[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Anyways, attached is a script which you could use. There are few things to consider before executing, but it works as expected.

Few notes:
1. Import media files into a separate folder inside the project panel;
2. Select two folders (placeholders and media) in the project panel before running the script;
3. Only placeholder comps should be inside the placeholders folder;
4. Only media items should be inside medias folder;
5. Make sure placeholders folder name is above in the project panel list.
6. At lines 41 & 42 you can adjust how added media layers will be scaled inside the comp – scaled to fit by height or width.

13207_addmediatocomps.jsx.zip

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

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Sander,

thanks for your reply. Its not really clear what you mean by first two points – could you try to reply this, maybe with translator?

BECAUSE, if your images/media elements are bigger/smaller than original comp, or should be fitted into particular area, you will also need to readjust them manually.

In addition, are you aware on how to run a script in AE?

Cheers.

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

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Thanks Scott. Indeed, I am pretty sure there could be easier way of doing it, and more neat, but once I reached a point where it generated good enough results, I just added few extra checks ‘here’ and ‘there’ to avoid exceptions.

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

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Its either you are using legacy expression engine, or old CC version.

Anyways, try longer expression as below.

1. Apply expression to text’s source.
2. Add any text you want into text layer.
3. Change ‘num’ variable to adjust how many copies to make.

phrase = text.sourceText;
num = 5;

repeatString(phrase, num)

function repeatString(string, repeats) {
newString = "";
while (repeats > 0) {
newString += string;
repeats--;
}
return newString;
}

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

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Hey Sander,

thats definitely possible. Few things:

1. Lets say you import 100 images into a folder. Are they all identical in resolution?
2. Are placeholder comps, to fit those 100 images in the template – all identical resolution?
3. In placeholder comps – is it only a single image layer, or are the anything else to be aware of? Like, some safe area/magins, or layers on top of the image.

With these things considered, it could be achieved.

Cheers.

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

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Deanna,

below is compatible since CC14. Hope that helps.

13206_textboxes1to4linescc14.zip

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

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Martin,

expression can generate only one final property driving result. Instead, consider one of the followings:

a) Add ‘Transform’ effect to a layer and apply wiggle effect to its scale transformation (If its selected to Uniform scale, use only wiggle(5,3) without further array).
b) Add null, place it at the center of a layer, parent layer to null and apply wiggle.

On the layer, add the second expression to scale. Its a workaround, but should solve it.

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

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Ramondo,

if I understood correctly – try applying the following to the Source Text of the text layer.

Then, either adjust the type through the character panel or apply Text Animator with preferred transformations.

phrase = text.sourceText;
num = 5;

phrase.repeat(num)

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

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Tom,

my pleasure! Tom can’t leave the other Tom with a headache, haha. You did the heavy lifting on your own, I only spotted on the last set of repetition ! ????

To get a better understanding, add some break-points (red dots on the right side of the code line numbers), and look at the ‘Data Browser’ panel how values changes during the loops.

Best wishes!

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

[Tomas Bumbulevičius]

Thomas,

try changing the 22 line to the following. If this does not help, I would love to see the project itself – maybe I am missing something.

if ((curLayer.source != null ) && (curLayer.source.typeName == "Composition")) {

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