[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Composition can be opened in the timeline, visible, but not active (meaning, it is not highlighted, and not accessible via ‘activeItem’).

With that said:

if (app.project.activeItem != null){
//Do any actions you want in an active comp
}else{
alert("Composition is not active in the project.")
}

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

It would be also notable to look into this tool as one of the additional implementations into your plugin: https://aescripts.com/compcode/

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Ok, there can be two scenarios per your current explanation:
1. Script works in an active and opened composition.
2. Script does not work when other composition is selected in project panel.

Now the main question is about the second point – selected WHERE?

But if the composition is selected in the “Project” panel, then the layer will be created in it.
It can be done so that in this case alert is displayed “select the timeline”; ?

This message above from the original post overrides requirements and its not clear. Please clarify this further. Thanks!

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Hey Dilan,

please also share what motherboard do you have as well as what type of RAM’s are installed. This will answer the question how much more you could install to the current system.

Cheers.

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Hey Adam,

can you specify the following:
1. How many date lines there will be overall?
2. Will they update up from A to B to C, etc, or each date will be individual comp, A to B dates only?

The problem with the alignment you mention, is that technically, the date would move towards the right as well, introducing a jump. Do you want this to happen? I think it would look not good.

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Hey Dominykas,

that’s a good topic to explore. Below are few questions to get familiar further, in order to not to dive too deep here:
1. Do you want this solution to work, with any sounds, and readjust based on some parameters? OR, this is a single execution only, with this particular audio in mind?
2. Do you have links to other videos, to get a sense of what audio-reacts you have in mind?

Based on the above, we could offer you a more clear solution.

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Hey Nuwan,

to accompany further to what Scott had said already, few things to consider:
1. Why do you need such plugin? Is it for personal use only or built as a tool for others? Answering such question in early beginning is the most important.
2. In case of building plugin for marketplace – consider the competing examples and whether you have an edge.
3. Assuming you have no coding experience in Javascript – are you willing to master it? Sooner or later it will be beyond HTML & CSS.

Hope this helps!

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Hey Bas,

to answer the question short, YES, you can indeed.

Some thing to consider:
1. In example video, the data-set is super ‘friendly’ I shall say, because goals/events happens with good amount of time gaps in between. What would happen if a lot of events takes place in a short timeframe? Such scenarios needs to be treated differently. Especially, when most often its length might be limited for social media types.
2. The approach depends on amount of data you would be using. If its only a goal fact mention, then having home vs away pre-comps would work, if its a simple reveal. However, if animation should be triggered by such even, then more complex expression is required. (especially if times goes one after another).

With that said – it all depends on the approach. Even if you choose 90s as a ballpark, there are more things to be considered.

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Hey Marco,

this script by rd will be your first base to hit, as well as will help in a learning curve.

Select the property you want to get access to and hit ‘Get Property Path’ button.

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Hello Vasyl,

is the composition selected in the project is the same as the activeItem?

You can ‘force’ AE to make composition active, by calling:

curComp.openInViewer();

where ‘curComp’ should be comp item. Accordingly, you could grab selection from the project panel and use it for activating the viewer.

curComp = app.project.selection[0];

where selection[0] would be selected item in the project panel, assuming its composition.

Whole scenario below, assuming that your selected comp in the project panel actually matches the one which you want to add item to. If it does not necessarily matches – then slight adjustments could be made.

var curComp = app.project.selection[0];
curComp.openInViewer();
curComp.layers.addNull();

Find out more:
After Effects Tutorials: motion design, expressions, scripting.