Text Overlay - Precise Duration Control, In and Out Points?

[mrjohnpwalker]

Hello, all.

 

I'm using VP Pro 2.41.

 

Does anyone know how I can access the In and Out Point boxes for precisely controlling position/duration of Overlay Text?

 

At about 0:1:30, in part 2 of the online video tutorial(s) accessed from the Help menu, the narrator demonstrates using In and Out Point boxes to precisely position Overlay Text, but I can't find these anywhere. I initially add my text in a pop-up, versus in the Clip Preview window as is shown in the video. Other clip element types, i.e., video and audio, have this precision editing capability.

 

I know that I can zoom in on the timeline / overlay track, and drag the start and end points, but keying them in would be more convenient for me. I looked for a way to edit these times in the Clips sidebar, but no dice there, either. Being able to use the In and Out Point Flags would be nice at times, too.

 

Has this intuitive capability been removed? If so, does anyone know why, and can we get it back - at least as a setup option maybe?

 

I'll be grateful for any help, and offer my thanks in advance.

 

-John

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

 

"I know that I can zoom in on the timeline / overlay track, and drag the start and end points, but keying them in would be more convenient for me."

 

 

In/out points don't work for the overlay track. The option you mention above should be accurate enough for most users. The position of the ends of the overlay when you drag can be easily monitored using the sequence counter under the preview window.

 

Nat

[mrjohnpwalker]

Hi

 

"I know that I can zoom in on the timeline / overlay track, and drag the start and end points, but keying them in would be more convenient for me."

 

 

In/out points don't work for the overlay track. The option you mention above should be accurate enough for most users. The position of the ends of the overlay when you drag can be easily monitored using the sequence counter under the preview window.

 

Nat

 

 

Hello, Nat.

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

So, did you by any chance watch the video tutorial I mentioned? Unless I'm seeing things, the in/out points DID work for the overlay track at some point in the past as they now do for the other tracks. It would appear that someone has made a decision to take the program from being highly accurate for ALL users to a lesser point of being merely "accurate enough" for MOST users. Why opt for LESS precision, I wonder? Unfortunately, I based my purchase decision, in part, on those tutorials, so this now takes the appearance of a "bait 'n' switch."

 

Also, in my version of the software, the sequence counter does NOT dynamically update as I drag the overlay's position ends. Even if it did, that would not help with the initial accurate placement and duration settings, but only subsequent attempts to approximate "right." Why should we have to now play with it when one used to be able to accurately place it to begin with? Why diminish the software's quality by removing such an intuitive feature? True, one could make the argument that it's not a LOT of trouble, but then we'd all still be on horseback, instead of in automobiles, wouldn't we?

 

PRECISE placement/editing, as it apparently existed in some prior release, would certainly be a more desirable feature than a hit 'n' miss approach after the fact. And the ability to click on in/out flags in response to audio/visual cues was a nice touch, too. Do you disagree? If so, I'd love to hear why.

 

Thanks again.

 

John

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

 

I think I see where you may be going wrong. I was talking about the overlaying of text/titles onto a clip. With text there is no in/out option. You adjust the position etc. as we mentioned. However when the overlay is a video clip the in/out drag pointers are available in the left hand preview pane, just as they are for a main sequence line clip. Just click the overlay for them to come up.

 

Although I haven't seen the help film you mention...my help files only outline the method we discussed and there are no links, I am thinking that the demonstration shown was probably done with a film clip as the overlay and not text.

 

(BTW dragging the text overlay ends to lengthen/shorten the text does register on the sequence position counter to the right under the RH preview window.)

 

Nat

[mrjohnpwalker]

Hi

 

I think I see where you may be going wrong. I was talking about the overlaying of text/titles onto a clip. With text there is no in/out option. You adjust the position etc. as we mentioned. However when the overlay is a video clip the in/out drag pointers are available in the left hand preview pane, just as they are for a main sequence line clip. Just click the overlay for them to come up.

 

Although I haven't seen the help film you mention...my help files only outline the method we discussed and there are no links, I am thinking that the demonstration shown was probably done with a film clip as the overlay and not text.

 

(BTW dragging the text overlay ends to lengthen/shorten the text does register on the sequence position counter to the right under the RH preview window.)

 

Nat

 

 

Hey, Nat.

 

I want to thank you for staying with me on this. I really appreciate it.

 

We're definitely on the same page, and talking about the same thing: The overlaying of text/titles onto the clip. (Sorry. What did I lead you to believe I was talking about?) True, there is no in/out option NOW. But, please... I think viewing that video is key to what I'm trying to say, here, so if you could take a minute to view it, I think it will become immediately obvious. ("A picture is worth...") It's about one minute and thirty seconds into video tutorial number two, which you can access from the Help pull-down by clicking on "Video Tutorials," 3rd or 4th from the top in the list. Once on the Web page, it's the 2nd video from the top. Had I not seen this, I wouldn't have known this feature had previously existed for the text.

 

As for the sequence position counter, you're right; it does update, but only when you release the mouse button, and not dynamically (definitely preferred). So, it's click, drag, release, verify. Darn! Click, drag, release, verify... ad nauseam. Why not just click, drag, verify, release, and be done with it? Still better, give the user the boxes (and flags) to precisely place it just ONE time, as in the video. The code snippets for this existed at some point in the past, so we're not talking about entirely new development, here. You'll see what mean once you watch it.

 

Again, thanks for tolerating me. I look forward to your reply.

 

John

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

 

OK thanks, I found the video,(It was under the help tab!)And you are correct, the demonstration does show in/out points being used for overlay text/titles but the version being used is v2.20, so is earlier than yours. It does appear that this particular function has been changed in the later versions, whether for better or worse is largely a matter of personal taste. It may simply be a programming constraint but I wouldn't really know. Certainly for just titles/text, most cases wouldn't require such precise adjustment and not so often in the course of a film, but overlay video clips might if a particular effect is needed.

 

Whatever ones thoughts, VP is still a pretty good piece of software.

 

Nat

[mrjohnpwalker]

Hey, Nat.

 

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply.

 

Glad you found the video, but if it's for an older version, Lord knows what good it'll do anyone.

 

Yes, VP is a good piece of software. I looked at offerings by several others, including Serif and Corel, but felt like VP was a better fit. Still, why take the wheels off of the car once you've put 'em on? (Rhetorical question.) It's the _adding_ of features that makes things have a higher perceived or practical value. I don't understand this omission from either a working, or marketing standpoint. But, then, I'm "only" a customer with differing personal taste. :-)

 

Good talking to you.

 

John