Batch Processor

Introduction

The Batch Processor is a virtual input that shows, hides, or solos groups of layers in one shot — driven by the Batch tag set on each layer rather than the layer's name. Tag every layer that belongs to a particular graphics package with the same Batch name, and the Batch Processor can flip the whole group on or off without you wiring up per-layer triggers.

It's the lightest way to build "switch between graphics packages" workflows: lower-third sets, sponsor reels, scoreboard variants, intermission packages — anything where the on-air state is "package A is up; everything else is down."

Common use cases

• Camera switching — give every camera-input layer its own Batch tag (Cam1, Cam2, Wide, Closeup, …). A single SHOWLAYERSOLO swaps the live camera without touching any of the graphics overlay layers above it.
• Chroma-key setups — group the talent layer, the background plate, the garbage matte, and any related overlays under one Batch tag (e.g. KeyerSet-Studio); one batch command brings the whole keyer environment on screen, another swaps to a different set (KeyerSet-Outdoor).
• Lower-thirds rotations — every lower-third layer tagged Lower3rd-Talent, Lower3rd-Stats, etc.; one batch command swaps the visible set.
• Sponsor / partner logo packages — different sponsor sets per segment, each tagged with a Batch name; one trigger brings the right pack on screen.
• Inserts you flip between by category — results, scoreboards, schedules, brackets — group each category and call SHOWLAYERSOLO on the one you want.
• End-of-segment cleanup — HIDELAYER against a broad Batch tag (e.g. Lower3rd) to clear every overlay at once.
• Stream Deck / hotkey driven shows — one button per Batch group, no per-layer plumbing.

How a batch operation works

Every layer can carry a Batch tag (set on the layer's properties). The Batch Processor matches its BatchName against those tags using BatchComparisonType, optionally restricted to SceneName, then runs BatchCommand on every match:

• SHOWLAYER — make matching layers visible without touching anything else.
• HIDELAYER — hide matching layers.
• SHOWLAYERSOLO — show matching layers and hide every other tagged layer in the affected scene(s). The "switch group" verb.

SceneName is optional — leave it blank to apply across every scene. BatchComparisonType controls how strictly BatchName is matched (Contains is the forgiving default; Equals is exact). See the property table below for the full set of options and their defaults.

Triggering a batch from outside the input

In addition to clicking Test batch command in the property panel or driving ExecuteBatchCommand from a Connector, two paths reach the Batch Processor from outside Composer Desktop.

HTTP API

GET /api/batch/{command}?batch={name}&scene={scene}&comparison={rule}

The endpoint is fire-and-forget: it returns 200 OK with New batch item registered immediately and the request lands in an internal queue that drains on the next render tick while the project is Running. See the HTTP API → Batch Operations page for the generic endpoint reference.

curl "http://localhost:44433/api/batch/showlayersolo?batch=Lower3rd&scene=Main&comparison=EQUALS"

Script Engine

The Script Engine exposes a single helper for batch commands — CallBatchCommand(command, batchName). It posts to the same /api/batch/ endpoint internally; for simplicity it doesn't expose scene or comparison, so calls from script always apply across every scene with the default Contains rule.

// Show every layer tagged "Sponsors", hide everything else in their scenes
CallBatchCommand("SHOWLAYERSOLO", "Sponsors");

// Hide every layer tagged with anything containing "Lower3rd"
CallBatchCommand("HIDELAYER", "Lower3rd");

// Round-robin through three lower-third packages on a 5-second timer
const groups = ["LowerA", "LowerB", "LowerC"];
let i = 0;
SetScriptEngineTimedCallback(() => {
    CallBatchCommand("SHOWLAYERSOLO", groups[i]);
    i = (i + 1) % groups.length;
}, 5000);

Need finer control — a specific scene or a stricter comparison rule? Drive the Batch Processor input itself from your script: set its BatchName / BatchCommand / SceneName / BatchComparisonType properties via SetPropertyById() (or SetProperty()), then invoke its ExecuteBatchCommand via ExecuteCommandById(). That route exposes every knob the property panel does.

Batch Processor - Settings

Inherits from: AbstractInput, AbstractAudioProcessing, AbstractAudioMetering.

See also: Batch Processor in Script Engine Objects.

Shared input properties

Every input — regardless of source type — exposes the following property groups. They are surfaced in the property panel only when Show advanced options is enabled on the input.

Icon

• Icon text — short text shown on the input's icon in the Inputs list. Useful as a quick visual label (channel number, mic name, camera position) to tell otherwise-similar inputs apart at a glance. Empty by default; has no effect on rendering or routing.

Audio mixer

• Hide in audio mixer — when on, hides the input from the audio mixer view without disabling its audio. Useful for de-cluttering the mixer while keeping the audio routed (e.g. fixed background music, ambient beds, pre-aligned playout). [default=false]

Render Options

• Invisible (Do not render in scene) — when on, the input is skipped during rendering and produces no picture on any layer or scene. Audio routing is unaffected. Toggle from a script for cued-in / cued-out behaviour during a show. [default=false]
• Do not render input — disables the input's internal render entirely (no decode or capture work is done). Stronger than Invisible: that one renders but doesn't display; this one stops the input from doing any work at all. Useful for reducing CPU / network load on heavy sources (e.g. high-bitrate RTMP / SRT streams, large media files) when the input is temporarily not needed. Audio meters are cleared while disabled. [default=false]
• Do not render input controller — chooses what drives the Do not render input flag. Let Composer decide (the default) hands control to the project-level Render Tuning optimiser, which automatically pauses inputs that aren't used by any active scene. Manual Configuration ignores Render Tuning and lets the Do not render input toggle control the flag directly — use this to keep a network source warm even when it's currently off-air, or to take a heavy input down by hand regardless of scene activity. [default=Let Composer decide]

Optional TAGS

• TAGS — one or more free-form tag words used to classify this input (typically space- or comma-separated). Picked up by Composer's Smart Search to filter or find inputs by category — e.g. camera, music, interview, sponsor. Has no effect on rendering.

Audio configuration and processing options

For inputs capable of processing audio, additional audio configuration and processing options are available through the audio mixer and the Channel Strip Inspector.

• Audio mixer — monitor levels, adjust gain and pan, mute / solo inputs, and configure auxiliary sends to Audio Channel Strip submix buses, all from a centralised mixer-style interface.
• Channel Strip Inspector — advanced per-strip audio processing for the selected input:
  • Input trim, stereo remapping, and audio delay
  • Channel mapping (8-channel mode unlocks the full MAPPING tab)
  • Gate
  • Low-cut filter
  • Equaliser (5-band parametric)
  • Compressor
  • Sidechain ducking (a second compressor whose gain reduction is driven by another input's level — e.g. dipping music under a voice-over)
  • Limiter

For the full audio signal flow, see Audio processing workflow.