with text in renaming tracks). These built-ins handle edge cases and often operate faster (sometimes even bypassing the GUI). As Christian noted, the SDK-based renameTrack doesn’t create an undo, which can be beneficial for batch operations (Working with text in renaming tracks). Similarly, prefer functions like sf.ui.proTools.selectionGet(), sf.ui.proTools.trackSelect() or trackScrollToView() when available, rather than reimplementing those behaviors with generic clicks and keys (Strip Silence Script) (Strip Silence Script).

Use UI Automation over Keystrokes/Mouse where possible:

UI element actions (like menu selections, button clicks, setting fields) are more robust than sending raw keystrokes or mouse events. They work even if Pro Tools (or the target app) is not the frontmost window, and they are not affected by screen resolution or input device quirks. As SoundFlow experts emphasize, “avoid keyboard simulation wherever possible as UI automation is always more reliable / less prone to errors.” (clicktrack mute) and “generally speaking, you should avoid using keyboard simulations in your scripts because they are not as reliable as menu click actions.” (script doesn't do the good keyboard map.) In practice, this means: use sf.ui.proTools.menuClick("Mute Clips") instead of sf.keyboard.press("Shift+M") for a Pro Tools menu command, etc. Only resort to keyboard shortcuts for things that have no UI equivalent (or when automating something like typing text into a field after focusing it).

Reserve Keyboard/Mouse Simulation as a Last Resort:

There are cases where simulating input is unavoidable (e.g. Pro Tools edit shortcuts like nudging, or when interacting with plug-in GUIs that aren’t fully accessible). In those cases, ensure the app is frontmost (sf.ui.proTools.appActivate()), and consider using sf.ui actions to focus the right control before sending keys. Keep such steps to a minimum and document why they’re needed. Always prefer a menu command, API call, or UI press over a timed keystroke. When you do use them, be mindful of timing (you may need small waits if the UI needs to catch up).

Keep UI State in Mind (Activate and Raise Windows):

MacOS Accessibility often requires the target app to be active. Use sf.ui.proTools.appActivate() or appActivateMainWindow() at the start of your script to ensure Pro Tools is front and its UI is ready to receive events (script doesn't do the good keyboard map.) (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?). Likewise, if you’re working with a floating window or dialog that might be behind other windows, use .elementRaise() on it to bring it to front. For example, if you have a reference to a window win, calling win.elementRaise() will bring that window forward (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?). This helps ensure subsequent actions (like clicking a button) actually hit the intended target.

Synchronize with UI Changes:

Always wait for the UI to reach the state you need before moving on. If you open a menu or window, don’t assume it’s instant – use elementWaitFor() or loop-check .exists until true. If you close a window or perform an action that triggers a dialog, wait for those to complete or appear. The examples above show patterns like waiting for a dialog’s element, or waiting for a window to close with waitForNoElement (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?). SoundFlow is fast – it might try to click an OK button before the dialog is even rendered unless you explicitly wait. Proper synchronization is critical for consistent results.

Use .invalidate() Sparingly and Wisely:

As covered, invalidate only what you must. Typically, you’ll invalidate the main window or a specific panel after major changes (like track list modifications, opening a new session, etc.) to refresh cached data. But don’t sprinkle invalidate() everywhere “just in case” – this can slow things down significantly (When to use invalidate()). A good approach is to start without extra invalidation and add it when you encounter stale data issues, guided by the rules in the caching section above.

Prefer Deterministic Queries over Coordinates:

Instead of clicking an absolute screen position or relative coordinates (which might break on different screen setups), query for the element and click it. The mouseClickElement action will internally compute the correct coordinates of the element to click, which is far safer than a hard-coded coordinate. Only use raw coordinates with sf.mouse (e.g. sf.mouse.move({x: ..., y: ...})) if you absolutely have to target something like a canvas point – and even then, try to derive those coords from element frames (element.frame property) rather than constants.

Break Complex Tasks into Functions:

Just like any code, splitting your script into logical functions improves readability and reuse. In the examples above, Kitch refactored a script into smaller functions: e.g. a setNumericEntryTextField helper to reliably input a value into a numeric field (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?) (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?). This function handled focusing the field, typing the value, waiting for the field’s value to update, and throwing an error if it fails – encapsulating that logic in one place. The main script then simply calls this helper. This not only makes the main flow clearer, it also allows reusing and unit-testing the helper function separately.

Verify Actions and Use Assertions:

After performing an action, especially one that changes state, it’s good to verify it succeeded. For instance, after setting a text field, Kitch’s script reads back the field’s value (field.value.invalidate().value) in a loop to ensure it actually changed (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?). If after several tries it’s still not the expected value, the function throws an error. This kind of validation makes your script robust to transient failures (it can retry) and ensures you catch a failed automation step immediately (instead of many steps later when everything falls apart).

Clean Up or Restore State if Needed:

If your script changes global states (like toggling options or opening windows), consider returning things to how they were, especially in a shared environment. For example, if you turn on an option, you might want to turn it off at the end if that matters for the user’s workflow. In a forum example, a user asked how to restore originally selected tracks after a script that temporarily selected different tracks (Strip Silence Script) – planning for such restoration is part of best practices if the context requires it. Not every script needs this (if it’s a one-off command the user triggers, they expect the changed state), but for utility functions it’s considerate.

Testing

Finally, always test your scripts thoroughly. The unpredictability of real-world UI (different screen sizes, varying system performance, etc.) means you should test under various conditions, including on fresh app launches or with different window layouts. Use SoundFlow’s debugging tools and community forum insights – people like Christian Scheuer, Kitch Membery, Chad Wahlbrink, Andrew Scheps, Raphael Sepulveda, Chris Shaw and others have shared a wealth of knowledge on the forum. Following these guidelines and learning from their patterns will help you write SoundFlow scripts that are stable, efficient, and easy to maintain.

Conclusion

With a clear understanding of the SoundFlow UI hierarchy, caching rules, and action conventions, and by adhering to best practices (using built-ins first, falling back to UI automation, and only then to simulating input), you can harness the full power of SoundFlow script automation to streamline complex workflows in Pro Tools and other apps. Rock on! (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?) (script doesn't do the good keyboard map.)

Sources: SoundFlow documentation and expert forum contributions (When to use invalidate()) (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?), (script doesn't do the good keyboard map.) (If a certain action is aborted, how to skip to next actions until a certain action.), (Working with text in renaming tracks) (Thanks to Kitch I wrote my first script! is there a better way though ?), (When to use invalidate()) (Suppress error message?).