Wishlist for VideoStudio X10

[Glenn in Chile]

Can the Zoom Out feature be expanded? Right now my maximum zoom out shows 20 minutes on the timeline. After adding more content to the timeline I can click "Fit Project in Timeline Window" to see all the content on the entire timeline, no matter the length of the project. However, I'd like to then "zoom out" further to show blank timeline to the right on the long projects I've created.

[Glenn in Chile]

Can the heights of the rows in the timelines be adjusted? It would be helpful to be able to see all occupied rows at one time, even if the row height were very slim. I don't want to adjust the viewing window size to be able to see all occupied rows, as is required now. Like in Excel, it would be nice to adjust the row height of the timeline rows, either all at once or individually. This way the viewing window can stay reasonably large while having the ability to view all rows in the timeline and the relative positions of the content.

[BrianCee]

first answer - re ZOOM

after you have done a 'fit to timeline' you can still slide the horizontal scroll bar right at the very bottom of the timeline to move the project to the left and view blank timeline to the right - see

second answer - viewing timeline

at the very left hand end of the timeline is a little square icon - with the tool tip "show all visible tracks" - clicking on that will show all tracks you have open

but don't forget you can also expand the timeline height as mush as you want if they are a bit squashed - see below

[Glenn in Chile]

Hi Brian, thanks for your help. Yes, I now see the 'show all visible tracks' This feature had escaped me. Thanks for pointing this out. I should have known about it.

Regarding the zoom, I've been doing as you suggest and using the scroll bar to show more timeline when zooming out is at the max. However, I was hoping to have the ability to avoid doing it that way and be able to zoom out further. For me, I have numerous .vsp icons which I drag from the on-screen library to the timeline. Once I hit the 20 minute mark, I have to add that extra step of moving the scroll bar each time before grabbing the next icon to drag and drop to timeline. Unless there's another way? Once the max zoom out is reached I don't have any visible track for where to drop the file, so scrolling is necessary. With extra zoom out capability I can simply keep on dragging and dropping without stopping to scroll after each drop. And I can't right click the icon and insert the video, because it gets inserted "flattened", which brings me back to my problem of the auto music not playing. So I'm stuck having to drag and drop. Any idea? Or do we keep this on the wish list for X10?

[BrianCee]

I have never found just sliding that bar any problem at all - so if it is a problem for you perhaps we should leave it here and hope the developers pick it up next time


but I will say that it is just another manifestation of the problems of treating .vsp files as though they were videos - when they are obviously not - and I have to say I personally think you are creating problems for your self by insisting on using .vsp files in the timeline

I do quite a bit of work for my local school and we video all sorts of bits and pieces along with summer and Christmas shows - I have always rendered each snippet - whether it be 2 minutes or 30 minutes out to a matching complete video - sometimes even from AVCHD to mpeg2 for standard DVD's then check the final video file - once made nothing changes - any music or effects stay were they are - then import each complete into the library then you can use all the tricks of inserting - dragging etc. and insert multiple videos at the same time - then all the small videos are compiled into one compete project - what happens then depends on the final requirement - producing summer and Christmas DVD's each video is added to the Burn disc module where they become titles so parents can choose to watch just their offsprings show - or all - or a number of snippets may be rendered into one file and put on the school server for teachers to access - a typical Christmas DVD would have a menu page like this - where each thumbnail access a complete video file rendered before putting into the burn module

[Glenn in Chile]

Brian, thanks for this. You're exactly right. Since X8.5 I've had nothing but trouble inserting the .vsp files as 'flattened' videos. With X7 I never had a single issue with that, nor with the music files. So I'm going to do exactly as you suggest, and as you yourself do, by creating shorter mp4 files from each individual .vsp project, then when all these mp4's are done, and I've confirmed they're done properly and they include all the bits and pieces, I'll go ahead and create the larger mp4 file from these individual ones. I was resisting doing it this way, thinking that creating an mp4 file from already created mp4 files may lose some resolution or otherwise be problematic, but now that you've indicated to me that's exactly how you do it, and the great reasons why, I'll be following suit. The failures and glitches I've experienced with X8.5 and X9 in trying to do things as I'd always done in previous versions is still an issue that I think Corel should continue to address. However, so that I don't lose any time in creating the classes I need, I'll be doing it as you recommend. I'm still having issues with the auto music sometimes not playing in the .vsp project itself, but the workaround previously suggested where I replace the auto music file with the .wav file from the hard drive, will work. It's the long way around, but it'll get me to where I need to be. Plus, sometimes just fiddling around with the auto music file on the timeline has a way of 'encouraging' it to work.

Regarding the wish list for added power to the zoom out, yes, please, let's leave it on for now. It might prove useful to me or others sometime down the road, and if it's not too much to ask maybe Corel will go ahead and consider it.

As a follow up to my comments in the first paragraph, I just ran a test on creating one large mp4 files from individual ones, and the larger mp4 file fails at 45 minutes (freezes the video, but the counter keeps running) on a 50 minute video. This happens on both X8.5 and X9. However, when I create the large mp4 file on X7 it works properly. So again, there's something fundamentally wrong with my X8.5 and X9 versions installed, and I'll continue following up with Corel Support.

Again, thanks for all your help.

[asik1]

Glen, no need to scroll just hit END and it will take you to the tail of the last clip , ready to take additional stuff.

[lata]

The feature of showing a green check mark on the icons in the on-screen library for clips which have been added to the timeline is very helpful. However, when a project (.vsp) is added to the on-screen library (File, Insert Video to Library, select a .vsp project), the icon which is created for this project does not show the green check mark when this project is added to the timeline (whether as a project or as a 'flattened" video). Please add this feature to show the green check mark on the icons in the on-screen library which represent a complete .vsp project added to the timeline.

Hi Glenn

Adding the VSP in its expanded mode so we can see all clips does not show the green check mark.
In expanded mode we are not actually adding the vsp but displaying the clips used in the project and as they are not in the library cannot have a check mark

But adding the VSP in its compressed (flattened) mode (Single Clip) by holding Shift does show the check mark as the VSP is being added to the timeline.

Regards Trevor

[ChasBro]

A strong point that Video Studio has over other video editing software is it's Pan and Zoom (Ken Burns) effect. My wishlist is that they Improve it by adding to Settings-Preference, the ability to customize your own pan and zoom effect as a default.

[asik1]

You are no clear,
You do have one point that I just noticed, the photo pan/zoom can't be add to favorites and that should be corrected. but video pan/zoom can be applied to photos and be saved as favorite. You know you can copy/paste attributes to all your overlay ?

[lata]

A strong point that Video Studio has over other video editing software is it's Pan and Zoom (Ken Burns) effect. My wishlist is that they Improve it by adding to Settings-Preference, the ability to customize your own pan and zoom effect as a default.

Hi

Some FX Filters do have the option to save the customised settings but not the Pan & Zoom, although not set to default.
As a workround you can drag the P & Z image to the library, that's also saves the effects.
Then you can reuse that clip any time, and as Asik says use Copy and Paste Attributes to transfer effect to other clips, Shift + Click to select multiple adjacent clips.

Pity we cannot copy and paste attributes from the library?

[ChasBro]

Thanks Asik and Trevor: It is photos that I'm working with, maybe 500 to 700 for each slide show that I then transfer to DVDs. Most of the photos are family photos dating back to the 1920's with the subject in the center of the photo. Unless its an unusual picture, I try to use a simple pan and zoom for each photo such as zooming from 100% to 120% to the center of each. I'm using VS Pro-X3, an old version that serves me well. I did try the right click "save attribute" option and pasted it to another photo and that worked. I'll see if I can select all my photos and then paste the saved attribute to them. I tried to drag the P&Z image to the library on the screen but can't get it in the FX library, the window always jumps to the photo screen, will have to look into that a little more. I'm not sure how saving the clip allows me to transfer the effect to another slide, but the copy paste attribute seems to be the answer.
Thanks again

[Ken Berry]

I tried to drag the P&Z image to the library on the screen but can't get it in the FX library, the window always jumps to the photo screen

That is in fact the correct behaviour, and I'm sure that was what Trevor/lata meant when he said drag the image with P&Z to the library. You can't drag it to the FX library page because it is not an FX. It is an still image to which an FX has been applied. But you will still be able to use it to copy and paste the adjusted FX to other images in future projects.

[ChasBro]

Hello Ken: If I right-click on the image in the timeline view I get the option to copy attributes. However the saved image in the Photo Library doesn't give me that option. But now, I see you said for "future projects", so, do you mean by dragging the P&Z image from the Library to the timeline view of a future project, I can then right click and copy-paste the attributes? This is doable and not complicated.
thanks
Charles Pritchard

[ChasBro]

Hello Guys. well after trying the copy-paste method P&Z attribute, I can say we don't need an upgrade to a Pan&Zoom default preference. It works fine as is. Wish I found this out years ago rather than going through voluminous slide shows individually adjusting each photo. Felt like I was digging a ditch with a spoon.
Thanks again!
Charles Pritchard