Outsmart CompsFromSpreadsheet

Hey! First appearance here, and thanks for this fantastic tool and community!

I often use the CompsFromSpreadsheet plugin, but it annoys me how many steps there are to achieve the action pretended.

If I click on the [Run compsFromSpreadsheet] button, I have to 1) pick the text file that I want to use; 2)click [ok] in the Field Init;

So, what I am trying to achieve with TextAutomator is:

  1. “Click” [Run compsFromSpreadsheet] button.
  2. Pick the file latest file in a specific folder. (Another solution could be: “if file name = project name”)
  3. Click [ok]
    (The automatic render and options can be set on the compsFromSpreadshet)

I’m trying to use “Run javascript code” to start with, but nothing happens when I click on the new Automation

Is what I am trying to achieve even possible?
I appreciate any help I could get, or any other suggestions/workarounds for this problem :slightly_smiling_face:
TIA

Hi @labaladas , Welcome to the forum!

Thank you for the detailed information and kind words.

Unfortunately it is not possible.

Automation Toolkit cannot simulate mouse and keyboard actions, so it can’t click on buttons of other scripts and select files, also it will be very challenging to simulate this keyboard and mouse behavior.

However, it’s important to note that Automation Toolkit does have the capability to click only on buttons within After Effects menus using the ‘menu command’ action.


The only feasible solution I can think of is if the author of the CompsFromSpreadsheet plugin adds the ability to define an import directory for the grid file. This way, it will automatically select the file from the specified folder. Additionally, they would need to incorporate a method to execute the ‘run compsFromSpreadsheet’ action without relying on the UI button—perhaps by creating a separate script for that purpose.

With this setup, using Automation Toolkit, you could copy the latest file to the designated directory and trigger the compsFromSpreadsheet action with just one button press or keyboard shortcut. Moreover, this approach would allow for the incorporation of additional functionalities into compsFromSpreadsheet.

I suggest reaching out to the author of the CompsFromSpreadsheet plugin via a support ticket on Aescripts. They might be willing to assist you with implementing these features.


I apologize for not being able to assist this time. Please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions.

No need to apologize! I’m the one trying to trick the system and ask for what’s not possible.

Automation Toolkit is super powerful, and it is really useful! Thanks for your fast reply!

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