update_comp_settings
Update common composition settings such as dimensions, duration, frame rate, background, work area, pixel aspect ratio, and 3D renderer.
This record as markdown: /tools/synthetic-ai-ae-mcp/update-comp-settings.md
What update_comp_settings does on Ae
AI agents use update_comp_settings to create or update resources in Ae, usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Ae environment.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
save | boolean | — | Save the project after updating. Defaults to false. |
width | number | — | Optional width. |
height | number | — | Optional height. |
compName | string | Yes | Composition name. |
duration | number | — | Optional duration seconds. |
renderer | string | — | Optional 3D renderer string: 'ADBE Advanced 3d' (Classic 3D) or 'ADBE Ernst' (Cinema 4D Lite). |
frameRate | number | — | Optional frame rate. |
timeoutMs | number | — | Process timeout in milliseconds. Defaults to 120000. |
pixelAspect | number | — | Optional pixel aspect ratio (e.g. 1.0 for square pixels, 0.9091 for D1/DV NTSC). |
projectPath | string | — | Optional absolute path to an .aep file to open first. |
workAreaStart | number | — | Optional work area start. |
backgroundColor | array | — | Optional RGB array with 0..1 values. |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why update_comp_settings is rated Medium
An AI agent can call update_comp_settings faster than any human can review: one bad instruction and it creates or modifies resources in Ae by the hundred, each call as confident as the last.
Risk signalsHigh parameter count (13 properties)
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs update_comp_settings safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Ae, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For update_comp_settings, this is the rule to start with:
update_comp_settings stays usable, but capped: an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Ae, apply this rule, and every update_comp_settings call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about update_comp_settings
Update common composition settings such as dimensions, duration, frame rate, background, work area, pixel aspect ratio, and 3D renderer. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Ae MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
update_comp_settings accepts 12 parameters: save, width, height, compName, duration, renderer, frameRate, timeoutMs, pixelAspect, projectPath, workAreaStart, backgroundColor. Required: compName. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Ae MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for update_comp_settings: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Ae. Nothing to install.
update_comp_settings is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the update_comp_settings rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for update_comp_settings. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
update_comp_settings is provided by the Ae MCP server (@synthetic-ai/ae-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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