Import XML programmatically

[Kelly Anderson]

Hello,

Is there an api to import an XML via extendscript?

thanks,

Kelly

[jingtaotan · Accepted solution]

Hi Kelly,

I presume you mean Final Cut XML. The API call to import it is the same as importing "normal" media files:

app.project.importFiles(importThese, // an array of file paths
  1, // suppress warnings
  targetBin); // a bin object to import to (retrieved from app.project)

[andymees@aje]

Hey Kelly

If jingtaotan's answer doesn't work, or isn't what you're after, have a try with:

var result = app.openFCPXML(fileToOpen)

Or do you just want to read an arbitary XML and process it yourself? In that case

var result = window.cep.fs.readFile(fileToOpen);

And then use something like jQuery's parse XML to handle the result

https://api.jquery.com/jQuery.parseXML/

Hope it helps

Andy

[Bruce Bullis]

Minor clarification: Andrew's first suggestion will not import an FCP XML into the current project; it will open the specified .xml file, AS a new project.

[Kelly Anderson]

Well thank you all for your quick responses.  However, I'm still having issues.

I've tried 2 different approaches.

1. APPROACH #1 app.openFCPXML() - (Errors out in Extendscript by highlighting the app.openFCPXML line)
2. APPROACH #2 app.project.import() - (Errors out in Extendscript by highlighting the app.project.importFiles line)

I see the API's in the in the Data Browser.  But no luck.  Any ideas....Thanks.

I'm running:

Extendscript v4.0.0.1 Extendscript 4.5.5 ScriptUI 6.2.2

Premiere Pro 2015.4 Release 10.4.0 (30) Build

APPROACH #1 (Errors out in Extendscript by highlighting the app.openFCPXML line)

var fileToOpen = new File("/Users/ops.kanderson/Library/Application Support/FCPXMLModifier/Vanity Fair Black Sails Clip Pull.xml");

if (fileToOpen.exists) {

    alert("found file");

    var result = app.openFCPXML(fileToOpen);

} else {

    alert("file not found");

}

APPROACH #2 (Errors out in Extendscript by highlighting the app.project.importFiles line)

var targetBin = "Targeted by PProPanel import";

var importThese = new Array();

var fileToOpen = new File("/Users/ops.kanderson/Library/Application Support/FCPXMLModifier/Vanity Fair Black Sails Clip Pull.xml");

//Check if bin exists - PASS

if (searchForBinWithName(targetBin)) {

    alert("Found bin");

} else {

    alert("Bin not found");

}

//Check for file exists - PASS

if (fileToOpen.exists) {

    alert("found file");

    importThese.push(fileToOpen);

    app.project.importFiles(importThese, 1, targetBin);

} else {

    alert("file not found");

}

function searchForBinWithName(nameToFind) {

  var numItemsAtRoot = app.project.rootItem.children.numItems;

  var foundBin = 0;

  for (var i = 0; (numItemsAtRoot >0) && (i < numItemsAtRoot) && (foundBin === 0); i++) {

  var currentItem = app.project.rootItem.children;

  if ((currentItem) && currentItem.name == nameToFind) {

  foundBin = currentItem;

  }

  }

  return foundBin;

}

[Bruce Bullis]

You're telling PPro to import a File object; it wants a path.

Try file.fsName.

The code above will still fail, if you don't (like PProPanel does) create the bin if it doesn't exist. Perhaps if it doesn't exist, pass no targetBin to importFiles()?

			if (targetBin === 0) {
								// If panel can't find the target bin, it creates it.
								app.project.rootItem.createBin(nameToFind);
								targetBin = $._PPP_.searchForBinWithName(nameToFind);
							}
							if (targetBin){

targetBin.select();

[Kelly Anderson]

Thanks Bruce. Seems I had a few things wrong.

1. Needed a file path not a file object.
2. Needed to select the target bin.

Here is my working code, if anyone would like to see it.

var filePathsArray = new Array();

var fileToOpen = "/Users/ops.kanderson/Library/Application Support/FCPXMLModifier/Vanity Fair Black Sails Clip Pull.xml";

var binName = 'Targeted by PProPanel import1';

//add file path to array

filePathsArray.push(fileToOpen);

var targetBin = searchForBinWithName(binName);

if (targetBin === 0) {

    // If panel can't find the target bin, it creates it.

    app.project.rootItem.createBin(binName);

    targetBin = searchForBinWithName(binName);

}

if (targetBin){

    targetBin.select();

    app.project.importFiles(filePathsArray);

}

function searchForBinWithName(binName) {

  var numItemsAtRoot = app.project.rootItem.children.numItems;

  var foundBin = 0;

  for (var i = 0; (numItemsAtRoot >0) && (i < numItemsAtRoot) && (foundBin === 0); i++) {

       var currentItem = app.project.rootItem.children;

       if ((currentItem) && currentItem.name == binName) {

            foundBin = currentItem;

       }

   }

  return foundBin;

}

[Bruce Bullis]

Nice, glad you got it working!

[Developer10119]

Is there a method I can import XML as string or does it need to be a filePath?