Graphics

Virtual Framebuffer control question...

I have an Xpression scene that can supply two different layouts.  One as a standard full screen, and the other (keyable) setting is a partial version of the scene combined with video in the switcher.

This scene/layout is selected/visible based on a dropselect that returns text.  That text is available in the Xpression Record, to build a condition for the VirtualFrameBuffer#, right?    e.g. if "Full", go to FrameBufferX, else FrameBufferY.

The Virtual Framebuffer is determined from the Take Item Tab.

• Can that value be addressed in the Scene's Base Script?
• And where is the best place to set the condition?
  • In the OnPrepare or OnPreviewRender of events?
• And looking through the SDK documentation, I've not found the correct object method to address the Virtual FrameBuffer selection

Maybe someone has done something similar.  Could use a few more breadcrumbs to build this flexibility.  Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

Hey Rick,

I'm not exactly sure what you need---is a producer or operator modifying/adding text (other than layout type pulldown) or art to make this?

If it airs just the way you built it...in one of the two layouts...I think I would try a simple scene with the text pulldown and transition logic that fires one of two scene directors, named SceneFull and SceneKeyed, each with a version of the script below in a script event at fifteen frames.

Dim MySequencer as xpSequencer = nothing
MySequencer = Engine.Sequencer
Dim MyTakeItem as xpTakeItem = nothing
MySequencer.GetTakeItemByID(12, MyTakeItem)
MyTakeItem.Execute()

This script has helped me for years to fire a quick transitional element so I don't have to build it into every scene.

This assumes you have the scenes built separately in your Xpression sequence.

If you need to customize the scene regularly, say from the Xpression plugin in ENPS, I'd need to come up with another plan.

If you could edit it in Xpression each day, this would still work.

Hope this gives you some ideas,

James.

------------------------------
James Hessler
WAAY TV (ALLEN MEDIA BROADCASTING)

Original Message:
Sent: 11-07-2023 19:07
From: Rick Rubin
Subject: selecting a virtual framebuffer based on a text selected in layout droplist.

Virtual Framebuffer control question...

I have an Xpression scene that can supply two different layouts.  One as a standard full screen, and the other (keyable) setting is a partial version of the scene combined with video in the switcher.

This scene/layout is selected/visible based on a dropselect that returns text.  That text is available in the Xpression Record, to build a condition for the VirtualFrameBuffer#, right?    e.g. if "Full", go to FrameBufferX, else FrameBufferY.

The Virtual Framebuffer is determined from the Take Item Tab.

• Can that value be addressed in the Scene's Base Script?
• And where is the best place to set the condition?
  • In the OnPrepare or OnPreviewRender of events?
• And looking through the SDK documentation, I've not found the correct object method to address the Virtual FrameBuffer selection

Maybe someone has done something similar.  Could use a few more breadcrumbs to build this flexibility.  Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

------------------------------
Rick Rubin
Designer/Developer
San Francisco
------------------------------

Thank you James, for your suggestion.

Interesting method.  Not quite what we're looking to do.

We've leveraged Virtual FrameBuffers to manage layout/type distribution.  So our package scenes have been pointed to one of fifty possible Virtual FrameBuffers (see second snap).  Our package full screens, are to be pre-revealed and then placed on program with a transition element.  If it is a partial screen, it does not pre-reveal and therefore would be more efficient if re-directed to a Keyable Reveal Channel.

Right now, since they are coming from the same scene, I'd like the scene to be more clever, by setting the FrameBuffer Index on simple conditional based on Producer's input. 

Had not thought of using TL to manage... but will place this idea to the side while I see if my initial idea, will work.

Continued research in the SDK and found FrameBufferIndex property (see first snap).  I think I'm gonna play with this for a few... see if I can address that Take Item value. 

    
------------------------------
Rick Rubin
Designer/Developer
KGO-TV Disney O&O

Original Message:
Sent: 11-08-2023 23:30
From: James Hessler
Subject: selecting a virtual framebuffer based on a text selected in layout droplist.

Hey Rick,

I'm not exactly sure what you need---is a producer or operator modifying/adding text (other than layout type pulldown) or art to make this?

If it airs just the way you built it...in one of the two layouts...I think I would try a simple scene with the text pulldown and transition logic that fires one of two scene directors, named SceneFull and SceneKeyed, each with a version of the script below in a script event at fifteen frames.

Dim MySequencer as xpSequencer = nothing
MySequencer = Engine.Sequencer
Dim MyTakeItem as xpTakeItem = nothing
MySequencer.GetTakeItemByID(12, MyTakeItem)
MyTakeItem.Execute()

This script has helped me for years to fire a quick transitional element so I don't have to build it into every scene.

This assumes you have the scenes built separately in your Xpression sequence.

If you need to customize the scene regularly, say from the Xpression plugin in ENPS, I'd need to come up with another plan.

If you could edit it in Xpression each day, this would still work.

Hope this gives you some ideas,

James.

------------------------------
James Hessler
WAAY TV (ALLEN MEDIA BROADCASTING)

Original Message:
Sent: 11-07-2023 19:07
From: Rick Rubin
Subject: selecting a virtual framebuffer based on a text selected in layout droplist.

Virtual Framebuffer control question...

I have an Xpression scene that can supply two different layouts.  One as a standard full screen, and the other (keyable) setting is a partial version of the scene combined with video in the switcher.

This scene/layout is selected/visible based on a dropselect that returns text.  That text is available in the Xpression Record, to build a condition for the VirtualFrameBuffer#, right?    e.g. if "Full", go to FrameBufferX, else FrameBufferY.

The Virtual Framebuffer is determined from the Take Item Tab.

• Can that value be addressed in the Scene's Base Script?
• And where is the best place to set the condition?
  • In the OnPrepare or OnPreviewRender of events?
• And looking through the SDK documentation, I've not found the correct object method to address the Virtual FrameBuffer selection

Maybe someone has done something similar.  Could use a few more breadcrumbs to build this flexibility.  Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

------------------------------
Rick Rubin
Designer/Developer
San Francisco
------------------------------

Hey Rick,

I'm not a programmer at all---I just expand upon snippets of code I find and tailor them to my needs.

If you make this work, I'd really like to see the script for it!

I have some vague memory of a thread that debated where a script like yours might need to be and I don't remember seeing the solution.

Would a script OnPreviewRender or OnPrepare actually change the framebuffer of the real scene?

An aside...does rendering multiple virtual framebuffers ever hurt performance?

Thanks,

James.

Thank you James, for your suggestion.

Interesting method.  Not quite what we're looking to do.

We've leveraged Virtual FrameBuffers to manage layout/type distribution.  So our package scenes have been pointed to one of fifty possible Virtual FrameBuffers (see second snap).  Our package full screens, are to be pre-revealed and then placed on program with a transition element.  If it is a partial screen, it does not pre-reveal and therefore would be more efficient if re-directed to a Keyable Reveal Channel.

Right now, since they are coming from the same scene, I'd like the scene to be more clever, by setting the FrameBuffer Index on simple conditional based on Producer's input. 

Had not thought of using TL to manage... but will place this idea to the side while I see if my initial idea, will work.

Continued research in the SDK and found FrameBufferIndex property (see first snap).  I think I'm gonna play with this for a few... see if I can address that Take Item value. 

    
------------------------------
Rick Rubin
Designer/Developer
KGO-TV Disney O&O

Original Message:
Sent: 11-08-2023 23:30
From: James Hessler
Subject: selecting a virtual framebuffer based on a text selected in layout droplist.

Hey Rick,

I'm not exactly sure what you need---is a producer or operator modifying/adding text (other than layout type pulldown) or art to make this?

If it airs just the way you built it...in one of the two layouts...I think I would try a simple scene with the text pulldown and transition logic that fires one of two scene directors, named SceneFull and SceneKeyed, each with a version of the script below in a script event at fifteen frames.

Dim MySequencer as xpSequencer = nothing
MySequencer = Engine.Sequencer
Dim MyTakeItem as xpTakeItem = nothing
MySequencer.GetTakeItemByID(12, MyTakeItem)
MyTakeItem.Execute()

This script has helped me for years to fire a quick transitional element so I don't have to build it into every scene.

This assumes you have the scenes built separately in your Xpression sequence.

If you need to customize the scene regularly, say from the Xpression plugin in ENPS, I'd need to come up with another plan.

If you could edit it in Xpression each day, this would still work.

Hope this gives you some ideas,

James.

------------------------------
James Hessler
WAAY TV (ALLEN MEDIA BROADCASTING)

Original Message:
Sent: 11-07-2023 19:07
From: Rick Rubin
Subject: selecting a virtual framebuffer based on a text selected in layout droplist.

Virtual Framebuffer control question...

I have an Xpression scene that can supply two different layouts.  One as a standard full screen, and the other (keyable) setting is a partial version of the scene combined with video in the switcher.

This scene/layout is selected/visible based on a dropselect that returns text.  That text is available in the Xpression Record, to build a condition for the VirtualFrameBuffer#, right?    e.g. if "Full", go to FrameBufferX, else FrameBufferY.

The Virtual Framebuffer is determined from the Take Item Tab.

• Can that value be addressed in the Scene's Base Script?
• And where is the best place to set the condition?
  • In the OnPrepare or OnPreviewRender of events?
• And looking through the SDK documentation, I've not found the correct object method to address the Virtual FrameBuffer selection

Maybe someone has done something similar.  Could use a few more breadcrumbs to build this flexibility.  Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

------------------------------
Rick Rubin
Designer/Developer
San Francisco
------------------------------

Each framebuffer uses the performance of the machine.

 You don't need to look for virtual frambuffers in the SDK, XPression just sees frames buffers as 0, 1, 2 etc so you just need to assign it to one or potentially swap it I guess. 

Hey Rick,

I'm not a programmer at all---I just expand upon snippets of code I find and tailor them to my needs.

If you make this work, I'd really like to see the script for it!

I have some vague memory of a thread that debated where a script like yours might need to be and I don't remember seeing the solution.

Would a script OnPreviewRender or OnPrepare actually change the framebuffer of the real scene?

An aside...does rendering multiple virtual framebuffers ever hurt performance?

Thanks,

James.

Thank you James, for your suggestion.

Interesting method.  Not quite what we're looking to do.

We've leveraged Virtual FrameBuffers to manage layout/type distribution.  So our package scenes have been pointed to one of fifty possible Virtual FrameBuffers (see second snap).  Our package full screens, are to be pre-revealed and then placed on program with a transition element.  If it is a partial screen, it does not pre-reveal and therefore would be more efficient if re-directed to a Keyable Reveal Channel.

Right now, since they are coming from the same scene, I'd like the scene to be more clever, by setting the FrameBuffer Index on simple conditional based on Producer's input. 

Had not thought of using TL to manage... but will place this idea to the side while I see if my initial idea, will work.

Continued research in the SDK and found FrameBufferIndex property (see first snap).  I think I'm gonna play with this for a few... see if I can address that Take Item value. 

    
------------------------------
Rick Rubin
Designer/Developer
KGO-TV Disney O&O

Original Message:
Sent: 11-08-2023 23:30
From: James Hessler
Subject: selecting a virtual framebuffer based on a text selected in layout droplist.

Hey Rick,

I'm not exactly sure what you need---is a producer or operator modifying/adding text (other than layout type pulldown) or art to make this?

If it airs just the way you built it...in one of the two layouts...I think I would try a simple scene with the text pulldown and transition logic that fires one of two scene directors, named SceneFull and SceneKeyed, each with a version of the script below in a script event at fifteen frames.

Dim MySequencer as xpSequencer = nothing
MySequencer = Engine.Sequencer
Dim MyTakeItem as xpTakeItem = nothing
MySequencer.GetTakeItemByID(12, MyTakeItem)
MyTakeItem.Execute()

This script has helped me for years to fire a quick transitional element so I don't have to build it into every scene.

This assumes you have the scenes built separately in your Xpression sequence.

If you need to customize the scene regularly, say from the Xpression plugin in ENPS, I'd need to come up with another plan.

If you could edit it in Xpression each day, this would still work.

Hope this gives you some ideas,

James.

------------------------------
James Hessler
WAAY TV (ALLEN MEDIA BROADCASTING)

Original Message:
Sent: 11-07-2023 19:07
From: Rick Rubin
Subject: selecting a virtual framebuffer based on a text selected in layout droplist.

Virtual Framebuffer control question...

I have an Xpression scene that can supply two different layouts.  One as a standard full screen, and the other (keyable) setting is a partial version of the scene combined with video in the switcher.

This scene/layout is selected/visible based on a dropselect that returns text.  That text is available in the Xpression Record, to build a condition for the VirtualFrameBuffer#, right?    e.g. if "Full", go to FrameBufferX, else FrameBufferY.

The Virtual Framebuffer is determined from the Take Item Tab.

• Can that value be addressed in the Scene's Base Script?
• And where is the best place to set the condition?
  • In the OnPrepare or OnPreviewRender of events?
• And looking through the SDK documentation, I've not found the correct object method to address the Virtual FrameBuffer selection

Maybe someone has done something similar.  Could use a few more breadcrumbs to build this flexibility.  Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

------------------------------
Rick Rubin
Designer/Developer
San Francisco
------------------------------