Global Transition Duration

[drufus2002]

I am wondering if there is a way to set the default transition duration. If one, for instance, chooses a given transition theme, and then tries to globally change the duration of all existing transactions, it switches all transitions to a single transition (it does, however, change the duration globally). I want to be able to simply set a default duration irregardless of what transitions are being used. The default has to be buried in a file someplace but I can't find it.

 

Thanks...............

[Merv]

I am wondering if there is a way to set the default transition duration. If one, for instance, chooses a given transition theme, and then tries to globally change the duration of all existing transactions, it switches all transitions to a single transition (it does, however, change the duration globally). I want to be able to simply set a default duration irregardless of what transitions are being used. The default has to be buried in a file someplace but I can't find it.

 

Thanks...............

 

Unfortunately, changing the transition duration for all transitions also changes the transitions, as you have described. I know of no way to change the duration globally without changing the transitions. Although slow, you can change the duration one at a time.

 

Sorry

[Michel Daoust]

I do not remember who gave this tip but it's work at lest in EMC 9. Change the first transition and after click on it with the right button of the mouse and go to change duration, select the duration you want and click on apply to all. This will change the duration of all transitions without changing them

[REDWAGON]

When you're using EMC 9 that will work fine but for some reason EMC 10 will not do the same thing. Maybe in a future EMC versioon they will get back to the way it works in EMC 9 !! So if using EMC 10, you will have to do one at a time as suggested by Merv.

 

Frank...

[drufus2002]

Unfortunately, changing the transition duration for all transitions also changes the transitions, as you have described. I know of no way to change the duration globally without changing the transitions. Although slow, you can change the duration one at a time.

 

Sorry

 

I tried the suggestion but, I guess, they 'fixed' it. This program does not like doing stuff to multiple things at the same time. Transitions is one and the other is background music (setting the volume - can't make multiple choices)

 

[carakiz]

Hi guys,

I've read so many posts stating that it is not possible to change default duration of transitions :-(

I am not a computer expert, but I was wondering if the default duration value could be stored in a xhtml or any other easily accesible file that could be changed manually...

I've been searching within the c:\program files\roxio folders but couldn't find it.

Does any of you know if it could be possible and if so what file to modify and what change to do in it?

 

Many thanks in advance

 

carakiz

 

PS. since this is a quite old bug... Isn't Roxio releasing a patch or sw upgrade for fixing it?!?! I tried the sw upgrade tool but it says that there is no update available

[Jim_Hardin]

You misread the posts…

 

You can change the duration of transitions. However if you use the change all button, it changes all but replaces all of the transitions with the one you are editing!

 

If you are using the same throughout, great!

 

If not, you will not be a happy camper. In VW the project files are dmsm and default to the My Documents location.

 

[carakiz]

Hi Jim,

 

Thanks so much for your quick reply...

 

Maybe you misunderstood my post :-) and sorry for my bad English...

 

According to all the previous posts, it is clear to me that it is possible to change the duration of all the transitions... but also modifying all of them to the same particular transition... obviously, that isn't what I do want... I want to keep the random set, but having all of the transition with a different duration

 

As you know, if you use the random transition set, the default duration is set to 1 second...

If you use the Pot Luck set, the default duration is 0.74 seconds (or whatever, I can't remember right now)

 

And what I was wondering is if it is possible to change somehow this duration modifying a "roxio system file" or similar...

In other programs, I've noticed there is a "default.ini" or "settings.ini" that are xhtml files where you can easily modify some default values for the initialisation of the program...

 

I don't know if now it is a bit more clear...

 

All in all, I don't want to change the duration of all the transitions once a projet is open, but to set the default value for the "Random" set of transitions to whatever value you want... Let's say, have random transitions with a duration of 2 seconds...

 

Many thanks for your help!!

 

cheers

 

carakiz

[Jim_Hardin]

I understood you and told you where the dmsm file is normally located.

 

If you want to experiment with editing this file and report your results, I am sure all would appreciate that.

 

[who are you]

Hi guys,

I've read so many posts stating that it is not possible to change default duration of transitions :-(

I am not a computer expert, but I was wondering if the default duration value could be stored in a xhtml or any other easily accesible file that could be changed manually...

I've been searching within the c:\program files\roxio folders but couldn't find it.

Does any of you know if it could be possible and if so what file to modify and what change to do in it?

All in all, I don't want to change the duration of all the transitions once a projet is open, but to set the default value for the "Random" set of transitions to whatever value you want... Let's say, have random transitions with a duration of 2 seconds...

If I read this correctly, you want to change the default duration for "Random". In ProgramData>Roxio>VideoWave10>Plugins there is an xml file "TransitionStyles.xml". Doing a search for "Random" in this file turns up a Style with "TransStyleNames.Random". Under that are 10 entries for "Transition Name=Random style 1" through "Transition Name=Random style 10". Each of these have a "<duration dt:dt="r4">1.0</duration>" entry.

 

I have not tried changing these values, but you might want to try changing them to see if you can accomplish what you desire. 1) you do this at your own risk, 2) might want to make a backup copy of this file before messing with it, 3) this appears to be where the duration is set since the Pot Luck one is set at .75 which agrees with another statement you made.

 

edit: you can open the file with Notepad. If you need any help, send me a PM and we can step through process with PMs rather than through this forum. If you try this, please report back with the results

edit 2: I had a chance to try this out, set default to 5.0 for all 10 items. Opened EMC, made new production, added random transistion style, results: transitions were 5 seconds, not 1 second. It appears this works for the DEFAULT value for the application. If you meant one production, then the "dmsm" file that James provided would be the one to look at, I have never looked into a "dmsm" file so no ideal if it can be edited. However, when you said "default" in both your first and second posts, I took that mean exactly that - the default value for the application. If you try this, 1) shut EMC down, 2) make the change, and 3) save the file. If you are using Vista, item 3 causes a small issue due to UAC. I had to save file to another location, then copy it to the appropriate folder at which point I was prompted for admin approval which I gave.

edit 3: I made changes to xml file before I made the new production and added "random" transition style. No ideal if it would work on an existing production. Might have to re-apply the transition style after changing the xml file. Also no ideal how existing production would be affected - original duration or new duration. Something you would have to paly around with to see.

[carakiz]

If I read this correctly, you want to change the default duration for "Random". In ProgramData>Roxio>VideoWave10>Plugins there is an xml file "TransitionStyles.xml". Doing a search for "Random" in this file turns up a Style with "TransStyleNames.Random". Under that are 10 entries for "Transition Name=Random style 1" through "Transition Name=Random style 10". Each of these have a "<duration dt:dt="r4">1.0</duration>" entry.

 

I have not tried changing these values, but you might want to try changing them to see if you can accomplish what you desire. 1) you do this at your own risk, 2) might want to make a backup copy of this file before messing with it, 3) this appears to be where the duration is set since the Pot Luck one is set at .75 which agrees with another statement you made.

 

edit: you can open the file with Notepad. If you need any help, send me a PM and we can step through process with PMs rather than through this forum. If you try this, please report back with the results

 

Hi "who are you",

 

many thanks for your great help!! that was exactly what I was looking for!!

I didn't find it myself because I was only searching in "\program files" folder, but I forgot to take a look at "documents & settings" folder...

 

I have modified the xml file you suggested and it works!!

 

What I have done is the following:

1. make a backup copy of TransitionStyles.xml (just in case)

2. open the file with notepad (or whatever text editor)

3. modify the entry "<duration dt:dt="r4">1.0</duration>" replacing " 1.0 string with 2.0 for all the ten "Transition Name=Random style xx" entries (that is, I've replace in total ten values)

4. save changes

5. open Roxio, use the Random transition theme and... voilà!! it works!!

 

I have also done the same for the "pot luck" set and it also works!!

And for each of the "Random style" you can set a particular default value for that kind of transition (eg. when using the random set, all dissolve transitions set to 2 seconds, but the rest set to 1.5)

 

Finally, I've tried to modify the set of transitions itself and it also worked.

For instance, I don't like the Dissolve transition, so I just removed it from the xml file (everything between <transition Name="Random style 1"> and the next </transition> label...

That way, when using the Random theme, I will not have any Dissolve transition.

 

I haven't tried to add more transition to the Random set, but I guess it will also work.

 

What I am doing now is, based on Pot Luck theme (many more transitions than random), I am adjusting each kind of transition to the duration I like the most and removing those I don't like, so I will have a proper and customised template.

 

I hope this help to the rest.

 

One more time, many thanks "who are you"!!!

 

cheers

 

carakiz

 

PS. as perfectly stated by "who are you", it is not a recommended option for using the software. If someone wants to try this out, do it at your own risk. The program may crash.

[who are you]

Hi "who are you",

 

many thanks for your great help!! that was exactly what I was looking for!!

I didn't find it myself because I was only searching in "\program files" folder, but I forgot to take a look at "documents & settings" folder...

 

I have modified the xml file you suggested and it works!!

 

What I have done is the following:

1. make a backup copy of TransitionStyles.xml (just in case)

2. open the file with notepad (or whatever text editor)

3. modify the entry "<duration dt:dt="r4">1.0</duration>" replacing " 1.0 string with 2.0 for all the ten "Transition Name=Random style xx" entries (that is, I've replace in total ten values)

4. save changes

5. open Roxio, use the Random transition theme and... voilà!! it works!!

 

I have also done the same for the "pot luck" set and it also works!!

And for each of the "Random style" you can set a particular default value for that kind of transition (eg. when using the random set, all dissolve transitions set to 2 seconds, but the rest set to 1.5)

 

Finally, I've tried to modify the set of transitions itself and it also worked.

For instance, I don't like the Dissolve transition, so I just removed it from the xml file (everything between <transition Name="Random style 1"> and the next </transition> label...

That way, when using the Random theme, I will not have any Dissolve transition.

 

I haven't tried to add more transition to the Random set, but I guess it will also work.

 

What I am doing now is, based on Pot Luck theme (many more transitions than random), I am adjusting each kind of transition to the duration I like the most and removing those I don't like, so I will have a proper and customised template.

 

I hope this help to the rest.

 

One more time, many thanks "who are you"!!!

 

cheers

 

carakiz

 

PS. as perfectly stated by "who are you", it is not a recommended option for using the software. If someone wants to try this out, do it at your own risk. The program may crash.

Thanks for your followup.

 

I was adding "edit 3" to my original post when you replied. As stated in edit 3, I have no ideal how existing production would be affected by such changes. I do not know if existing productions automatically will pickup your changes or if the changes will be picked up only if you re-apply the modified style. The "dsms" file MIGHT store the production "as is". Again before you go too far, might want to play around and see how existing productions are affected and report back how they were affected.

 

edit: suggestion, rather than removing everything between transiton name tags, I would keep a continous sequential series going from "Random 1" through "Random nn" rather than leaving gaps in the series values. Use cut, copy, paste to move undesired ones to end and rename all of them keeping in sequence 1 through nn or replace the undesired transition(s) with one(s) you like. When I was programming (retired Senior Software Engineer) I did it both ways, i.e., simply take first item and apply it first (in which case what you did should cause no problem), other times I would look for item named "something1" apply it first, then "something2" and apply it second, etc.(this would cause problems the way you did it - if random is really random, not a psuedo random, then programmers might be randomly generating numbers 1 through 10, concatanating to "Random" and looking for that value. By removing "Random 1", if proper error handling is not present, would probably crash/bomb out when "1" was the random number). Not knowing the programmers style of coding, it would be better to do things in small incremental steps testing each change in numerous scenarios, keeping a copy of successful incremental changes, then revert to last good change if one bombs out. Bottomline - simply changing duration should not cause a problem, adding or removing things increases risk greatly of something going wrong.

[carakiz]

Hi there,

 

I tried removing a style (ie. adding comments tags before and after) and I didn't notice major problems, but it is true that it is much preferable to do it as you suggest if we want to guarantee maximum stability and minimum risk.

 

I have to say that I was able to edit the file at the same time I had a project opened in Roxio... when you apply the random theme, it will apply whatever you last saved in the xml file, regardless the file is open or not.

I also tried to apply the theme, modify something, save the file again and apply it again... and I could check that Roxio is only reading this file whenever it is apply.

 

Re existing projects, I haven't investigated deeper (I'm new using Roxio) but from my experience my guess is that each transition is marked as "chosen by user" that will never change or "transistion from theme xx". If it is the case and my guess is true, each time you open again a project using one or more transitions from the "random" set, will be again re-assigned from the current xml you have.

At least, I could make a quick check... I created a project, added a few images, set the random transitions (original xml file) and I saw many "dissolve" transitions.

After that, I closed it, edited the xml file so I removed the "dissolve" transition, saved the file and then reopen the project... And I didn't see any "dissolve" transition!!

 

Hope it helps!!

 

best regards,

 

carakiz

 

PS. I like much more Pot Luck set, with many more transitions that we can now adjust ourselves!!

PS2. I haven't gone for it yet, but I guess we can also create new themes from scratch, reusing exsiting transitions... in case someone doesn't want to lose the default ones and just adding customised ones.

[who are you]

Hi there,

 

I tried removing a style (ie. adding comments tags before and after) and I didn't notice major problems, but it is true that it is much preferable to do it as you suggest if we want to guarantee maximum stability and minimum risk.

 

I have to say that I was able to edit the file at the same time I had a project opened in Roxio... when you apply the random theme, it will apply whatever you last saved in the xml file, regardless the file is open or not.

I also tried to apply the theme, modify something, save the file again and apply it again... and I could check that Roxio is only reading this file whenever it is apply.

 

Re existing projects, I haven't investigated deeper (I'm new using Roxio) but from my experience my guess is that each transition is marked as "chosen by user" that will never change or "transistion from theme xx". If it is the case and my guess is true, each time you open again a project using one or more transitions from the "random" set, will be again re-assigned from the current xml you have.

At least, I could make a quick check... I created a project, added a few images, set the random transitions (original xml file) and I saw many "dissolve" transitions.

After that, I closed it, edited the xml file so I removed the "dissolve" transition, saved the file and then reopen the project... And I didn't see any "dissolve" transition!!

 

Hope it helps!!

 

best regards,

 

carakiz

 

PS. I like much more Pot Luck set, with many more transitions that we can now adjust ourselves!!

PS2. I haven't gone for it yet, but I guess we can also create new themes from scratch, reusing exsiting transitions... in case someone doesn't want to lose the default ones and just adding customised ones.

Thanks for the feedback.

I apologize for getting rather long winded in my cautions about the changes. Offhand, I can think of at least 5 or 6 ways the info from the xml file could be used ranging from static (hard coding for 10 items - bad programming technique) to dynamic (using whatever number of items are present - good programming technique) and was simply trying to advice using caution when making such changes since I had no way of knowing how the programmer coded this. I do not use random and pot luck styles so was trying to provide some help to you.

Glad you were able to accomplish what you wanted.