<p>I often use <a href="http://processing.org" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Processing</a> for simple graphics or scripting projects, which would be difficult to achieve with After Effects expressions. If you prefer coding in C++ to Java, you could look at <a href="http://openframeworks.cc" rel="nofollow noreferrer">OpenFrameworks</a> which is a similar tool. Both are designed to make it easy to experiment visually while using the data processing tools of a coding environment.</p>

<p>tomh mentioned the GeoLayers plugin for After Effects but, while it's a really nice tool, I'm not sure it's designed to deal with data sets like yours.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-04T13:27:40.950Z
2016-11-04T13:27:40.950Z
matkeane
<p>I would do this in <a href="https://www.blender.org/" rel="nofollow">Blender</a>, which uses Python as a scripting language.  This gives you a powerful way to "fly" through the data as it animates.</p>

<p>If you are happy with just a static perspective of the map with the points being animated, <a href="https://www.r-project.org/" rel="nofollow">R</a> has an extraordinary range of graphing capabilties that can be used to generate animations.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-28T22:22:06.860Z
Thanks MT.   I have a Maya license.  I was thinking of using this but the result will be in 2D not 3D....
markthekoala
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-28T22:23:20.240Z
Yes, R is pretty cool.  But eventually I want the output in HD video.  At the moment...I am thinking that Adobe Animate CC might be the best.
markthekoala
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-28T14:20:38.487Z
2016-05-28T14:20:38.487Z
Michael Tiemann
<p>I would look at the After Effects plugin <a href="http://aescripts.com/geolayers/" rel="nofollow">GeoLayers</a>, or if you need something more advanced, maybe <a href="https://cinemaplugins.com/c4d-plugins/dem-earth/" rel="nofollow">DEM Earth</a> in Cinema4D instead.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-15T21:39:43.333Z
Thanks very much @tomh I had a look at the plugs ins and their awesome.  But I am not sure whether they will help me solve my specific problem.  Basically, at a particular time (say 13 secs 24 frames) I want a specific point (say x = 13, y = 130) to display a dot.  Ideally, this do would have some type of basic animation such as fade in / fade out.  All this needs to be done programmatically as there will be perhaps 100,000 points.
markthekoala
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-04T17:11:24.040Z
@markthekoala, [AE scripts](https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/scripts.html) (basically it's JS) are not limited to expressions. I wrote a simple point coordinates exporting script back in the day. Surely you can implement the reverse problem. The only open question is can AE handle 30000 layers in one composition.
Sergey
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-14T10:00:51.457Z
2016-06-14T10:00:51.457Z
tomh
<p>This is my first go at asking a video production related question...</p>

<p>I have a programming / data science background.</p>

<p>I have about 30,000 spatial co-ordinates (i.e x , y coordinates) These have come into existence over about 15 years.  I want to animate this.  </p>

<p>So, I need a programmatic approach - there are just too many points.  </p>

<p>Also, when each point appears...I want it to initially appear at say 100% opacity and then over about 15 frames fade to about 30% opacity. </p>

<p>What tool is the best to do this in...?</p>

<p>I am not sure if After Effects has sufficient programatic control..?</p>

<p>What about Flash..?  (i.e Adobe CC Animate).</p>

<p>Eventually, I want this animated series of points to be a layer and I will stick it on top of a base map. And do some other stuff.  So eventually, the layers will be composited in After Effects.  </p>

<p>What tool should I use to create this animation...?</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>Mark</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-15T08:30:53.617Z
The points should appear and disappear? In addition to micheals answer, see: http://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/1187/is-there-a-tool-for-scientific-visualization-using-blender
p2or
<after-effects><flash>
Animating Latitude and Longitude points - how to do it? What tools?
markthekoala
# Animating Latitude and Longitude points - how to do it? What tools?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-05-28)

This is my first go at asking a video production related question...

I have a programming / data science background.

I have about 30,000 spatial co-ordinates (i.e x , y coordinates) These have come into existence over about 15 years. I want to animate this.

So, I need a programmatic approach - there are just too many points.

Also, when each point appears...I want it to initially appear at say 100% opacity and then over about 15 frames fade to about 30% opacity.

What tool is the best to do this in...?

I am not sure if After Effects has sufficient programatic control..?

What about Flash..? (i.e Adobe CC Animate).

Eventually, I want this animated series of points to be a layer and I will stick it on top of a base map. And do some other stuff. So eventually, the layers will be composited in After Effects.

What tool should I use to create this animation...?

Thanks,

Mark

**Tags:** after-effects, flash

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The points should appear and disappear? In addition to micheals answer, see: http://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/1187/is-there-a-tool-for-scientific-visualization-using-blender  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-11-04. Score: 1

I often use [Processing](http://processing.org) for simple graphics or scripting projects, which would be difficult to achieve with After Effects expressions. If you prefer coding in C++ to Java, you could look at [OpenFrameworks](http://openframeworks.cc) which is a similar tool. Both are designed to make it easy to experiment visually while using the data processing tools of a coding environment.

username_4 mentioned the GeoLayers plugin for After Effects but, while it's a really nice tool, I'm not sure it's designed to deal with data sets like yours.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-05-28. Score: 1

I would do this in [Blender](https://www.blender.org/), which uses Python as a scripting language. This gives you a powerful way to "fly" through the data as it animates.

If you are happy with just a static perspective of the map with the points being animated, [R](https://www.r-project.org/) has an extraordinary range of graphing capabilties that can be used to generate animations.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks MT.   I have a Maya license.  I was thinking of using this but the result will be in 2D not 3D....  
> **username_0**: Yes, R is pretty cool.  But eventually I want the output in HD video.  At the moment...I am thinking that Adobe Animate CC might be the best.  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-06-14. Score: 0

I would look at the After Effects plugin [GeoLayers](http://aescripts.com/geolayers/), or if you need something more advanced, maybe [DEM Earth](https://cinemaplugins.com/c4d-plugins/dem-earth/) in Cinema4D instead.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks very much @username_4 I had a look at the plugs ins and their awesome.  But I am not sure whether they will help me solve my specific problem.  Basically, at a particular time (say 13 secs 24 frames) I want a specific point (say x = 13, y = 130) to display a dot.  Ideally, this do would have some type of basic animation such as fade in / fade out.  All this needs to be done programmatically as there will be perhaps 100,000 points.  
> **username_5**: @username_0, [AE scripts](https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/scripts.html) (basically it's JS) are not limited to expressions. I wrote a simple point coordinates exporting script back in the day. Surely you can implement the reverse problem. The only open question is can AE handle 30000 layers in one composition.  

---

