Preview mode

The preview mode is the main mode of the View window and is set by default. In this mode you can preview the underlay footage together with current work results — superimposed overlay and/or mask warped by computed transformations.

Previewing can be done at any time, in parallel with computational process.

The image in the preview mode is composed from four layers: background, underlay, overlay and mask. The overlay layer usually has an alpha channel. The mask is displayed as a colored region of masked pixels on a transparent background. Additional overall transparency can be added to the overlay and mask layers.

Previewing mask and overlay

PatchMaker generates images of transformed overlay and mask only in those frames where they make sense. In the figure below a sample arrangement of an overlay and several segments in the Trackline panel is shown:

  

See also:

Trackline
panel

 

Region
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
Mask image        
Overlay image      

- Overlay is displayed untransformed

  

When
the mask
is displayed?

The mask is visible inside those intervals that are covered by one or more segments — C and E - I. The intervals A, D, and J are not covered by any segment. In the interval E the data layer for the segment [2] is empty (it is colored in light-yellow) and the transformations are extrapolated, in the interval B the transformations are available, but have been truncated by the back end of the segment [1] and are not included in the composition.

In the interval F, the segments [2] and [3] overlap. The data layer of the uppermost segment in the current frame which "overlaps" the layers of lower segments will be used for overlay transformation (here, the layer [3] overlaps the layer [2]). Mask display depends on current selection:

  • If no segments are selected, the mask displayed will be the mask of the uppermost segment in the interval ([3]).

  • If a segment is selected (marked with rugged texture), then for the interval where its data layer spans, its data will be used to display and transform the mask.

  

When
the overlay
is displayed?

The overlay is displayed in all frames where the overlay layer is present, according to its arrangement in the overlay line of the Trackline panel. For example, in the intervals A, I è J the overlay footage is absent, or was truncated by trimming.

The transformations are not always applied to the overlay. The overlay is transformed only inside that continuous interval which includes the position of the match frame marker [4] (such interval is displayed on the overlay layer with dark green color). It is the interval E - H on the figure.

display Settings

  

See also:

Display Mode
panel

To adjust the composition display during previewing, you can set up the following parameters:

  • Background color (menu Display|Background Color)

  • Underlay: on/off (menu Display|Underlay)

  • Overlay:

    • On/off (menu Display|Overlay)

    • Opacity (menu Display|Overlay Opacity)

  • Mask:

    • On/Off (menu Display|Mask)

    • Color (menu Display|Mask Color)

    • Opacity (menu Display|Mask Opacity)

    • Inversion (menu Display|Inverse Mask)

All listed parameters are available also in the Display Mode panel.

  • Interpolation method: Nearest Neighbour/Bilinear (menu Display|Interpolation)

    The Nearest Neighbour method is coarser and faster, the Bilinear method is finer and slower.

Playback

  

See also:

Time Controls
panel

The playback commands serve for composition playback, moving through the frames, and watching the computation process.

Command Keystroke Description
First Frame HOME Go to the beginning of the composition
Last Frame END Go to the end of the composition
Work Area Start SHIFT+HOME Go to the beginning of the work area
Work Area End SHIFT+END Go to the end of the work area
Next Frame PAGE DOWN or CTRL+ Go to next frame
Previous Frame PAGE UP or CTRL+ Go to previous frame
Play Forward SPACE or 0(num) Play the composition in forward direction
Play Backward ALT+SPACE Play the composition in backward direction
Pause SPACE or 0(num) Stop the playback
Follow   Start watching the tracking process
Loop   Turn on/off the Loop mode

All playback commands are available in the Time menu, the most of them are also in the Time Controls panel.

When you preview the composition by using the Play Forward / Play Backward commands, the frame range for playback is determined by the current work area.

  

Follow

The feature of watching the computation process displays each computed frame as soon as it gets done facilitating the user to control visually the tracking quality during computation.

When the Auto Follow option is checked, the Follow mode is switched automatically on each time the user starts processing a new segment.

  

Loop

The Loop mode determines the interaction between the current frame of the playback and the bounds of the work area. If the Loop mode is on, when the last frame of the sequence is reached, the playback proceeds with the first frame (when playing backwards, the vice versa). If the Loop mode is off, when a boundary frame is reached (the first or the last), the playback flips its direction.

  

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