Global GUI Ideas

Screen concept

Window configurations can be stored/restored in customizeable presets and are part of the project (see blender again)

Scrolling with the mouse

There is a subpage just for this topic as this should be a very wide problem. Please see http://www.pipapo.org/pipawiki/Lumiera/GuiBrainstorming/scrolling for details.

Inspiration

In the best-of-professional-competing-products department some material for case studies:

More Ideas

Sketches/Drafts

Some people contributed drafts/sketeches/ideas/brainstorming...

Toward a Concrete Sketch

See this sketch attachment:GtkGUI-0.1.png

The sketch is certainly not complete by any means - this is a v0.1. There are many Avid and Cinelerra features that ought to feature in the final product. However it shows a few ideas that I think would be good.

My final word on the subject is this "Attention to detail: it matters!" -- JoelHoldsworth 2008-04-03 20:09:34

Alcarinque's Gui Design

Alcarinque's Gui Design

Clip Mode

This would be a clone of the clip mode in Apple's iMovie. In this mode, users would be working with discreet (read untrimable) clips. Dragging a new clip into the sequence would cause it to be inserted between two clips, not overwriting them. Once all of the clips are layed out to the users satisfaction, they could then switch to the normal multitrack mode and trim the heads and tails of the clips from there. -- rexbron

Rational

The advantage to this sort of work flow is that it allows an editor to very quick create an assembly cut of a film. During this phase of editing, the editor and director are examining the takes and deciding on which ones they like best. As such, it makes sense to be able to easily change the order of clips and add new ones to see how the shots fit together.

Widgets

3x3 Menus

Have a mostly quadratic 3x3 dialpad like popup menu poping up so that the center is the mouse position (adjusted when near screen corners). The middle field is always the close/cancel functionality and the 8 fields around offer the menu entries. Navigation can be done by mouse, cursor keys or numpad! Menu entries can open 3x3 submenus again, either incremental so that closing brings you up to the higher menu or exclusive that closing aborts the whole menu.

Navigation Systems

There may be several methods to make menu selections, and other choices. The Gui could be made quite adaptable/customisable. Using a "skin" approach to the Gui, would provide a system for users who are not programmers, to help develop improved user interfaces. Mouse "gestures" (may be patent considerations) are another option. The way that options are communicated with the program functions could be made so that even as yet undesigned "user chooser systems" can be added.

Generalized Fader

All faders are the same kind of custom widget, that is:

for the application all faders provide a float (or double) value, nothing else.

Magnifying Glass for the Faders

Faders should have a "magnifying glass" mode, which can be activated by a key combination or modifier key. When activated, you can fine tune the current value: The step increment is lowered ideally to the real limit of the underlaying parameter, or, if this is too much, at least it should be much smaller than anything you get by dividing the possible value range by the fader length in screen pixels. In this mode, the fader doesn't cover the whole range, rather it is centered at the current value. Changing the value by these small increments should give an obvious visible feedback. Ideally, an accompaning automation curve display will switch to the extreme vertical zoom as well. And it's important that you don't have to zoom, you enter/leave with one keypress.

Partially, this is covered by the Adaptive Mouse Wheel too; but, especially when working with sound, the problem is that the parameter range cover several orders of magnitude. For example, even 16bit PCM sound has a volume parameter which can be adjusted in 32768 steps, and yes, there are situations when these fine steps make an audible difference, while most software faders give you not much more then a view hundred subdivisions even under optimal circumstances.

This concept of "magnifying faders", is well explained in Thorsten Wilms Fan-sliders Article, the Article also links to an implementation.

Misc Ideas

Adaptive Mouse Wheel

most numeric value entries (sliders, spinbuttons) can be changed when hovering the mouse over it and turn the scroll wheel (maybe with an additional modifier key?) -- The scroll wheel is accelerated depending on how fast it is operated by the user, snapping it slowly gives frame/interval precise increments, turning it faster will exponentially increases the increment (2,4,8.. frames per click)

Work well with tiling window managers

I propose that the future Lumiera GUI is designed without too much (or anything) about the user's screen apart from what is acceptable based on the X11 protocol(?) in order to work well with tiling window managers. The main problem to watch out for is assuming specific dimensions. The nature of tiling window managers is that most of the time, the windows without focus are dramatically downsized in one or two dimensions. This causes poorly designed GUIs to behave strangely, sometimes as bad as constantly jumping between layouts and thus causing unnecessary CPU load.

-- MichaelPloujnikov 2008-04-14 22:29:12

Installation Method for many versions

A method that allows the user to have more than one version installed means that the user can have a reliable version, an unstable version, and some older versions all ready to run. This ease would encourage the installation of variants, because it does not force the abandoning of an already familiar version.

An extension of this feature, is to permit the mix and matching of various components between the versions. So a person can opt to use an unstable version of one component, while keeping stable components for their main work flow. If they can "live switch/incorporate/eject" the components then they can easily revert or upgrade their components and can test them under very similar circumstances.

An additional option is to enable side by side comparisons in the work flow typically used by the user. This approach would allow the user to select more than one version of a component to use and the order that they will be used in. The user can rate the comparative ease of the interface. The speed and performance of the software can be measured on the machine. Lessons can be learnt, and settings that depend on machinery can be tuned (i.e. recommendations for settings to be used on types of equipment).

Physical Control Devices Interfaces

See http://pipapo.org/pipawiki/Lumiera/DesignProcess/ArchitectureOverview

The Physical Hardware HID-UI could be shown next to GUI with an arrow pointing to the GUI.

Support MIDI controllers

Similar to Ardour, Lumiera should support the increasingly popular MIDI controllers / control surfaces. You should be able to bind any fader to any hardware knob or fader of the controller (maybe similar as Ardour does: there you ctrl-middle-click to the control on screen and then move/touch the hardware fader to automatically learn the emitted MIDI message). Having dedicated Knobs, toggles and faders with motorized parameter feedback makes for much more tactile working.

Support Joystick Port (Games Port, USB, re-assignable like keys and context sensitive)

This would make it possible to advance the time line And adjust multiple faders all at once.

Mappings Management for Key Board, Joystick Port, Midi Devices, Parallel Port terminals

The settings could have a section to manage the mapping of keyboards, joystick controls, and midi signals.

Resources for making Midi Devices, Serial and Parallel Port Control devices using PIC MicroControllers

The Pic Microcontrollers from Microchip have a number of projects where they are used for midi devices. They can be interfaced to by switches, pots, etc. Linux has tools for compiling code to drive the range of PIC micros, and also has tools for driving the programmers (which you can build your self or from kits cheaply).

An idea might be to use the index wheels and sensors from inkjet printers to be used as jogglers/shuttles. *

Toolkits

General

.. add more requirements here

Concrete

About Tooltips and Statusbar

Tooltips are really valuable items, they should not be wasted for simple things like brief help texts. Instead they might display the actual state of the underlying widget in a textual form (numeric+unit) with *maybe* some hints. Long time ago I proposed for Cinelerra to add a special mode to make tooltips editable, that is with a shortcut the actual tooltip becomes a small text input field where the user can enter exact values for some things, this value is committed with the return key and leaving this mode should be really easy (as simple as just moving the mouse, ESC key).

The Status bar can show more information but isn't directly in the users view, here we may play help infos like available options on the mouse buttons, important keyboard shortcuts etc. take a look at 'qcad' .. xfig has also static area where it shows available (mouse) options, just not a status bar but in the upper right of the screen.

This might be a bit different to some common other user interfaces (M$...) but I think this is much more valuable.

Measures / Metrics for "Usability" and "Intuitiveness"

Usability(ease of use) - mouse clicks and motions, inputs decisions, etc required to achieve tasks. Macros are really handy for allowing the user to speed up repetitive tasks that the program designers have not anticipated and made easy to do from the outset. Macros can be shared on a central web site. Plus developers can look and see what the macros are being used for, as this gives a very important indication of where vital tasks are.

Intuitiveness- how well the program matches the way a person would assume it might, and how well it hints to them about how they should be using it. For example, the "nudge" triangle has no explanation about what it does, and does not appear in the menu separately.

Usability and Intuitiveness feature

Smooth work flow happens when the user is able to choose (or is even second guessed) what they want to do next, with minimum disturbance related to "how" it is going to be achieved. Every opportunity could be taken to have single clicks for common settings, and leave the complex stuff as "advanced" feature button access, in-depth settings, or the like. Where ever tasks may be highly variable over the total user population, but often repeated by some/many, the settings for those tasks should be made easy to repeat again, share with others, save, export, import, customise, and provide help/explanation on.

User selectable Experience Level - Task Oriented Layout

The user could be asked to choose their experience level, and more complex options then get greyed out. The user could be asked the common tasks that the want to do, and other options could be greyed out. They can choose whether they want "greyed" out options to be available, or viewable, or not. The options which are advanced (or 2 levels greater than their current expertise level) could be "dark greyed" out and the user could have similar choices about their display) .

Help System - available for user improvement

Similar to tool tip and status bar suggestion above.A "hover" hint / help facility would be a major bonus. Just make the function available, the box can start with an index number, and users can type in their own help comments (either in a help text entry management section, or directly into the pop-up hover box - in optional help edit mode).

These can be pooled at a central web site in to languages, and verbosity (options to links to further help, links to examples, links to video tutorials). So the developers do not have to spend time writing help files - just make it possible for the users to. The developers might like to add a few comments to the verbose files at some later point, or clear up inaccuracies. translators can also do the work for other languages. Very quickly the supporting documentation's usefulness would add to the attractiveness of the program.

"Render AS"

The process for creating a DVD where Video and Audio have to be rendered separately is laborious. A script could easily handle this, make the use of the program so much easier, attractive, inviting, productive, time efficient, bla bla. All the user needs to do is set the parameters and file name (once) and do. Many commonly used formats for saving could be saved as presets that completely avoid all the questions (say in the "File" drop down menu, as a customisable "Render AS" choice). This could also be done for HDTV, iPod, Ringtones, Various formats that give the best performance for uploading to Youtube and all the other video sharing sites.

Crash detection with Auto Restart

When the program is called to start, another "start" program can be started first. the "start" program knows that Lumiera has been requested to start. It could be used to monitor start up processes and glitches, but mostly would just sit in the background to check on whether Lumiera is still running. One way for it to know if Lumiera is still running is if Lumiera writes the value of the clocks time to a register that the "start" program reads at frequent intervals (say the noticeable reaction speed of a typical person). If the "start" program detects that the time has not been updated within a suitable delay after the check interval, then it looks at system processes to see if Lumiera has crashed and will then automatically re-start Lumiera. AAAAND also re-load the backup. This saves all the manual work by the user. Makes a far more "fail safe" return to work for the uninitiated (no learning curve of sad losses). Saves time -keeps goodwill of users high.

It could even generate reports automatically for debugging and diagnosis, report system loads, detect impending hangs (because of increasing, though acceptable delays).

User Precautions get built out of user interface and into program.

When attaching such and such effect to a track, disable "play" before attaching it, then re-enable play aft attaching it. (we don't tell you this before hand, and we never will, unless you ask the question and search the net, then you might find out in the "secrets manual", And you'll have to remember this (always)!! If there are circumstances that apply to an effect (or for that matter any other part of the program), then the feature could have a flag in it that warns the system to take note of it, and it then reports what its requirement or tweak feature is, so the system can automatically handle it the best way. (A sort of OO process handler). This not only saves potential lengthy wastes of time, but saves concentration on sideline issues, speeds up work, adds to reliability and good time user experience.

Gather stats from the "UnDo" process

Get statistics from the functions that get most commonly "undone". This would help indicate wheteher there is a problem with users making mistakes, or a btter "try and see" method can be included in the function. Since heavily used functions will also likely have a higher rate of "undo", then stats on the use of functions can also be gathered so the "relative undo rate %" can be calculated. This info can all be automatically gathered, so is no effort for the user. The user could be asked to activate an automatic send a central web site, so no privacy/consent issues. User could be allowed to attach a comment. All data automatically handled at web site, and alerts automatically generated for developers if "undo" rates exceed a predefined "acceptance level".-- Tree2008-05-14 09:55:00

Time estimates for lengthy Tasks before committing to the action.

Handy to have time estimates for lengthy task indicated even before committing to the task. Also an estimate for the % increase or reduction in time of adjusting parameters. So you can make a good tradeoff between the result and and the time taken to get it. When a task is carried out, measurements are made to improve the accuracy of future guesses.

Operating System and Hardware Tweaks

If the operating system and/or hardware can be tweaked for better performance, then the program is the best place to manage those tweaks, especially if they can be made when the program is started and reverted when it closes. The program could generate a splash screen for booting so the user never forgets that system settings have been changed (that may effect other programs), and a splash window for when Lumiera starts could have similar information for the settings it changes just while it is running. Where tests can be done to estimate the optimum setting, Lumiera could do that automatically and suggest the setting.

Rapid take-up of Cinelerra user base and potential users

In the first instance (and when ever possible), make preparations for future adjustments, so that the presently possible is made available. e.g. Cinlerra is currently available. Lumiera is not. Lumiera could use the very same code, but chop it up into similar sections as intended for Lumiera to in. It might make for some additional complications during development (such as handling of old and new variables during a transition stage). But it means that people can start moving across to Lumiera NOW, and can be part of the development cycle. This means the developers can start getting feedback much earlier on, and get assistance along the path. When people can begin to see "where" something is heading, and "how" it is getting there, if it looks like fun and productive, then they'll jump on board. So it's not just about a "clean" development path to excellence, but also honing it to users, and users helping also, and others developers getting keen and joining in too.

When the support arrives, it would be nice to be sharing code clips back with the Cinelerras. After all, they may like it too.

Provide Binaries for all common platforms and Systems

This is a major way to increase the take up speed of the program. Many people have i386 versions. But this is multimedia so the few that get into 64bit AMD or Intel are likely to be the ones also interested in Video. But everybody can be a user if catered for. Just need to set up the respective options for automatic compilation. When people see that they can use a program on entry level equipment, gain expertise, then invest in gear with OOOMPH when they can drive it fast, then they'll be keen to start using it, and will continue to use it. Whether the Binary compilations are done in house or by others, it helps to have the process coordinated and streamlined so they are all kept up to date.

Import and Export SMIL files

Many current cinelerra users probably use kino for their capturing of DV. it uses less resources, so less system demand during capture. Good display monitor while capturing. Open Movie Editor is a good multitrack editor that can share Kino's SMIL files. A good progression in complexity of editing is start with kino, move to OME, then cinelerra (lumiera). A really convenient way to assist stepping up from Kino is to handle the SMIL files.

Automatic scene detection is a great feature in Kino. The simpler editors make it easy for less skilled people to look after the selection of preliminary clips, while lumiera is used by the folks who put it all together, and finish it off.

Easily Updateable Features

The program can manage some of the online resources that users develop. Access the central site, get directed to mirror of choice, get latest list of optional features. features such as effects, program skins, audio, video, titles, preset keypoints, tutorial videos, help files, language files, plugins, etc. This makes the results of any artistic contributors much more rapidly dispersed to users. Allows much more tayloring of program to users liking/needs.

Tool Bar with icons of windows to manage the display

This acts like a task bar. but the icons are more meaningful. This toolbar acts as a window displayer, to bring to the front the window icon most recently clicked. This is a convenient way to find the window you want when the desktop is highly populated and windows have to overlap. It hopefully is so easy the each window could be maximised anyway. The toolbar effectively acts as a "tab bar" to bring up the different boxes. It saves looking for the main window (which can now get lost behind full screen composers, and luxuriant resource folders, and overlay /resource tables). It saves looking for whether the "x or _" is visible, possibly by having to click elsewhere on the window to highlight it. It saves clicking on the buttons in the task bar that either are not well labeled, all carry similar icons, or are labeled but the text differences don't appear until after the text has disappeared.

The toolbar could (by default) run down the left side of the screen, and show the buttons in the order of process that the user is likely to need them in, but could be customised by the user anyway (and shared with other users).

Menu Bar disconnectable from track view

The menu bar could be made disconnected from the track view. This would allow the track view to be covered by a window, but the menu still kept on top. The menu bar could by default start at the top left and run across the screen. .

-- Tree2008-05-07 21:06:00

Transition, Levels or Effects Widget remains on top while swapping windows between track view and composer

Keeping the transition and effect window on top while changing and reviewing its effects and boundaries on the track view and composer allows for full screen views of both track and composer, without having to again click on the options window to make adjustments. It might even be handy to have a button that momentary toggles the view from track to composer (or visa versa) and back, which saves a search for the location to click in.

-- Tree2008-05-07 21:12:00

Toolbars customisable for each stage of project

The user may have prefer transitions, effects, levels, and clips that they will be working with at different stages of the project. These could be kept "highly" available in a toolbar, so they are just one click away. This saves the browsing through folder views of plenty of stuff which is not of immediate need.

-- Tree2008-05-07 21:18:00

Slideable Magnified view of track levels

There could be an option to display a magnified view of the track view for selected tracks, that slides as the pointer is slides along the track timeline .

The magnified view could also permit the levels to be more finely adjusted. It could have extended sized sliders available for fine resolution adjustment attached.

-- Tree2008-05-07 21:23:00

Fine Resolution adjustment of any slider by means of mouse wheel

Fine resolution adjustment of any slider may be effected by using the mouse wheel. Maybe in conjunction with a key to represent finer or rougher resolution.

Hover over the slider and adjust the wheel.

-- Tree2008-05-07 21:25:00

Track View

Track View Height

Let the user have more flexibility over the track view height. Some tracks can be set to minimal, others to visible (but basically iconic), others enough to see features, and one or two to good resolution. Some may even be blanked.

Player (Composer) - Multiple Windows Viewable

The user might be interested in seeing the video of two or more tracks at the same time, to help synchronise what is going on with the before and after effects and levels.

This saves having to run the composer with track levels set to less than 100% just to get a picture of what is happening on (say) 3 tracks at once. Which saves a heap of work going through afterwards resetting the level between fades to maximum again - for several tracks - between marked labels.

If there is an easier way to "use" this kind of process, then it needs to be made more "intuitively" obvious.

Player (Composer) - Viewable docked at end of each video track

One way to make multiple composer views available, is to allow each track's composer view to "dock" with the track at the end of the trackview. Each composer view may dock at the height of the respective video track. But if the video track has its audio tracks below it, the view could dock to the height of the Video and sounds tracks. . -- Tree2008-05-14 17:23:24

Track View able to be seen in "split views".

The track view could be split in half vertically. The top could be shown on one monitor, and the bottom on another. The menu could be optionally shown at the top of each track view. For mixing of large numbers of tracks, but where they are grouped in sets that mostly do not effect the tracks outside the set, there could be buttons/tabs/icons that could activate the display of the selected set. So it easy to jump from set to set.

Track View able to be seen in "split views".

When editing a segment or clip insert , the main point of attention is to the transitions at the start and finish. The video data in between are not part of the task. It would be handy if the start and finish regions could be displayed at the same time, and avoid scrolling along the timeline. It would make for easily checking that the "style" or other features are consistent.

Another situation where this is handy is when a clip is being split, but the split point is uncertain, yet all of the clip will be used. To be able to view the left and right side of the clip's split point and their transitions into the rest of the video, make sit easier to alter the split point. (It would also be handy to just have a slider for split point selection, which automatically ajusts the left and right views).

There may be times when the user would like to have multiple strips shown on the timeline - like yet to complete zones.

The track view could be split up horizontally into different time strips.

Composer View shows markers for left and right sides of Trackview

It is handy to have a display on the timeline in the composer view which represents the left and right times displayed in the track view With the position of the pointer/insertion point also shown.

When playing a track through and stopping at some point, the point may not be visible within the width of time displayed on track view. The whole timeline is shown on the composer view. So seeing the width and location of the trackview timeline, on the composer would help to figure out whether you are in front of or behind the area displayed in trackview.

Another approach would be to have a full timeline shown in trackview below the zoomed in times, so that you always know where you are in the track. The full time line can display the range of times which are currently being viewed on the zoomed trackview.

This tiemline could be toggled using a "right/down" pointing triangle (like the "nudge").

Timing

Timing Management in Menu

All matter to do with timing and synchronisation, could be made available long handedly from the menu, as well as conveniently using right click mouse (or other assigned keys). This would include Nudge track number/name, time shift, audio or video delay for each live recording track (so that the audio and video will match up as recorded ( a simple field test measurement window would be very useful)(plus and estimator based on distance from microphone to subject and speed of sound (330m/sec).

Track Synchronisation Features

Matching sound track to visual track events (clap board) is a really practical feature. No more listening (hoping your PC's audio delays are not great). Just look for the drum smash, hand clap, plosive mouth movement, and you know where you are. Label the instant on each track, click "synchronise on the menu (or right click option), done. Make it able to do for many tracks. Make it able to to at many points along tracks, so it can detect if the tracks have got out of synch or have not the same scene lengths.

Needs options on how to have overflows at ends of projects, and scenes/strips/clips within project tracks.

Bulk Shift by time/frames

Able to select different parts of the same or multiple tracks, (group them, name them, save their particulars, work on them,) and shift them all in the time line by a set amount of time or number of frames. Select the areas, then scroll a slider, mouse wheel, enter a number,etc. Could be used for matching up already matched segments with other already matched segments, all at once.

Nudge Keypoints

True time on tracks in Trackview and Composer

The number of frames is and exact count. If the user is able to tag a frame and assign a real time to it, then the rest of the times on the timeline can be calculated. The real world time can then be shown (either as local time, as per the users clock - with error offset from actual time, universal time). Good for figuring out the times of other events/scenes. Good for using as an estimate of where to add a clip that was taken from a different camera at a different start time.

Editing Mode features

Key Point Manager

Saving the settings for sets/series of key points would be handy for repetitive tasks. Just paste them over a track for an immediate insert size or what ever. Ability to stretch or compress it in time, and match up to time events with out risk of changing the level. Or change the level without moving time. Have sliders for all required adjustments available near where you are looking (widget?). Save any number of presets sequences.

Key Points able to be shown for parts of a track

Sometimes the levels that need to be viewed on a track, are different for different parts of the track, and different tracks. For example the camera in one track is being adjusted, while the projector in another is being adjusted, but also the first track's fader is being adjusted in the time up to (and maybe overlapping) the camera adjustments.

"Generate KeyFrames" icon made visible "close" to the viewer where keyframes are being generated

When setting up keypoints and adjusting them as you go, it is necessary to frequently toggle between auto keyframe generation, and adjustment. Because of this, it is also possible to forget to make the toggle. To correct this can mean some careful "undo"-ing is required. It is better to help avoid the mistakes. The icon could be made visible closer to where the activity is actually being done. It is best to have it right in the user's face in the window they are actually working in. It also is immediately accessible and doesn't require clicking around to bring another window to the front (make the toggel) then go back again (and again .... and ...).

The "Generate Keyframes" state icon is shown in the composer AND could also be shown in the "?" window (and maybe assets/overlays).

The "?" window shows for both the projector AND camera.

The "?" window shows only the project OR camera information, but never is all the information available at once.

Having a separate "?" for camera and projector would be handy. Or having a "?" window that has the option to show the "other" aswell.

Generate (or fix) a set of keypoints at the current position

Often it is necessary to create a set of keypoints at a keyframe location that either match (or may need some slight difference) the next set, or the last set. This is done when having set general tracks levels, the user then wants to go and "tweak" segments within the timeline. So basically the ends of the tweaked stretch need to be fixed to the track default/local current setting/or the interpolated value currently depending on the next and previous settings outside the segment. The following keyframe edit functions would be handy ;

Another approach would be able to select an length of the timeline, and keyframes at the ends using the options for source selection, above.

. -- Tree2008-05-14 09:32:00

Labels and In/Out point markers - Multiple with flow control for loop sequences

It is frustrating doing work where the IN/OUT markers have to be moved to go from loop play to render to another loop play. It would be really handy if the IN/OUT markers could be made in pairs, in large (unlimited) number, assigned their purpose (e.g.loop play, effect, level adjustment, etc, and more). It would also be handy if labels and keypoints could be not only labeled, but grouped, with group names. Then just like gang selection for track groups, labels and keypoints could be made visible/invisible, editable/fixed, highlighted/dimmed, differentiated by colour. In/Out points created for play or render could be used for loop play, but could also be told to play in any selected order - and again in any other selected order - again and again. This would be helpful in comparing the impact of "sequences of clips" without having to manually create each sequence. Each sequence of In/Out point groups could also be made to loop.

same goes for In/Out point pairs for clipping/editing, easy to "undo" with just one step. Apply effect to all selected pairs/ everything not selected, try it, adjust it (all), undo it.

Play Sound while moving around the timeline

Play Sound while moving around the timeline

Customisable Preset Groups (or gangs) of Tracks and overlays to edit

It is often necessary to arm or disarm several tracks in "groups" while adjusting levels, and camera or projector. Typically for the main picture, and separately for insets. It would be handy to just have to click one button to "select" the grouped set. A number of buttons could be available for customising which tracks and which levels and controls get switched. These could be placed at the top of the left hand side track controls. A different method (which could also be optionally available) would be to have a window similar in vertical layout to the assets and overlays window, but would extend horizontally to show which overlays are active/armed for each group. This could be made active to enable "group armed management".

Another feature that could be added is to group the sliders that get effected and choose whether they get adjusted by the actual amount, or a percentage, and if they increase together or some decrease while others increase.

For locations where the keypoints are fixed in time, it would be handy to have sliders pop up At the keypoint, for each keypoint that is currently armed. The sliders could be horizontal or vertical, but would provide greater visual and mouse resolution than the track height. This would allow more tracks to be visible, the time line to be more condensed, and yet control would be more accurate easy and comfortable.

The user might choose which groups of tracks to have displayed, or which tracks rend to which.

Overlays, Crops, Camera, Projector, Masks. Also same for Titling

These are all handled differently as far as the way their areas are selected. But it could be made so that they all share the same full range of area selections. Rectangles of fixed ratio, free ratio rectangles, free multiple point shapes, all with feather options could be achieved. PNG or other transparent images (or means of determining transparent areas) could also be "logically" combined with the Task (Overlay, Crop, Camera, Projector, Mask) to provide extended functions in the way the images are combined. I know you've got some great opportunities with Blender. This will be fantastic!!! But please keep a simple novice pathway for the use of these features, so people can get accustomed to the production pathway, without getting lost in its intricacies.

Also same for Titling, where other graphics programs may also be used. An easy way to go in and out of the graphics program for finer adjustment of shapes and properties would be handy. Or at least to make an adjustment in the graphics editor to a file, and have the result immediately influence the images in Lumiera (say watch the changes in composer window - then render a test strip).

Matching colours and line styles between overlays on timeline and composer windows

Different colours are used for X,Y,Zoom, but these colours are not used for the camera and projector views. If the colours were used for the edges of the boxes for X (sides), Y (top and bottom), Zoom (an arrow perpendicular to the edges of the box), then this would act as an additional visual prompt (with meaning) - adding to the intuitiveness. . --Tree2008-05-14 09:25:00 .

Overlays and Lines on tracks and Composer

Allow a greater and user selectable range of colours and styles (thickness, and dots) for the levels and boxes on tracks and in composer. This way the user can clearly distinguish between the effects. Colours for X,Y,Rot and styles for camera, projector, Motion .

Test Strips and Series of Test Strips

"Give me the first X seconds or minutes of the project so I can see what it will look like and estimate more accurately how long it will take?" "Will I need more resources, time, expenditure to reach targets?". Run a series of test strips for timing and results tradeoffs. Done with manual settings, or generate set based on x% more and y% less for various parameters. Show the strips, user assigns evaluation rating, and can weigh up the best compromise. Use for in house drafting, production test runs, and final product. Save and share settings.

Layer mode for Track View

The thumbnails shown in the Trackview are typically the full size of the original. It would be handy if there was an option to show the thumbnails of the camera, or projector as the thumbnail instead. This would allow the user to "see" what their camera or projector settings are. No need to interpret x,y,z, levels.

Also where a track is overlayed by another, there could be an option to "show layers", or in the case of a final track an option to "show (which) layers (tracks)" in the full mixed track. There could be an option to "not show" composer view updates while rapid scrolling through timeline in trackview. Saves processor load. The display of playing tracks (overlays) could be shown on the right side of the composer view, where they could each be toggled on and off, instead of having to return to trackview. This allows features and the feel of "Graphics Editors" that use "Layers". Note that if multiple composer views were able to run, then it would be possible to check "sub mixes" before combining to a total mix. Example Composer view of full camera view of track 1 with effects applied. Same time have another composer view of Projector view of track 2 with its effects, plus box where the other view will be inserted. Check run through both at full view "at once" to make sure each is OK. Then combine for final checks together.

fast Render and Play capacity

User adjustable resolution of thumbnails in video tracks

For situations of live rendering on the tracks and to save time, and processor, the video quality displayed in the track, and / or the composer (or other viewer) could be set to lower resolution, or rougher calculation. This allows for speedy general comparison of factors like positioning, general brightness, timing of events, effects. So this would speed up the initial stages of numerous iterations in design. Leaving more time (and energy and patients) for the final stages where good visual resolution is needed). The images as displayed could even appear quite "blocky" or "blurred", but you won't have to watch in slow motion, or wait ages for a render. So by the stage you get to committing to lengthy renders, you are already fairly confident that a good portion of it is going to be close to what you are looking for.

Render fast draft mode does every "x"th frame only

During draft mode, the render effects can be analysed after a quick render by only rendering a proportion of the number of frames. Just enough frames to make sure the quality is good enough, or that there are no gross problems. So by the stage the user comes to do a full render, they are already confident that most of it will be at least roughly OK.

Methods to speed up draft rendering, reduce the amount of time spent iterating the initial project. More rapidly approaching what is wanted for the general concept and preliminary final draft - to check that visual appearance is acceptable (or excellent). Only when at the Final stages, does much time (Mips) get devoted to rendering.

--Tree2008-05-09 14:20:00 .

Render fast draft mode does every "x"th frame only Playback method

Rendering that has been done on only every "x"th frame, can be played back at normal speed, by slowing the rate of picture display (saves file size by the ratio of frames not needed), or by multiple copies of the same picture being saved in the file (takes up the same space as ordinary render, just saves time).

So the rendered track can be used for further draft work, and only near the final stages does the video content of the track need to be changed to the full frame high resolution version (which its self may be an update of the changed video that it is created from).

--Tree2008-05-09 14:20:00 .

Fast Edit Mode and workflow Script Generator and Manager

see http://pipapo.org/pipawiki/Lumiera/DesignProcess/ArchitectureOverviewThe work that needs to be done on the project, at least to draft stage could be made faster by using lower resolution video file formats. These allow most of the edits to be "timed" and mostly adjusted to levels. Check runs can be done quickly. Only when the work is near completion does the actual high resolution raw video need to be used. If the "undo" feature is used to generate script (preferably with the errors removed), then the project can be carried out on the good video.

On the architecture diagram this would be represented by an arrow from the GUI to the script box.

The whole process is like using a wordprocessor - use recycled and waste paper for drafts, put in the good media (paper) for final.

The scripts could be edited just like macros in a wordprocessor. Routines could be created, or extracted from the script, and saved. Some settings could be left for user adjustment live, or before running the script, or as a default.

--Tree2008-05-16 19:24:00 .

Effects

Motion Tracker - Full Independent and Multiple Axes Controls

The motion tracker effect currently has one box which detects both horizontal and vertical motion, another box for rotation, and both of them are forced to share the same centre coordinates, for one point. Much more motion would be more accurately detectable, if more points could be chosen, and optionally restrict them to any combination (or sole purpose) of x,y, rotation. Each with the area of motion boxes. This would significantly reduce the chances of the motion tracker getting totally lost, and would improve the correlations, particularly on jittery tracks.

Camera Tracker - Full Independent and Multiple Axes Controls

Similar to the motion tracker function, but is applied to points/objects/items/features that remain fixed in space. The camera horizontal angle, vertical angle, rotation of view, and zoom, can all be extracted. This can then be applied to the track to maintain constant stable view point of the camera (even though the camera may have been moving around , and zooming a bit)

Cross Media Effects

Cross Media Effects where the sound effects the picture, or the picture effects the sound. Such as brightness effects Volume, Volume effects Brightness, tone effects hue or relative brightness between colours. Colour histogram effects sound spectrum. Don't record picture for low sound intensities, don't record sound while picture looks like "this".

Sort or select or access effects based on their "transparency" requirements

Have a means to view/sort/limit use to effects that do/don't need transparency colour models. Or, have a way to be told that the effect needs a transparency colour model (user option to choose whether you want this warning).

This is helpful for people that do not have high powered PCs, or would like to keep things simple so they can work fast.

Firewire

Firewire IEEE1394 concurrent device input

Provide features for timing, relative levels, colour matching etc, for multiple concurrent firewire video and audio, and other analog captured live recordings.

Sound Capture from Fire wire Audio Devices

Cameras are not the only firewire devices. There are sound capture devcie and even 12, 16,18,24 track mixers that will output as each track as an independent ieee1394 track. Cinelerra and Lumiera could well be able to cope with these. What a great mix for your production?! Having more editing functions for audio would enable all the mixing desk functions to be available. So as well as gain, there can be High, Mid and Low tone controls, equaliser, all the sound plugin technologies, routing to external programs *(though I am not sure if that would maintain the tight timing as per within DV in Cinlerra/Lumiera.

Firewire IEEE1394 Management

Firewire routing manager (like jack video). Also control Output to firewire hardisk,or other channel which may be being used as input by another program.

Firewire Camera Management

Firewire cameras can have some of their settings controlled via firewire. There could be a toolbar in the viewer for a camera's track to control the camera.

Really handy to send the camera a white balance command, or control exposure/focus/mode etc.

There may even be some diagnostic features in firewire to keep your camera in good working order.

Live Video Mode

Live Mix Mode - "reverse polish clicks"

Video could be mixed live to an output file and/or stream. Similar to a radio station, there can be resources of clips to insert and overlays. Transitions can be effected fast by clicking on the transition mode which begins with the main signal as default (otherwise click the actual stream to be "changed from"), then click on the stream to be "changed to". any parameters of the transition could be made before it is called. The transition could be scheduled in line waiting to be manually triggered. Or it could be triggered by the time,or visually or audio event, or remote control (from assigned key).

There could be an option to record the output stream locally. Also an option to record the relevant tracks for "x" seconds before and after a transition call, so that post editing is possible to make a final copy with less chance of error. This approach saves having to record all tracks for all the time, which also prevents them from being mixed till only after the whole shoot has finished (which can take up a lot of hard disk space). The right hand side of the track timeline could show a condensed view of the order of the scheduled transitions. The time time would release them for moving to the left as their time for use advances. The transitions might be represented on the timeline as a vertical bar wide enough to show a picture of the size of the inset (on the line of the track used for the inset), the size of other tracks on the screen, and a very rough indication (appearance or icon) of other effects that get applied.

Catch events from many angles - action replay There could be a facility to keep a copy of each track (or groups of selected tracks) for "y" number of seconds/minutes after which it gets dumped. But there could also be an option to begin saving the last "y" seconds and what follows for "replay" or covering a significant event.--Tree2008-05-07 20:20:00 .

Piping Output to Streamers

The output could be piped to streamers, either to files, or to stdout. VLC may be handy to interface to, but there are many others.

Disable Routines and un-needed resources during live streaming

To keep reserve processor capacity and disk access, un-necessary parts of the program (which the user could have options to choose) could be disabled.

Reliability of stream starts at Lumiera

The configuration files of the streamers used could be backed up from within Lumiera (let it know where the original files are), so that if the programs get changed by external use, they can still be called up from Lumiera and run as per requirements.

Adding Fonts

Easy Fonts add and management. But also show the fonts manager where the normal system fonts are, and just let it know which ones it can use. Or import from system, or other software fonts folder

Proposals from a FCP user

Effects/filters and masks/alpha channels

Data analysis for motion stabilisation and more

my view: Video analysis is an area that is just starting and will be much more important in a couple of years time. There are many applications that can use image analysis data, even more than we can think of now. Some of these are identifying objects to quickly apply a color correction on an object, or to apply a smart background blur that simulates camera focus blur, or to make smart auto-color corrections and so on and so on. The quality and purposes of this will grow over time, but it is good to have this logically embedded in the workflow. Data analysis starts in the camera, for now only focus distance. Once imported more analysis can be applied in a way that many filters can use this. The first filters/effects to use this will probably be: motion stabilisation, image tracking and fluent slow motions.

Tiling

*sounds nice, I can imagine having unequally sized tiles. For example bottom right the image with filters (400x300pixels), top right a waveform monitor (400x75 pix), top left the image without filters(100x75 pix) and bottom left perhaps a vectorscope or clip info(100x300 pix).

Work Flow Manager

To Do list Percentage completed Expected time needed. expected completion time. what it depends on. Completed

Assign tasks on the track timeline. Whether they are touching up the picture. Effects. transitions. Awaiting further material.

user can select to display on the track time line the portions that are ;

Easy way to split up the tasks on a video. Quick way to find the most important parts to work on. Improve estimates of time to do work on something.

Can use any open source project management program as a plugin. Project management program would show how the project moves from concept stage, through to filming, through to drafting, through effects, titling, subtitling, and final runs. Improves not just product, but methods of making product. Not urgent for Lumiera, but certainly makes it very attractive for a "total operation" approach.

Undo Edit manager - becomes Macro Manager, and Wizard Generator

This is basically recording a script of all the edits made. This script could be used to extract repeated processes. These processes could then be made repeatable by a single click (with facility to customise some of the adjustments).

These processes could also be used for drive through demos, or tutorials, where the user can make their own adjustments, to the tutorial.

They could also use the same scripts to apply to their own tracks, acting like a wizard.

Users can share these macro/processes/tutorials/demos at the central web site.

a "Take" Manager

Sections of project can be copied, to try out other options. This can be done already, but it is not "managed" by the program. It is like clips, but all selected tracks would be included in the clip, and it could be referred to by another name (scene option/transition option/take n?).

Test playback of options, by choose lead in time and trailing time to check how well it blends in to the rest of the project. Loop play with the extra time at ends. Loop play all options to compare.

a Clip manager (videos)

Clips could be marked as per topic, section/scene of video to be used for, percentage the clip is finished, and a rating by the editor of the priority of including it. This section could be made very easy/simple to use. Just a clip manager mode.

Selecting clips can be done without knowledge of the rest of the program, so many more people can help out on this. Good for whittling down on the content.

This is where the non-"video techies" could pop in have a look and cast their vote. Directors, Clients, Managers etc can view and rate the clips. Comments can be attached, and some parameters can be evaluated. Parameters may even be customised by users. They might be interested in "did this make you feel happy, ok, sad?", "would you watch this again?", etc.

This builds director or manager oversight into the project, at an early stage.

If clips were available on the local network, then people can look at them in their own time, from elsewhere (freeing up Lumiera terminals), and make comments. Open Source polling systems could be used.

Use multiple play/viewers to compare in real time (with function to pause while inserts are being played on other tracks, and then start playing again when othe track catches up).

Clip Manager for Audio and Subtitles

Allows separate work to be done on "voice overs", effects, other languages, backing tracks, theme tunes, etc. Allows for clips to be linked together as sets. An example set might be the voice over in each of several languages. Each language automatically pasted into the audio tracj assigned to that language at the same point of insertion as all other languages. Voice overs can be in the same set as subtitles. Subtitles can also be handled in designated tracks like languages.

a "Manuscript, notes, and credit roll" Manager

Can be connected with processes in the subtitles manager.

Can be connected with processes in the Work Flow and Project Manager.

Can call up Open Source word processor, publisher, graphics for editing.

Can also manage credit rolls (which might be able to be automatically drafted in the first instance from the project management program and used to check that nobody gets left out).

a "Chapter/Scene collator/splitter" Manager

The project could be split up or collated the way chapters are done in word processors.

Each chapter could be rendered to what ever resolution is chosen by the work on that segment.

This rendering could be set to automatic (especially if it is low resolution pixels and frames), or at least done frequently.

All recent renders are available for playing (over network), so the current project can be viewed irrespective of each stages level of completion. Displays may even just be limited to "story board sketches" and script dialogue shown as subtitles (or scans of text as video).

Renda

"senda renda"

For projects that are working on separate networks, the projects can send a copy of their latest draft renders to each other, so each gets an update of what the total project would look like. In the case that it is known that the recipient already has the required raw data, then only the editing information is required, if the recipient is able to do the rendering themself.

"requesta renda"

If a user is working on another network with just a small pc, they could be working on draft resolution video (speed and size savings). They can send their edits (ie the script used for "undo") to a user with grunty machinery, who can then do the rendering either on the draft resolution video strips, or on the full resolution video. This has several benefits for application to working groups - use unused resources on a remote render farm, able to incorporate remote workers that don't have high powered PCs.

Transfer by email, shared web folder, shared folder on network, download from web site automatic or email initiated.

Edits(undo script) used as "white board" for net discussions

Synchronise or share edits/takes/scene options etc , used in conjunction with voice calls, or conference calls to effectively act as a white board.

--Tree2008-05-09 17:43:00.

Event Alert Manager

When a bulky render(batch) or other activity (e.g. in the production stages) is completed, an alert can be sent. When system performance decreases, or stops, a warning can be sent. Warnings and alerts can be any of sound made at local PC's sound card, email, txt message, insert on web page, task bar flashing icon, phone call (auto dialer then play recorded voice message), fax.

an Icon Manager

An icon manager would help the user assign story board sketches or scenes as icons for clips, takes, projects, etc. Sets of icons could also be created by users for sharing with users, to lighten up icons that represent clips, sounds, etc that get used for various stages and functions within projects. Icons could also be used to display various statuses on the track timeline.

across the board Resource Manager - also with "Null" data handling, and Templated Video Projects (more use of "undo" script).

The location where any resource gets used in a video is handy to know. For example, if an updated version of the video would require that item/object/resource to be changed. Currently the resource management handles "what" the resource is, and "where it comes from", but not "where it goes to". If a record is kept of the resource, its "topic"/"metadata", then the source, processes/procedure, and final result(destination) in the video project can be followed (again and again), and its location in the timeline of the current video can be found.

Using topic"/"metadata" information, it would also be possible to search for "related" resources and work on them. For example, branding features in a video might include certain scenes, overlays, audio, transition styles.

It could feature track and label "like" functions for pinpointing where abouts it goes in the project. Effects and transitions could even be assigned to the "null" data's position/end points.

A system that can manage resources this way, would also help the layout of the project and video timeline in trackview because it would enable the handling of "Null" data at the preliminary stage. The "Null" data can be replaced very easily and included as soon as it becomes available.

Also handy for making "templated" projects, by saving the processes that get applied to the null dat and attached to both ends.

Clip Editing

When a clip is made, and saved, it would be handy to be able to re-edit it later if needed. It could be possible to enlarge the clip to include video that was clipped off in an earlier version of the clip.

--Tree2008-05-16 17:36:00.

Meeting Processes - VoIP Multimedia

VoIP technology could be used for remote contributors. Ekiga, TeamSpeak and Linphone are possibilities and some do video conferencing. The oral discussion could also be transmitted live over IceCast, Shoutcast, Peer2peer, and be available for download. If the archives save the discussions by topic, then these can serve as reference resources. The audio files might ven be able to be send through voice to text recognition software for automatic transcription - saving time - great for keyword lookups.