Womble 5.0 Adding transitions changes pic duration

[MysteryKMS]

Sorry about the bad title, as I'm not really sure how to explain the problem I'm having. I'm using Womble MPEG Video Wizard DVD 5.0. What I am trying to acomplish is have 4 still pictures with the Xray transition inbetween them play as the intro to my video. I place the pictures on the time line and set there durations and location. Then I add in the effect. But when I do this it changes the locations and durations of the files around it. Then it locks the ability to change it again. The programs help suggested sliding the effect to the left or right on the timeline, however this also will change the location of the file before or after. It would seem I actually have to put the pic file further down the timeline the I really want to allow for shrinkage when I try to adjust the image. Ive done everything I can think of to get it to line up but adjusting the first pic or transition changes the last one. Adjusting the last one changes the first one.
I thought to try locking the pictures on the timeline or grouping them together to secure their position, however the app won't allow you to add a transition to locked or grouped files.

Either there is a more detailed way to do this that their manual does not mention. Or this part of the application is glitched.

I have tried sliding these things and manually adjusting locations and durations getting almost close with one file, but to get one on time throws off the rest in the series, or even before it.

Can someone that knows this program please help me out, and tell me if I am doing something wrong, or if this part of the application is just bugged.

[Brainiac]

My Options for Womble MPEG Video Wizard 5 has a default setting of 5 seconds for image length and 2 seconds for transition length. So the first and last images will show for 4 seconds and the images in between the first and last images will show for 3 seconds.

If you right-click on a transition on the timeline and choose DURATION, you can set the length of the transition to a shorter duration than the default setting.

Hope this helps.

Brainiac

[MysteryKMS]

Yes that I know I can fix the effect, its the picture files that I cant readjust. Like I want the picture for 4 seconds then the effect for 2sec followed by another pic for 4 seconds. When I apply the transition it is changing the duration of the pictures outside of the 4 second range. Then it does not allow me to reset the image duration. Adjusting the duration of the effect had random outcomes on the image files.

Example I put 2 image files on the time line set them to 4 seconds each with a 2 second gap in between them. So when I place the transition in I should then have 10 seconds of video. But that's not what happens. Instead when I add the transition it shrinks the duration of the 1st image and 2nd images by lets say a second, causing the whole video to be shortened and become out of sync. This also causes the 2nd image files location to be brought that 1 second closer to the beginning. Now If I attempt to drag the right side of the 2nd image file back to its proper location, then the first image files duration shortens from the beginning. Meaning I now have a second or 2 of dead air. Now if I go to and drag the left side of the 1st image file back to the actual beginning of the video then the image file following the transition has it duration shortend by default. Keep in mind I already set durations and locations manually for these images, but adding the effect changes them anyway. Also this was an example as im using 4 images and 4 transitions, so really trying to readjust the first image file shrinks the 2nd images duration to almost nothing. The best i can get is my first and last images to have a large duration with the 2nd and 3rd images squeezed and sandwiched in between.

I guess what I cant figure out is after the image files are where I want them to be on the timeline how do I add in the transition with out the application changing the location or duration of those images. Because again once you add the effect the app does not allow you to adjust the image files themselves, so I assume gotta be some weird roundabout way that I'm not seeing.

[Brainiac]

OK, I think I understand now. Just drag the first image to the timeline, then make it's duration 5 seconds by clicking and dragging the right edge. Now do the same for the 2nd image. Now drag the 2nd image over so that it is next to the first image, if it isn't already. Now drag the transition between the 2 clips. If the transition's duration was already set to 2 seconds by default, then the timeline should be 4 seconds of the 1st image followed by a 2 second transition followed by 4 seconds of the 2nd image.

The gap between images is what is messing things up.

Pre-planning is a must since you cannot seem to be able to reposition a transition once it is in place.

Brainiac

[MysteryKMS]

Thanks for trying to help me out Brainiac. I've been trying it that way since your first post and kinda got the first image file, transition, & second image file to place right. But it seems to take multiple passes of dragging the different sections left and right as one drag here moves something over there. But now with those in place working on the 2nd transition going into the 3rd image file has become a nightmare as adjusting that one messes up the first lol.

I think one of the problems is I can't use a default time for the images and effects. Each has a slightly different duration as to accompany musical hits. So I'm assuming I'm gonna have to graph out on paper down to the millisec where they should go. I was hoping using a GUI timeline would assist in this, but apparently I though wrong, at least with this app anyway!

As far has how this app uses the transitions, I'm under the assumption that the duration of the effect is split in half and actually taken from the time of each image file. Like a 2 second effect really uses the last and first seconds of the 2 files? So for an example if I want the 1st image to play for 4 secs followed by a 2 sec effect into the 2nd image for another 4 secs after effect is completed, then I should put the duration of both images to 5 sec to cover the transition. In other words how ever long I want the transition to take, I should divide that amount of time in half and add the difference to each images duration to cover the effect time. Would this assumption be correct?

Again Brainiac thank you for reading through my horrible explanations and helping me out. I will definitely be throwing you a credit if I ever get this vid out. LOL

[Brainiac]

No need to thank me, this site is here for us to help each other out.

I have worked with a number of editors through the years and I can tell you, as much as I like Womble, I do not use it to create slideshows or edit videos. I just use it to trim mpeg-2 files because it is fast and does not re-encode the entire file.

With that being said, maybe you should look at another editor. It does not have to be super expensive; it can be the one of entry level offerings from Adobe, Sony, Corel, etc.

And your assessment about how the app uses transitions is correct. As a matter of fact, all apps that I have used apply transitions the same way. The part of the image/video used by the transitions is called leeway.

Brainiac

[MysteryKMS]

Well I do appreciate your helping me out. So glad this site is still here. After doing some more reading on issues with womble I agree with you in the fact that I would be better off with another editor. Considering I'd like to start making videos on a regular basis. I've noticed many editors are kind of wizard based and usually limit what I can do, so I know I do have to travel the relm of the higher end applications. I know Sony Vegas is up there in price but is also highly documented, which I feel is probaly good for my situation. That situation being that I've only dabbled in video creation here and there in the past and that I have no real experience. However now I am in the process of learning from the ground up how to create and assemble professional looking videos. So I'm starting as a newbie but plan to lean more with each video I produce.

So though Vegas may be pricy and somewhat complicated I feel the amount of tutorials and experienced users online may make that app more benificial to me then something less expensive and not as widely used. Someone had told me they use Magix Video Pro. Is there a software that you would recommend for my situation?

[Brainiac]

Sony Vegas is an excellent choice. As you stated, it has a wide user base and tutorials on how to use it or accomplish a certain task are aplenty. I use the Adobe Premiere Suite, but I own Sony Vegas also. I just do not have the time needed to learn how to use Vegas effectively.

If you haven't done so already, download the trial version and take it for a spin before purchasing it. If you run into any problems, I am sure someone here can give you the help you need.

Brainiac