Further to this post, here are 3 commands that I have really wanted to be able to access through scripting:
I am no programmer, and I'm sure the scripting gurus will have many more requests for extending the scripting API.
Add the name of the rendered file to Vegas.RenderStarted and Vegas.RenderFinished event.
For example, you can create the descendant of RenderStatusEventArgs class:
RenderStatusEventArgs2 = class (RenderStatusEventArgs)
{
string[] FileNames; // some renderers create several files
string FileName; // equals to FileNames[0]
}
In this case you don't have to change delegate RenderStatusEventHandler(object sender, RenderStatusEventArgs args), just use the new class when you invoke RenderFinished event. This will ensure compatibility with old code.
Alternatively, you can create new event Vegas.RenderFinished2 and Vegas.RenderStarted2
Methods to load / save plugin chains (aka filter packages)
You can implement them in Effects class, eg:
class Effects
{
void SaveFilterPackage(string name);
void LoadFilterPackage(string name);
}
Properties to read/write some global Vegas options (in Options menu and in Preferences):
class Vegas
{
bool QuantizeToFrames {get;set;}
bool AutomaticCrossfades{get;set;}
bool IgnoreEventGrouping {get;set;}
bool CloseMediaFilesWhenNotTheActiveApplication {get;set;}
bool AutomaticallyCropStillImagesAddedToTimeLine {get;set;}
....
}
Programmatically reorder effects in Effects collection. Add Effect.Selected property to specify that this effect will be automatically selected when user opens Video/Media/Track/Project FX window.
And the last but not least - allow ALL extensions to be run in Movie Studio (not only FASSTApps).
If we can use OFX plugins in Movie Studio, why not extensions?
Some good suggestions here. I won't comment about any in particular except #9 from altarvic...
Movie Studio, fundamentally is a consumer application and it has been our view that scripting is a pro-level feature and is one of the bigger differentiators from Vegas (thus justifying the signifcant price difference). I do not see that changing.
For those interested, here is a script sample that handles the "trim event to cursor" operations.
1 Up to date documentation for the existing Vegas API.
As an example I discovered (with intellisense) that, starting from Vegas Pro 12, AudioEvent has a property
"Effects". It is not documented in the old documentation of the API from 2010.
2 More examples and articles about scripting with C# and the Vegas API.
I always thought it is only possible to select a preset of an effect from a script and that it isn't possible
to set the individual parameters of an Effect. Because most of the (video) effects in the later Vegas versions
are OFX video effects, it seems to be possible with the existing API for OFX effects. So, there is already a lot
available in the API but the use of it is not always so straightforward as I wish.
3 Beat (onset) detection / beat tracking of audio tracks
It can be done with external libraries and rendering audio to external audio files. But why not enhance
the API with this feature. It would make it more easy to make a script that creates an automatic montage
synchronously with music. Magix can "borrow" some code / algorithms from Magix Music Maker or,
better, from universities like the Queen Mary university of London (Sonic Visualizer and Aubio), see
http://c4dm.eecs.qmul.ac.uk/software_data.html
4 Tool that generates an installer for (compiled) scripts and extensions.
There are a lot of directory locations users can place a script or extension. Many people place a script in the
same directory as where the "factory scripts" of Vegas are located. Some directories are protected
and the user needs administrator rights. Compiled scripts (.dll) from other computers seems to be
"blocked" by Windows 10 / Vegas Pro and need to be "unblocked" before the (compiled) script 'll execute.
Localised versions of Vegas (f.i. German) can have other properties and directories than the international
version of Vegas. Some scripts 'll run only with the newer versions of Vegas Pro. So sharing a (compiled)
script is not as easy as it should be, not for a (hobby) developper as for users.
I need a tool that "generates" an installer for a (compiled) script or extension.
Input: script file(s) and a specification for which Vegas versions the script is suitable
and maybe some other options.
Output: an installer that takes care of all the issues above (and maybe more).
Just 3 persons with wishes?
And we expect the marketing department of Magix gives high priority to improving and expanding the script API and documentation?
I think if the marketing department gets involved in scripting that will be a disaster... An Installer would be useful, also a friendlier script editor. Personally, I would like ways to automate functions regarding add as takes, replacing events and editing text. More options for more keyboard shortcuts (not exactly scripting, I know), navigation and zooming in and out on the timeline.
Nick Hope: "here are 3 commands that I have really wanted to be able to access through scripting"
It is possible to simulate keystrokes as a workaround with the System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys.Send Method, see: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.forms.sendkeys.send(v=vs.110).aspx
But retrieving the current state of f.i. Auto Ripple (Cntrl L; "toggle" command) isn't possible. At least I can't find a way to do it.
So I totally agree that the API should be extended with the possibility to read the status and to set Vegas properties like "Auto Ripple" and "Post-Edit ripple".
There are 2 bugs in TrackGroup class:
1. Mute property ALWAYS returns TRUE
2. Solo property ALWAYS returns FALSE
Please fix.
Looking at the code (I haven't tested this yet in a script), but there indeed appears to be a logic error with Mute and Solo for the TrackGroup class. We will put this into our bug database. Thanks.
Hi Derek,
I'm developing a script for Vegas Pro and faced with the problem.
I've created the test script so you can run it and see.
Please download it here: https://www.mediafire.com/?nm2q1obfjya2hns
The script is simple: it creates a new project and adds another project to the
timeline (as nested project). Vegas HANGS... Almost always.
(sometimes it just works, try to run it several times).
Test.veg project (nested project) contains test.mp4 clip,
which is XAVC-S video file. I believe that the problem is somehow related with this format and scripting API.
If I replace XAVC-S video with another format - no problem.
Just unzip the files to C:\Test folder and run the script with Tools > Scripting > Run Script... menu command.
Looking forward to your reply.
Thank you!
Hello altarvic,
One of our engineers finally got to look at this...there definitely seems to be something unusual happening with how Vegas is handling that media. We have entered an issue into our bug system.
Thanks.
There are 2 bugs in TrackGroup class:
1. Mute property ALWAYS returns TRUE
2. Solo property ALWAYS returns FALSE
Please fix.
From the VP14 build 244 release notes:
"The TrackGroup scripting class has been updated so that the Mute and Solo properties now return the correct values as expected."
Thanks Magix!
Bug: Method ExpandTrackGroup in TrackGroup class collapses the group if it is already expanded.
Tested in build 252.
Id like them to add getSelectedEvent();
Example:
String plugIn = "739f404d-47fe-4bce-b05b-212f35ed455c" // Vegas white balance
Media[ ] selected = getSelectedEvent();
foreach(Media media in selected){
media.Effects.add(Effect(vegas.VideoFX.GetChildByClassId(plugIn)));
}
Is there a script to add a VideoFX to all video tracks in a .veg file? (For example, add the VFX "Black & White" to all tracks...)
Excalibur will do that for you!
Does it work with Version 15? Also, when I clicked the link to purchase license (to find out how much it costs), it went to an error like "Unable to find a route to the specified URL"
Yes, it works in 15. Please e-mail me directly for purchasing questions.
Bug: Method ExpandTrackGroup in TrackGroup class collapses the group if it is already expanded.
Tested in build 252.
Hello.
Can you implement custom .Net V/A FX in Vegas, that could be accessed through Bitmap or Image component ?
I would love to write my own filters in .NET, as the OpenFX is really hard to grasp for me.
.
I am not a programmer and I don't think that I would be able to learn C# to solve this problem.
I would like to insert an automatic standardized transition between all bits of video in a track.
In the past I used PowerDirector and it had a button to automatically insert transitions.
It looked like this:
Would it be possible to write a script to do a similar thing in Vegas?
Overall, I like Vegas more, yet this is the only feature that I miss that was available in other editors.
Thank you.
Here I asked a question about the existence of this feature in Vegas another forum.
https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/inserting-automatic-transitions-of-a-preset-length--133204/
Excalibur will do that for you!
Does it work with Version 15? Also, when I clicked the link to purchase license (to find out how much it costs), it went to an error like "Unable to find a route to the specified URL"
Yes, it works in 15. Please e-mail me directly for purchasing questions.
I have issues setting up Excalibur.
This adds to the reasons why I may end up asking my boss to purchase a different video editing software next year — one that would have all the features included.