CSV Data Driven Animation

[Darby Edelen]

I'd like to work with a fairly large CSV file (by CSV standards: 1MB). However, when I add this footage item to a composition I have to sit for several minutes. I assume this is so that AE can read all the data and generate all the properties with expressions.  However, I don't need access to all of the data at once.  I only need to access a single row and column per frame using a single expression.

Is there anyway to add the CSV to a composition without the construction of the properties and expressions? A shortcut key I could hold while dragging it into the comp perhaps? I won't be using the properties being constructed anyway and it's rather infuriating to sit and wait for something I don't need.

[Tim Kurkoski · Accepted solution]

You technically don't need to add the CSV (or TSV or JSON) file to the composition. If you look closely at the expressions that are written when the file is added, note that the expressions are referencing the footage item in the comp, not the layer item created from that footage.

Example: footage("my file.csv").dataValue([3,2])

Therefore, you can apply this type of expression to any other property in your comp without needing the CSV in the comp.

There's a couple of reasons why you might want the CSV in the comp:

• If you anticipate that the CSV file is going to be modified but you want to prevent the comp from changing, you can freeze the individual values as keyframes that won't automatically update. (Keyframe Assistant > Convert Expression to Keyframes)
• You are using the CSV in a Motion Graphics template for Premiere Pro, and want to allow the Premiere Pro user to change the source CSV file.
• If you send the comp to Adobe Media Encoder for rendering, the CSV file won't be included in the temp project and the comp won't render correctly. This problem can happen in other cases where After Effects reduces the project to a single comp, such as Reduce Project, or Collect Files with the Collect Source Files option set to anything other than All. The reason for this problem is that After Effects does not trace footage dependencies created by expressions. IOW, when the project is being reduced, After Effects only pays attention to what files are represented by layers in the comp, and doesn't look at expressions to see if they need something that only exists in the project.

I hope that helps. To respond to your specific question:
> Is there anyway to add the CSV to a composition without the construction of the properties and expressions?

No, not currently. That would be a good feature request. Please file one at our UserVoice site:

https://adobe-video.uservoice.com/