Scrolling text - a problem, and a couple related feature requests

Yojimbo wrote on 9/9/2002, 9:52 AM
Hi. This program, and this forum, rocks. Using the Search feature has answered a lot of questions for me. Here's one that I can't find a tip for...

First, I have a HUGE list of names to scroll (this is a memoriam to those who died on September 11, 2001, with a constant scroll in the background of all the names of those who died... ) so I wanted to do it in the two-column format offered by the SF Credit Roll text effect. I've discovered that you can cut-and-paste long lists of names directly into the panel, just by highlighting the first text box and pasting into it. However, while this also works for the left-hand column in the dual column mode, it does *not* work for the dual column mode's right-hand column. Here, you're relegated to one at a time (unless someone here has a secret they can share!). Anyone spend any time on this?

Regarding this, I would ask the SF team to allow you to highlight *either side* of the two columns of fields, and allow you to paste into that only. Currently, when you select a line, both sides highlight. If I could click, or shift-click and select some number of lines from either column, it would work fine.

Second, I see no text effect for crawling text. Is this an oversight, or is it that crawls are not that popular anymore? (If you're not familiar with one, it's used by networks and cable channels to slide text along the bottom edge of the screen, such as news and weather bulletins.) I wondered if anyone had a worthwhile workaround for this. If not, then this is another feature I'd ask SF to consider.

Thanks for your help,

James

Comments

jetdv wrote on 9/9/2002, 10:24 AM
Create a text file as follows:


Left Name TAB Right Name
Left Name TAB Right Name
Left Name TAB Right Name
Left Name TAB Right Name

Copy these lines, and then paste into the text control. This should put all of the left names in the left column and all of the right names in the right column.
jetdv wrote on 9/9/2002, 11:11 AM
For your second question, try this link for your answer.
SonyDennis wrote on 9/9/2002, 11:40 AM
You can set up the two column paste using cells in Excel or a table in Word or many other applications.

In addition to the great ideas on the "crawl" link, you can also use a wide piece of media with pan/crop, or multiple single-page items with Push transitions between them.

///d@
Yojimbo wrote on 9/9/2002, 2:57 PM
Thank you both, jetdv and SonicDennis. Your tips help. I know that sometimes ya gotta think outside the box, and I've done that with other instances, but couldn't get past these. Thanks.

I worked with NewTek during the Video Toaster heyday (you know, back in the 90's!), and I really miss real-time transitions and instant-on scrolls and crawls. Are there any threads you'd point me toward for making scrolls (especially with transparency) more efficient when it comes down to render time? (I'm not clear on pre-rendering and such, or other possible techniques you use to cut down on processor demands by reducing the job load.) The current project is going to take 13 hours at the moment, leaving me less leeway than I'd like. I'll look around too and see what I find.

Finally, the pan/crop event panel mystifies me. I can modify stills and even video clips so that they are either cropped in place, or have motion within the frame, but how would I crop an event to say, the upper right hand 1/4 of the screen, and have it play on the lower left hand side of the screen? I don't seem to be able to achieve both in one go... it's like I can either crop it in place (as if the image is tacked the background and I can only move a smaller viewing window above it) or I can resize it at will and move that anywhere I want, but I can't crop it and then place that cropped piece elsewhere. Again, point me or direct me!

Thank you again,

James
Chienworks wrote on 9/9/2002, 3:19 PM
You can use Pan/Crop to crop the image, then use Track Motion to place it where you want in the frame. This is a little messy especially since track motion applies to the entire track, not just that event.

Another option is to use the CookieCutter filter to do both in one step.