Concept <---
Back
---> Processor
How To Use The
Introduction
The Converter is the file-processing part of Wildfire.
All settings which belong to the so-called converting may be selected
from inside the `Project` Page. These are mainly the in-and output and
some settings.
Converter Parts
The following sections belong to the converter:
- Input
Normally this is the first thing that you select. Here you specify
what you want to work on.
Wildfire looks for the number of frames that the
selected input has. It asks you if all the variables
and effect ranges should be resized to use the new number
of frames. This makes it possible to use the sessions that
are saved for example using 30 frames with 80 frames, too,
without changing anything by the user.
The same goes for the dimension of the input. If you (for example)
created a script for a 320x256 pixel sized image and you load
a 688x560 pixel sized image (or animation) as input then
Wildfire ask`s you if it should change all size dependent
settings and size dependend variables (!) concerning the new size.
Wildfire decides itself if the variables/settings are size
dependant.
Example
The width inside a scale operator is size dependent when you
selected insde the scale operator that the value is a pixel
value. So this variable/value will be scaled to fit the
new size of the image.
If you selected that this value/variable is in percent then
it is not scaled, of course!
- Animations
MPEG, QT, AVI, YAFA and IFF animations are supported
If you select an animation file then Wildfire recognizes
it and it catches the first image and it will be displayed.
Furtheron the number of frames will be checked and selected
as maximum frame value for this session. The image size of
the input will be checked too and the standard settings
will be changed.
- Picture List
As Input you can specify a list of pictures, too. If your
pictures are a sequence (image.0001, image.0002, ...)
then please use the `Image Sequence` as input.
The images may have different basenames and may be in
different directorys on your harddisk.
- Black Frames
If you want to create images yourself using Wildfire`s
special effects then you need no image as input. In this
case you can use this input. Here you can choose what
default size should be used (important for all the previews
and other program parts) and what number of frames should
be created. Wildfire create`s then black images of the
selected size.
- Image Sequence
Here you can specify image sequences which have the following
structure:
image.0001
image.0002
image.0003
....
image.9999
The only thing you have to enter is the basename of the
sequence (in the example case it would be image) and
that`s it. You can select the first image of the sequence,
too, if that`s easier for you.
JPEG, ILBM, PNG� PPM, EPS and datatype images are supported.
- Effects
Select what kind of effects do you want to use. Please read the
section about the effect processor
to get more informations.
- Linear
These are the `standard` effects known from the older versions.
Here the input gives the current frame inside the `STREAM` buffer
to the effect processor. There is a list of effects which will
be calculated from the top to the bottom and the image which
is at the end of the script inside the `STREAM` buffer will be
given to the output.
- Non Linear
This is the new effect part where you do not have to care about
the name of the buffers. Everything works with drag`n`drop.
The converter gives the current input image to the effect
processor. You see this input image in the upper right corner.
You can drag`n`drop it to the inputs of your effects. The output
of your effects may be connected with other effect inputs or
with the output image on the effect page which is situated in
the lower right corner. This image will be transferred to the
output of the converter.
- No Effects
Using this option you turn off the effects. So you have a
direct connection between the input and the output and the
only thing you can change is the format of the images.
- Output
Here you specify what should be done with the images that you get
from the effect processor or directly from the input.
- YAFA Animation
Create a YAFA Animation. You have to specify the name
of the animation. YAFA is our own animation format.
- IFF Animation
Create an IFF Animation. You have to specify the name
of the animation.
- MPEG Animation
Create an MPEG Animation. You have to specify the name
of the animation. MPEG I and MPEG II are supported.
- GIF Animation
Sorry, this was dropped some days before the release because
of too high copyright fees.
- Image Sequence
Create a sequence of images from the calculated images.
You have to specify the basename of the sequence and Wildfire
will add the current frame number from .0001 to .9999
Rendered (1 - 8 bit) and TrueColor (24 Bit) Images are
supported.
- Display Only
Do not save the results (NIL:). If you turn the preview
on then you can see what results you would get.
- Ranges
If you want to calculate only parts of the animations then this is
the gadget you are looking for. Wildfire`s ranges are very complex.
Please have a look at the bubble help!
- Input Range
Do not use all of the input images to create the animation.
Furtheron you can select the Transition Mode here and
specify the length of the transition!
- Output Range
Do not create all output images but only a part of it.
If you want for instance render images 250 to 299 of your session
then this is the right place for you.
- Preview
Here you can select what kind of preview should be used while
converting.
- No Preview
Display no preview at all to save some memory.
- Screen
Display the preview on a screen. You have to select
a your setup fitting screenmode.
- Window
Display a preview inside a window on your public screen.
If the output is deeper (has more colors) than your
screen then this is not possible. Wildfire will display
the preview on a screen in that case.
- Calculation
Finally we are here. Please save your session (use `Save` from
inside the menu) before you press on one of these buttons.
Here you can start the render process.
- Single Image
Calculate only one single image using the currently displayed
image inside the preview below the input and the currently
selected effect frame on the bottom of Wildfire`s window. If you
want to use the same input frame than the selected effect
frame, then mark the `Connect` gadget below the preview
of the input.
- Convert
Start to calculate the whole session from frame 1 to the
last frame. This may take some time...
- Render Preview
Here you can render a small version of your session.
You can specify the start-and the endframe and a skip
value that tells Wildfire how many frames it should
skip between the single frames.
Wildfire will use the size of the preview from inside
the effect page (normally 50%).
This is fast and gives you a good impression on how
the real result will look like.
- Test (lower right side of the window)
This function is the same like the single image button
but does not save the result. It only displays it using
the screen selected as preview-screen.
Concept <---
Back
---> Processor
�1998 WK-Artworks