VSE Strip Thumbnails #89143

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Aditya Y Jeppu · 2021-06-14T15:49:49+02:00

Aditya Y Jeppu commented

2021-06-14 15:49:49 +02:00

Design task for the GSoC 2021 : VSE Strip Thumbnails

Main Goals:

Strip Thumbnail drawing function
Creating a separate job for the thumbnail creation
Changing the way thumbnails are stored for better performance

Thumbnails are loaded for each view change or when there are no images stored in cache to draw from. Job runs in background each time and performs only cache storage of images obtained from source. Works for both image sequences and movie strips. GIF shows movie strips, but the same results are seen for image sequences.
The sub-tasks were useful to see progress, but all the components work together, therefore a single task is final result.

The current revision looks like this :
{F10538055 size=full}

Design task for the GSoC 2021 : VSE Strip Thumbnails **Main Goals:** - [x] Strip Thumbnail drawing function - [x] Creating a separate job for the thumbnail creation - [x] Changing the way thumbnails are stored for better performance Thumbnails are loaded for each view change or when there are no images stored in cache to draw from. Job runs in background each time and performs only cache storage of images obtained from source. Works for both image sequences and movie strips. GIF shows movie strips, but the same results are seen for image sequences. The sub-tasks were useful to see progress, but all the components work together, therefore a single task is final result. The current revision looks like this : {[F10538055](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F10538055/final_thumbnails_commited.gif) size=full}

Aditya Y Jeppu self-assigned this 2021-06-14 15:49:49 +02:00

Aditya Y Jeppu commented

2021-06-14 15:49:49 +02:00

Changed status from 'Needs Triage' to: 'Confirmed'

Aditya Y Jeppu commented

2021-06-14 15:49:49 +02:00

Added subscriber: @quantimoney

Bearcat M. Şándor commented

2021-06-25 00:23:00 +02:00

Added subscriber: @Bearcat

Ugo Santana commented

2021-07-02 00:31:19 +02:00

Added subscriber: @ugosantana

Ugo Santana commented

2021-07-02 00:31:19 +02:00

This is such a great feature!

I know this is not the place and time... but I have a little suggestion: the strips should have small rounded corners.

It make it easer to identify strip size, when we have several continuous strips together. The existence of small rectangular preview images, although great for feedback, may make it difficult to differentiate strips.

Anyway, great work!

**This is such a great feature!** I know this is not the place and time... but I have a little suggestion: the strips should have small rounded corners. It make it easer to identify strip size, when we have several continuous strips together. The existence of small rectangular preview images, although great for feedback, may make it difficult to differentiate strips. Anyway, great work!

Richard Antalik commented

2021-07-02 01:16:15 +02:00

Added subscriber: @iss

Richard Antalik commented

2021-07-02 01:16:15 +02:00

In #89143#1185767, @ugosantana wrote:
This is such a great feature!

I know this is not the place and time... but I have a little suggestion: the strips should have small rounded corners.

It make it easer to identify strip size, when we have several continuous strips together. The existence of small rectangular preview images, although great for feedback, may make it difficult to differentiate strips.

Anyway, great work!

It's not a bad point actaully. Perhaps it could be solved by drawing thumbnails with small offset (width of handle perhaps).

Rounded corners are quite outside of scope of this GSOC project.

> In #89143#1185767, @ugosantana wrote: > **This is such a great feature!** > > I know this is not the place and time... but I have a little suggestion: the strips should have small rounded corners. > > It make it easer to identify strip size, when we have several continuous strips together. The existence of small rectangular preview images, although great for feedback, may make it difficult to differentiate strips. > > Anyway, great work! It's not a bad point actaully. Perhaps it could be solved by drawing thumbnails with small offset (width of handle perhaps). Rounded corners are quite outside of scope of this GSOC project.

Aditya Y Jeppu commented

2021-07-02 06:02:33 +02:00

Added subscribers: @tintwotin, @Harley

Aditya Y Jeppu commented

2021-07-02 06:02:33 +02:00

In #89143#1185775, @iss wrote:

In #89143#1185767, @ugosantana wrote:
This is such a great feature!

I know this is not the place and time... but I have a little suggestion: the strips should have small rounded corners.

It make it easer to identify strip size, when we have several continuous strips together. The existence of small rectangular preview images, although great for feedback, may make it difficult to differentiate strips.

Anyway, great work!

It's not a bad point actaully. Perhaps it could be solved by drawing thumbnails with small offset (width of handle perhaps).

Rounded corners are quite outside of scope of this GSOC project.

In case of rounded corners, I think @tintwotin and @Harley had tried to implement that but it didn't work out. @iss the initial implementation started the thumbnail from the handle edge, but I changed it to be more consistent with the colour strips and also this poll (devtalk poll) .

> In #89143#1185775, @iss wrote: >> In #89143#1185767, @ugosantana wrote: >> **This is such a great feature!** >> >> I know this is not the place and time... but I have a little suggestion: the strips should have small rounded corners. >> >> It make it easer to identify strip size, when we have several continuous strips together. The existence of small rectangular preview images, although great for feedback, may make it difficult to differentiate strips. >> >> Anyway, great work! > > It's not a bad point actaully. Perhaps it could be solved by drawing thumbnails with small offset (width of handle perhaps). > > Rounded corners are quite outside of scope of this GSOC project. In case of rounded corners, I think @tintwotin and @Harley had tried to implement that but it didn't work out. @iss the initial implementation started the thumbnail from the handle edge, but I changed it to be more consistent with the colour strips and also this poll [(devtalk poll) ](https://devtalk.blender.org/t/gsoc-2021-video-sequence-editor-strip-previews-and-modification-indicators-feedback/19096/14?u=quantimoney).

Ugo Santana commented

2021-07-02 15:55:20 +02:00

I understand that round corners are not part of this. I thought that strip limits could be better presented. What you've done is already great.

I did a mockup over the gif you posted, with more noticeable handles and the rounded ones, just to see the difference.

Even the way it is now, it is already great.

I understand that round corners are not part of this. I thought that strip limits could be better presented. What you've done is already great. I did a mockup over the gif you posted, with more noticeable handles and the rounded ones, just to see the difference. ![OPTIONS.gif](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F10209583/OPTIONS.gif) Even the way it is now, it is already great.

Aditya Y Jeppu commented

2021-07-02 16:11:59 +02:00

Yes if you see my proposal I had showcased it like that initially - (image in proposal). It is understandable in this use case as the video that the strip represents is dark and it is very hard to differentiate. So its a valid point. Once selected it becomes very apparent where one strip ends and another strip starts. So two ways - one to change the outline of the strip when not selected, as the thumbnails below the handle have a good look, and the other is to have the handle offset added. I would have to look into the first method, only to choose which colour suits the look. There might be some consistency considerations too. If it isn't possible then method 2 only remains as of now. But thank you for the feedback.

Yes if you see my proposal I had showcased it like that initially - [(image in proposal)](https://wiki.blender.org/w/images/b/be/Image%28a%29_VSE_strip_thumb.png). It is understandable in this use case as the video that the strip represents is dark and it is very hard to differentiate. So its a valid point. Once selected it becomes very apparent where one strip ends and another strip starts. So two ways - one to change the outline of the strip when not selected, as the thumbnails below the handle have a good look, and the other is to have the handle offset added. I would have to look into the first method, only to choose which colour suits the look. There might be some consistency considerations too. If it isn't possible then method 2 only remains as of now. But thank you for the feedback.

tintwotin commented

2021-07-02 16:37:35 +02:00

This comment was removed by @tintwotin

*This comment was removed by @tintwotin*

Paul Larson commented

2021-07-07 19:29:43 +02:00

Added subscriber: @GeorgiaPacific