Cannot open AVS file in VirtualDub 1.10.4

[papcom]

I try to open certain AVS-scripts (avisynth) in VirtualDub 1.10.4, but VDub does not open the file …==>unable to open file ! The same scripts open in Vdub 1.9.11 without problems ! ….also my other scripts open without problems on both versions of Vdub.

Where can be the problem?

[racer-x]

Might help if you post the problem script...

[jman98]

... and the EXACT complete error message. Just because the error message isn't meaning to you doesn't mean that it won't be meaningful to us.

Your choice. Provide the information we asked for or don't get help.

[jagabo]

64 bit vs. 32 bit?

[papcom]

@jman98 - how friendly! ...but as written above the error I get in Vdub is no more than: "…==>unable to open file "

I work in 32bit on 32bit WIN7 and on 64bit WIN8

in the meantime I have found out that it has to do with ffinputdriver.vdplugin resp ffdls. When I remove this, the loading of the specific avs- files in VDub 1.10.4 works. The reason behind I do not yet know. It must be a conflict somewhere.

[jagabo]

I've had problems with the ffmpeg input driver in VirtulaDub in the past. It would open AVS scripts but when there was an error in the script it didn't pass along the error message, you just got a generic error message. Instead a message like "Avisynth syntax error, line 15, column 32", you got "Error opening file". I removed the ffmpeg vdplugin long ago.

[poisondeathray]

ffmpeg input driver causes known buggy issues when loading avs . A workaround is you select "AVIFile input driver" from files of type dropdown box when opening an .avs (just like you would for directshow input driver, or ffmpeg input driver). You can verify which driver is being used with file=>file information. If it's ffmpeg, you will likely have problems that might not be apparent right away. Sometimes it's insidious problems that you don't realize right away - at least with an error message you know something is wrong

A nice feature to have would be some auto priority preferences selection in vdub, where you can have a ranking of which input filter to use

[jagabo]

The only thing I use VirtualDub for these days is previewing AviSynth scripts. It's easier to just remove the ffmpeg plugin.

[poisondeathray]

The only thing I use VirtualDub for these days is previewing AviSynth scripts. It's easier to just remove the ffmpeg plugin.

Yes, and I don't even use it for that - I prefer avspmod

[DarrellS]

The only thing I use VirtualDub for these days is previewing AviSynth scripts. It's easier to just remove the ffmpeg plugin.

Yes, and I don't even use it for that - I prefer avspmod

I have a lot of issues with AvsPmod also. It always gives me the same error. Error, line 1, column 32, expected a , or a ( when there is a , on line 1, column 32. Everything I try to change gives me the same error except at another place where there is a , or a (.

I threw away all my scripts and gave up on trying to get avisynth to open a multi-layered graphics file (.psd, .png, .tif). Had I known about the ffinputdriver issue, I might not have given up but I've been trying to solve this issue for months with no luck. I was able to get the 1st frame but unable to get the rest of the layers.

Being able to go directly from a .psd file (which I have a folder full) to Virtualdub would be a big help to me but I am seeing no way possible to make this happen. Seems a few programmers have been trying to fix this issue for over 10 years now so I don't see it happening any time soon. Xnview can open them and Gif Movie Gear (which is what I use now to convert to uncompressed avi that I can open in Virtualdub) can open .psd files. Would be nice if there was a Photoshop Input Plugin for Virtualdub or any of the avisynth plugins would work. ImageSource, ImageSourceAnim, Immaavs etc...


EDIT: I tried avisynth example scripts and they all work so it's not a ffinputdriver issue. I have the newest version of that driver from 12-16-2014 which fixes issues with the older driver.

[racer-x]

Yes and I too have never had any issues opening up AVS scripts in Virtualdub v 1.10.4 and I have the latest version of ffmpeg input driver. In fact that is the only input plugin I use in Virtualdub anymore............

[papcom]

The only thing I use VirtualDub for these days is previewing AviSynth scripts. It's easier to just remove the ffmpeg plugin.

I use VirtualDub for outputting my videos. With the external encoder it does what I need. As I do not really depend on the "ffinputdriver" I stay with Virtual Dub until there is an equivalent alternative coming up. For me it is reliable and flexible enough.

[poisondeathray]

I use VirtualDub for outputting my videos. With the external encoder it does what I need. As I do not really depend on the "ffinputdriver" I stay with Virtual Dub until there is an equivalent alternative coming up. For me it is reliable and flexible enough.

Are you doing anything else within vdub ? It doesn't make sense to use it just for encoding

[papcom]

Are you doing anything else within vdub ? It doesn't make sense to use it just for encoding

..of course …why do You ask?

[lordsmurf]

AvsPmod to preview here too.

And then Vdub 1.10.x is buggy. Sticking to 1.9.x is suggested.
The new version added nothing for most users.

[papcom]

AvsPmod to preview here too.

And then Vdub 1.10.x is buggy. Sticking to 1.9.x is suggested.
The new version added nothing for most users.

"external export" in VDub 1.10.x …not to forget!

[poisondeathray]

Are you doing anything else within vdub ? It doesn't make sense to use it just for encoding

..of course …why do You ask?

I have to ask, because some people don't know any better . (There would be better workflows in that case)

[DarrellS]

AvsPmod to preview here too.

And then Vdub 1.10.x is buggy. Sticking to 1.9.x is suggested.
The new version added nothing for most users.

Wow, someone has not been paying attention for a long while. More has been added to Virtualdub the last three or four years than the other ten or more years before. Not sure who all the people are that suggest using 1.9.x but diehard Virtualdub users like myself recommend using the latest test build (1.10.5-test7) since it fixes any known bugs and improves features like the external encoder feature. The new version may not have added anything for you but for avid Virtualdub users, the difference between 1.10.5-test7 and 1.9.x is night and day.

As racer-x and myself stated, we have no problem at all in opening known working scripts in the latest up to date version of Virtualdub and ffmpeg input driver. My issue is not having a working script for opening multi-layered graphics files in MPC-HC, AVSPmod or Virtualdub. Only a handful of programmers have figured out how to achieve this but they're not sharing their secret. VdubApngMod will open them obviously but the guy that modded Avery's program refuses to update the program and refuses to build an input plugin for those of us who want one. I am not a programmer or I would build one myself.

The wiki page claims that avisynth can open multi-layered files but following their instructions (and trying different plugins) the best I can do is open a single frame because avisynth is not capable of viewing all of the layers or frames of a multi-layered graphics file (psd, apng, mng, tiff etc...). The bug, it seems is in avisynth's internal and external filters. Not in Virtualdub.

[DarrellS]

AvsPmod to preview here too.

And then Vdub 1.10.x is buggy. Sticking to 1.9.x is suggested.
The new version added nothing for most users.

"external export" in VDub 1.10.x …not to forget!

Have you tried the latest build and updated your ffmpeg input driver?

https://www.videohelp.com/download/VirtualDub-1.10.5-test7.zip

http://sourceforge.net/projects/virtualdubffmpeginputplugin/files/latest/download

[poisondeathray]

And in case anyone missed it, the problem I have with ffinputdriver, is with known working scripts - there are OTHER problems that it causes when it sucessfully opens - such as mixed up frames, decoding issues - that are not seen with other programs, or when vdub uses it's internal AVIFile driver . User beware with the ffinputdriver and using avs input . At least when it doesn't open at all you know something is wrong. Not knowing that something is wrong , or what might be wrong , is FAR worse.

"Knowing is half the battle" - GI Joe

[DarrellS]

I assume you tried with newest build of Virtualdub and newest version of ffmpeg input driver? It is documented that the old driver only works on older versions (pre 1.10.xx) and new driver is for newer versions (1.10.xx).

I am using AvsPmod to test my scripts since I can change them inside the program but I can only get avisynth to read one layer/frame of multi-layered files. I have tried all the suggested plugins but I have no luck. The scripts that will show the one frame in AvsPmod will also open in Virtualdub but again, it only shows one frame or I should say hundreds of the same frame.

I am trying to find a way to use the least amount of programs to make my (HEVC) animations. I start with Photoshop but any other output besides .psd is crap and it takes forever to create the animation. Gif is decent but not good enough to create the high resolution animations that I want and Photoshop does not support .apng. The GIMP is crap and crashes on everything I tried. Aviutil looks way to complicated to even attempt to use. Paint.net looks like a good replacement for Photoshop since it supports .psd and .apng but I still have to open in Virtualdub to use the external encoder to create the HEVC file and seems to be an impossible task since none of the avisynth plugins work and the guy that created the apngmod refuses to upgrade his program to a version that can create more than just apng or avi files and refuses to create an external plugin that will work in an updated version of Virtualdub.

...so my work load consists of creating the .psd in Photoshop at night when I have unlimited bandwidth to download pics off the net. Open the .psd in Gif Movie gear in 24 bit mode in the daytime when I have restricted bandwidth, fix anything I missed in Photoshop with live editing in GMG and save as uncompressed avi (which is way easier than trying to create an avi animation in CS5) which I open in Virtualdub, fix the framerate and create the final HEVC 4K mkv with Virtualdub's external encoder feature.

Not sure really why I'm trying to get rid of Gif Movie Gear since it is so valuable in my workload. I guess I'll just stick with what's been working for me since nobody is interested in getting ffmpeg or avisynth to open multi-layered files...

Photoshop to create multi-layered .psd > Gif Movie Gear to open .psd in 24 bit mode and create uncompressed avi > Virtualdub to open avi and encode to 4K mkv.

[lordsmurf]

More has been added to Virtualdub the last three or four years than the other ten or more years before.

Great!
Name some:

[DarrellS]

The ability to use filters in blend mode. The ability to use those filters with the curve editor which allows the adding of transitions without having to re-encode the whole video by using Smart Render.

All of the input plugins which allow you to work on formats that Virtualdub does not natively support. Especially fcchandler's plugins with allow you to edit without having to re-encode the whole video since unlike the ffmpeg driver, directshow filter or Avisynth which forces you to recode the whole video.

The biggest implemation is the external encoder feature that makes it possible for Virtualdub to output just about any file type you can think of. If the cli encoder supports stdin then Virtualdub can use it and users much smarter than myself can create scripts that allow using even more encoders.

If you've noticed, nobody suppports the old modded versions anymore because the new versions of Virtualdub do everything that the mods could do and more. Well, except for multiple audio tracks which most people don't need and which can easily be applied with mp4box or mkvmerge.


Probably 75% or more of so called Virtualdub users don't know any of these features exist and a major reason for this is that old timers that only use VirtualdubMod keep telling them that Virtualdub is just an avi editor and can't do any of those things. It's getting better over here but 99% of Doom9 members still don't know these features exist.

[johnmeyer]

Nice post, DarrellS. Really useful. Thanks!

[poisondeathray]

I assume you tried with newest build of Virtualdub and newest version of ffmpeg input driver? It is documented that the old driver only works on older versions (pre 1.10.xx) and new driver is for newer versions (1.10.xx).

Yes, and it's not just me. Many people have reported these buggy findings. Again, it's ONLY when you use the ffmpeg input driver with avs scripts . If you select AVI driver, it works fine . Hence the suggestion to setup a priority list for import filters like some other programs have, otherwise you could be screwed if you don't know better . Some people just remove it completely to avoid the trouble

I am using AvsPmod to test my scripts since I can change them inside the program but I can only get avisynth to read one layer/frame of multi-layered files. I have tried all the suggested plugins but I have no luck. The scripts that will show the one frame in AvsPmod will also open in Virtualdub but again, it only shows one frame or I should say hundreds of the same frame.

I am trying to find a way to use the least amount of programs to make my (HEVC) animations. I start with Photoshop but any other output besides .psd is crap and it takes forever to create the animation. Gif is decent but not good enough to create the high resolution animations that I want and Photoshop does not support .apng. The GIMP is crap and crashes on everything I tried. Aviutil looks way to complicated to even attempt to use. Paint.net looks like a good replacement for Photoshop since it supports .psd and .apng but I still have to open in Virtualdub to use the external encoder to create the HEVC file and seems to be an impossible task since none of the avisynth plugins work and the guy that created the apngmod refuses to upgrade his program to a version that can create more than just apng or avi files and refuses to create an external plugin that will work in an updated version of Virtualdub.

...so my work load consists of creating the .psd in Photoshop at night when I have unlimited bandwidth to download pics off the net. Open the .psd in Gif Movie gear in 24 bit mode in the daytime when I have restricted bandwidth, fix anything I missed in Photoshop with live editing in GMG and save as uncompressed avi (which is way easier than trying to create an avi animation in CS5) which I open in Virtualdub, fix the framerate and create the final HEVC 4K mkv with Virtualdub's external encoder feature.

Not sure really why I'm trying to get rid of Gif Movie Gear since it is so valuable in my workload. I guess I'll just stick with what's been working for me since nobody is interested in getting ffmpeg or avisynth to open multi-layered files...

Photoshop to create multi-layered .psd > Gif Movie Gear to open .psd in 24 bit mode and create uncompressed avi > Virtualdub to open avi and encode to 4K mkv.

I'm not sure if the legit free version (?CS2 ) can , but Photoshop can export AVI or MOV directly .

What kind of manipulations are you doing in photoshop ? Simple cropping / resizing? Can you do those operations in something else ?

It sounds like a convoluted way of doing things.

Layered PSD's and TIFF's are useful, but for other reasons like compositing. Not that great sequential animation, or just use an image sequence

[poisondeathray]

<off-topic>

@ DarrellS -

A workaround for your workflow if you're using an old PS that cannot export AVI , and if you're not using vdub or gif movie gear for any other operations, is to use ffmpeg with an imagemagick pipe .

eg.

"convert.exe" multilayered.psd rgb:- | "ffmpeg.exe" -f rawvideo -s 1920x1080 -pix_fmt rgb24 -r 24 -i - -c:v utvideo -an OUTPUT.avi

This example takes a multilayered psd and feeds it into ffmpeg to encode with whatever (Ut video in RGB in this example, but you can use x264, x265 , etc...)

As you are probably aware, but you have to fill in the width x height, the pix_fmt, framerate etc... since it's a raw pipe

If you have audio as well in a separate stream you can mux that in by specifying -map and the audio codec

ffmpeg does it's RGB to YUV conversion with Rec601. If you wanted it converted to YUV with 709 matrix use -vf colormatrix=bt601:bt709

(Probably the reason why nobody is working on an multilayered PSD or TIFF import plugin, is they are typically only used for compositing. You can't really do that very well with vdub or ffmpeg. So it's not high priority since there are so many better workflows. You're are the only person I have every heard of doing it this way. Image sequences, or videos (MOV, AVI) are typically used for animation. )

[lordsmurf]

Input plugins have been around for ages. That's not new. Maybe it's now native, but that doesn't matter much.

I've never found Smart Render useful. When I use VirtualDub, I'm not just filtering frames here and there, but the entire video.

You'll have to explain what a "curves editor" is.

VirtualDub is a toy of an NLE. If I need transition, I use Premiere or FCP.

The external encoder feature is pretty much useless for non-x264 work. Plus there's a lot to be said for working in steps, not trying to one-pass it.

If that's all that was added, then it's not really useful for those who use VirtualDub to capture or restore video.

I've never been a fan of VirtualDubMod. Never use it.

[DarrellS]

Yes, and it's not just me. Many people have reported these buggy findings. Again, it's ONLY when you use the ffmpeg input driver with avs scripts . If you select AVI driver, it works fine . Hence the suggestion to setup a priority list for import filters like some other programs have, otherwise you could be screwed if you don't know better . Some people just remove it completely to avoid the trouble

I guess this is where I’m confused. I don’t understand why you have to use ffmpeginput driver or avidriver to open an avs script. Virtualdub has natively supported the opening of avs files for years. That is why Virtualdub was the recommended way of viewing avs files for years before GUIs were created to view avs.

Using DGIndex to demux DVD and build avs script to open in Virtualdub is still recommended by users today.

http://neuron2.net/dgmpgdec/QuickStart.html

I'm sure there is a way to set the priority of decoders. I know you can tell Virtualdub to use internal filters. Under Options > Preferences > Avi > Prefer internal video decoders over installed 3rd party codecs.

I'm not sure if the legit free version (?CS2 ) can , but Photoshop can export AVI or MOV directly .

What kind of manipulations are you doing in photoshop ? Simple cropping / resizing? Can you do those operations in something else ?

It sounds like a convoluted way of doing things.

Layered PSD's and TIFF's are useful, but for other reasons like compositing. Not that great sequential animation, or just use an image sequence

The main issue with Photoshop 12 is that it takes forever trying to build the animation from the psd file. Converting layers to frames, get the timing right and just before I go to encode to uncompressed avi, all of settings change and I have to start over again. It can take me hours to do what I can do in GMG in a few minutes. With Gif Movie Gear, I open the psd file which I have to set the timing automatically to .333 fps and save as uncompressed avi in the blink of the eye. I could set it to encode at 24 fps or whatever but it’s easier to work with an animation in Virtualdub when each layer is a frame an set the fps there an encode to x265 with the external encoder.

I just downloaded the latest version of Gif Movie Gear and will try tonight with creating the animation in Gif Movie Gear instead of Photoshop and if I need to edit a frame, I can use the live editing feature to edit with Photoshop and save the change.

I’ve just been doing the animations in Photoshop for so long that it’s probably easier for me to just create the psd file and open in Gif Movie Gear.

The advantage of the psd files is that it’s easier to store 100 psd files than it is to create 100 folders to store the sequential image files and it’s a task in it’s own to get all these layers saved as individual image files. I believe I have to use a script for this.

I will try your script above. I’ve been looking for any way to get them into an avi file efficiently. I had given up on ffmpeg because it doesn’t support psd and I can’t find any solutions at all using Google. Is there a batch command for this?


EDIT: Most of my animations are UHD. I have different templates for different resolutions. I'd like to do some of them in 8K but my old Q6600 PC isn't up to the task.

[poisondeathray]

Yes, and it's not just me. Many people have reported these buggy findings. Again, it's ONLY when you use the ffmpeg input driver with avs scripts . If you select AVI driver, it works fine . Hence the suggestion to setup a priority list for import filters like some other programs have, otherwise you could be screwed if you don't know better . Some people just remove it completely to avoid the trouble

I guess this is where I’m confused. I don’t understand why you have to use ffmpeginput driver or avidriver to open an avs script. Virtualdub has natively supported the opening of avs files for years. That is why Virtualdub was the recommended way of viewing avs files for years before GUIs were created to view avs.

Exactly!!!! It's been stable for many years until now... and the culprit in many cases can be traced to ffinputdriver. Most people don't know about it and think vdub has gone downhill or something. It works fine if you open it by forcing the AVI driver. If you don't , avs opens with ffinput driver and you can get problems.

Using DGIndex to demux DVD and build avs script to open in Virtualdub is still recommended by users today.

http://neuron2.net/dgmpgdec/QuickStart.html

Of course, but that is why I'm emphasizing the point in this thread - it can be unstable in vdub if you open it with the ffinputdriver. If you don't select AVI driver specifically, it uses ffinputdriver - that's the whole point I'm trying to make. It has a higher priority than the AVI driver, which it shouldn't

I'm sure there is a way to set the priority of decoders. I know you can tell Virtualdub to use internal filters. Under Options > Preferences > Avi > Prefer internal video decoders over installed 3rd party codecs.

Not when opening an avs script. That option refers to VFW AVI codecs, like DV , MJPEG, etc... An avs is decoded by the avisynth source filter, not vdub. If you just drop and drag and .avs or open it "normally" , look at file=>file information and it will show ffmpeg . You have to manually select AVI driver now, which is a nuisance, or just unistall it or use something other than vdub

The main issue with Photoshop 12 is that it takes forever trying to build the animation from the psd file. Converting layers to frames, get the timing right and just before I go to encode to uncompressed avi, all of settings change and I have to start over again. It can take me hours to do what I can do in GMG in a few minutes. With Gif Movie Gear, I open the psd file which I have to set the timing automatically to .333 fps and save as uncompressed avi in the blink of the eye. I could set it to encode at 24 fps or whatever but it’s easier to work with an animation in Virtualdub when each layer is a frame an set the fps there an encode to x265 with the external encoder.

I just downloaded the latest version of Gif Movie Gear and will try tonight with creating the animation in Gif Movie Gear instead of Photoshop and if I need to edit a frame, I can use the live editing feature to edit with Photoshop and save the change.

I’ve just been doing the animations in Photoshop for so long that it’s probably easier for me to just create the psd file and open in Gif Movie Gear.

The advantage of the psd files is that it’s easier to store 100 psd files than it is to create 100 folders to store the sequential image files and it’s a task in it’s own to get all these layers saved as individual image files. I believe I have to use a script for this.

I will try your script above. I’ve been looking for any way to get them into an avi file efficiently. I had given up on ffmpeg because it doesn’t support psd and I can’t find any solutions at all using Google. Is there a batch command for this?


EDIT: Most of my animations are UHD. I have different templates for different resolutions. I'd like to do some of them in 8K but my old Q6600 PC isn't up to the task.

You can batch it, but because it's a raw pipe, you would need a specific, separate batch for different resolutions and framerates. Those are always variables in a raw pipe . If the starting point is a psd (i.e. assuming you've done your edits in PS) you can skip gif movie gear and vdub which would be redundant because you can set the fps in ffmpeg, and you wouldn't need a separate AVI either. But that wouldn't work if you have 100 different , separate animations stored in the psd (not layers, I mean independent animations), because all of them would be included in 1 animation . (But your old method with an AVI wouldn't really work either, unless you split out layers in the psd to each animation)

You didn't really answer my question about what types of operations are being done in PS . To me, it sounds like AE or a NLE it's more suited for what you're doing .

[DarrellS]

I changed the command you posted to change the frame rate and save in a format that Virtualdub can open...

"convert.exe" multilayered.psd rgb:- | "ffmpeg.exe" -f rawvideo -s 1920x1080 -pix_fmt rgb24 -r .333 -i - -c:v huffyuv -an OUTPUT.avi

I also created a script for each of the resolutions that I'll be using. I've already got folders for the different sized HEVC files. I'll create the same for the different resolution PSDs with the different scripts in each folder and a copy of ffmpeg.exe, convert.exe and cmd.exe.

I copy and paste images from the web onto my background. The size of the background depends on the size of the images I copy. They usually consist of a solid background. I resize each image to fit my background. I adjust the levels of each frame and use the bucket to fill the background of each image and use the paint brush to fix any blemishes that show up (shadows). So, no, I can't get rid of Photoshop. Your command above has solved my problem. I guess I could skip Virtualdub and just do everything from the command line but I need to set the frame rate to .333 to slow each frame down to the speed I want each frame to show and then set the frame rate conversion to 24 fps and since I do this in Virtualdub then I might as well use the external encoder to encode to x265.mkv