 Tuna
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| Joined: 02 Mar 2005 |
| Total Posts: 47 |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 02 Mar 2005 10:58 PM |
Hello everyone. Long-time "lurker", first-time poster.
I've been waiting for someone to figure out a way to modify the titles and credits. I felt there had to be a way to do it with xml, but I hadn't thought about using Reshacker to look for it.
I extracted the xml's from the executable and have been playing with parameters. I sure hope rehan or one of you will post what you've learned about the various parameters before I waste too much time poking through them myself :-)
I thought I'd post the a couple of modified versions of the "credits: video left" credit animation. The first is basicly the same except the video is on the right. In the other one the video stays on the left, but "slides" over rather than compressing as in the standard version. I also tweaked the main banner a little on both versions, just to see what that did.
Thanks to everyone who contributes to the forums here. I am having a lot of fun both using and "tweaking" moviemaker (like I needed something else to take up my time . . .)
<TransitionsAndEffects Version="1.0">
<Titles>
<TitleDLL guid="{353359C1-39E1-491b-9951-464FD8AB071C}">
<Title name="Video Right" iconid="13" EffectID="{1C7F2C14-A1F3-4183-835F-398E234A6407}">
<Param name="InternalName" value="CreditStandard" />
<Param name="DescriptionID" value="62985" />
<Param name="CreditLineOverlap" value="0.68" />
<Param name="IsHeaderFullTime" value="true" />
<Param name="MainVideoRect" value="0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0" />
<Param name="OptimalDurationMultiplier" value="2.0" />
<Param name="MaxCharacterCount" value="24" />
<Paragraph>
<Param name="RenderOrder" value="RenderLast" />
<Param name="BannerType" value="RightFlood" />
<Param name="BoundingRect" value="0.26 0.1 0.8 0.1" />
<Param name="EntranceEffect" value="EffectFade" />
<Param name="EntranceDuration" value="1.0" />
<Param name="ExitEffect" value="EffectFade" />
<Param name="ExitDuration" value="1.0" />
<Param name="IsOneLine" value="true" />
<Param name="ForceCenterAlignment" value="true" />
</Paragraph>
<Paragraph>
<Param name="EntrancePosition" value="0.0 1.3" />
<Param name="ExitPosition" value="0.0 -0.3" />
<Param name="BoundingRect" value="0.25 0.2 1.0 0.25" />
<Param name="VerticalAlignment" value="Bottom" />
<Param name="FontSize" value="16.0" />
</Paragraph>
<Paragraph>
<Param name="EntrancePosition" value="0.0 1.3" />
<Param name="ExitPosition" value="0.0 -0.3" />
<Param name="BoundingRect" value="0.25 0.45 1.0 0.35" />
<Param name="VerticalAlignment" value="Top" />
<Param name="FontSize" value="25.0" />
</Paragraph>
</Title>
<Title name="Video Slide Left" iconid="13" EffectID="{1C7F2C14-A1F3-4183-835F-398E234A6407}">
<Param name="InternalName" value="CreditStandard" />
<Param name="DescriptionID" value="62985" />
<Param name="CreditLineOverlap" value="0.68" />
<Param name="IsHeaderFullTime" value="true" />
<Param name="MainVideoRect" value="-0.5 0.0 1.0 1.0" />
<Param name="OptimalDurationMultiplier" value="2.0" />
<Param name="MaxCharacterCount" value="24" />
<Paragraph>
<Param name="RenderOrder" value="RenderLast" />
<Param name="BannerType" value="LeftFlood" />
<Param name="BoundingRect" value="0.1 0.1 0.4 0.1" />
<Param name="EntranceEffect" value="EffectFade" />
<Param name="EntranceDuration" value="1.0" />
<Param name="ExitEffect" value="EffectFade" />
<Param name="ExitDuration" value="1.0" />
<Param name="IsOneLine" value="true" />
<Param name="ForceCenterAlignment" value="true" />
</Paragraph>
<Paragraph>
<Param name="EntrancePosition" value="0.5 1.3" />
<Param name="ExitPosition" value="0.5 -0.3" />
<Param name="BoundingRect" value="0.5 0.2 0.4 0.25" />
<Param name="VerticalAlignment" value="Bottom" />
<Param name="FontSize" value="16.0" />
</Paragraph>
<Paragraph>
<Param name="EntrancePosition" value="0.5 1.3" />
<Param name="ExitPosition" value="0.5 -0.3" />
<Param name="BoundingRect" value="0.5 0.45 0.4 0.35" />
<Param name="VerticalAlignment" value="Top" />
<Param name="FontSize" value="25.0" />
</Paragraph>
</Title>
</TitleDLL>
</Titles>
</TransitionsAndEffects>
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glow
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| Joined: 17 Jan 2005 |
| Total Posts: 1344 |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 03 Mar 2005 01:59 AM |
Hi Tuna, welcome to the MM tragics forum
I'm glad you've found the Reshacker tip useful.
I originally only started using it to create customised bitmaps because I found that using Visual Studio was overkill. As you've seen there are other uses.
I was going to upload the XML for the existing titles with matching English names and Descriptions but I'll now hold off since Rehan has volunteered to write an article.
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I use Firefox+Greasemonkey scripts for easier editing of forum posts, FAQs and displaying embedded images  |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 03 Mar 2005 11:23 AM |
| Another point that has popped up into my mind is the legal status of all this undocumented stuff. Obviosuly none of us should be drawing attention of MS's legal folks. |
www.rehanfx.org - do more with Windows Movie Maker...
rehanfx.x10hosting.com - mirror site |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 03 Mar 2005 03:02 PM |
Pegson's website is now showcased on the Online > Forums page of my website....
lot's of luck with it. |
... my website isn't here... it's at www.papajohn.org
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FJK
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| Joined: 21 Feb 2005 |
| Total Posts: 10 |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 04 Mar 2005 04:11 PM |
Hi all, I am new to "hacking", but I downloaded Resource Hacker and saved the RT_XML TITLES1 and TITLEs 2 to a number of Data_x.bin files.
Does anyone know which one corresponds to the style of "Fade, Slow Zoom" under the one line titling options? I want to position the text a bit lower in my movie.
Thanks a lot!
FJK |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 04 Mar 2005 11:57 PM |
Welcome to hacking :-)
Look for nameID="62913" in the first file. Btw, I am working on this article which should answer most of your questions. For all those waiting... please be patient. Give me this weekend. |
www.rehanfx.org - do more with Windows Movie Maker...
rehanfx.x10hosting.com - mirror site |
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FJK
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| Joined: 21 Feb 2005 |
| Total Posts: 10 |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 05 Mar 2005 07:45 PM |
As always, thanks for your timely help.
PS, I figured out a solution to my other probelm (recall the AVI losing 6 seconds). Once I exported the uncompressed WMV (your fix) from WMM2 I was able to get them into TMPEnc 3.0 and save it Video only to MPG2 video; then on the second pass in TMPEnc I added the WAV music files;the result was 13 DVD compliant slideshow movies with perfectly synched audio.
Thanks again to you and PapaJohn. |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 07 Mar 2005 08:26 AM |
I thought I posted it earlier but it is not there...
The draft version of promised article is now online at my site. Please review and post feedback. Thanks in advance. |
www.rehanfx.org - do more with Windows Movie Maker...
rehanfx.x10hosting.com - mirror site |
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FJK
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| Joined: 21 Feb 2005 |
| Total Posts: 10 |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 07 Mar 2005 12:17 PM |
| Thanks Rehan, In about 15 minutes I was up and running. Thanks for the detailed help! |
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glow
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| Joined: 17 Jan 2005 |
| Total Posts: 1344 |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 07 Mar 2005 06:36 PM |
Hi Rehan
Well this is my 100th post and in cracking the ton I have to raise my bat to you.
You've done a great job!
I've been reading your earlier posts and notice that you've been harbouring this "secret" for almost a year and just teasing the forum. Glad you've finally spilled the beans :-)
Here are my comments
a) I'm glad you explained the optional EffectID - no wonder WMM is confused.
Perhaps I should correct the few samples I had already posted?
b) Did you ever find out how to use the Effects which were not already used?
I could only work out EffectMultiFirstLetter - this was an obvious variation on EffectMulti which just displayed the first letter in big letters in th background instead of the whole text.
EffectOverzoom and EffectSpotlight sounded interesting but I couldn't get them to work.
I didn't try EffectBlur.
You might like to mention that EffectNone can be used to get the opening title to appear in the Windows Explorer thumbnail as discussed in
http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=12292
c) Perhaps explain mechanisms for commenting the XML which would encourage people posting to insert comments.
<!-- this is a comment -->
or <Param ... comment="This is a comment">
d) Perhaps explain that the XML is case-sensitive e.g. I've found that "<title ..." is not recognised.
e) LogoBitmapFilename
As well as bmp/png you can also have jpg or gif (in particular transparent gifs for irregular logos). From what I tried, unfortunately animated GIFs didn't work.
When I posted the logo example I tried using the full path name but it didn't seem to work unless I put it in the Move Maker\Shared directory.
f) Thanks for honourable mention with the logo example.
I didn't quite understand your remark about the transparency of the bitmap.
I had a GIF where the background colour was transparent.
So when I added it to the movie, indeed the background was not shown but the main graphic of the logo was still opaque. I was trying to achieve a semi-transparent watermark where the video would partly show through the graphic like you can do by adjusting the transparency of the text in MM. The transparency setting didn't seem to apply to the graphic, only the text.
g) The web page wasn't so printer friendly and didn't print so well on A4 Portrait - I had to go landscape.
h) CNN Style Ticker Tape
"Instructions to use this xml" appear overlapped with the XML when viewed in Firefox (ok in Internet Explorer)
Just a few typos...
i) Background
"kept quite" "kept quiet"
j) InternalName - you left out CreditsStandard in the textual description (it is in the table)
k) "Values for Entrance/Main/Exit phases"
"any of the phase" -> "any of the phases"
"duration of title" -> "duration of the title"
l) Child node: Param
"Table X?"
m) Parameters Table
Description for ReverseAlignment is in the row for ShadowColor
n) Parameters Table
Description
"second row" -> "second column"
o) LogoRect
"bimtap." -> "bitmap"
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I use Firefox+Greasemonkey scripts for easier editing of forum posts, FAQs and displaying embedded images |
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dlk
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| Joined: 11 Sep 2004 |
| Total Posts: 2026 |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 07 Mar 2005 08:32 PM |
Glow,
I guess you just have to start with a semi-transparent
image, or at least I know that works.
Here is a sample of a border that was created
with 50% opacity.
opacity50
As I look at it now, it's not so obvious. But the border
looks purple with the red background, and baby blue
with the white background
I might try another with less opacity, but then the
border won't show up as well.
Anyway...this is all great stuff!
I have been bugging Rehan for a while to find a way
to import transparent PNG files. When I read his
document this morning, I figured he made a point in
mentioning that transparency stuff just for me.
(to shut me up!)
later
dlk
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glow
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| Joined: 17 Jan 2005 |
| Total Posts: 1344 |
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dlk
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| Joined: 11 Sep 2004 |
| Total Posts: 2026 |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 07 Mar 2005 09:06 PM |
Glow,
The same would be true of transparent GIF files(I do believe)
I am not much of an expert on this though.
I added a 2nd clip on the link above...that shows what is
supposed to be a pane of glass. Needs work. Anyway, that
one has 20% opacity.
I think you guys have opened up some great possibilities here.
thanks again
dlk
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 07 Mar 2005 10:11 PM |
Guys thanks a lot for your suggestions. Much appreciated.
Glow, here are some answers:
a. EffectIDs can be generated like any other GUID using visual studio guidgen also available from MSDN
b. I have reported all Effect names i found for the completeness sake. I found them buried in the executable... (had to look other than the resources). We will see if somebody finds any use for these.
c&d Noted the suggestions. Good idea.
e. You are right about the path. I think it is always relative to the "shared" folder. So a path like
<Param name="LogoBitmapFilename" value="..\..\..\Temp\me2.png"/>
seems to work.
f. As mentioned by dlk, the png's allow you to cook in an alpha channel besides red, green and blue. Play with transparency stuff in Photoshop or PaintShopPro.
g. I will provide a word document at some point once the text of the document becomes stable.
All the other corrections are noted and hopefully will be incorporated soon. Thanks a lot.
dlk, yes I did think about your wish for transparency while typing those lines. Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for. It can come true rather quickly :-) |
www.rehanfx.org - do more with Windows Movie Maker...
rehanfx.x10hosting.com - mirror site |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 07 Mar 2005 11:32 PM |
| When you save a picture in IrfanView to PNG, it lets you pick the color to use for the transparacy on the way toward saving... |
... my website isn't here... it's at www.papajohn.org
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 08 Mar 2005 04:41 PM |
| Papajohn, Yes the color-key transparency is all well and good. But png and tiff files would allow much finer level of transparency via alpha channels. Essentially you can specify a per pixel level of transparency from 0 (transparent) to 255 (opaque) exactly how each pixel in the image is blended with the pixel from the background. This is not possible via any other means in movie maker. |
www.rehanfx.org - do more with Windows Movie Maker...
rehanfx.x10hosting.com - mirror site |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 11 Mar 2005 01:07 AM |
Looks like some of you have been having fun with MovieMaker :-).
As you can see we didn't really go to any lengths to hide any of this stuff but it's totally undocumented and I don't see us having the bandwidth to document it at this stage. So I should point out that of course this is all unsupported and subject to change in a future version. Having said that though if you do have questions, I will attempt to answer them (though I offer no guarantees )
Cheers
Dean Rowe
(Development Lead, Windows Movie Maker, Microsoft, for those that don't know) |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 11 Mar 2005 01:27 AM |
Hi Dean,
Welcome to the forum.... there is one item you can help us understand.
The trouble-shooting section of the Microsoft MM2.1 FAQ page includes this:
"The video transitions and effects already in Windows Movie Maker are based on DirectShow. However, Windows Movie Maker will quit unexpectedly if more than 100 DirectShow video transitions or video effects are installed on your computer. If video programs that contain additional DirectShow video transitions and video effects are installed on your computer, this may exceed the allowable amount.
Programs that install additional DirectShow video transitions and video effects include Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition, Windows Movie Maker 2 Winter Fun Pack 2003, Pixelan SpiceFX Packs for Windows Movie Maker, and InterVideo WinDVD Creator 2."
As we add more and more custom effects, transitions and now text effects, how do we determine when we reach that limit of 100? I'd like to encourage more and more, but be able to help when the overload point is reached.... but I don't know what to count and how.
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... my website isn't here... it's at www.papajohn.org
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 11 Mar 2005 01:43 AM |
Yes, unfortunately this is a bug in a Direct Show component that is used by Movie Maker. This easiest way to see if you've hit it, is to run Movie Maker and see if it crashes on start up :-).
Unfortunately I don't think it's a straightfoward as counting the number of transitions and effects registered as there is some caching going on in another part of the registry if my memory serves which can affect the actual point when it crashes.
I will however make sure we look at this before the next release so we can make sure we at least fix or work around it.
Cheers
Dean. |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 11 Mar 2005 01:47 AM |
I tallied my transitions and effects the other day and saw that I had over 680 of them, and Movie Maker is working fine...
Pixelan told me they read the limit such that all of their packages combined are using only a couple of the 100...
So crashing on startup is the way to count - one crash equals over 100 :)
I think users can accept whatever limitations there are, if we knew what they were and in the case of absolute limits how to count.... |
... my website isn't here... it's at www.papajohn.org
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 11 Mar 2005 01:59 AM |
Yes as I said I don't think it's a simple count of number of transitions and effects installed. I'll see if I can look into the bug when I get a chance and see if I can determine the exact circumstances which cause the problem.
Cheers
Dean. |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 11 Mar 2005 06:21 PM |
Dean, welcome to the forums. It feels really great to have you with us. Now let me get my long list of questions... :-)
First kindly review the custom titles & credits article, and please provide some feedback or atleast point out if you find something completely off the mark.
Other questions:
1. Is it also possible to write plugins (DLL) for titles & credits similar to custom effects?
2. Any hint if the AutoMovie can be extended/customized
3. Any way to edit the project file directly (for global search and replace operations)
4. The old reverse video quesiton: is it possible soemhow to do it within MM?
5. ... (many more later  )
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www.rehanfx.org - do more with Windows Movie Maker...
rehanfx.x10hosting.com - mirror site |
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glow
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| Joined: 17 Jan 2005 |
| Total Posts: 1344 |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 12 Mar 2005 05:46 AM |
Rehan
Just a couple of minor typos:
Background
"an year" -> "a year"
Attributes of Title Element
iconid "custom tile" -> "custom title"
InternalName "CreditsStandard" -> "CreditStandard"
Parameters Table
Entrance Duration "One can define" is incomplete
ForceCenterAlignment " Over rides any other implcit" -> "Overrides any other implicit"
InternalName "CreditsStandard" -> "CreditStandard"
LogoBitmapFilename "C:\Movie Maker\Shared" -> "C:\Program Files\Movie Maker\Shared"
MainEffect default "EffectNode" -> "EffectNone"
RenderOrder "iamges" -> "images"
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I use Firefox+Greasemonkey scripts for easier editing of forum posts, FAQs and displaying embedded images |
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Re: Can you use an XML file to alter in-built titles ?
Posted: 12 Mar 2005 08:16 PM |
I had a quick read through your article. I didn't actually go through the description of each parameter but I didn't see any obvious errors. Looks like you spent quite a bit of time looking at it.
The only thing I should point out again is that I don't know who PapaJohn spoke to originally at Microsoft about this but I don't think there was a deliberate effort to stay quiet about this. We just haven't had the bandwidth to document this and if we did document it then people would expect it to be officially supported which it isn't, so everything about it today is liable to change in a future version.
1. I haven't tried it, but I don't see an obvious reason why it wouldn't work.
2. I wasn't involved in the AutoMovie code so I really don't know if there is a way of extending this externally.
3. Not really. We have checksums in place to prevent this kind of thing. If we allowed people to edit the project file directly it would be a nightmare support scenario.
4. Not really as I mentioned on my previous blog post, effects get the frames in order from the timeline so it won't know the last frame of the clip until the effect is finished. I guess you could write an effect that caches each input frame that it gets the first time through and then plays the in reverse the second time you preview, but that wouldn't create a very reliable publishing experience :-).
5. Can't wait :-)
Cheers
Dean |
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