Scripting: Good or Evil?

Spot|DSE wrote on 4/15/2004, 9:39 AM

Scripting is very GOOD! With Neon, Tsunami, and Excalibur, plus the several dozens of scripts created by many Vegas users around the world, many of your editing tasks will become automated and efficient. You don't need to learn to write scripts, just expect to find some you don't like, and some you pay for that are worth every dime.
Saving Effects is an easy task, but scripting is a lot more than that, it's more akin to saving Actions in photoshop

GaryKleiner wrote on 4/15/2004, 9:48 AM

>Can I save an effect for later use without using scripting? <

Effects are usualy saved as presets, but give us an example to see if we are on the same page.

Gary

cheroxy wrote on 4/15/2004, 9:50 AM

To me saving effect templates is totally different than scripts. I can save effect templates with a single click of "save" in the specific effect window.

On the other hand, there have been over a hundred scripts written to automate a series of steps any where along the production process. I have collected all the free ones that I know are available. You can download them from my family web site along with a description of every one in a separate word doc download. www.calderwood.org

I fell in love with scripts and veggies so much that I wanted to collect them all! I figured everybody else would want them so I made them available.
later,
Cheroxy

cyanide149 wrote on 4/15/2004, 9:55 AM

I don't think you grasp the concept of scripting at all....read the book!

rmack350 wrote on 4/15/2004, 10:06 AM

Scripting isn't a way of saving templates. As others are saying, you can save an effect preset as a template. What they haven't said yet is that you can save an effects chain as a package for later use.

Scripting IS a good thing but it in no way resembles Photoshop's Actions tool. That tool is easy to use and very powerful. Vegas scripting is programming and has a bit of a learning curve. Not everyone will want to use it.

Considering that Vegas is just at version 4, it's coming along nicely. If improvements to automation don't come along in the upcoming V5 you can be sure you'll see a lot of pressure for it afterwards because while scripting is GOOD it's a bit like controlling engine speed by keeping your hands directly on the carb throttle.

Rob Mack

Spot|DSE wrote on 4/15/2004, 11:10 AM

What I meant by scripting being like a Pshop action, is that it's a series of instructions that can be accessed by clicking a button. Writing a script is a whole different story, but maybe I'm laboring under the false impression that Lanza is asking what scripts do rather than how to write them. Hence my comments about how many there are out there for free and for purchase.
Wouldn't it be nice if writing scripts were as easy as writing a Pshop action? Of course, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it.

Lanzaedit wrote on 4/15/2004, 11:18 AM

Gary Kleiner wrote:
<<Effects are usualy saved as presets, but give us an example to see if we are on the same page.>>

In a 30 minute program I've created teases as the show is heading for a commercial. Four layers of video, two layers for logos and two more for text. With Avid, instead of having to recreate the effects of each layer, I can save the effects to a bin. When I'm ready to create the next tease, I can just drag the saved effect from the bin to whatever layer I want to place that effect.

In Vegas, is that called a "Preset" ?

BTW, can Boris serve the same function as Scripting?

Thanks for the replies.

John

jetdv wrote on 4/15/2004, 11:49 AM

Scripting can be used to automate the task of placing events on multiple tracks. However, it's not an "effect" per se.

For instance, I have a script used on a weekly program that will add a graphic on track 2 and a generated media title directly above it on track 1. The graphic even has motion applied to it (it slides in from the right) while the text is automatically faded in slowly while the graphic slides. In this case, I can push one button, get things added over two tracks, and then simply change the text and fine-tune the position of the text. So, it is *possible* that scripting could simulate that function. However, the script has to be written to perform that task.

No Boris is not like scripting. Two totally different animals.

GaryKleiner wrote on 4/15/2004, 12:04 PM

>I've created teases as the show is heading for a commercial. Four layers of video, two layers for logos and two more for text. <

John,

If I understand you correctly, you want to use the logo, etc and change the video (media) for each one, yes?

The best way to do that in Vegas is save a .veg (project) file with your setup and just pop in the new media.

Gary

rmack350 wrote on 4/15/2004, 12:23 PM

No, he's not really asking how to write them. He's really asking about saving effects and effects packages, I think. And thinking that scripts are the key to this, which they're not.

Most likely the thing he wants to do is a little harder with Avid so he's looking for harder solutions. I get caught by this in Linux all the time-I'm kind of amazed when something is easy.

Photoshop actions are really great. I use them constantly and they take really minimal skills to create and use because it's all just a nice macro recorder. It's very different from Vegas Scripting. It's like macros vs VB in Excel or MS Access.

Scripting and Actions are both useful and valid. Each has it's strengths. For instance, you'd never be able to create your XML output script in a macro recorder like PS Actions. On the other hand, changing the aspect ratio of all the files you've selected in the media pool would be very appropriate for a macro recorder. Actually, in PS that would be applying an action as a batch job. Another great feature, BTW.

Rob Mack

BillyBoy wrote on 4/15/2004, 12:42 PM

Think of scripting as a shortcut to doing repetitive tasks. Therefore they're neither good or evil, and if or not you use them depends if or not you end up doing the same task over and over.

To use scripts you don't really need to kow anything about them other than way a particular script was written to do. To write your own you need some programming experience, the syntax is explained in a white paper somewhere on this site probably can be found under support.

Lanzaedit wrote on 4/15/2004, 1:22 PM

Thanks for the replies.

Do scripts use keyframes? For example, if I use a script that was created for a PIP effect, can I reposition the effect once I apply it to a clip?
I'm sure one day I'll look back at this thread and say "Why did I ask such simple questions?" :)

John

jetdv wrote on 4/15/2004, 1:26 PM

Scripting can control Pan/Crop - NOT Track Motion. So, yes you can use scripting to create a PIP via Pan/Crop. If you move the clip, the PIP effect will be moved with it.

rmack350 wrote on 4/15/2004, 11:03 PM

However, if you're thinking of a script as an object that can be keyframed (like an effect) you're barking up the wrong tree. Scripts run, do some work, and then finish and quit.

The best thing to do is to install the .Net framework, go to the sundance media site or cheroxy's site, get a few scripts, and try them out. Then open them up and look at the contents.

It seems pretty obvious that you need to put your hands on them and try them.

And, of course, go back and read the Vegas manual and online help.

Rob Mack

wobblyboy wrote on 4/16/2004, 12:10 AM

Just buy EXCALABUR and you will see what scripts can do. Scripts are not effects or keyframes. Scripts are a way of automating a task that would take you a long time to do and doing it in one or two keystrokes. For example, if I am doing a slide show, I simply place all by stills on the timeline and use EXCALABUR to put them together with disolves. I just tell EXCALABUR what I want and with one click it is done.

Once you set up the effects chain you want for an event, you can copy it's event attributes to any other selected events. Or you can make an empty event and set the effects you want in that event. If you have several clips that you want to have those attributes, simply select all clips that you want it applied to and do a copy and past event attributes. It's really quite simple and fast.

I didn't see a way to copy and save event attributes for furture use. You could however simply create a VEG with a track of empty events with the effect chains you want and start your project with that.

You still have to set keyframes for individual clips, however you can set them very quickly and see the effect in real time as you do it. You couldn't really have preset keyframes unless all you clips were the same length.

You should really check out EXCALABUR. It provides scripts for a number of useful functions. For example: an automated way to sync up a multi camera shoot. set up all your selected dissolves, take out splits, set markers and a number of other very usefull functions.

As I use VEGAS, I keep finding new and useful shortcuts that save time and make editing intuitive, fast, and fun.

Grazie wrote on 4/17/2004, 11:51 PM

However, if you're thinking of a script as an object that can be keyframed (like an effect) you're barking up the wrong tree. Scripts run, do some work, and then finish and quit.

. .. yeah . . well kinda . .. I'd like to see all my scripts in their own Resouce Window, tabbed up like Media Pool and Explorer. Maybe with each script with an Icon depicting what it can do. So .. . rmack350 yes it aint something that is like a tranni and yes it does something once and then it goes away . .BUT that is only as a result of the way we presently "use" these wonderful little helpers .. yeah?

1 - How about creating a "chain" of scripts that we could then store as a type of preset?

2 - Why not have a way that we can make a callout to a set of scripts when and where we want them?

3 - How about scripts that get activated by a Marker callout?

4 - How about a script that fires up when the colour or Gamma or tranni of a certain effect gets used?

Look, scripts are just tiny progs doiung their thing. ... it's our own creativity that will make these Wizards start jumping!

I aint no programme .. and there will be others reading this and thinking "Grazie, we can't do this!" well that's a "yet!" . . . we shouldn't hobble ourseves with how things are at the moment . . .. think outside the box and start throwing out ideas .. . I know I've done this with Edward . . sometimes I'm sure it drives hilm up-the-wall . .but, some of my ideas have stuck . .and at times Edward has had to tell me that at present it aint possible within Vegas . . okay . .I can live with that . . but no problem, like wine, with laying down ideas - yeah?

Still .. I really would like a Script resource Window. Somewhere we could just stick our wonderful helpers! Having just 10 up there on the toolbar is, well, a bit limiting and just plain silly! Yes I know I can do a search through the explorer and activate a script .. . Script Resource Window please?!?!?!

Whats's the Evil bit in this post? Why hasn't anybopdy asked this of th poster? - If it has been, I'll apologise . .. but why Evil?!?!?!

Best reagards

Grazie