How to change the source of Image layer with ExtendedScript?

Question

I would like to change an image in a compostion by altering it's source. (Or by any alternate solution)

I have already tried it, but unfortunately I'm getting an error. The situation is that I have an image dragged into my composition, it's the third element in that comp, and I would like to change this image by adding a different path to a new .jpg file.

# access the composition
var theComposition = app.project.item(1);
# get the existing image layer
var theImageObject = theComposition.layers[3];
# import the new image that I'd like to use
var io = new ImportOptions(File("f:/imagez/new/2.jpg"));
# replace the existing image with the new one
theImageObject.replaceSource(io, true);
# I tried with this also, but in this case I couldn't figure out how to replace the path to this 
new ImportOptions().file = new File("f:/imagez/new/2.jpg");

After running the code I get the following error:

Unable to call "replaceSource" because of parameter 1. [object ImportOptions] is not of the correct type.

I understand that I have to use a different typed object, however I can't figure out how should it be done. I checked the AVLayers in the docs but those examples weren't really clear for me since I'm very new to this AE scripting. I would really appreciate if somebody could show me a working solution. I just want to change an image in a composition, with a new image which is not imported into the project. Thanks!

Mr Sparkle · Accepted Answer

I think you're missing a step. You've created an ImportOptions object, the next thing to do is feed that to importFile:

// access the composition 
var theComposition = app.project.item(1); 
// get the existing image layer 
var theImageObject = theComposition.layers[3]; 
// import the new image that I'd like to use 
var io = new ImportOptions(File("f:/imagez/new/2.jpg"); 
// the missing step
var newImport = app.project.importFile(io);
// replace the existing image with the new one 
theImageObject.replaceSource(newImport, true);

Alternatively you could change the file source, rather than importing a new asset. See the docs for FootageItem.replace().

Ian

Dave_LaRonde · Answer

That will be a problem. The error message refers to the fact that the file is NOT imported into the After Effects project.

As a workaround, you could always import all the images that you would use as replacements; I presume that if you're going to all the trouble to write a script, it would be used more than once.

An alternative -- add them all to the comp(s) in question and turn off the eyeball icon to make them invisible.

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