Set keyframe data on multiple layers from a CSV

[Filip Vandueren]

Would the dots need to be created , or are these existing layers in your comp ?

A script seems better for handling this many layers and data than an expression.
Unfortunatley, scripts don’t have csv_parsing built in, but there are ways around that.

[Kevin Hicks]

Yes, the dots would need to be created.

[Filip Vandueren]

Something like this:

csv:
xfrom,yfrom,xto,yto
476,379,197,475
362,136,460,71
491,5,414,317
427,368,440,435
…
for 300 lines

add the csv to a composition.

select the csv-layer and then run this script:

script:

app.beginUndoGroup("300 dots");
var comp = app.project.activeItem;
l = comp.selectedLayers[0];

var dotSize=[8,8];

if (l && l.data && l.data.numProperties) {
numDots = l.data(1).value;

for (var i=1; i < numDots+1; i++) {
fromPos = [ l.data(2)(1)(i).value, l.data(2)(2)(i).value];
toPos = [ l.data(2)(3)(i).value, l.data(2)(4)(i).value];

sh = comp.layers.addShape();
el = sh("Contents").addProperty("ADBE Vector Shape - Ellipse");
el("ADBE Vector Ellipse Size").setValue(dotSize);
sh("Contents").addProperty("ADBE Vector Graphic - Fill");

sh.transform.position.setValuesAtTimes([1,2],[fromPos, toPos]);

sh.name = "dot "+i;
}

} else {
alert("select .csv layer");
}

app.endUndoGroup();


-> as manu shapelayers as lines in the csv with keyframes at 1second and 2 seconds

[Walter Soyka]

If you don’t mind creating the shape layers, you can set this up very easily with expressions.

Here’s a proof of concept. The data:

The animation:

The AEP:
14275_xymovecsv.zip.zip

The magic:
1. After Effects supports CSV data directly now, so we import our CSV file into our project.

2. We create a shape layer and use a couple expressions that pull position and color data from the CSV “footage” source into position and color properties. By using the layer’s index number to reference rows in the data table, we make it so we can duplicate the shape layer over and over, and each new layer will refer to the next data point in the table. We just have to be careful to make the right number of layers. (This set of expressions does not do error-checking, but we could write that in.)

3. We use a single slider on the footage layer to drive all the animation, for easier style and maintenance.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
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