Import photos with automatic crossfade

JohnnyRed wrote on 6/17/2004, 7:10 PM

I make a lot of picture slideshows. Usually I add my photos to my Vegas timeline by dragging them from a Windows Explorer window onto the timeline. They line up very nicely and neatly, which is fine.

What I'd really like, however, is to drag them into the timeline so that each photo is 7 seconds long with a two second crossfade over the previous picture. I know how to set the default length to 7 seconds, but I don't know of a way to get the 2 second crossfades for each picture without setting each one individually. Is there a way to automate this process?

Comments

bStro wrote on 6/17/2004, 7:41 PM

Ask in the Vegas - Script forum. Someone will surely have a script, or tell you how to write a script. for this.

Rob

astorvick wrote on 6/17/2004, 8:49 PM

Start Vegas, then click on options, then preferences, the click on the editing tab, check Automatic overlap, then just below it is the overlap amount. Thge duration for slide is on the same tab. Hope this helps

JohnnyRed wrote on 6/17/2004, 8:57 PM

Interstingly, the first time I tried the automatic overlap feature, all it did was overlap the image and the transition from one image to another was a simple cut.

I tried it again and it worked like I wanted.

TorS wrote on 6/18/2004, 12:02 AM

If you name your image files in the right order (1, 2, 3 or 001, 002, 003.jpg etc) you can drag-drop the lot of them from the explorer window and they will line up neatly on a video track, each with your set length and overlap.
Tor

DouglasClark wrote on 6/18/2004, 12:18 AM

I assembled a 175-picture slideshow in Adobe Photoshop Album (decent slide sorter features) for a golden wedding anniversary, and then dragged the whole bunch of stills over to Vegas timeline for further editing....auto overlap worked great. 0.6 seconds seemed best.

However, the default fade type is always "smooth", but I prefer "linear" fade for a slideshow. Is there a way to make default fade type "linear" for added stills?

Envelope Fade Types on Preferences Edit tab is apparently just for envelope fades, and not event crossfade types. Do we need a place to specify a "default fade type" for event crossfades in preferences, or am I missing something?

Douglas
Denmark

kentwolf wrote on 6/18/2004, 1:19 AM

"Excalibur" does what you need perfectly (Essentially well written scripts with an easy-to-use interface.).

Also, everything can be adjusted even after you have it on the timeline. (Gap Wizard)

I have all of the Vegas items they have and they are absolutely terrific. Serious time-saver.

See:

http://www.vegastoolsandtraining.com/

Also see:

http://thetroxels.com/tsunami/

TorS wrote on 6/18/2004, 1:20 AM

Douglas,
First of all a word of warning posted by SonyPCH (Peter Haller) in the thread where I came across this info:

>>What ever you do, be careful with those internal prefs settings. You can cause yourself some MAJOR grief that can only be resolved through a fresh install. Also, tech support will really frown on helping you to overcome such back door changes.

Peter

Now, if you are still reading and not hiding behind your chair:
Choose Options and while holding Shift, choose Preferences. Select Internal meny and scroll down (about 70%) to a field name called eDefEnvVideoASRType. The default value is 4. Set it to 1, click apply and OK. Any new video track will now have a linear crossfade as its default.
But before you proceed: Read Peter's warning again.

Tor

Grazie wrote on 6/18/2004, 2:40 AM

.. .if you then get in the doo doos hold down the SHIFT key when you next enter "Vegas World" . . . Vegas should then default back to all factory settings .. . yeah, you'll have lost all your prefs and other stuff, but your Passport to the Cosmos will be available again - HAH!

. .Grazie

DouglasClark wrote on 6/18/2004, 3:28 AM

Thanks, Tor. That works perfectly. No crash & burn, either. (yet)

I would like to see the two default event fade types (eDefEnvVideoASRType, eDefEnvAudioASRType) exposed on the normal preferences tabs, however. ....SONY...please add to wish list!

By the way, is there any documentation to the "internal" preferences stuff?

Grazie wrote on 6/18/2004, 4:00 AM

"By the way, is there any documentation to the "internal" preferences stuff?" . . .Most likely in a filing cabinet on Aplha Sentori, next to the SONY nebula, third planet in . . . quick answer, no! - These Internals are well hidden .. but yes . it would be "nice" to know what all the different codes meant ..

Grazie

TorS wrote on 6/18/2004, 4:27 AM

You are free to explore them and take notes :-)
Tor

Grazie wrote on 6/18/2004, 4:29 AM

. .yeah right! . ..

DouglasClark wrote on 6/18/2004, 6:01 AM

That sounds like a recipe for disaster!