exporting to .avi format

dreamcatcher107
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exporting to .avi format

Post by dreamcatcher107 »

I now have all the elements of my project animated the way they should be and need to save or otherwise export an .avi file for post processing in my videography program but can not seem to locate the supported format within the export file tool. Any assistance is, as always, appreciated.
leevviiJ
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Re: exporting to .avi format

Post by leevviiJ »

howdy, im no expert on these things, but i can help with rendering to AVI on the modeler side, are you rendering from workspace or modeler?
dreamcatcher107
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Re: exporting to .avi format

Post by dreamcatcher107 »

Apologies. I should have specified that I am on the Workspace side. Tell me what you know of exporting on the Model side and perhaps I can interpolate a Wrkspace solution. Thanks for the assist!
leevviiJ
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Re: exporting to .avi format

Post by leevviiJ »

I havent used the workspace to render, but its easy on the model side, it only has choices for "offline" rendering.

FOR MODEL SIDE RENDERING, try this:-
Once you have set up your animation, just click on the icon i have circled in the pic attached to this post, and the dialog box appears. Choose .AVI [it defaults to .PSD] and choose required settings, then hit render, which will bring up the codec dialog box, choose your poison and away you go!!

There is a dropdown menu in the render dialog screen that allows you to choose between -- current frame only -- or modeller -- or workspace, maybe this is what your looking for?

good luck mate.
a pic of the model side render icon and dialog box
a pic of the model side render icon and dialog box
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richlevy
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Re: exporting to .avi format

Post by richlevy »

I always had problems with rendering out to compressed animation formats in TS, if you use the RendertoFile feature, you will be able to render out a sequence of png or jpgs to a folder (you can create a folder wherever you want on you computer).
Any NLE should have no problems loading the sequence of images. The advantage is that image sequences will have no compression artifacts and if the rendering fails (or needs to be rerendered) you will not have to start over from the beginning.

HTH

Rich
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dreamcatcher107
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Re: exporting to .avi format

Post by dreamcatcher107 »

My thanks to both of you for your ideas. I tried the Model side render option to an .avi file but found that the LE controllers did not function, even though the timers were running. All I got was a static set of frame captures - no movement.

I would prefer not to export individual .jpeg etc. images as the Pinnacle Studio program I wish to use afterwards doesn't compile individual stills into an action animation. The individual scene file size is too large to be fluid across the timeline.

Admittedly, I don't know enough about the animation timeline in TS, but if you can assist with enabling the Model side to display the LE script blocks, I believe that will solve the problem I am having.
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trueBlue
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Re: exporting to .avi format

Post by trueBlue »

There is a Customized Timer Event that I created and also a video showing it's use here:
http://united3dartists.com/forum/vi ... 3341#p3341" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In the Workspace's Animation Editor, it should be enough to Record the Frames needed using the Customized Timer Event that are hooked up to your Controllers. Let me know if you have questions.
I was able to render a procedural animation in the AVI format using Model's Render to File/Workspace option with Vray but not Lightworks.
Attachments
Capture.PNG
dreamcatcher107
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Re: exporting to .avi format

Post by dreamcatcher107 »

Hi trueBlue -
I downloaded your two attachments and thank you for them both. I watched the tutorial and, even though it had so sound, understand that you connected the timer's frame control to the expanded matrix component, used the select button to pull it into the panel display and set beginning and ending keyframes after activating the needed element within the keyfram panel by R-clicking to bring it up. As you surmised, I do have some questions.

I have three timer events (with the blue boxed surround) that need to run - the rotation of the horse and counter-rotation of the surround hooked up at the primary LE level. Within the horse object I have two others - one is hooked up to pulsating lungs and nostrils; the other is hooked up to the various controllers and parts of the snorting fire and smoke.

None of the frame aspects of those timers have been hooked up, just the time aspects. I did notice that I could export the active features of both timers up to the primary LE level and tie your customized timer frame connect to them. Do I need to go back and connect those sub-level frame aspects on the timers somewhere or will they work as is?

Secondly, do I need to disconnect the time aspect(s) on each of the timers so I work only with the frames? I am somewhat confused on this point. When I first entered 4D and the primary LE level, I got no redline in the dope sheet, went back to your tutorial and noticed that in your keyframe control panel you selected the timer frame button. I will go back and check whether I can do just that as I originally did not enlarge the panel to look for it.

My predominant thought is that if I don't have all the frame hookups connected, I won't get what I need as a result. Finally, once I get this timeline established do I go back to Model side and try the .avi export again?
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trueBlue
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Re: exporting to .avi format

Post by trueBlue »

If you can I would use one Timer for all of your Controllers, in this case the Customized Timer Event.
From your Controller's TimeIN attributes reconnect the wires to the Customized Timer Event's Frame attribute as shown in first Capture. For the nostrils you can Export the Controller's TimeIn attributes up one level and hook them up as well as mentioned above. See second Capture2.
Follow the video with regards to adding the (Selected) Custom Timer Event's Frame attribute to the Keying panel and Recording the required Start and Ending Frames. It is not necessary to run the Timer since there is no scripting involved.
Unless you have Vray I do not think you can Render to File in the AVI format. In which case you will have to Render out sequential images. If your Video application does not support sequential files there is alternative programs that can. One free option is VirtualDub.
Attachments
Capture.PNG
Capture2.PNG
dreamcatcher107
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Re: exporting to .avi format

Post by dreamcatcher107 »

Thanks. I'll give it a try.
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