Why add extra steps?

DarkWestern wrote on 9/5/2021, 2:24 PM

Hello, everyone. I've been a faithful Magix user for years, I've always adored the program, and I honestly couldn't use any other one to edit my videos.

This latest version of the program is bad. As far as I can tell, they've only made it more needlessly complicated to do things that were done with ease by adding extra steps for no reason. Allow me to elaborate my points using the attached image.

Figure 1 - For size/position, instead of automatically letting you adjust the size/position, you must now needlessly click on Apply effect. Why? It's literally extra clicks, when editing long videos, this time adds up... A lot..

Figure 2 - I can see only half of the keyframes, and there is no option to resize, or scoot it in any direction using any of the sliders. I've hovered over, and clicked on every single horizontal line, and nothing allows me to expand this section. It's a small complain, but again, why?

Figure 3 - For some reason, in this new version, it forces image previews for the video track which consume time to populate, albeit a momentary annoyance. If you want to zoom in or out, you must wait for each click for it to repopulate the image previews, which again, if editing a long video, adds up quickly. I don't mind that this option exists, but please let some of us disable it, or opt out. My videos are edited sometimes second by second, so it's always extremely obvious where I am without these image previews.

Figure 4 - Where is the rotation anchor? Why remove it? I see 8 points to grab, all of which pretty much do the same thing, and a circle inside for the overall anchor. You've needlessly complicated this by removing the little extra dot you used to be able to grab to swiftly adjust the rotation of the image, and now you must take the extra time to navigate to this awkward slider. Why? Again, when editing long videos, having to take all these extra steps really really adds up!

Figure 4[again] - Keyframes don't exist until you adjust the rotation of the image. This might just be a bug, but with all these reversal of quality of ease choices, I really can't give you the benefit of the doubt here. If I want to make an image slide from offscreen at an angle into the middle of the screen and get bigger as it goes, I can't start the keyframe for the image while it's not visible out of frame unless I go into the awkward slider [ because you removed the rotation anchor for no reason ] and make some arbitrary adjustment to the angle, which unlocks the ability to place the first keyframe, then go back into the awkward angle thing and return it to the position I wanted it in. It's just so unnecessary!

Thank you for the years of assistance you've given me, Magix, and I'm not going anywhere, I'll still be your loyal customer, and for that I hope you at least consider my frustration with these new reversal of ease of use changes which needlessly draw out the process of editing by adding arbitrary extra steps and extra clicks and extra navigation and unnecessary image previews which never existed before this new version.

Comments

DarkWestern wrote on 9/9/2021, 2:42 AM

I guess I am in the wrong, nobody wanted to reply to me, nobody experienced the issues I experienced, so I'm gonna drop it and just endure it. I tried, and nobody else thought my issues were problematic for them, so I guess I'm clearly the problem, and none of my feedback means anything at all.

I was frustrated by these reversal of ease of use changes, needlessly making previously effortless things require a leap through a flaming ring, but it's clear to me that everyone else thinks this is fine, and that I'm in the wrong here.

I've been a customer for almost a decade, and I'll continue to support you by paying for, and utilizing your services, but I'm a bit let down.

The very lack of replies by the community, as well as anyone involved with the processes that created these problems for no reason really makes me realize that I should just accept that 45 minutes of editing is now an hour long endeavor if I want to continue to use this service, which I must continue to use because I simply know no other way.l

I wish I had someone to thank, some person that just told me to deal with it, or that perhaps these issues mattered in the slightest and they were being worked on, but I don't

johnebaker wrote on 9/9/2021, 3:20 AM

@DarkWestern

You are not alone in some of the comments you have made, however some the changes were made at the request of many users.

Brief answers to your points - note I do not work for Magix:

The Apply plugin appears to be standardised so that there is consistency with using them, these changes have been gradual over several versions of Movie Edit Pro (MEP).
Image 2 is too small to see your screen arrangement, however you can expand the Keyframe panel - drag/move the edges indicated in green below to do this, to expand the keyframe list of an effect click the small arrow indicated by the yellow arrow in the image.
The preview update has always occurred when zooming or moving the timeline, I suspect that you may have some program settings incorrectly set - what is your computer specification - see this topic for what is required and please quote the processor and graphics card/chipset make model in full. It would help if you put this information in your signature - see mine for an example.
The rotation anchor is the red circle in the centre of the image/video clip - this can now be dragged anywhere to set the rotation point, do note that the Size/Position/Rotation reference point is the centre of the image/video object, not top left of the screen, several users have asked for the option to be being able to switchable.

Before a keyframe can be activated the controls have to be clicked - this is not new as in MEP 2020 and 2021 this was already a feature of some of the effects that can be keyframed.

HTH

John EB
Forum Moderator

CubeAce wrote on 9/9/2021, 6:57 AM

@DarkWestern

Hi and welcome to the user to user forums.

To be fair, some posts can take some time for a reply to be forthcoming and the program is relatively new.

I have no idea how many people have even downloaded it yet, let alone used all of its functions.

There are many ways people decide how to use a function and many functions I suspect don't get used that often.

Requests we see fairly often are easily and often quickly replied to while new inquiries may take some of us to delve into, try out and report our findings back. Even then if it is a function that we use in a different way, or not a function we use, it is difficult to give either a confirming or contradictory opinion.

I agree some functions have been made with additional steps and combined functions which in the past may have needed two separate tools to achieve. If that is the case then maybe in those situations time is saved. Or maybe another persons workflow and use is different or priorities reversed and doesn't see the needed extra step. Then again a new user is never going to know if it was ever easier or not.

While I agree with your concerns, I am at present more concerned that there are more serious bugs that need ironing out first and commanding my own attention.

As to your questions.

1. I have noticed no change in behaviour. I can still grab a side of a clip and drag it to resize it. The track does have to be tall enough though so often the track layout is on my second screen.

2. John has answered that one, or there is a scroll option to the right or the box can be manually enlarged.

3. Again that function has been there for a long time. There is no reason to wait for the program to finish loading the images it is done in the background of the program and should not stop normal usage of the program while it is happening.

4. Agree with not having to rotate before getting a Key frame is annoying to say the least. Any adjustment should make the key editor active. A central rotation start point I actually find useful and saves me some time personally.

@johnebaker

Hi John.

Would it be possible to save an anchor point action as a preset of some kind for DW?

Ray.

johnebaker wrote on 9/9/2021, 12:50 PM

@CubeAce

Hi Ray

. . . . Would it be possible to save an anchor point action as a preset of some kind . . . .

It is possible, eg move the anchor point to wherever you wish, right click the video object and select Video effects, Save video effects you can then load this into any object.

DW ?

John EB

CubeAce wrote on 9/9/2021, 2:14 PM

@DarkWestern @johnebaker

Hi John.

DW = DarkWestern © 😁

Ray.

browj2 wrote on 9/9/2021, 9:28 PM

@CubeAce @DarkWestern

Hi,

Here is a link to the effect, done with VPX13 so I hope it works in MEP2022. Loading this puts the anchor at the upper left corner of a 1920x1080 project.

The filename is

Anchor top left -960 540.IFX

Put this under:

C:\Users\Public\Documents\MAGIX\Common\Videocontent\Video Pro X\UserVideoEffects

or Movie Edit Pro Premium instead of Video Pro X.

Under the SPR effect, click on the triple dot menu to load it.

I did a bunch effects of these for different positions and also a couple of 50% sizes with the anchor at upper left.

Also, here is a link to a corresponding image.

I put both in the appropriate places under PiP and modified the ini file to change the name slightly. It works so long as the SPR effect has not been activated on the click, as far as I can tell.

Let me know if it works.

John CB

CubeAce wrote on 9/10/2021, 3:23 AM

@browj2 @johnebaker @DarkWestern

Hi John.

It works a treat in 2022 but the flaw in the plan I just discovered is it is now additional steps in the work flow unless you make it for a complex movement which would save time.

Additional steps because you have to go from Templates where the effect is stored to Effects to play with it.

The concept is good though if you want to pre-program a complex movement for future use. That could save time.

Ray.

browj2 wrote on 9/10/2021, 7:04 AM

@CubeAce

Hi Ray,

Yes, that is why I first suggested putting it under UserVideoEffects, which is the normal place and accessible from the SPR menu. The second option was to put it under PiP so that you can see the image.

Third option is to put them \VideoEffects\Move which is below SPR in the Effects tab. This is easier. Also, edit the ini file to get a better screen name.

As for any other additional steps, try putting the anchor at the various nodes manually. Difficult? You have some calculations to do.

Yes, if you have additional or even static setups that you want quickly, save them and load when needed or add to Move. Just remember to document and back up these things.

I thought that there was a User Effects screen once upon a time.

@DarkWestern

Hi DW,

About having to click on Apply effect, I think that this is because Magix has changed how the effect works and has made it an OFX. For all OFX, as far as I can tell, you have to click on Apply Effect to open the dialogue screen.

I agree about the rotation handle on the preview monitor, but I am having second thoughts after playing around with the new Rotation features, in particular, XYZ, XZY, YXZ....ZYX. These are quite something and, at the very least that I can tell, are on par with or better than what Vegas calls the 3D effects.

The rotation handle was about the Z-axis. As soon as you have anything more complicated, like a combined rotation of X and Z or Z and X, what should the handle do. I now find it more convenient to use the rotation circular sliders.

From my tests, here is what I found happens. To see these, it is best to put the anchor at the upper left of the image and make the image smaller.

XYZ

If Z is applied, the X-axis rotates. Applying X rotates the image about the changed X-axis.
If Y is applied, the X-axis rotates. Applying X rotates the image about the changed X-axis.
If Z is applied, the Y-axis rotates. Applying Y rotates the image about the changed Y-axis.
If Z and Y are applied, both the X-axis and Y-axis rotate. Modifying X rotates the image about the X-axis changed by both Y and Z. Modifying Y rotates the image about the Y-axis.
In all cases, changing Z moves the modified image about the normal Z-Axis.

or something like that.

I need to improve my drawing ability to get the circular arrow to go around the the axis in the image below. It shows the XYZ with some rotation of Z and X. Further rotation of X will rotate about the new X-axis.

The other combinations do something similar.

With ZXY, changing the X rotation will cause the Z-axis to move. Modifying X will rotate about the screen X-axis, as the X-axis is not modified. However, adding in some Y (last on the list) will cause X to rotate about the X-axis as modified by the Y rotation.

It sounds complicated, but the possibilities are amazing. The rotation combinations replicate 3D movements.

John CB