[Kdenlive-devel] Image sequence option in Add Clip file dialog

Tue Aug 24 17:58:44 UTC 2010

On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 6:09 AM, John T. Mertz <thatonefilmguy at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hope you don't mind me chiming in.
>
> I agree with albert, it is better to automate the slideshow creation
> but then once created the user must have the ability to change
> transitions and clip durations as they see fit. For example, the
> slideshow might use a transition I do not want or in a place I do not
> want. Likewise, I sometimes may want to change the duration of
> specific images inside the slideshow.

I agree, but it will take some work for someone to code it up.
Currently, it using a MLT shortcut that does not allow it to be
exposed as something editable. So, even though possible and actually
quite easy, it is still a fair amount of work that you should not
expect it for the next release.

This is certainly something one can make as a separate tool initially.
It would simply generate an XML file that you can open as a project in
kdenlive. It would be a good exercise for using MLT APIs, MLT XML
authoring, perhaps using some script binding to MLT and KDE or a
chance to play with Qt Quick and QML. The tool would use MLT API
primarily just for previewing the results. Then, after saving it could
have an option to open it with Kdenlive. I am just trying to give
anyone interested in coding but intimidated by an existing large code
base or C++ an idea for a fun little project. Now I wonder if this
could somehow be an add-on to digikam... now that would be nice!

> Regarding the original topic (image sequence import), I think it is
> better to just have a checkbox deselected by default. It would be an
> annoyance to have a dialogue window pop up every time I import a
> folder with numbered images (as is generated by all digital cameras)
> to ask if it is an image sequence - a feature which is likely
> applicable to less than 1% of average users, and even the small subset
> of users who do use it probably do not use it all the time.

This change in default state was already made :-)

> -JTM
>
>
> On 8/23/10, Albert ARIBAUD <albert.aribaud at free.fr> wrote:
>> Le 23/08/2010 20:12, Dan Dennedy a écrit :
>>> On Sun, Aug 22, 2010 at 9:49 PM, Albert ARIBAUD<albert.aribaud at free.fr>
>>> wrote:
>>>> Le 22/08/2010 21:24, Dan Dennedy a écrit :
>>>>> On Sun, Aug 22, 2010 at 7:35 AM, Alberto Villa<avilla at freebsd.org>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> On Sun, Aug 22, 2010 at 3:56 PM, Albert ARIBAUD<albert.aribaud at free.fr>
>>>>>>    wrote:
>>>>>>> BTW: my wife's almost only complaint about kdenlive (1) is not having
>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>> 'one-click' or 'one-dialogue' way to make a slideshow from a bunch of
>>>>>>> stills with random transitions. Does it exist and I missed it?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> no, it doesn't exist. it can be easily implemented as a plugin... i'll
>>>>>> see if i can make it before the feature freeze
>>>>>
>>>>> Yes, it does; it is a Slideshow clip. Currently, it does not randomize
>>>>> transitions, but you can't please everyone all of the time. Please do
>>>>> not make redundant features. Also, see my recent improvements in MLT
>>>>> that will allow us to improve it:
>>>>>
>>>>> http://sourceforge.net/news/?group_id=96039&id=290791
>>>>>
>>>>> It should not be too difficult for me to add a special 'random' value
>>>>> to the component responsible for transitions.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks Dan for pointing this out. This is great for both demonstrating
>>>> MTL's capabilities and for doing no-frills slideshows, however not
>>>> exactly what is required here, at least by my wife and, I suspect, by
>>>> many other Kdenlive users, for two reasons at least, one which is
>>>> trivial in the sense that it could be fixed easily, and one that is not.
>>>>
>>>> The trivial point is that the source clips may come reside in multiple
>>>> folders, and conversively not all the files in one folders are expected
>>>> to end up in the slideshows.
>>>>
>>>> The less trivial point is that the user may want to let Kdenlive provide
>>>> transitions at random, *then* be able to select any transition and
>>>> modify it to better suit their taste or remove it altogether; or add a
>>>> specific effect to a specific slide; or change a slide's duration for
>>>> some reason; or basically do whatever they want to the generated
>>>> slideshow.
>>>>
>>>> Thus what I am looking for is not a "slideshow clip" that would hide the
>>>> slideshow to the kdenlive operator, but a "slideshow generator" that
>>>> would automate the creation of a slideshow on a track, e.g. take all
>>>> currently selected clips put them on a track, adding a randomly chosen
>>>> transition.
>>>>
>>>> This, I believe, is not the same feature as the slideshow clip, as it
>>>> does not cover the same need and does not provide the same functionality.
>>>
>>> Like I said "you can't please everyone all of the time." What you want
>>> is more-or-less essentially already possible - just with more work.
>>> You have entered the grey zone between automatic and manual. For
>>> example, you can easily add multiple images to the Project tree (aka
>>> clip bin) and drag multiple clips to the timeline - automatic
>>> functions one could argue. What you do not have today is a function to
>>> automatically add random transitions between them - that is currently
>>> manual.  I could ask "Make up your mind; do you want to be lazy or
>>> not?!" ;-)
>>
>> Acutally, I want a lazy setup *then* be able to make up my mind. :)
>>
>>> I think we would need to brainstorm some more about how to some or all of:
>>> 1) make transitions easier by overlapping and not requiring tracks
>>
>> That would be a plus, obviously.
>>
>>> 2) how to apply transitions in bulk - does that happen when dragging
>>> multiple clips to the timeline? Is that a function applied to multiple
>>> selected clips on the timeline? Is that a function applied to an
>>> entire track?
>>
>> If I must pick one, I'd say, although I'd personally prefer "happens
>> when dragging multiple clips to the timeline", the most sensible choice
>> would be  "applied to multiple selected clips on the timeline".
>>
>>> 3) how to apply filters in bulk (e.g. center crop) (Does the existing
>>> Paste Effects work with multi-selection?)
>>
>> Search me on this one. :)
>>
>>> In the meantime, are you aware of the tool named imagination?
>>> http://imagination.sf.net/
>>
>> Non, I didn't. But it won't fit the bill for my wife's uses: she does
>> not make slideshow DVDs, she makes DVDs with menus and submenus where
>> only *some* videos are slideshows. Granted, imagination seems to be able
>> to export to some formats, but that would be yet a third tools besides
>> kdenlive and dvdstyler.
>>
>> Amicalement,
>> --
>> Albert.
>>
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