Mapped Data

Templater makes an After Effects project file dynamic by allowing you to map data to composition layers, expressions, and, in Templater 3.5, essential properties.

Data Mapped to Layers

Data is mapped to layers by applying the Templater Settings effect to a layer and matching the layer name to column headers or JSON property keys. When previewing, rendering, or replicating target compositions, Templater updates mapped layers with the corresponding data in each row or JSON object.

WARNING For Google Sheets documents, Templater does not currently support column headers that begin with a numeral, contain spaces, or contain underscores. Avoid these characters to ensure spreadsheet data will map to your layers.

NOTE If you are using a Dataclay QUE, a JSON-formatted text file, or a URL feed as your data source, property keys in JSON objects are equivalent to column names in a spreadsheet.

Data in the data source is mapped to dynamic elements of the AE project.

Data Mapped to Expressions

Data is mapped to expressions using JSON footage layers in After Effects. Templater 2.8.0 or later can generate and import a special footage file named templater-data.json. Once you add this file as a layer to a composition, expression code can reference values from this JSON footage layer.

WARNING Mapping data to expressions is an experimental feature, and is supported as such until a future release of After Effects. As of After Effects 15.1.1, a modal dialog requires user interaction when an imported JSON footage item changes structure or data types. This dialog notice can interfere with batch processes in Templater.

NOTE The rules-based layout engine in Templater adjusts dynamic layers that are directly mapped. Expression code takes precedence over any layout logic Templater might apply to that layer.

Referencing parameter found in Templater's JSON data layer

Data Mapped to Essential Properties

Templater 3.5 introduced a feature called Dynamic Essential Properties. With this feature, you can use data to change values for properties promoted to the After Effects Essential Properties panel. This method does not change the essential property values of the primary composition itself.