Hi,
In a previous version of Shotcut (17), I had no problem adding 100+ photos to the playlist, setting the duration of the first one and adding all images to the timeline in one operation with the appropriate duration.
I just installed 20.02.17 and find that I can no longer edit an image’s duration value in the properties menu. Looking around the forums, I have seen comments that say to use the properties dialog to edit the duration but that does not seem to be an option anymore (though there are the classic up/down arrow icons next to the duration field that suggest that the field should be editable).
So my question is this: I have a 480 jpegs I want to stitch together to run at 24 fps which I think means that the duration for each individual image should be 0.0416 seconds. So how do I tell Shotcut that I want every single images to display for X amount of time instead of the 4 seconds that the system is defaulting to?
Step 1: All files need to be in this numbering format.
Step 2: When opening Shotcut, immediately designate a video mode with 24FPS.
Step 3: Open file 001.jpg … Then click on Properties, Click Image Sequence. Change either Duration or Repeat xx Frames per picture.
Edit: All time codes in Shotcut are HH:MM:SS:FF (Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames). So 16 frames in a 24fps video mode have a different length of time was it would be to a 60fps video mode.
Step 1 - yes all images were in filename sequence.
Step 2 - yes did that.
Step 3 - Ah. I now see that duration can only be edited when there is only a single object in the playlist. Once you add one or more additional objects, duration is no longer editable. This is certainly not obvious.
And if you want the first image to display for a longer period of time, it appears that you need to first add it - and it alone - to the timeline, set it’s display duration using the drag feature (couldn’t find a way to specify the actual duration I wanted to use since duration is no longer editable), and then add all the additional images.
Also thanks for the tip about HH:MM:SS:FF. FF is not what someone would expect to see as the next 2 digit field in that sequence. Question: I’ve been trying to find some doc re the math of the HH:MM:SS:FF format but have had no luck Specifically why does stepping through the values (starting at zero) jump from 00:00:00:23 to 00:00:01:00 for duration? This is what happens when the value of 24 is entered. With respect to images, FF certainly does not appear to mean the number of frames. For example, a value of 1:00 takes 60 seconds to show 60 images while a value of 0:23 takes 59 seconds. A value of 0:04 takes 7 seconds, instead of 2, for 48 slides. So what duration value do I need to give to get Shotcut to show an image for 1/24 of a second because 0.4 is not it.
I think I may have figured out the FF math. I am guessing that it stands for fractional frames per the base frame rate. So at 24fps a duration of 00:00:00:01 means to display the image for 1/24 the fps rate. This is why the jump from 00:23 to 01:00 when one is added. Similarly with a frame rate of 30fps, a duration of 00:00:00:01 means to display the image for 1/30 the fps rate.
It never worked this way. The way it has always worked and still works - when not using an image sequence - is to add one, change its Duration in Properties, click Set Default next to Duration, then add all the others to the playlist.
It is editable when the selected image or clip is not from the timeline.
That is another way that is better for large sets of images.
Incorrect. Pay attention to what is selected. If you only have a playlist (timeline is empty) and switch the player to Project tab, then it treats the playlist like a media player playlist - play everything sequentially. In that context, there really is no selection and Properties is blank.
I realize you stumbled along and got something working by now, but in case others are reading this especially after searching they could use accurate info.
I am using an image sequence. And that is what I did and what you say above is how I did it. Rereading what I wrote I did add only the first one before bringing in the rest - based on an answer I found here in the forum.
Sorry to disagree but that is simply not true as I see it - unless we have two different ideas in mind re duration. Take a look at the screenshot below. First I import a single pic and use the properties panel to set its duration to :05 and click the set default option. Then I bring in the rest of the images to the playlist- all of which now have the default value I set. This is shown in the “before” shot. Then I select an image at random, select the properties tab, and change the duration - as shown in the middle shot. I then go back to the playlist as shown in the right shot. No duration values have changed. In fact now if I select another image and choose properties I see that it too has acquired the changed duration value. In fact they all have. So which duration value do I believe: the one that shows in the properties panel or the one that shows in the playlist panel? If I now drag the images to the timeline and play them it is evident that the duration value that is being used is the :05 value, not the 01:27 value. So what am I missing?
And you are right about me stumbling along. I don’t mind failure as long as I come to understand what it was I did (or didn’t understand) that led to the failure. I find many tutorials about software to be problematic as they fall behind how things are done in the latest version of the software so tend to dive in. Of course the risk is that I’ll miss something that should be obvious.
