Behavior of text frames

aseltzer144 wrote on 3/31/2004, 9:10 AM

From what I can tell, text frames behave in a non-bvious way. For example, if I split a text frame and edit the text in the split frrame, the original frame is updated as well. Also, begin and end seem to have no effect in the edit text dialog. In other words, I can't seem to create a simple text animation this way. Are these behaviiors by design or is this a bug? Am I simply not using the product correctly?

I can get around these limtits, so I am still very pleased with the overall sophostication of this video editor, but it would be nice to make more use of the integrated text capabilities .

I am using Screenblast Movie 3.0b.

- Arthur

Comments

SonySCS wrote on 3/31/2004, 2:04 PM

A few things about begin/end animation (anyone, correct me if I'm wrong):

Effects tab--the effect must be on at the beginning and at the end in order for it to animate. Let's say you want to gradually add an outline (0.3) to the text. Check outline on at the beginning and set width=0 and set it on at the end with width=0.3.

Edit tab--you can't change the font type or point size (say 48 at beginning, 24 at end) but...you can scale them using the Properties tab. In the beginning, set the font to 48 and the scale to 1.0, then at the end scale the text to 0.5 (since 24=1/2*48). You can make text disappear by scaling down to 0.0.

Credit roll doesn't animate -- this was news to me, but there was a thread recently concerning this.

As for splitting text, altering it, and having the other side change as well, I see that also and it's bizzare. Maybe someone else can shed light on it. Have you tried just using two separate events and putting them side by side?

Hope this helps,

Suzan

JReed wrote on 4/1/2004, 2:24 AM

It seems to me that when you split a text clip you are basically making a copy of the original...so when you alter the "new" text...the original will alter also because all of the properties are referencing the same source.
The work-around is...
1. split the original text clip
2. delete the "new" clip
3. make a copy of the 1st clip
4. paste the copy where the deleted one was The software will ask if you want to make a new copy or reference the original properties. Make a new copy.
5. Now you can change the text without altering the original.

Hope this helps.
JReed

aseltzer144 wrote on 4/1/2004, 3:37 AM

Thanks, JReed. The workaround you described defintely works. I just would have thought that the default behavior of split text frames would have been as you described.

- Arthur

SonySCS wrote on 4/1/2004, 7:45 AM

Thanks for the explaination.
-Suzan