Nationalsolo

Hi Softball Dad

Proceed like this...

• Load the first set  of Game 1 clips and join on together on the timeline
• Create a Sequence.by clicking the + that follows Sequence 1 X.
• Right click Sequence 1 in the clip bin and rename it Game 1
• Load the clips for Game 2 and join them together on the timeline (which have become empty)
• Create a Sequence.by clicking the + that follows Sequence 2 X.
• Right click Sequence 2 in the clip bin and rename it Game 2
• Continue like this until all games are now in the Sequence bin  and have individual names.
• Click Menu followed by File
• Select Export All Sequences. Click File. Click Video file (These prompts come up in a wizard style window)You should now be on the usual export window.
• Set your export parameters
• Delete the "Untitled" from the file name if you feel it is necessary. (Probably this is an NCH oversight as you have changed the name)
• Click Create the required number of times to cycle through all the sequences and set the export name for all the games.
• When the final sequence is complete , (the window will note the number of sequences in the queue) VP will then export each Sequence (game) in turn automatically to the designated export folder.

Nat

Hi

Are you referring to a multiscreen effect?  Something like this?  ..

Using the Split screen effect on each track (with the background always on Track1) and possibly selecting a different layout grid and box  for each video clip so they are positioned and sized differently may be a way forward.

However a better result can be obtained by placing the background clip on Video track 1 and then Adding a Scale effect and a Position effect only to each subsequent clip placed on each higher track. The size and placing and AR of each clip can be monitored easily in the Sequence Preview window (below). Once all the clips are synched to start together,  you can use the Transparency effect with keyframes set a different places to make them appear at different points in time.....

This example exports and plays correctly. Below..Viewed as a 720p mp4 in VLC

Nat

Hi

To remove a section from  a clip..

With your clip on the timeline...

• Place the red cursor line (or play the video) to the point where you want to start removing
• Click the scissor icon that appears when you release the cursor. This will Split the tracks at the cursor position.
• Play or move the red cursor line to end of the section to be removed.
• Click the scissor icon that appears when yo release the cursor line. This will split the tracks at the cursor position
• Right click the section between the splits and select Delete from the menu that appears. This removes the designated section leaving a gap
• Right click the gap and select to Close Gap in Track. The gap will be closed and the cut end will move together.

If you decide to cut the track on either side of an existing join you will have two clip pieces to remove to leave the gap.

You can also move the cursor to the start of the deletion and then grab the stem of the cursor in the dark overlay band just above the track. The mouse pointer will turn into a left/right arrow. Now drag the cursor left/right. This will highlight in blue a section of the timeline. When you have marked the section to remove releasing the cursor will reveal the scissor icon which will split all tracks or you can can right click the blue region and select an option from the menu that appears...

Deleting in this case will automatically close the gap

Hope this helps

Nat

Hi B

After checking all the tabs, I note that there is a "Jump forward/backward" menu option in VLC player (not amongst the normal Play controls though) I'm not sure whether that jumps to bookmarks but I'll check it out. It doesn't seem to do anything with a straight video file , even move to a random point so I'll set a video up and see. I have to say that I have always set chapters per se in longer videos exported as DVD discs so I must assume you are right.

Nat

Hi

"......Once the video has been exported, I can't skip to different parts of the video, I have no choice but to watch it all each time....."

If you export the project as a Video file to your PC  (even if you have added bookmarks then that is correct.

If,  on the other hand you export your project as DVD Movie Disc then the bookmarks can set to be interpreted as chapters by the disc player. This will happen if you use the burner associated with VP in which you set the bookmarks as you create the project or the NCH standalone burner Express Burn in which you can set chapters at selected points before you burn the disc.

The usual AR for landscape format is 16:9 (1:1.777)  e.g. 1280 x 720 or 1920 x 1080. All clips with this AR will fill the frame. The same will happen if a clip is Zoomed to a 16:9 AR. or scaled above 1. These options are usually used when the original clip is NOT 16:9 or an an area within the frame needs to be enlarged.

Scaled to a value below 1 (even if the AR is kept 16:9 ) will result in a smaller image that is not full frame.Cropping will have the same effect unless you 16:9 zoom as well.  Exporting at a different format (AR) to your constituent clips  can also result in black borders or unexpected size changes. Always try to export with the same parameters as your clips.

Nat

Hi valuenyc

Most of this I am sure you are familiar with but just to make the fade concept clear..

Here are three contiguous video clips on the timeline......

Notice that only the First  video clip has a fade f button.  Clicking this and setting a duration will fade -in   that clip and  that clip only for the duration you set   This is marked on the timeline by a blue bar appearing at the top of that first clip. The length of that bar is proportional to the duration time you set.  If you see that f button on any other clip on the same track, it means there is gap, (even if that gap is too small to see.) Any gap however small will be easily seen if you scroll all the way in, or switch into Storyboard mode.

Now....In the left corner of each clip is an  FX box. Selecting this and clicking on the large green + will open a list of Effects. that you can add to the selected clip. Among these you will see another selection of Fades......

In general Ignore these ....as Cross Fade and Fade Out are actually Transitions and  Fade In has the same action as the f button

That leaves the X  between all the clips and at the right hand end of the last clip. Clicking one of these opens a list of Transitions that allow one clip to change in some way into the following clip. Most of these are logical.  You will however now see that there are some more Fade options.... Let's look at each one in turn....

1. Cross Fade.    Selecting this will smoothly merge the end of one clip into the start of the next clip. The duration for all the transitions is initially globally set in VP Options/Editing  but a box at the bottom of the Transition window will allow you to change this value. (There are other controls which aren't in this discussion.) Prior to implementing the transition, VP will offer the  option of overlapping the clips , which will shorten the timeline but keep the action throughout the merge making it smoother, or using a still image (freeze frame) from each clip to transition over. That choice is up to you. Preview the transition to see if it works as you would like. If used on the last clip of a sequence or a clip situated before a gap (however small) the clip will simply fade out.
2. Fade.   This simply fades out the first clip to black and then fades in the next clip. If this transition is used on the last clip of the sequence,  or on a clip situated before a gap (however small) , the clip simply fades  out to black. (It's the equivalent to the f button but acts as a fade out at the end of a sequence.) If the gap is very small the next clip will immediately appear which can be puzzling until one realizes that there might be a tiny gap present. (The blue bar won't extend into the following clip if there is a gap which may be an additional clue)
3. Fade through Black.   This behaves exactly like Fade in that the first clip fades out into black and the next clip fades in from black. If used on the last clip of a sequence, the clip simply fades out...A smooth way of finishing a section.
4. Fade through Color.  Selecting this offers choice of duration and fade color. The first clip simply fades out into the selected color and the second clip fades in from the selected color. If used on a clip at the end of a sequence the clip will fade into the selected color and then into black. (The black is simply the empty timeline color)
5. Fade through White.  This does exactly the same as fade through Black (or color) but uses white.

It might be logical to ask why NCH didn't just use Fade through a Color  for them all as the user could pick a color including Black and White from the color card

There are ways of fading a clip in and out using the Transparency effect but this requires a bit of practice and is usually reserved for transitioning between Tracks. It uses keyframes.

For general clip editing use the fade choices set out here.

Nat.

Hi Max

"...1) Presently, the snow effect begins at the top, with nothing, and then slowly fills the screen as the snow falls. Is there any way to have the snow already falling when the clip begins?..."

One of the faults with both Snow and Snowflake effect is that the parameters cannot be used with keyframes. "Snow" cannot be increased from no flakes to a blizzard in one clip. Owing to the effect being basically a scroll means that the screen starts with no snow which then falls as the clip progresses. I have mentioned this to NCH in the past. (In fact I suggested the possibility of snow just after last Christmas following a flurry of questions regarding how one could do it. ..At the time it could be simulated by creating a scrolling text screen of full stops and  ** )

However despite the limitations, in reply to your question. You can, with a bit of fiddling start with the snow already falling. Here is the basic idea....You will need to adjust the parameters to suit your particular needs of course. Use the Snow effect rather than Snowflakes as the latter, although you can make them sway etc. are largely empty space sprites and therefore won't green screen very well. (Although check it out by all means ...)

Proceed then as follows...

• Place a black blank image on Video track 1
• Extend it to 20 seconds
• Click the FX Add a Snow effect with the following parameters: (These are simple example values but work reasonably)
• 
• Export the clip (e.g.as Snow.mp4) and then clear the timeline.
• Load the background clip to Video Track 1
• Load the exported "snow" clip to Video Track 2
• Split Video Track 2 at the point where the falling snow fills the screen (around 4 seconds or so from the start) and delete the left hand section.
• Close the gap.
• Add a Green Screen effect to the "snow" clip on Video Track 2 using black as the target colour.
• Set the Threshold value to 0. (Otherwise the "snow" may not be seen)
• Add a short fade in at the start of the "snow" clip if required.

By adding a speed change to the clip the "snow" can be made to fall faster or slower. By dragging "snow" clip from the timeline to the clip bin you can create a copy. Drop the clips back on separate overlay tracks. (which retain their transparency .re-add the fade in) and by staggering the starts  of the different clips on each overlay track you can increase the "snow" gradually

".....2) Presently the snow only falls vertically. Is there any way to have it fall at an angle? Such as: you are inside a car that is travelling. The snow falling outside should be falling at a steep angle........"

Having created your "snow" clip you can follow the steps above adding a Green Screen as described but also add a Rotation effect to alter the angle of the snow. This however reduces the area of the clip so you will also need to add a Scale effect but only to the Horizontal component so it now stretches to fill the screen from side to side. This will work OK but the "flakes" cease to fall down now. In effect the "scroll" is horizontal. It's probably best therefore to limit the angle to around 30 degrees or so. (or the complimentary angle from 360)  Try these settings for all three effects...

".....3) Is there a way to have the effect continue from one clip to the next without interruption, such as when I want to fade between to similar images......."

As you are using a Video Track 2 clip in these suggestions ---a "snow" clip that is identical  throughout,  it can be easily overlayed  onto as many Track 1 clips as required. It can also be lengthened by adding copies of itself as many times as required as mentioned above.

Hope this helps

Nat

Hi valuenyc

What I am seeing here is a fade-in to the cover image with zoom that jumps to the narrator. (perhaps a short fade through black transition might ease that jump. The discussion follows fine up to 4:29 when something odd happens. There is a very short clip zoom_2.mp4  which seems to serve no useful purpose and could be removed.. This is followed by a fade in and out set up with the Opacity effect. You have unfortunately started this off at 50% Opacity instead of 0% . The fade out (using Opacity is not too bad.

I would suggest that you remove entirely the snippet of clip at 4.29. (zoom in with the scroll wheel to widen it,   delete it and close the gap. On the next clip remove the transparency effect entirely and end with a short crossfade into the image but don't select to overlap use the freeze frame option. If you can extend the clip (assuming there is a little more trimmed off) the transition will be smoother.

Overall it seems to work OK. BTW  I enjoiyed your discussion and MOF is one of my favourites. !

Nat

and then a

Hi valuenyc

".........Dumb as I feel, I hope this helps some other newbie. Someday. ......."

Don't feel dumb!   I'm reasonably familiar with the program and often try to help out with a stupid reply  (Edit quick before too many people see it!!!!)  or come up with a long winded way of doing something that someone else (naming no names ) has a much simpler answer for.

At the end of the day it's users helping other users.

Nat

HI

On the face of it, it seems you may have lost your work which is unfortunate.  

With a big project or when you have put a lot of work in to one, we always suggest that you set up a destination folder with a recognizable name and location and then  Save Project As  FREQUENTLY,  using a different name or sequential ID name each time and always save your work in it.

Can't tell why your app crashed, but as I said the autosaved .vpj should be present here..

C/Users/user name/AppData/Roaming/NCH Software/VideoPad/autosave.vpj   

As an example...Here are the contents of that folder here with the autosaved vpj selected...........Note the pathway at the top...

As mentioned, this file  is present and updated as you work but is deleted when you quit VP.(That's why you are given the chance to save when you close the app)  It the event of a crash VP doesn't get the chance to delete it and once you re-run the app you are reminded that an autosaved project is available and do you want to load it.

It could be that in your case , as you were apparently in the process of exiting VP when the crash happened, that, as you don't seem to be able to find it in the folder shown above,  the autosaved file had already been deleted when you clicked the X so causing the crash.

Nevertheless do a thorough search for .vpj  you still may find it, but remember that (at least here) it doesn't find the autosave.vpj in the folder above for some reason.

Nat.

Hi

1. Did you save your project at any point using Save Project or Save Project As ?
2. Note that if you close VP following an editing session it asks if you want to save the project...Did you always answer Discard?
3. Have you done a search for .vpj? This will bring up any saves you may have made (But not the VP autosave.)

The autosave .vpj file, generated by the program in the backgrouns as you work  (and normally seen in the user's AppData/Roaming/NCH Software/VideoPad folder is only there in the event of a crash or whilst you have the program open. Once you exit VP normally it is deleted.  VP expects you to save your work as a specific named file before you exit.

If, as you say VP crashed then a copy of the autosaved project should still be present here....

C/Users/user name/AppData/Roaming/NCH Software/VideoPad/autosave.vpj   

(Note: the normal Windows search for .vpj may not actually pick this file up )

Nat

Hi Xanado

Do you still have the vpsetup.exe file?  If so save the project. Then uninstall VP using the control panel. Open the folder containing the vpsetup.exe file and re-install VP. Any option that may have timed out should become active again.

If your problem is linked to direct uploading to YT through VP and exporting to your PC is not affected (even though file types are limited) then export to your PC first and upload to YT using their uploader.

Nat

Hi B

Agreed, but if it WAS a 16:9 clip (as Mediainfo suggests,)  then why, when a straight Crop EFFECT is asked for the outlined area is just the image....not the whole frame which would be the case with a true 16:9 clip?   Yes it's weird.

Still, cropping to 9:16 puts it right.

Nat

Hi B

Can't see it as 16:9 here. It  comes up  as a 9:16 clip  (AR = 0.562)  This the same as the given pixel AR (1080/1920) which is also  0.562 . (16:9 is 1.777 of course)  This is the Image AR so it behaves correctly when  placed on the track. It appears in the centre with  sides being definitely transparent.

The problem is in the export. It's as you say-something odd about the clip. And I agree with you, It's not a bug as I tested with different clips and images that have the same displayed properties and they all worked correctly. The blurred clip on the Track 1 is OK.

Nat

Hi

It's very odd!  Each clip seems normal.  If I place a yellow blank below the Track 2 clip....The transparency is OK as is the 9:16 golf clip . but the transparency is not exported.

Add a Crop to Aspect Ratio effect to the timeline clip cures the problem but why? Possible bug? Worth reporting?

Nat

Hi

Another thought:

Is your Track 2 clip a full frame 16:9 clip with your image vertically in the centre and does it look like A or B when viewed  ion the timeline?

If it looks like A then it is a 9:16 clip (portrait image) and it is transparent in the area not covered by the image.This should show the background image in these areas if there is a 16:9 clip on Track 1 below it.

If it looks like B then it is a full frame 16:9 clip that will cover up anything on Track 1 below it.

Nat

Hi

Hi B

I have used splitting as a way of fixing a point in a track and then deleting the left section and lining up the cut ends but it always seemed to be a sledgehammer approach. OK, It works but it leaves "bits"behind.  Some of the multiscreens I have been trying  out recently (e.g. me playing 4 parts at once ) really needed a clapperboard start but when one stops during a recording (that's frequently !) and then starts the part again without resetting the camera that's when some marker would be useful when editing the result.  It's just an idea so testing the waters.

Nat

Hi

I have sent a suggestion to NCH that it would be useful to be able to add a fixed marker (like a bookmark..but fixed) to selected tracks for alignment purposes.

A low amplitude sound track (small peaks) is often better viewed in clip preview but even though you can see even a small peak and place the cursor on it, (the timeline cursor also moves to the same point,) there is no way of marking that precise position on the timeline track. If this idea was instituted, it would mean you could, having selected the exact same position on different tracks and marked them, quickly and easily align them. Trying to set up the precise starting point for multi screen videos  can be a bit of a pain, but this would make it simple.

Thoughts?

Nat

Hi

Thanks for the feedback. Not everybody does.

"....The music might not be your cup of tea, ...."

A cup of coffee perhaps ........It would keep me awake!        But that's an excellent job and you must have put in work there. ! The effects behind the text are great! Better than just a simple blue line. Clever use of text behind the text as well. Have you thought of using some of the coloured Chaos images that were in vogue some years ago? They would be interesting. Well done.

Nat

Hi Xanado

".......as YouTube does not support the VPJ file ........"

The vpj file is NOT a video file and is not recognized by YT. 

The vpj file is in effect a text file that tells VP how to reassemble your project from scratch.. When you Save Project or Save Project As , VideoPad creates a .vpj file. 

Double clicking the .vpj file will open VP which will then load the Video clips/images and audio clips; the editing steps the effects and transitions which will re-create your project. If all the files still exist in the cache, this assembly takes place relatively rapidly.

If however, you have cleared the cache,  the assembly can take a little time to complete as VP has to search out the clips from your PC. If by chance you have moved those clips or worse still have deleted them, VP will prompt you to find them.

You must export your project and then send it to YT, or you can use the YT uploader built into VP.

Nat

Hi

".....The image is tiny - 36KB - should I have a much larger one?......."

The size of the image in KB is not important in this instance as that would simple determine the clarity of the image. What I meant was the size in pixels or the AR. having said that, your export resolution of 900 x 506 is 16:9  (close enough anyway)  and Text (any text) you use will appear in the frame where you placed it.  (Try a simple text over a blank coloured clip and you should see this is the case) 

Upload the PORTABLE project as Borate suggests and we can take a look and suggest where the problem might lie. It may be that the export resolution and the pixel size of the underlying image/clip is making its position move in the export relative to the text although tests here with various clip/images of different ARs  with carfully positioned text and your export settings are all OK..

Nat

Hi

1. Are you applying a Position effect to your text?  If so then Text should stay where you put it relative to the frame.
2. What size is the image?

Normally....

• Place your image on Video Track 1 and position the red line cursor at the start (or at least ON) the image clip
• Click Options/Display and select to show Dual previews. Both previews make it easier to see what is happening.
• Create your text. and set it centrally with the editor controls. Your text will automatically be placed in the Overlay track (Video Track 2 in a simple example) and appear at the cursor position on the timeline. It will be shown in both preview windows. Clip Preview will show just the text  with a chequered background and in Sequence Preview the text  will be seen superimposed on your background image.
• Click the FX box at the start of  the text clip and select the Position effect. This places a position rectangle around the text in the Clip Preview window
• Grab the rectangle and move the text to the required position on the image. Monitor the result in the Sequence Preview window. The text position will update in real time.
• When satisfied close the effect window

The sequence will now normally play and export with text placed correctly.

Nat

Hi

That happens here as well. (VP 8.45)  Recorded narration audio is placed on the next free audio track. Nothing on the upper tracks is disturbed.

Nat

Hi

I presume you want to delete a section from your project?  One way (there are several)  which is perfectly logical...

• Place the red cursor line (or play the timeline) to the start of the section you wish to delete.
• Click the Split tab (scissors icon) that appears next to the red cursor line when you release it. This splits ALL the tracks.
• Play along to end of the section to be removed and Split the project once again in the same way
• Right click all the clips and bits  between the split points and select Delete from the menu.
• This leaves a gap in the tracks. These can be right clicked and closed from the menu.

If you want to Split individual tracks then use the Split tab (Scissors) that appears under the Sequence preview window. The small down arrow opens up a list of choices. Delete the sections isolated between the splits and close any gaps

Another method to remove a section ..

• Play the clip to the start of the unwanted section
• Move the mouse over the red line in the empty overlay track area and you will see a double headed left/right arrow appear.
• Drag the cursor line right which will create a blue zone over all the tracks.
• When you release the cursor line you will see an extended icon bar with choices...or you can right click the blue area for a drop down menu.
• If you select to Delete the area the gaps will automatically close.

Note that deleting a section will leave gaps in the track(s) Normally these need to be closed. Doing this, (either manually or automatically) everything on the timeline to the right of the gap will move left.

Other, more complex ways to remove/hide sections of a track can involve using the overlay tracks, particularly when there is an audio track, or synched sound that cannot be split.

Nat