Custom motion - freehand drawing

Davidk101

Senior Member Location: Brisbane Australia Joined: Jun 24, 2020 02:38 Messages: 172 Offline

Solved by

Sep 03, 2020 21:47

On holiday, following a map.
So, How do I create a freehand drawing of the travelled way (the roads or rivers we followed) on a map image?

For example, load a map image into track 1. Stretch it to fit a desired duration.
Load ??? and using a mouse (click and drag) draw a spot - creating a line of travel - along the roads/rivers/towns on the map. To complete, attach a picture of the vehicle (bus/car/boat) used to various parts of that line of travel.

Can PD18 actually do this??

I'm asking because from what I can see, the PiP designer, motion tab just can't do this. The path patterns are too canned to follow a map, and inflexible. Maybe there is something else I haven't found yet.

Update
I tried to cut out a section of a rendered mpg video that I did with another editor to illustrate. I could do that: imported to PD18, split out the section required (delete parts before and after), play it OK, render it OK, play the rendered file Ok BUT after closing PD that 6sec mpg file simply would not play with media player or VLC. I tried to import back ito PD 18 and it errored out. That clip is attached - but despite showing no errors on render the properties of the clip are empty when viewed with file explorer. So that is the 2nd query - what went wrong?

Filename	line of advance on map_1.mpg	Download
Description
Filesize	2 Kbytes
Downloaded:	138 time(s)

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Sep 03. 2020 22:23

optodata

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

Sep 04, 2020 00:41

You can do it with the Paint Designer, although it may be easier if you have a touchscreen tablet or laptop rather than using the mouse.

There are several topics already on the forum regarding animating map routes, and this one has some helpful ideas and two tutorials.

Davidk101

Senior Member Location: Brisbane Australia Joined: Jun 24, 2020 02:38 Messages: 172 Offline

Sep 04, 2020 03:32

I followed the link - but that uses other programs to start, before getting to PD.

I found what the issue with the saple was - the original clip was mp4, so the extracted section was mp4. I had forgotten that, and produced it as mpg. Seems PD doesn't like dumbing down like that. However, having found the cause I re-rendered the new 6sec project as mp4, and that works fine. Sample attached. This is what I'm looking to do in PD.

Filename	line of advance on map.mp4	Download
Description
Filesize	2218 Kbytes
Downloaded:	142 time(s)

optodata

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

Sep 05, 2020 01:11

Your original clip had no content and was only 2kB in size, and I'm glad you were able to get it figured out.

The linked suggestions use other apps because the contributing members found them to be quicker and easier than trying to do everything using only PD.

If you want to stick with just PD365, the Paint Designer will do what you're looking for. Here's a quick rundown.

Davidk101

Senior Member Location: Brisbane Australia Joined: Jun 24, 2020 02:38 Messages: 172 Offline

Sep 05, 2020 02:59

Hi Opto,
that link gets me to a tutorial page for 365, which I'm not using: PD18 ulitmate here. Having said that tho, there's nothing on the page that opened for me that talks about paint designer???

Maliek

Senior Contributor Location: San Antonio, Texas USA Joined: Nov 10, 2012 12:01 Messages: 851 Offline

Sep 05, 2020 10:46

This is possible using an image of a map, a photo editor like GetPaint.net, and Paint Designer in PD.

Use the print screen button on your PC to grab a screen shot of a map

Bring the screen shot into GetPaint.net and use the Line Tool to draw the lines for your trip

Use the removal tool to remove the lines

Bring the original screen capture into PD and use the Paint Designer to crfeate an animated trip path

Bring the screen capture onto the first track

Bring the animated trip path onto the second track

Bring the masked screen capture to the third track

Add your plane, car, etc, and use the PiP Designer to keyframes it on the path I will have a tutorial on my channel in the coming weeks.

Subscribe to PowerDirector University on YouTube.

Subscribe to PDU Mobile on YouTube.

Davidk101

Senior Member Location: Brisbane Australia Joined: Jun 24, 2020 02:38 Messages: 172 Offline

Sep 05, 2020 19:49

And it turns out that PD 18 can do what I want without resorting to using a bunch of external software. As a tutor of video editing for 10+years, the sensitivites of students to that (being able to do it all within one package) was something I became very attuned to.

Paint designer was something I recalled reading about, but when I wanted it for a project, it wasn't where I expected it: under the designer button on the timeline, so just assumed it was in another version, like 365.

So, as always in IT, as a last resort, RFM. Opened the user guide and searched for paint designer, which I found and was directed to in a completely different part of the workspace. Inconsistent.

Nevertheless, it works. Created the attached 12 sec video using this method: now all I have to do is figure out how to attach the canal boat to the advancing line. Any suggestions??

Filename	river cruise 2014.mpg	Download
Description
Filesize	6844 Kbytes
Downloaded:	118 time(s)

tomasc

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

Sep 05, 2020 21:54

Quote Nevertheless, it works. Created the attached 12 sec video using this method: now all I have to do is figure out how to attach the canal boat to the advancing line. Any suggestions??

Have you explored the link posted earlier by optodata? The Route Generator software in it is what I use for the moving boat. Maliek posted how to do it a few hours earlier in this thread. He said that he will create the tutorial for you in the coming weeks. lol

Davidk101

Senior Member Location: Brisbane Australia Joined: Jun 24, 2020 02:38 Messages: 172 Offline

Sep 06, 2020 02:23

Hi Tomasc,
I followed the link, but it didn't lead to a specific tutorial, rather to a page showing a series of tutorial icons for PD365, none of which was about paint creator. Which I said in my post.

Maliek's tut will be interesting.

tomasc

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

Sep 06, 2020 08:10

Gateway Timeout but got posted later. Deleted for duplicate content. See the post below

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at Sep 06. 2020 08:24

tomasc

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

Sep 06, 2020 08:19

Quote I followed the link, but it didn't lead to a specific tutorial, rather to a page showing a series of tutorial icons for PD365, none of which was about paint creator. Which I said in my post.

Maliek's tut will be interesting.

I decided to check out Maliek’s reply line no. 8 above. Did a Google search for europe canal boat clipart transparent. Downloaded one that had a white background. Open your 2014 river cruise map. Place it in track 1 and place the boat in track 2. Resized the boat to be smaller. Open PiP designer on the boat, Chroma key out the boat white background. Placed the boat at the top left as the starting position and placed a position keyframe. Place an ending position keyframe where the map video ends at the bottom right. Added a few more keyframes in the middle to follow the red paint animation. Attached is the quick n dirty result.

Since this Canal boat trip occurred back in 2014, or 6 years ago then waiting a few more weeks for Maliek’s coming tutorial may be worth it...

EDIT: Keep getting Gateway Timeout. Reduced the resolution and size of the attachment video.

Filename	River Cruise in 2014.wmv	Download
Description	PiP Designer position keyframes to follow animated red line.
Filesize	502 Kbytes
Downloaded:	149 time(s)

Davidk101

Senior Member Location: Brisbane Australia Joined: Jun 24, 2020 02:38 Messages: 172 Offline

Sep 07, 2020 22:00

Hi Tomasc,
I've tried that.
My boat pic is a png file so the green screen step isn't needed. Having said that, I open the PiP designer onto the boat, size it so it's just a small image located at amsterdam, choose motion tab and I can position a keyframe at the start. but having played the clip slightly/moved the boat/pause, and I just cannot select another position keyframe: PD won't let me do it. What am I doing wring???

Downloaded your clip - that's basically what I have been trying to do. I noted that the clip would not play properly in media player (win10): it just presents a black screen with a moving play bar at the bottom; but opened/played fine using VLC.

optodata

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

Sep 07, 2020 22:34

Reviewing a How To video on the PiP Designer would probably be useful...

It sounds like you're previewing the clip, which prevents you from adding any new keyframes. Instead you need to click the STOP button and then manually drag the scrubber to a location to somewhere that the boat needs to make a stop or turn at, then drag the boat to that screen location.

If a Position keyframe doesn't automatically appear at that spot on the timeline, manually add one by clicking on the small white diamond.

Repeat as necessary for all the jogs and pauses, and don't forget to save the designer and then save the project so you won't lose a ton of work if something goes wrong! You may also want to experiment with the ease in/out settings to gracefully handle the boat's acceleration/deceleration. as it putters along.

Davidk101

Senior Member Location: Brisbane Australia Joined: Jun 24, 2020 02:38 Messages: 172 Offline

Sep 08, 2020 02:10

Hi,
I managed to get keyframes thru the duration of the paint on the map.
But

I couldn't find your 'using PiP designer' reference?

even with keyframes on the canal barge, it doesn't follow the advancing paint line: see attached image screenshotted after several seconds. The line has advanced, but the barge is still stuck at the start.


Filename	canal barge PiP design.jpg	Download
Description
Filesize	369 Kbytes
Downloaded:	4 time(s)

tomasc

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

Sep 08, 2020 13:02

Quote Downloaded your clip - that's basically what I have been trying to do. I noted that the clip would not play properly in media player (win10): it just presents a black screen with a moving play bar at the bottom; but opened/played fine using VLC.

Maybe your windows 10 pc is misbehaving like mine. ,wmv video files are native to Windows and should have played in the WMV. The default viewer in Win 10 is the Movies & TV app. The default Photo app crashes on my pc so I have to assign a different viewer for images. There is no resolution in the Windows forum for it. You use whatever works.

In your screenshot it is possible that the red Paint animation on track 2 got keyframed for whatever reason but the boat on track 3 was never moved from the initial home position on the top left. Try again but move the boat down and right to cover over the red paint animation seen on track 2 as you create those keyframes. Move the boat to the new position each time before creating a new keyframe.

optodata

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

Sep 08, 2020 13:54

Here's a short PiP Designer video for PD14. The keyframe section starts about 1 min in.

More to the point, I've just created a quick and crude video showing the steps needed to track and rotate a boat:

I've packed the project so you can download it and play around with everything. You can access the project here (no need to sign in). Simply click on the Download link and you'll end up with a zip file containing everything.

Unzip that to a folder on your PC and double click on the PDS file to launch it.

Davidk101

Senior Member Location: Brisbane Australia Joined: Jun 24, 2020 02:38 Messages: 172 Offline

Sep 08, 2020 19:12

Having done the keyframes, the missing part was the 'drag the boat' to the keyframe locations. As suggested. Done that, checked and rendered. Result attached.

Filename	line of advance on map_1.mpg	Download
Description
Filesize	7048 Kbytes
Downloaded:	125 time(s)

optodata

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

Sep 08, 2020 19:34

I'm glad you got this all worked out. No need to add complexity like rotation keyframes if you want to keep things simple

Davidk101

Senior Member Location: Brisbane Australia Joined: Jun 24, 2020 02:38 Messages: 172 Offline

Sep 08, 2020 19:56

Having sorted this, did you enjoy the trip to Arthurs pass?

optodata

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

Sep 08, 2020 20:04

Quote Having sorted this, did you enjoy the trip to Arthurs pass?

Ha, I've actually never been there! The animation was from another forum member who I helped to get map animation running a few months back, so I used it for my sample. I'd like to make that trip someday, though