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jamesc12645275
jamesc12645275
Participant
November 4, 2017
Answered

Add video (via path) into After Effects - ExtendScript

  • November 4, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 2001 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 is closed to new replies. Start a new post to keep the conversation going.
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();
};

2 replies

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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