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How to export an image from QC to a file? Hi, I'm working on a project in QC, and there's one thing I can't figure out. It seems SO simple, but I can't find any way to export an image from QC. There's probably a way with code but I'm a total dunce in that department! What I'm going for is to stick my whole composition into a Render In Image, and then have a MIDI button mapped to trigger snapping a screenshot. It's for an installation that possibly hundreds of people will interact with, so ideally I could specify the location the screenshots are saved, and a filenaming convention to keep older files from being overwritten. Anybody know how to do anything like that in QC? Or, if I'd need XCode/etc, any idea how to go about it? As I said I'm a total code moron, please use kid gloves, haha. Thanks! -John
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http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/samplecode/ImageExporter/
Click "Download Sample Code", unzip it, open it in Xcode, select "Project / Set Active Target / Build & Copy", then select "Build / Build".
Restart Quartz Composer, and you'll see a new patch called
Image Exporter. Connect theRender In Imageto it,and enable it for one frame when you'd like to save an image (i.e., passKeyboardthrough thePulsepatch).Correction: don't toggle the "Enable" input --- this causes the image filename counter to reset. Instead, use a 2-port
Multiplexer, with the first image disconnected and the second image fed from theRender In Image--- then toggle theMultiplexer's input port. TheImage Exporterwill only write a file when it receives a non-null image.Yeah and you can use some string patches to generate the save file path (URL) that is dependant on MIDI or other inputs. Or use Javascript of course — the hammer that hits all pointy metal objects.
Smokris, are you aware of what the pixel dimension limitations on this plugin are?
Are they determined by internal QC limits or the actual plug-in?
I was restricted to about 3000 px wide (image was strip like so image height wasn't an issue) when I was outputting to print and this wasn't quite HighRes at 30cm (250 ppi slightly less than the ideal of 300ppi).
The plugin itself doesn't impose any limits on image size.
I just successfully exported an 8192x8192 image using the plugin.
The NI Image Exporter that installs into QC when you install the fxfactory plugs has an image exporter that let's you have more control (file name, don't overwrite, type etc.)
http://www.noiseindustries.com/fxfactory/
Maybe it is GPU related? I'm on the venerable NV GeForce FX 5200. It was done to 1fps or less when I put the comp inside a RII patch so at bigger sizes perhaps it just choked. I left the comp runnning for 30 minutes and it didn't generate a single export file.
Wow, awesome, thanks guys! I am on my way to bed but I'll check these out and report back. The exported images are web-bound, so even if I was limited to 3000 pixels wide that would be overkill for what I need.
Cheers,
-John
This works perfectly when I set it up as you described. Thanks!
Hmm, this requires me to buy fxfactory... looks cool, but for now I'll still with the free option!
If you do the demo, it should install the needed plugin and leave it there.