A line chart script for After Effects

the Line Chart script UI in After Effects

This one is a little rough around the edges, but I wanted to get it out there so I can get some feedback and feature requests from readers.

How to use the line chart script

Comp before Line Chart script is applied

Create a new Solid layer to act as the base of the chart. Place the Solid within the comp with room for chart labels. Create and style a Text Layer that reads label that will be duplicated for chart labels. Select the enclosing Comp and run Scripts:db_lineChart. Adjust the chart and animation settings and hit OK. Select a CSV file formatted from your favorite spreadsheet formatted as follows.

Spreadsheet with random CSV numbers

After the script runs you should get something that looks a bit like this.

completed chart after line chart script is applied

So, about those rough edges. A few known inconsistencies.

  • The script works nicely for data with a linear relationship, but no attempt is made to fit data that would be better represented by a log scale.
  • If you use the grid filter, it does not fit the max/min values of the data very well. It would probably be better to build our grid organically, but that will be more complicated and will have to wait for the next version or we can tweak the filter algorithm a bit.
  • The speed and overlap settings algorithm could work a bit better to scale the speed outward as the overlap is reduced.
  • It would be good to label each individual data point at the point of reference, this is probably tops on my list for the next version.

Onward to the next version. Thoughts, bugs, feature requests to dale(at)creative-workflow-hacks(dot)com

Source JSX script

Downloadable Zip Version including Project and Sample files

Additional Resources

If your looking for a more robust charting solution, Digital Anarchy’s Data Animator looks like it’s worth a look.

Harry J. Frank does a great expression based Pie Chart tutorial at graymachine.com

5 Comments

  1. Cool project! Tell me, was it based on something needed for a project, or did you throw it together just to see if it could be done?

  2. Dale said

    Hi Jonas,

    A little bit of both…I actually needed something similar a while back, but it was only after playing with CSV parsing for my Lower Thirds scripts that I saw a way to make it happen.

    Thanks for kind words.

    Best,

    Dale

  3. elizabeth said

    Hey,

    I’m trying to make a shrinking pie chart in After Effects. I want the slice to start around 10% and go to 1.6% and have countdown numbers. Any advice about where to start? I’m new to using the program.

    Thanks,

    Elizabeth

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