Writing markers to AE layers based on Excel document values

[Francis Anderson]

Hello folks!

I am animating several hundred pins to drop on a map at specific times. I’ve been given a corresponding Excel document with timecode for each pin to drop. The clock is set to an odd interval, so I converted all the timecode values into frame numbers for ease of use. I have my pins setup for a “Trigger with Markers” technique, where they are time remapped and the animation will occur wherever I place markers on the comp. Instead of manually scrubbing to the desired frame and making markers, I’m hoping there is a way to take a table of values (my frame numbers in Excel) and write markers on my comp at those frame numbers.

Anyone know how to do this, or know of a script I can run to accomplish this?

Thanks!

[Walter Soyka]

You could probably do this with a keyboard macro — copy the frame value from Excel, switch to Ae, jump to time, paste the frame value, add a marker, select the next layer, switch to Excel, go to the next row/column, then copy the frame value and repeat.

Maybe consider AutoHotkey on Windows or Keyboard Maestro on Mac? It’ll take a couple minutes to set up the sequence of keystrokes, but then you can assign it to a hotkey, press the hotkey a couple hundred times, and be done.

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