"Take a Snapshot" unavailable in X3

[Dudewanarace]

So, something that is making me crazy...

With X2 you could "Save as still image" at any point in a clip. With X3, it seems you can only "Take a Snapshot" when you have the original captured video in the timeline. If you edit that original at all, even trim it, the "Take a Snapshot" button becomes unavailable. Does anybody have any idea why that is, or if there is a fix/trick around it? Making my crazy..

Thanks,
Tom

[Black Lab]

Not for me. I just used the feature yesterday and didn't recall a problem, so I went back and clicked on a clip in my timeline that I had already trimmed. I then "cut" it in half for good measure. Went to Edit>Take A Snapshot and it worked.

Can you be more specific about the type of clip, what track it is on, what editing you are doing to it, etc.

[Dudewanarace]

I pull a clip into the timeline. Then multitrim it into multiple clips. At this point the "Take a Snapshot" is random. Sometimes it is available, sometimes it isn't.

Or, if I apply any color correction, like white balance or brightness, the "Take a Snapshot" button gets disabled.

This is for either track 1 or 2.

Also in the preferences, you can pick between saving a file as a .bmp or a .jpg. If I select .jpg and "Take a Snapshot" I get a blank file. It creates a .jpg with the normal file name, but the file is 0 kb. It is blank.. Saving as a .bmp workes fine. I had this problem with X2 Pro also. It showed up when I went to Vista 64bit, and continues to be a problem in Windows 7.

[Black Lab]

I am sorry, but I am not able to recreate any of your scenarios. I added color correction to a clip and took a snapshot. I trimmed the clip and took a snapshot. However, are you aware that you must be in Project Mode (as opposed to Clip Mode) in order for Take a Snapshot to work?

As for the jpg vs bmp problem, again, taking a snapshot as a jpg or bmp works for me.

[Dudewanarace]

I will be honost, I never noticed project mode vs. clip mode. I see it just matters what you select on the timeline.

But, if you are in project mode, the "Options" tab is not available. You can go Edit/Take a Snapshot and that will work. But in project mode, you get titling and everything. With the older versions you could "Save as Still Image" anywhere you wanted, clip or project, anytime..

Corel is starting to lose me on this software.. I have been using Ulead since VS9. With X2 or X3 you can't make custom WMV profiles anymore either.. If I hadn't found a backdoor hack for that I probably would have given up already.

Thanks for your help Black Lab,

Tom

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Tom

The option to take a still image from the timeline has been available with all versions of Video Studio, although I must admit the approach has changed a little with X3, like calling it Take a SnapShot (I don’t have X3 to confirm this)
But X2 is the same as the earlier versions including VS 9.

Taking a still in ‘Clip’ playback uses the frame sizes of the original video on the hard drive. (Clip-Save as Still Image)
So if you have a video 720 x 576 then that’s the size you will get, irrespective of being widescreen or normal 4:3.

Using Project playback the image is created from the timelines and as such contains everything viewable on the preview screen. (Tools-Save Current Frame as Image)
Using the project properties sizes to create the image.

Working with standard widescreen the difference is very noticeable.

I find it best to use the Project Playback option as this produces the correct sizes to match the video.

Oh by the way, you can update your ‘pc spec’ via your profile, the details will show below your name to the right.

[mitchell65]

Here's a screenshot of the "Take a snapshot" in X3

[Black Lab]

But, if you are in project mode, the "Options" tab is not available. You can go Edit/Take a Snapshot and that will work. But in project mode, you get titling and everything. With the older versions you could "Save as Still Image" anywhere you wanted, clip or project, anytime..

I must admit, I did not try to take a snapshot from the Options tab. I was always going thru Edit>Take a Snapshot. I do not have X3 on this computer. Maybe in the mean time someone else can confirm the OPs problem with taking a snapshot from the Options panel.

[Ron P.]

Tom is correct, that in VS X3, the options tab is not available in Project mode. However this is really not that different than the Video tab not being available in VS X2 while in Project Mode. Also if you notice in VS X2, there were 2-distinctly different image capturing options available. One was Save as still image, the other was Save Current Frame as still image. You got different results with each of them. The Save current frame... was only available in Project mode, while the Save as still image was used in Clip mode.

[Black Lab]

But Tom's original issue is that if he edits the clip at all, then Take a Snapshot is not available in the Options panel. Can someone confirm this?

I had no problem taking a snapshot of an edited clip, but I was going thru Edit>Take a Snapshot. I did not try it from the Options panel.

[mitchell65]

OK Have just done a few tests.
If the question is "In VS x3 If you edit a clip in the Timeline (I added a couple of effects), can you use the "Take a snapshot" feature from Options Panel. Answer: Yes but the snapshot will be of the basic clip not including the effects.
Is that any help?

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

So the only thing to change is the wording, Save as Still Image to Take a Snapshot.

I assume the options from the Clip and Tools menu still remain.

[Ron P.]

OK Have just done a few tests.
If the question is "In VS x3 If you edit a clip in the Timeline (I added a couple of effects), can you use the "Take a snapshot" feature from Options Panel. Answer: Yes but the snapshot will be of the basic clip not including the effects.
Is that any help?

True because from the options panel, which is only available in clip mode, it acts on the clip, ie; original source that would not have any effects or filters applied. To use this feature in project mode, you must use the Edit menu, which is only available in Project mode, is grayed out in Clip mode.

[Dudewanarace]

Thanks for the advice everyone, but lets not get off topic.

Stick the to the facts.

X2 is different than X3. I did not have this problem with X2.

If I take any raw clip, drag it to the timeline, "Take a Snapshot" IS available in clip mode.

But, say I apply some color correction like auto white balance, the "Take a Snapshot" is disabled. This is new to X3, and I have no idea why. I understand if the image it saved did not have any effects applied to it, that is ok. X2 didn't apply any effects to the image, and I photo process them anyway...

So why is "Take a Snapshot" disabled under these conditions now, when it wasn't in X2?

This is a feature I use ALL the time. I edit out multiple clips in a timeline and want preview images for those clips. That button used to do it for me. Now I can't.. Why is Corel taking away features, like my ability to make custom encoder profiles..

The image below is a screencap of my desktop after I apply 1 color correction to a raw video in "Clip Mode". And the forum shown example on the right.

[mitchell65]

But, say I apply some color correction like auto white balance, the "Take a Snapshot" is disabled. This is new to X3, and I have no idea why.

But it is available, it is not disabled. Admittedly when you take a snapshot using "options" then you get an image of the original clip, not any effects that you have applied. To get the clip with the effects recorded in the snapshot means you have to use the "Edit" route. But this was exactly the same in VS x2. As I see it the "options" panel is relative to a clip whereas the "Clip" in x2 or "Edit" in x3 are for the Project.