must create a straight line that starts and stops

[rod99]

Hello.

I have an interesting problem in a video I'm creating. My client wants a thin line at the bottom of the video, that progresses from starting at the left side of the screen, and progresses towards the right, during the entire video, until it reaches the right edge of the screen.

However it gets trickier. He also wants this line to disappear during a few scenes, then re-appear in exactly the same spot it disappeared, and then continue to progress towards the right.

This scenario will repeat several times during the course of the video, the line vanishing and re-appearing several times.

I can make it work with Painting Creator but that makes a line go all the way across and I cant "break it".

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[rod99]

I forgot to add that I'm using Video Studio ProX6.

[lata]

Hi

Welcome to the forums

Interesting, first thoughts are to use the Text options to create the line, then animate to fly the line

Another option may be to create a PNG transparent image of a line, again animate the image to move across the window.

How long is the video and how fast do you wish the line to move?

[rod99]

The text to create the line is interesting, but, its not going to grow is it? thats the issue... the line has to grow and progress... for example the first segment, it will start at the left edge and grow towards the right for two inches

then it will disappear for 5 seconds, then it will start again, as a single spot, and grow towards the right for two inches, then disappear again... and repeat 3 more times

I dont know how long the video is going to end up, at this point, about a minute.

[BrianCee]

We have had a very similar problem before - see here :- http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=51442&

but that one was complicated as the user there only had X4 - but in X6 it is a piece of cake

draw a line on a transparent png and put it in the overlay track then use the "Advanced Motion" option to move it across the screen - stop it whenever you want - when you want to make it disappear remove it from the timeline noting carefully the settings in advanced motion - when you want it to reappear put the line back in the overlay with exactly the same advanced motion settings - will probably have to apply a mask to the previous bits of line if it has to start from a spot again

[rod99]

thanks for that idea. I'm working on it.

[rod99]

I'm having a bit of trouble with the transparent png line idea. I've posted a video which shows what I'm trying to do.
The bright light blue line on the bottom is the transparent png. As you can see, its fine coming from the extreme left.. but then when it reappears in another scene, its already at its full length, and it just travels along. This isnt correct.

You'll also see some hand drawn dark blue lines in the middle of the screen. These were drawn with Painting Creator, and while they are far from perfect, they show more or less what the line has to do.

What am I dong wrong in the motion box for the png?

Or should I simply have one png that travels the entire width of the clip, and mask it out at certain sections? If so, how would I do that?

I'm having trouble posting the video, I hope at this link will work

http://youtu.be/tTEqdQu7Im4

[BrianCee]

Yes you threw a bit of a spanner in the works when you said the line had to start from a spot again - would have been much easier just to continue from where it was - I have an idea though - does the line have to actually be on the video - or could it be in a black (or coloured) space immediately under the window -- I'll knock something up.

[rod99]

it has to be on the video, not in a black area underneath the video.

the thing i posted isnt the video I'm doing, thats just some random clips I threw together to illustrate what I am trying to do. I appreciate your helpful hints.

[rod99]

If it would be OK to stop and start again in the same place, how would I accomplish the overall look? I still cant figure out how to make the line "grow" from nothing to full length, in the middle of the screen. From left, yes, because I can start the line off screen.

[lata]

Hi

I created a line using the Text option rendered to DV, applied Chroma Key to remove the background.

Three were added to the overlay track, each clip being nudged to the right

The timing is a little quick but if its the type of thing you are after then that can be adjusted to match your video.
A sample of that may be useful

Attached is a VSP Smart Package which should open using X6

red line 3.zip

(462.46 KiB) Downloaded 133 times

[rod99]

thank you for doing that, but as you can see, the lines appear at full length whenever they hit the stage. I need a way to make them appear from nothing and then grow to a length, then disappear. Then the process repeats.

thanks for trying tho.

[lata]

Hi

Well the line does start from nothing, its just the timing is a little short making the line appear quickly, over a few seconds

Nudge the timeline frame by frame by nudging the digital clock,

How long to you wish the line to be????

[rod99]

OK I see it now by dragging the scrubber. This is the right idea, I see that you created one item and placed it three times. However, I cant figure out how each clip was made. There doesnt seem to be any motion applied to the clips, but in the Motion box, I can drag the scrubber and they move, in from the left.

Is there a tutorial anywhere on how to create that clip?

[BrianCee]

I knocked this up - it's slightly fiddly to do, but not difficult - the starting from a dot each time is the problem. if the line could just continue it would be very easy

See what you think :- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNxRq7IsGZA