Monitor Powerdirector Rendering Progress with Powershell

starzar

Newbie Joined: Mar 21, 2019 01:00 Messages: 21 Offline

Solved by

Jan 07, 2020 04:20

I was trying to monitor the end of Pd17 (Powerdirector 17) video output rendering,so that the rendered output file could be provided to a "compression" program like Handbrake for further processing(with Powershell).

In order to monitor the end of rendering ,Pd17 has to send an "event "signal which could be monitored by Powershell.

Currently, Powershell can monitor if Pd17 is "Running",but there are no other event signals available.

Also ,there is no Powerdirector Sdk available for customisation/automation.

Is there were any way to monitor Powerdirector's render progress ,so that the output file could be post processed with automation via Powershell.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Jan 07. 2020 04:21

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Jan 07, 2020 12:19

WIthout asking why you need an automated way to do post-producing with Handbrake, I'd say you'd be better off waiting PD to close out the file buffer for the produced clip and use that for the trigger. It might be easier if you monitored File Explorer with the display window showing PD's output folder, and then trigger when the content updates with the finished clip details.

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JL_JL

Senior Contributor Location: Arizona, USA Joined: Oct 01, 2006 20:01 Messages: 6091 Offline

Jan 07, 2020 17:01

starzar, probably many ways, one just monitor length of produced file and check every xx seconds. Something like:
$LastSize = 1
$NewSize = (Get-Item $FileName).length
while ($NewSize -ne $LastSize) {
$LastSize = $NewSize
Start-Sleep -Seconds xx
$NewSize = (Get-Item $FileName).length
}

Or use the PD batch produce option and put two pds files into the batch produce. First one real project and the second a dummy project of just a minute produce or so. Check when the second dummy project output file is opened (similar script to above), when that's opened you know your real project is complete.

Another approach I often use since most of these types of software lack cli, I just use a simple macro creator. I've had lots of luck with both AHK and Pulover's for interfacing PD with itself or other utilities.

Jeff