VASST Notepad avaialble as Freeware for Vegas Pro

JohnnyRoy wrote on 7/19/2008, 8:04 PM

I just in case some of you might not have followed the "What would really be great is...." thread, I wanted to make Vegas Pro users aware that a new Vegas Command Extension called VASST Notepad is available for FREE. It is part of our VASST Freeware collection.

As the name implies, Notepad is a place where you can maintain notes about your project. These notes can be saved in the project file or as a separate RTF document along side the project file. Because Notepad is a Vegas Command Extension, it is a dockable window that can be placed in the dock alongside the other Vegas tabbed windows. It can remain always open in Vegas Pro and will auto-load your notes with your projects.

VASST Notepad requires: Vegas Pro 8.0b or later.

Enjoy,

~jr

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Comments

UlfLaursen wrote on 10/11/2008, 11:25 AM

I think their server needs a restart - I had trouble just now at the vasst site too.

/Ulf

Bluespoet wrote on 10/11/2008, 1:50 PM

When I logged into Vasst instead of downloading the notebook got the following msg, in addition when I used your links got the same result, any idea how I can download your file?

Server Error in '/' Application.
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Source Error:

An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.

Stack Trace:

[NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.]
AMP.VASST.Cart.ApplyPromotions() in D:\clients\sundance\web2\AMP.VASST.Domain\Products\Cart.vb:384
AMP.VASST.Security.CreateSession(Person person) in D:\clients\sundance\web2\AMP.VASST.Web\Security.vb:199
AMP.VASST.Security.Authenticate(String email, String password) in D:\clients\sundance\web2\AMP.VASST.Web\Security.vb:62
AMP.VASST.Controls.SignInUp.LoadPostData(String key, NameValueCollection posted) in D:\clients\sundance\web2\AMP.VASST\control\SignInUp.ascx.vb:159
System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessPostData(NameValueCollection postData, Boolean fBeforeLoad) +353
System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) +1194

Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:2.0.50727.1433; ASP.NET Version:2.0.50727.1433

JohnnyRoy wrote on 10/11/2008, 2:33 PM

Hi Piotr,

I will try and get an updated version of Notepad for Vegas 8.1 upload this week. I know now why our command extensions and scripts don't work on Vista 64 and I just have to implement the changes. Hang in there.

~jr

megabit wrote on 10/11/2008, 2:38 PM

Thanks so much Johnny; one thing: VASST stuff (including the Notepad) DO work under Vista x64 (I''m using them now with Vegas 8.0c, under Vista Ultimate x64) - they just aren't recognized by the 64bit Vegas version (8.1). Cheers,

Piotr

jabloomf1230 wrote on 10/11/2008, 4:23 PM

@JR,

Could you give us a hint, why they don't work, without giving away any trade secrets? ;-)

megabit wrote on 10/12/2008, 5:05 AM

Hi Johnny,

Just to clarify my last message: the Notepad DOES work under Vista x64 with Vegas 8.0c (NOT with the 8.1), but it often causes crashes. I'm now having 2 instances of Vegas 8.0c open for coping and pasting timeline fragments between them; the Notepad contain a detailed script with timings etc. Quite often, just focusing (clicking) into the Notepad window (or selecting a text for copy/paste) will open a window about an error in windows handling, and I need to save my project (always possible, luckily), kill the Vegas instance (the Notepad error window will not allow me to close Vegas normally), and re-open.

I'm not sure if it would happen under 32bit OS as well; anyway please consider this report in your development of Vista x64 - compatible Notepad version ! TIA

Piotr

TeetimeNC wrote on 10/12/2008, 5:16 AM

Hi JR.

Thanks much for developing this very handy tool. Will this version of notepad likely run in future Vegas versions (e.g., 9.0, 10.0) ? I want to be sure I will be able to access 8c project notes in future versions of Vegas.

Jerry

JohnnyRoy wrote on 10/12/2008, 7:04 AM

> Could you give us a hint, why they don't work, without giving away any trade secrets? ;-)

Sure. There are two major reasons: The first is that Sony scans several folders looking for command extensions. One of them is .\Application Data\Sony\Vegas Pro\8.0\Application Extensions and this is the one VASST uses. Unfortunately, Vegas Pro 8.1 doesn't look there! It looks in .\Application Data\Sony\Vegas Pro\8. so this is why the VASST command extensions are not seen by Vegas Pro 8.1. Luckily it also looks in .\Application Data\Sony\Vegas Pro\Application Extensions which is version number agnostic. I am changing all of the code to now use this folder instead.

The second reason our plug-ins didn't work correctly in Vista 64 is because we install them for All Users instead of Current User only. In Vista 64, the registry access for All Users has changed for 32-bit vs 64-bit applications. This caused all of our registry access to fail without even throwing an error! It just silently fails. Since the Current User access has not changed between Vista 32 and Vista 64 we are changing all of our code to now install for a single user.

It's funny how little design decisions that didn't make a difference in XP cause catastrophic failure in Vista 64 (but not Vista 32). In addition Vista security doesn't like the fact that we save your settings to the .\Program Files folder (where the application is installed) and so we are also making changes to where some of our other installed files are kept to make it run without any security errors or need for admin authority in Vista.

So we're redesigning a bunch of stuff beyond the initial problem to head off future issues with Vista.

~jr

JohnnyRoy wrote on 10/12/2008, 7:13 AM

> Will this version of notepad likely run in future Vegas versions (e.g., 9.0, 10.0) ? I want to be sure I will be able to access 8c project notes in future versions of Vegas.

We are modifying where we install all of our command extension plug-ins so that future versions of Vegas Pro will see them automatically. Whether they will work correctly or not depends on if Sony changes the Script API and breaks them. This is something that is out of our control but VASST has a track record of providing free updates for any breakage that a new version of Vegas causes to our plug-ins even for versions that are discontinued (and it has broken from Vegas 4 to Vegas 5, 6, 7 & 8 so changes are it will break with 9, 10, 11) :( but no worries... we have never charged our customers for these changes (i.e., we eat the cost because it's not fair to you).

I wouldn't worry about Notepad breaking 'cuz if it does... we'll fix it.

~jr

Randy Brown wrote on 10/12/2008, 7:17 AM

Viva VASST!!!

Bluespoet wrote on 10/13/2008, 6:08 PM

The program now loads into my system using XP 64 bit very cool, will be using this quite a bit

jabloomf1230 wrote on 10/13/2008, 7:38 PM

@jr,

Thanks for the information.

"It's funny how little design decisions that didn't make a difference in XP cause catastrophic failure in Vista 64 (but not Vista 32)."

As you know, that's mostly because MS segregated 64 and 32 bit 3rd party software in both the Windows registry and also where the programs themselves are stored. I consider myself a decent amateur (retired "professional") C# programmer and for the life of me, I've been trying to get a capture program to "Autoplay" when you plug a camcorder into the Firewire port. For some reason, it works with no problems on Windows XP and Vista 32 bit, but it doesn't for Vista x64. Autoplay works perfectly for DVD and CD drives in Vista x64, but for some reason, for devices, it's goofy in x64. My sympathies to you in trying to get everything to work with Vista x64.

BTW, I think SCS should have waited until Vegas could be made 100% 64 bit, before releasing it. The way Vegas 8.1 uses legacy 32 bit stuff is just going to make things worse, rather than better. As it turns out, there are no 64 bit versions of any Adobe CS4 software right now, except for Photoshop. It's nice that SCS did something (and for free), but with no Cineform and most of the 32 bit plug-ins not available, Vegas 8.1 is worth what we paid for it.