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jamesc12645275
jamesc12645275
Participant
November 4, 2017
Answered

Add video (via path) into After Effects - ExtendScript

  • November 4, 2017
  • 1 reply
  • 1993 views

What command to add video to After Effects?

For example, the file "C:/Users/jamesc/video.mp4" needs to be added into my AE.

How do I add it in as a resource and then put it into the composition?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Alex White

Here you go.

The following function will import your footage and add it to an opened composition.

var file = "C:/Users/jamesc/video.mp4";
function importFootage(file) {
    var myComp = app.project.activeItem; // your opened composition
    if (!myComp || !(myComp instanceof CompItem)) {
        alert("Please, open composition");
        return false;
    }
    app.beginUndoGroup("Import file");
    var importOpts = new ImportOptions(File(file));
    var importFootage = app.project.importFile(importOpts);
    
    var myFootage = myComp.layers.add(importFootage); // add footage to your composition
    app.endUndoGroup();
};

1 reply

Alex White
Alex WhiteCorrect answer
Legend
November 10, 2017

Here you go.

The following function will import your footage and add it to an opened composition.

var file = "C:/Users/jamesc/video.mp4";
function importFootage(file) {
    var myComp = app.project.activeItem; // your opened composition
    if (!myComp || !(myComp instanceof CompItem)) {
        alert("Please, open composition");
        return false;
    }
    app.beginUndoGroup("Import file");
    var importOpts = new ImportOptions(File(file));
    var importFootage = app.project.importFile(importOpts);
    
    var myFootage = myComp.layers.add(importFootage); // add footage to your composition
    app.endUndoGroup();
};
    guntramp26642460
    guntramp26642460
    Inspiring
    January 13, 2022

    I think you can fetch the composition like this if you do not want to work with the currently active one:

    /**
     * Returns e.g. a composition from the bins.
     * If there are more files with the same name,
     * the first one will be returned and others will be ignored.
     * @param string name The name of the item to retrieve
     */
    getFolderItemByName: function getFolderItemByName(name) {
      var project = app.project;
      for (var index = 1; index <= project.numItems; index++) {
          var folderItem = project.item(index);
          if (folderItem && folderItem.name === name) {
            return folderItem;
          }
      }
      return null;
    },


    Or if you want to bring a composition to the active state, you can set it:

    composition.selected = true;

     

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