Title length - Indented Tiles

[Mike Hammond]

Hi everyone,

New to the thread and new to Sony Vegas.

Let me start by saying that I love the software. I'm sure some of this love is due to the fact that I moved up to Sony from Pinnacle Studio which, while it served its purpose for a while, did its part to stifle creativity with its limitations. There seems to be little end to creative license with Vegas.

Anyway, I think this is a simple question but I can't find an answer anywhere.

When I place text media on a video track it goes in at a standard length - I think 4 seconds. If I try to extend its length to match the audio or whatever, the timeline tile for the media gets a little indent in the top of it which indicates the original length of the clip. The problem is that if I apply Fx to it, the Fx "resets" each time those indents are passed.

Can anyone let me know how to fix that?

Thanks!

[Mike Kujbida]

Welcome to the club Mike !!
Here's hoping your stay is long and enjoyable.

I have never experienced the problems you're having.
I just tried (using Vegas Pro 8) dropping a title (BTW, default is 10 sec.) on the timeline, stretching it out to 30 sec. and dropping several different FX on it.
Not once did it reset itself at an indent for any of the FX.
Open up the text event, change the event time to a new length and see if it still does this to you.

[Edward Troxel]

The only way I can see it resetting at an indent is if you have multiple keyframes. Then it would revert to the initial keyframe and change back over time.

There are multiple options.

1. After stretching out it to the desired length, change the "length" in the upper right to match that new length.

2. Create a selection area where you want the new text to be, right-click that selection area on the desired track, and insert the generated media that way. Then it will be created for that specific length.

[Edward Troxel]

A couple more options:

1. Use a script to create the generated media. Scripts can create them at any length.

2. Turn OFF Looping on that event!

[Mike Hammond]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll give them a shot and see.

I do have multiple keyframes for the effect but I have them spaced out - 1 at the front end of the clip, and one at the very end of the clip.

[Edward Troxel]

I do have multiple keyframes for the effect but I have them spaced out - 1 at the front end of the clip, and one at the very end of the clip.

And THAT it why it's changing at the notch. The event is LOOPING so it's going back to the first keyframe at the notch. Turn off looping and it will stay at the last keyframe. Of course if you want it to change over the ENTIRE event you'll need to use one of the other options.

[Sam Houchins II]

Originally Posted by Edward Troxel

The only way I can see it resetting at an indent is if you have multiple keyframes. Then it would revert to the initial keyframe and change back over time.

There are multiple options.

1. After stretching out it to the desired length, change the "length" in the upper right to match that new length.

2. Create a selection area where you want the new text to be, right-click that selection area on the desired track, and insert the generated media that way. Then it will be created for that specific length.

I think I've done what Ed's talking about a slightly different way, using 8.0c...
I right click on a video track in the timeline;
Insert a text media event;
Stretch it to fit the need;
double click the text event;
right click and copy the selection length timecode in the bottom right corner of the screen;
right click the event;
go to properties;
click the media tab;
double click the time code in the length box;
right click paste the new time length into the "length" box

Otherwise my questions are:
where can i change the "length" in the upper right as Ed refers? Maybe it's a layout difference in 9 vs 8?
and how to otherwise toggle looping on and off as he alluded to?

God bless

[Edward Troxel]

Looping is simple:

1. Right-click the event, Switches, Loop to turn it on or off
2. Options - Preferences - Editing tab - uncheck "Enable Looping on events by default"

The best way to set it to the length you want initially is to create a selection area where you want it to be, right-click the track, then choose "Insert Text Media" or "Insert Generated Media". The inserted media will match the selection area length.

If you choose "Insert Generated Media" then another dialog will open asking WHAT kind of generated media you want to add to the timeline.

By default, mine is adding generated media with a length of 10 seconds.

[John Wiley]

To change the length, click on the 'generated media' icon on your title (or right click on the title event > edit generated media. At the top of the pop up window there are three boxes - one for horizontal resolution, one for vertical resolution and one for clip length. Delete whatever is in there and enter the lenght you would like your title to be. This works on other forms of generated media too - gradients, matte's, textures etc.

If you find you are commonly wanting titles of a particular lenght - say for example you always want them to be 8 seconds - then you can set this as the default. Go to Options > Properties then under the 'editing' tab in the box that says "New still image length," enter what you want the default length for generated media to be (this will also be the default length for still images).

[Edward Troxel]

Originally Posted by John Wiley

If you find you are commonly wanting titles of a particular lenght - say for example you always want them to be 8 seconds - then you can set this as the default. Go to Options > Properties then under the 'editing' tab in the box that says "New still image length," enter what you want the default length for generated media to be (this will also be the default length for still images).

John, while I have said this in the past and I believe it used to be true, I don't believe it's true any longer. Right now my generated medias are defaulting to 10 seconds. However, my "New Still Image Length" is set to 5 seconds.

[Mike Kujbida]

Originally Posted by Sam Houchins II

where can i change the "length" in the upper right as Ed refers? Maybe it's a layout difference in 9 vs 8?

Hopefully this picture will help.

[John Wiley]

Originally Posted by Edward Troxel

John, while I have said this in the past and I believe it used to be true, I don't believe it's true any longer. Right now my generated medias are defaulting to 10 seconds. However, my "New Still Image Length" is set to 5 seconds.

Strange. What version are you using? I'm still on 8.0c and my default for all generated media is always what I set it as. Although I think I do remember reading about this problem in version 9 - I think Ignored it because it didn't apply to me!

[Edward Troxel]

Just tried it in Vegas Pro 8. New still image length is set to 8 seconds. New generated media added to the timeline is 10 seconds. So it doesn't match there either.

[Mike Kujbida]

This issue was discussed quite a bit in the Media generator length question thread and the bottom line was that Edward is correct.

[Sam Houchins II]

You guys are so awesomely helpful.
One odd bit i noticed trying all the tips, was that following Ed's technique, i was still left with the initial created text media's length at it's base, but was allowed to stretch it after that point to whatever length i wanted without it continuously looping over and over; but the clip's own timeline in its properties box remained at only the original length (in my case 5 secs). An odd observation i thought. In other words it still had the little triangle indicating a "loop," though looped just once.
When i did a couple of keyframes, they only affected the first, original segment.
It looks to me that correcting the time in the clip length box is still needed if going this route?
cool tips. will save me a bunch of steps adjusting title clip lengths now.
Thanks!