Specify Directory for frame capture

[Ron Evans]

I want to grab a lot of still frames from a show I have edited. I normally only take one or two so always having to select the directory when grabbing was never a problem. Is there a way of setting the default directory for still frames ? Can't seem to find anywhere but must be there !!!

Ron Evans

[GrassValley_PS]

The best way in this case is to go to Settings>System Settings>Importer Exporter>Stills and click Export. You can then choose format type and location. Move your timeline cursor over the frame for the still and click Save Single Still. It will automatically increase the name in a sequential number and you can then move the cursor and choose your next still. Keep moving the cursor and clicking the button for as many stills as you like.

[Ron Evans]

I have the format set this way but I do not see any way to set location in that window. To expand what I am doing. I have 4 cameras on the 4 tracks, in multicam see all 4 cameras to select the best still, come out of multicam and then want to save a still to a specific directory that I have set up for stills.

Ron Evans

[GrassValley_PS]

When you hit the Export button, you can name the still and choose format on the bottom and choose location on the top. It is a normal Windows dialog box.

[John Hooper]

The best way in this case is to go to Settings>System Settings>Importer Exporter>Stills and click Export. You can then choose format type and location. Move your timeline cursor over the frame for the still and click Save Single Still. It will automatically increase the name in a sequential number and you can then move the cursor and choose your next still. Keep moving the cursor and clicking the button for as many stills as you like.

Pat, I think the path you mentioned is not correct. I cannot see the option you talk about.

Did you mean File>Export>Print To File>Others>Still Image?

[GrassValley_PS]

Thanks John, I am doing this by memory and I mixed this up. That path I gave s to set the file format for saving the stills in Edius with Ctrl T.
Go to Export>print to file>Others>still Image. Then follow the rest of the procedure.

[Ron Evans]

Yes that is what I do now except that every time I have to set the path. I would like to be able to set a default path so that I can just use CTRL+T and save to it. If I just do a CTRL+T it sends that still to the project directory I would like to set my own directory path.

Ron Evans

[GrassValley_PS]

Sorry but there is no control over that setting.

[Ron Evans]

Sad. The quick workaround is to let them go to the project directory then move them.

Ron Evans

[GrassValley_PS]

Sad. The quick workaround is to let them go to the project directory then move them.

Ron Evans

No, the quickest current workflow is thru the export as I suggested.

[Ron Evans]

We are clearly talking about this topic from different points of view. Yes I do use the Export exactly like you said and have always done so. The missing piece is being able to define the default directory for storage so that this doesn't have to be defined every time and one can just use CTRL+T. Edius does this now if one just uses CTRL+T it places the stills in the project directory. My desire is to designate my own directory for this action. My workaround is to create the stills exactly as you have described but without having to set the directory every time. Then when finished move the stills to the directory I want them in as one block rather than the time consuming task of defining the directory path for every still. I have just exported 120 stills from the show. You may not realize that if one goes to multicam for selection each time between exporting the stills one has to set the path each time because Edius does not remember where it was last time you opened the export box. You have to go through the whole procedure of selecting >other>stills etc etc. If you have one track and are just selecting stills then your method works fine as one does not come out of the selection dialog box and can go on selecting stills to completion. Choosing from 4 cameras is different using the multicam display. This can be avoided using CRTL+T but the stills will be in the project directory in the format defined as you have described.

The Export function as described does not work in multicam mode, you have to come out of multicam for the button to work, but CTRL+T does work in multicam mode hence my desire to set the directory path.

Ron Evans

[GrassValley_PS]

I will have to respectfully disagree that your way is quicker. I would save selecting the stills until the multicam cuts were made. The other benefit to the Exporter method, is that it allows us to use CTRL T to save Targa files for video use, and still save jpegs for the Web. It also does not pollute the Bin with those stills.

But that is the nice thing about Edius...you canuck your workflow that feels most comfortable to you.

[Ron Evans]

I do not take the stills from the edited project but select from all the cameras so that I have full choice of stills even those not used in the final video. Multicam view is great for this. I just have another sequence that I use for this task. I agree that if naming files is important then going through the full export process is the way to go. But selecting from multiple tracks means that the naming and directory selection has to be made each time and Edius is not very smart at remembering where it was the last time it export was opened. Just create a bin for the stills so doesn't affect anything else.

The first time I did this I did do it the way you have suggested and it took about 2 or 3 minutes to name each time but I only exported about 30 stills so wasn't an issue. Doing one camera at a time is also the other way from the export window. I just found it easier this time to do it as I described and it was very quick. Set a button on my Shuttle for CTRL+T and it was fast. File naming wasn't important as it was an idea to create a slide show quickly and the files were in show order. Worked fine. My main reason for the directory was to record directly to the external drive I was going to use in the end.

Ron Evans