Gridlines

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 5:27 pm

I dont know if there are any I've looked everywhere including a search on this forum.
Is there a way of displaying some gridlines on the preview screen so that I can align video clips when placing several on screen at the same time (picture in picture style)
Thanks in anticipation.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 8:29 pm

The effect I am looking for is the same as the one within Video Studio 9.
When you place a clip on the overlay track you have an option to show gridlines, you can also alter the size of the grid between 5-100.

Surely the more expensive Media Studio must have this function somewhere.
I just can't find it, even looked through the PDF user guide.

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 6:22 am

Better than gridlines, you have the X-Y coordinates and frame size in Effects Manager. These allow alignment to the pixel.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 8:11 am

I would have thought "Snap to grid" would be better myself.

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 8:57 am

If a grid is too fine, it is too easy to make a mistake. If it is coarser, you have much less flexibility in both position and size. Co-ordinates and sizes in pixels are much more flexible. You put in your first one and position/size it as you wish without any constraints. You put in your second one, copying the attributes and you change one position co-ordinate: perfect alignment and match without constraints. Much more professional.

v2to8 · Post by **v2to8** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 12:35 pm

Let's have XY co-ordinates for different text layers in the text editor for future editions please....

The same with DVD MovieFactory and lining up /sizing the windows when creating the chapter menus...

VERY difficult to do both things without X,Y positioning and X,Y height text input.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 11:24 pm

Devil wrote:If a grid is too fine, it is too easy to make a mistake. If it is coarser, you have much less flexibility in both position and size. Co-ordinates and sizes in pixels are much more flexible. You put in your first one and position/size it as you wish without any constraints. You put in your second one, copying the attributes and you change one position co-ordinate: perfect alignment and match without constraints. Much more professional.

Yes I hear what you say but there are still advantages to having gridlines.

Suppose I want two boxes on the screen but different sizes. The one I wish my audience to concentrate upon more than the other I make larger.
Then I wish to swap them so that the other now has "focus". OK no problem with height and width, but the 'x' co-ordinate is not so simple. It would be O so nice to have
a. A safe area box displayed - The same one used for keeping titles on display when viewing on a TV screen. Besides which even using your method I cannot be sure until I have burned a DVD where the safe area is other than by guesswork or by having to keep some notes somewhere
720 pixels wide, now knock off 10% for the left and 10% for the right - assuming I don't inadvertantly forget that is.

b. Gridlines which I can set at any desired interval between 5-100.
Then instead of having to get out a calculator to work out the correct 'x' position I can simply go in say 2 gridlines from the safe margin or whatever distance is aesthetically correct.

Perhaps it's not as accurate as working out the exact pixel co-ordinates, but then does it really stand out that much being just 2-3 pixels out?
It would be O so simple and it exists in the cheaper Video Studio 9.

All the major graphical programs have them, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Publisher and other programs with a graphical interface - Microsoft Access.