Countdown Timer Script

[chknstomper]

I am always looking for easier ways to do things around here. Since we have been making countdowns and timers in some of our video production I decided to write an After Effects script that would create the text layer and add the countdown expression to it. The script when run will pop up a window asking how many minutes you want the timer to count down. You will need to have a comp that is that many minutes long. Run the script and you are basically done. Here are the steps:

1. Download the script attached.

2. Copy the script to the scripts folder (in windows C:\program files\adobe\Adobe After Effects CS3\Support Files\Scripts)

3. Create a composition as long as you want the timer

4. Add an interesting background

5. Click on File > Scripts > countdown_timer.jsx

6. Render it out!



I hope this is useful for you guys!



Steven

[michelgreco]

did not workd for me!! said there was an error on line 23 and that string was undefined!!

[mjt57]

Thank you for creating this, but I'm getting the same error. I think the line is:

var myTextDocument = new TextDocument(string);

I'm using CS3.

[chknstomper]

Hey sorry for that! I posted a different version after i had changed the variables in one portion but not in another. You can download it again or simply change the line

var myTextDocument = new TextDocument(String);

to

var myTextDocument = new TextDocument(vString);

the only change is the v.

Let me know how it works.

[mjt57]

Working now. Thank you very much.

[Behrens]

Wow! This is just what I was looking for.

I, more than once, went to listen to this guy give a presentation, and he had a countdown timer displayed for the ten minutes before he started. I thought that it built anticipation. Also, it was real professional when he started on time.

I built my version tonight and it is rendering right now.

Thanks!

-Behrens-

[Bullboski]

Great job. I know a few people that make countdowns once a month that can use this.

[sweetPixel]

As the others say--great job!!! This is really a HUGE help...thanks for sharing with us all!

Bryan

[mpcw]

Hi,

thanks for that really cool and useful script. I am quite new to After Effects and don't have that much experience - especially regarding scripts. I wonder if there is an easy way to modify the provided script to enable the timer to show hundredths of a second.

Alex

[reboot]

Great job! This really has made my life easier. Keep up the great work.

Al

[mdeo]

this was a very big help, thanks for sharing this.

[harrybonanza]

Thank you! This is wonderful!

[xeneize480]

just what I was looking for my Church 5min count down

[futboljim7]

I am running this on CS4 and I get the following error

Unable to execute script at line 24. Undefined is not an object.

Any clues on what to do to resolve this?

[futboljim7]

Actually I solved the issue on the below line

vString = 'offset = 0; '
+ 'i = inPoint + offset; '
+ 'dur = ' + vMin + '; '
+ 'dur *= 60; '
+ 'seconds = Math.max(dur - Math.max((time - i), 0),0); '
+ 'minutes = Math.floor(seconds / 60); '
+ 'seconds = Math.floor(seconds - (minutes * 60)); '
+ "if(seconds < 10) seconds = '0' + seconds; "
+ "minutes + ':' + seconds "

There was no semi-colon at the end. I just added one and it works perfectly....thinking about it now I may have accidentally deleted it. So, sorry for the bother and thanks again for such a great script!

[aonekyle]

Is there any way to add miliseconds to this script? I am making a countdown video for our Children's Church, and need miliseconds on the countdown if possible.... Thanks so much, and nice job on the script!!

[codemonkey123]

Milliseconds?

Why not just add a random number that changes every frame as the time it takes to register will be about as accurate to the human eye?

[heitorjimenez]

very nice tips

[jpeytonspencer]

Amazing! Needed this... just in time!

[JESUAN]

wow amazing!!! right now i don't need it ...but i will keep it in gold!!!!

thnx a lot man...it worked for me from the first time...but a question....when it asks how many minutes?? if i want to load only 30 sec?? how can i do it? typing 0,5??

thnx mate!!!

[JorritSchulte]

I do have a preset that does all the work for you: http://www.aenhancers.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1553

[philiplyons]

I would really like to be able to add frame numbers to the countdown. Even better if I had the choice of frame rates! Help anyone?

[illuminatus]

Code: Select all

timetoframes()

[easypreacher]

Thankyou for this script good sir, it is caring sharing people like you that make the internets a nicer place to be

[4Ministry]

I am working on a holiday rush countdown to show how many days left of shopping. Can you help me with a script that will show DAYS:HOURS:MINUTES:SECONDS instead of HOURS:MINUTES:SECONDS?