Import Pftrack Tools Script

[Jayk2k]

Well there's obviously an error in lline 185 of the script, but without looking at the script and data, i can't say what exactly that error is.

I'd at least update to the latest version of Fusion, which is 4.04e, and see if that improves it any first.

[durexlw]

In the mean while I found out the error I got was just because my landcode was set to Belgian and the decemal point therefore was a comma, in stead of a point. Either changing in the script the value "1.0" to "1,0" or changing my regional settings solved the problem...

Then again... lots of others appeared... I was never able to import data... got all sorts of errors.

Has anyone ever succeeded loading in data from PFTrack into DF using this script? If so, please contact me!
I can hardly believe the people who wrote this script made something that ain't usefull. And waiting for DF5 seems to be a sollution that will take way too long.

Cheers,
Andy

[JonCook]

Yeah, I've managed to import data using it... then again I wrote the script :)

The script reads in floating point data from the PFTrack file so it may run into the same problem you experienced with the decimal point being a full stop rather than an comma.

You said it was possible to work around the original error in the script by either editing the script itself or changing your regional settings. I suggest using the latter method since the former may not overcome any problem with the decimal points in the PFTrack file itself.

[c0nica]

I just tried to use the script as well, tagging a specific track, exporting to 2d human readible, and attempting to apply the script to a merge center. It doesnt seem to write any keyframes. It only moves the center position to another single, non animated position.

Any tips?

[JonCook]

First of all I should say I am no Digital Fusion expert. Secondly the script is based on one that does a very similar job written by Isaac Guenard, the only modification being to change the format of the data it reads from file rather than doing anything fundamentally different.

Anyway, here is how I have used it to stabalize a shot. After importing the footage create a transform, connect them togther and view the result. With the transform node selected position the mouse over the center control over the transform node so that it turns white and "Transform 1: Center" is highlighted. Right mouse click and select the "Transform 1: Center->Animate" menu item. Import the PFTrack file specifying which feature you wish to use and which control (the center) you wish to effect. Click through the warning about the control already being animated. Lastly I needed to invert the transform so as to negate the effect of the camera motion and stabalize the footage.

There may be more sensible or obvious ways of animating the control... like I said, I'm no Digital Fusion expert.

Cheers,
Jon

[durexlw]

Hey Jon,

I managed to import data into DF after what you said. Changing my regional setting in stead of changing that one value seems to solve all problems. Maidens will be waiting for you in heaven for this :)

I can import (user feature) tracks and this was my main goal. I have just one question left. Is it possible to import the camera-path? I read on the CGChannel about how you stabelized a shot.
In PFTrack, I calibrated my scene, using only user features, due to the nature of the shot. After calibrating and orienting my scene, I just do a camera export in "human readable (*.txt)".
In Digital Fusion then, I add my footage, apply an inverted transform after it, animate the center of my transform and import the exported camera-path to that animated center and nothing happens.
I can do the same proces with an auto or user feature track and that works, but it doesn't give good stabelizing at all. Did I miss something? Is it possible, and if so how, to import a camera-path?

Thanks in advance,
Andy

[JonCook]

Glad to hear that changing the regional settings fixed the problem.

> Is it possible to import the camera-path?

No, the script imports the 2D tracked features not the 3D camera path. With Fusion 5 having a 3D environment importing the camera path is something we want to look at in the future.

> but it doesn't give good stabelizing at all

I gave the stabalization example more as a way of explaing how to use the script rather than how to stabalize a shot as such. The transform node will fix the shot at one point, and one point only, so its not going to give very good stabailzation since it will not account for camera rotation and zoom. I dont know enough about Digital Fusion to know how you would go about fixing it at two or more points which is what you need to stabalize a shot.

If stabalization is what you are after you could look at the PFStable plugin for Digital Fusion which does use the full 3D camera path from PFTrack to perform stabalization.

[durexlw]

Heya Jon,

I kinda expected that importing camera-data was impossible, and at the same time I hoped it was implemented in the script. Now I know there's a plugin, adding it to the script doesn't seem productive anymore.

200$ is just a bit too much for a stabilizer I don't really need. Let's hope Fusion 5 remembered there's software eager to connect with it. You happen to have a rumor on the release date of Fusion 5?

PFtrack made mu life alot easyer on this tracking job! Thanks for the help man, I really appreciate it.

Cheers,
Andy

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