Editing video opacity line

AlanR47

Senior Member Location: Norfolk UK Joined: Dec 08, 2017 05:01 Messages: 151 Offline

Solved by

Jan 11, 2018 11:19

Been involved with CL support for some while and would just like to run this past the forum before executing their latest suggested instructions which involves screen captures and heaven knows what else to help them understand what I'm on about. They don't seem to be able to recreate it their end - or undestand my question - so I'm hoping there's an expert here who can elaborate further. This is all about fully up to date PD16.

My query relates to how to edit video opacity from the main screen. With the clip selected as I move the pointer (a hand) over the audio level line it changes to a vertical 2ended arrow which if I click I can then drag up and down to alter the level of the whole audio clip. The same happens when I hover over the opacity line on the video section of the clip.

BUT if when playing with the audio level line I also hold ctrl key as I move the pointer over the line the pointer changes to a dot which if I then leftclick will create a volume keyframe which can be repositioned at will. The function activated by using the ctrl key DOES NOT work on the opacity level line in the video section.

The only way to get the 1st opacity level keyframe is to enter PiP designer and manually create one. OR rightclick and select Edit video image/enable fade-in and fade-out. Exit the designer (if you were in it) then you will see the keyframe(s) created and will be able to move it and create more by just a single click on the line. But again on the video part of the clip you never need to hold ctrl key to create or move keyframes, unlike the audio section where you always have to hold ctrl to manipulate keyframes. Both sections however do respond to dragging the dot off the clip until it turns into a trash can and then can be released to delete it.

So my original question remains - To create the 1st opacity keyframe on the video section I have to use PiP designer (or rightclick and 2 menu drops), is this a bug or am I doing something wrong or is this just the way it works? The audio side seems so simple and easy by comparison.

Hatti

Contributor Location: Bonn, Germany Joined: Feb 21, 2017 15:54 Messages: 576 Offline

Jan 11, 2018 11:46

I understand completely, what you mean. And you are right, you can change the opacity of the whole clip, but not a single opacity keyframe. The function is actually not there. I tried many keys, but none worked. I cannot say, if it is a bug or a missing feature. Choose yourself.
But if you have the first keyframe, you can add more opacity keyframes without using CTRL, ALT or whatever.
So, select your clip, and push the button "Keyframe". Then choose the little diamond near "Opacity" to set a keyframe at the cursor point. Now you can add more keyframes by clicking on the opacity line on the selected clip.

Hatti


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The Shadowman

Senior Contributor Location: UK Joined: Dec 15, 2014 13:06 Messages: 1831 Offline

Jan 11, 2018 12:05

Quote I understand completely, what you mean. And you are right, you can change the opacity of the whole clip, but not a single opacity keyframe. The function is actually not there. I tried many keys, but none worked. I cannot say, if it is a bug or a missing feature. Choose yourself.
But if you have the first keyframe, you can add more opacity keyframes without using CTRL, ALT or whatever.
So, select your clip, and push the button "Keyframe". Then choose the little diamond near "Opacity" to set a keyframe at the cursor point. Now you can add more keyframes by clicking on the opacity line on the selected clip.

Hatti

Hi Alan

Probably quicker, depends on what you want achieve, just to put a quick split in the clip and drag it as you have been doing.

Robert Panny TM10, GH2, GH4,

PowerDirector Moderator

Senior Contributor Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan Joined: Oct 18, 2016 00:25 Messages: 2104 Offline

Jan 11, 2018 12:23

Hi,

As it is designed at the moment, there is no single click way to add an opacity keyframe, as there is in the audio system. As far as I know it has been drawn to the attention of the development team, as it seems illogical to have differing functions for both audio and video and it is (aurguably) a retrograde step to make opacity keyframes a longer process.

If I am faced with this as an issue for a project, I can use the following workaround - not ideal but a bit "simpler"?

Place an example clip on a track that will not be used, untick it so it never shows (in case you forget to delete it!) set an opacity keyframe at the clip time zero whichever way you wish.

Say you have now dragged several real clips to your timelines but need to work on the opacity of some of them, highlight the example clip, rt click>copy keyframe attributes, higlight no 1 clip, rt click>paste keyframe attributes. Highlight no 2 clip and repeat etc.

This activates the video opacity rubber band and then allows single click and drag keyframes to be used on each clip.

This needs to be done as a first workflow step, because otherwise all keyframe attributes will be pasted/overwritten!

Sounds more complicated than it really is, and it can be quite useful as a first step.

Worth a try??

Cheers
PowerDirector Moderator

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AlanR47

Senior Member Location: Norfolk UK Joined: Dec 08, 2017 05:01 Messages: 151 Offline

Jan 11, 2018 15:17

Quote I understand completely, what you mean. And you are right, you can change the opacity of the whole clip, but not a single opacity keyframe. The function is actually not there. I tried many keys, but none worked. I cannot say, if it is a bug or a missing feature. Choose yourself.
But if you have the first keyframe, you can add more opacity keyframes without using CTRL, ALT or whatever.
So, select your clip, and push the button "Keyframe". Then choose the little diamond near "Opacity" to set a keyframe at the cursor point. Now you can add more keyframes by clicking on the opacity line on the selected clip.

Hatti

Spot on Hatti - thanks for your input - and yet another workaround. Thank you.

AlanR47

Senior Member Location: Norfolk UK Joined: Dec 08, 2017 05:01 Messages: 151 Offline

Jan 11, 2018 15:20

Quote

Hi Alan

Probably quicker, depends on what you want achieve, just to put a quick split in the clip and drag it as you have been doing.

Robert

Thanks - thats another workaround, thank you.

AlanR47

Senior Member Location: Norfolk UK Joined: Dec 08, 2017 05:01 Messages: 151 Offline

Jan 11, 2018 15:30

Quote Hi,

As it is designed at the moment, there is no single click way to add an opacity keyframe, as there is in the audio system. As far as I know it has been drawn to the attention of the development team, as it seems illogical to have differing functions for both audio and video and it is (aurguably) a retrograde step to make opacity keyframes a longer process.

If I am faced with this as an issue for a project, I can use the following workaround - not ideal but a bit "simpler"?

Place an example clip on a track that will not be used, untick it so it never shows (in case you forget to delete it!) set an opacity keyframe at the clip time zero whichever way you wish.

Say you have now dragged several real clips to your timelines but need to work on the opacity of some of them, highlight the example clip, rt click>copy keyframe attributes, higlight no 1 clip, rt click>paste keyframe attributes. Highlight no 2 clip and repeat etc.

This activates the video opacity rubber band and then allows single click and drag keyframes to be used on each clip.

This needs to be done as a first workflow step, because otherwise all keyframe attributes will be pasted/overwritten!

Sounds more complicated than it really is, and it can be quite useful as a first step.

Worth a try??

Cheers
PowerDirector Moderator

Thank you - definitely worth a try.

Is there any way we can confirm this issue has been put to the development team?

To you all: your replies confirm its not me. Support had two expanations from me, and were still unable to replicate it their end. Their latest request seemed to want to identify if I had a strange build or some other anomaly that might be causing it. Now I know its nothing odd about my system I will respond to them and maybe give them the url of this topic so they can see its not just me. Maybe as front liners in the support task they may not have spotted this issue on its way to the development team, for there is no other explanation why they cannot see what is clear to us all.

Not sure where to put my money Hatti - bug or missing feature - think I'll go for design flaw because as the Moderator says "it seems illogical to have differing functions for both audio and video and it is (aurguably) a retrograde step to make opacity keyframes a longer process". It sort of works, but needs a kick before it will function anythingg like the audio equivalent.

Thank you all.

AlanR47

Senior Member Location: Norfolk UK Joined: Dec 08, 2017 05:01 Messages: 151 Offline

Jan 17, 2018 12:40

Latest update: I have just supplied CL support with screenshot of version number etc and DXdiag.txt as despite being referred to this topic they still give the impression they think it might be me!

No holding breath please - I will update here when/if I get a reply.

Alan.

tomasc

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 25, 2011 12:33 Messages: 6464 Offline

Jan 17, 2018 14:52

Clicking on the video opacity line to add a keyframe has never been implemented in any version of PowerDirector for the last 7 years. It not documented anywhere in the User Guide that you can do that. Shown us where in the documentation that say this is possible so we can call it a bug in PD16.

You could keep this going with tech support to see if they it will be implemented say in the next 7 years. Keep us informed on your continuous messages and feedback with them.

You could request that this be added as a feature here in a future version: https://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/63545.page . It is unlikely to help since the thread is closed. Wait until they open the post up for PD18.

AlanR47

Senior Member Location: Norfolk UK Joined: Dec 08, 2017 05:01 Messages: 151 Offline

Jan 17, 2018 15:34

Quote Clicking on the video opacity line to add a keyframe has never been implemented in any version of PowerDirector for the last 7 years. It not documented anywhere in the User Guide that you can do that. Shown us where in the documentation that say this is possible so we can call it a bug in PD16.

You could keep this going with tech support to see if they it will be implemented say in the next 7 years. Keep us informed on your continuous messages and feedback with them.

You could request that this be added as a feature here in a future version: https://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/63545.page . It is unlikely to help since the thread is closed. Wait until they open the post up for PD18.

Yes I have been careful not to call it a bug, since as you say its not a documented feature that fails - but as agreed above its a bit odd that keyframe editing audio is different to keyframe editing video opacity, and life would be easier if this was addressed.

As there is a workaround - we can live with it for as long as it takes, and as you can see above there are alternative workarounds to achive the same goal.

We can be a patient bunch of users - and may well need to be.