Possible to lock a png layer in a fixed position?

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Possible to lock a png layer in a fixed position?

Postby pacino8591 » Tue Dec 02, 2014 2:55 am

Hi all,

I'm a real newbie to PSG and have a burning question for which I couldn't find the answer on this forum, unless I've looked in the wrong place. If so, please be so kind to point me in the right direction :)

I have this video slide where I added a png file (arrow) as extra layer. In the 'effects' option I positioned the starting and ending position. So far so good. My problem is that when this slide plays, my arrow goes all over the screen only to end up again in the right position when the slide finishes playing. My question is whether it is possible to create a fixed, locked location for my arrow so it keeps pointing to where I want it to for the entire duration of this particular slide.

Thanks in advance!

Paul
(Belgium)

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Re: Possible to lock a png layer in a fixed position?

Postby debngar » Tue Dec 02, 2014 6:55 am

If you're using ProShow Gold, the arrow can only do two things with regard to position during the slide time. It can either stand still the entire time, or move to one other place. This is because Gold only has a start and end position in a slide and no ability to add more key frames for more movement possibilities during slide time, like Producer.

If you're using ProShow Producer (and mistakenly posted in the Gold section) then there may be more than two key frames inserted in the slide and the object may have been moved here and there during editing in the key frames. Sometimes they can accidentally be added with a click in the wrong place during editing.

You could just try with a fresh slide, insert the video, then your arrow, position it start and finish and see how that goes then remove the old slide.

Check position settings in all key frames to be sure they're the same if the arrow is to be static. If it needs to follow something on the screen, it will have to be placed manually (grab it) to get it in the ending position. Another way to move it is to change the numbers in the position settings (x/y) boxes with the keyboard.
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Re: Possible to lock a png layer in a fixed position?

Postby pacino8591 » Wed Dec 03, 2014 4:32 am

Thank very much for explaining Debbie! I'm on PS Gold so limited in my options. It is either reconsidering to switch to Producer or live with it's limitations. For the moment I will add a still with an arrow pointing towards my subject. Not the same effect, but better as nothing.

Thanks again.

Kind regards,

Paul

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Re: Possible to lock a png layer in a fixed position?

Postby gpsmikey » Wed Dec 03, 2014 7:50 am

There is something else going on here - in Gold, you can only define a start and end position for things - if it is wandering around on the screen during that time, there is something strange going on - it should not be doing that. I don't have Gold here (I have Producer) so I can't easily experiment, but since you are out of the country (so the 800 number is out), drop Photodex a note - they are usually pretty good about responding to people with issues. Hopefully, someone else here has some ideas. Try creating a very simple show with just a couple of slides and your png - see if you still have the same problem.

mikey
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Re: Possible to lock a png layer in a fixed position?

Postby pacino8591 » Wed Dec 03, 2014 7:58 am

Maybe I should rephrase my issue to be correct. The arrow is not wandering around the screen, as you can indeed keep it in a certain starting/end position. It's the moving video sequences which make it look my arrow travels just about everywhere :wink:

I did contacted Photodex and they asked me to send the entire show to them. This appeared to be so difficult and time consuming, that I decided to find the answer somewhere else.

Thanks for your input Mikey.

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Re: Possible to lock a png layer in a fixed position?

Postby gpsmikey » Wed Dec 03, 2014 8:06 am

OK, so the arrow is staying stationary - what you apparently want is for the arrow to lock to something on the video that is moving around. Two ways I know of to do that - one requires Producer where you can keyframe the arrow locations so it seems to track the point of interest, the other requires a video editor with a motion tracking plugin (they use things like that to "add" a sign to the side of a moving truck in a video for example when the actual truck didn't have anything on it. Obviously the easiest is Producer where you could keyframe the arrow position so it "tracks" your point of interest. Depending on how the video looks and what you want, I guess you could also stabilize the video in a video editor so your point of interest stayed relatively stationary.

mikey
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Re: Possible to lock a png layer in a fixed position?

Postby debngar » Wed Dec 03, 2014 8:14 am

pacino8591 wrote:Maybe I should rephrase my issue to be correct. The arrow is not wandering around the screen, as you can indeed keep it in a certain starting/end position. It's the moving video sequences which make it look my arrow travels just about everywhere :wink:

I did contacted Photodex and they asked me to send the entire show to them. This appeared to be so difficult and time consuming, that I decided to find the answer somewhere else.

Thanks for your input Mikey.


No point to send to Photodex as it can't be done with Gold. It might be able to be done using multiple keyframe movement with Producer. You can download a free trial to check test it.

Or, rethink the purpose of the arrow and try another solution. Could be just pointing momentarily to the place and then having it disappear during the rest of the clip might suffice by reducing opacity. But that has to be done in Producer using keyfrsmes.

Or, take a still screen shot of the opening scene, point out the subject in one slide, then run the clip in the next slide without an arrow. That could be done with Gold.
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Re: Possible to lock a png layer in a fixed position?

Postby pacino8591 » Wed Dec 03, 2014 2:34 pm

Both Debbie en Mikey thanks for your suggestions!

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