Pixmap Plugin After Effects Online

for (A_long y = 0; y < height; y++) 
    // Get row pointers
    PF_Pixel *src_row = (PF_Pixel*)((char*)src_pixel + y * src_rowbytes);
    PF_Pixel *dst_row = (PF_Pixel*)((char*)dst_pixel + y * dst_rowbytes);

for (A_long x = 0; x < width; x++) 
    // Invert each channel
    dst_row[x].red   = PF_MAX_CHAN8 - src_row[x].red;
    dst_row[x].green = PF_MAX_CHAN8 - src_row[x].green;
    dst_row[x].blue  = PF_MAX_CHAN8 - src_row[x].blue;
    dst_row[x].alpha = src_row[x].alpha; // Preserve alpha

In computer graphics, a pixmap (Pixel Map) is a memory structure storing a 2D array of pixel data (RGB, RGBA, Grayscale). In the context of Adobe After Effects, a "Pixmap Plugin" refers to an effect plugin that directly accesses, modifies, or generates pixel data within a frame. Pixmap Plugin After Effects

Unlike standard effects that rely on After Effects' built-in blending or filters, a pixmap plugin gives you per-pixel control. This enables:

Real-world examples:

This is the most common question. How does it compare?

| Feature | Native AE Import | Overlord | Pixmap | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Speed | Slow (Render Lag) | Fast | Fastest (Optimized Raster) | | Format | Shape Layer / Footage | Shape Layer | Raster / Shape Hybrid | | Editability | Difficult to update | Re-import required | Live Link / Easy Update | | Organization | Can be messy | Depends on AI file | Highly Organized | for (A_long y = 0; y &lt; height;

Verdict: If you need heavy per-vertex animation (wiggling vertices), Overlord or Native Shape Layers are best. If you need high-performance character rigging or UI animation where the shapes remain mostly static but move in space, Pixmap is the superior choice.

static void 
ApplyBoxBlur(PF_EffectWorld *src, PF_EffectWorld *dst, int radius) 
    int kernel_size = radius * 2 + 1;
    float factor = 1.0f / (kernel_size * kernel_size);

for (int y = radius; y < src->height - radius; y++) 
    for (int x = radius; x < src->width - radius; x++) 
        int r = 0, g = 0, b = 0;
// Accumulate kernel
        for (int ky = -radius; ky <= radius; ky++) 
            for (int kx = -radius; kx <= radius; kx++) 
                PF_Pixel *p = GetPixel(src, x + kx, y + ky);
                r += p->red;
                g += p->green;
                b += p->blue;
PF_Pixel *out = GetPixel(dst, x, y);
        out->red   = (PF_PixelShort)(r * factor);
        out->green = (PF_PixelShort)(g * factor);
        out->blue  = (PF_PixelShort)(b * factor);
        out->alpha = GetPixel(src, x, y)->alpha;

If you update your design in Adobe Illustrator, Pixmap allows you to instantly update the layer in After Effects without losing your animation keyframes, effects, or parenting structure. This "Live Link" capability is a game-changer for iterative design workflows. In computer graphics, a pixmap (Pixel Map) is