Still Images as Image Sequence - XML Import

[mikkelf3580674]

Hi.

I'm trying to make life a bit easier by generating an XML file to quickly import a number of image sequences into a Premiere Pro project (PPro 2017.0.2 in case it matters).

It almost works - but when I import this XML file into premiere, it imports the first file in the sequence as a Still Image rather than an image sequence.

The path to the file is correct, and the first frame does show up just fine.

It feels like it's only a small change that's required, but I have not been able to find any information on it anywhere.

Xml download 

Since the (sample) XML is very short, I also included it here (the real file has a few hundred clips, they all behave the same way).

I tried manually importing an image sequence into premiere and exporting the result as FinalCut XML, but if I re-import that file, it also gets imported as a Still Image, so no help there.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xmeml version="4">
  <bin>
    <name>mpf_07 Images</name>
    <children>
      <bin>
        <name>Preview</name>
        <children>
          <clip id="mpf_07_01">
            <duration>229</duration>
            <in>0</in>
            <out>229</out>
            <name>mpf_07_01</name>
            <media>
              <video>
                <track>
                  <clipitem id="clipitem-Preview-mpf_07_01">
                    <name>clipitem-Preview-mpf_07_01</name>
                    <file id="file-Preview-mpf_07_01">
                      <name />
                      <pathurl>E:\mpf_07_01.0101.jpg</pathurl>
                      <rate>
                        <timebase>24</timebase>
                        <NTSC>FALSE</NTSC>
                      </rate>
                      <duration>320</duration>
                      <timecode>
                        <rate>
                          <timebase>24</timebase>
                          <ntsc>FALSE</ntsc>
                        </rate>
                        <string>00:00:00:00</string>
                        <frame>0</frame>
                        <displayformat>NDF</displayformat>
                        <reel>
                          <name />
                        </reel>
                      </timecode>
                      <media>
                        <video>
                          <samplecharacteristics>
                            <width>2048</width>
                            <height>1126</height>
                          </samplecharacteristics>
                        </video>
                      </media>
                    </file>
                  </clipitem>
                </track>
              </video>
            </media>
            <rate>
              <timebase>24</timebase>
              <NTSC>FALSE</NTSC>
            </rate>
          </clip>
        </children>
      </bin>
    </children>
  </bin>
</xmeml>

[Bruce Bullis]

What version of PPro are you using? The last parameter to importFiles(), a 0 or 1, tells PPro whether you want to import these items as numbered stills:
https://github.com/Adobe-CEP/Samples/blob/master/PProPanel/jsx/Premiere.jsx#L243https://github.com/Adobe-CEP/Samples/blob/master/PProPanel/jsx/Premiere.jsx#L243

[mikkelf3580674]

PPro 2017.0.2

However, this is not using ExtendScript, it's importing an XML file through the File -> Import menu (see image below), which unfortunately leaves all the clips as Still Image rather than Numbered Stills. Ideally I would want to modify the XML so that Premiere would know to take the images as numbered stills rather than still images, alternately I'll have to look at using script to reinterpret all footage as numbered stills - but I don't think that is possible (except by replacing all clips maybe?).

[Bruce Bullis]

Sorry, I presumed because we're in the SDK forum, you were already using our APIs.

Yes, you could reinterpret existing stills as sequences...

I'd be tempted to create a sequence containing a couple clips made of numbered stills, export FCP XML, and see what's what.

-bbb

[mikkelf3580674]

Hi Bruce Bullis, thanks for your replies so far.

Yes, sorry about that confusion with the posting location - I originally posted it in the "main" Premiere forum, but it attracted no answers, and anyway I suppose that this is more of a technical question rather than a Premiere usage question. Especially since I'm starting to suspect the solution will come from using the SDK.

I did try to create numbered stills clips, and exporting as FCP XML, but even if I re-import that same file it will appear as Still Image rather than numbered stills - presumably because the "numbered stills" concept isn't part of FCP XML, or at least not the version that Premiere exports (Premiere still uses FCP7/XMEML instead of FCPX/FCPXML, I believe?). I will be conducting some trials with FCP later today, just to check.

I have not seen anything in the PPro Panel code to re-interpret footage - would that be utilizing "replace media" instead?

Alternately, I might want to look into creating an interface for the editors to take in specific numbered clips based on some parameters they provide (which is basically the same thing the XML file was doing), but all done with the SDK - any pointers on where to start with checking the local filesystem - things like Directory.GetFiles() from C# ? I really would prefer not to use the standard "select file" dialog to pop up for each, since we're talking 10s or even 100s of clips.

[Bruce Bullis]

mikkelf3580674  wrote

> (Premiere still uses FCP7/XMEML instead of FCPX/FCPXML, I believe?)

Correct.

Local filesystem: You can either use JavaScript, in which case the web is your hunting ground for file system fiddling examples, or ExtendScript, in which case the JavaScript Tools Guide (that ships with ExtendScript Toolkit, next to the app in an /SDK directory) will help.

[mikkelf3580674]

Thanks Bruce, I will look into the ExtendScript toolkit, it sounds very useful (debugging scripts is definitely a hassle otherwise!)

Final Cut Pro does indeed not have the concept of an image sequence - in their world, every image is imported separately and placed on the timeline in a, well, sequence - which of course is also what happens "behind the scenes" when you render an image sequence - but the lack of an image sequence as a distinct entity is probably why no provision for it exists in the XML format.

That would explain why there is no way to tell Premiere to import as image sequence when doing an XML import.

Would it be worth putting in a feature request for expanding the XML spec with something to support image sequence in Premiere (and any other software that utilizes the same or similar concepts), or is the XML Import feature a "closed chapter" ? I suspect it's probably the latter, since there has been no updates to the XMEML spec in years from Apple's side, and it's not likely there will be since they have long since switched to FCPXML instead.

[Bruce Bullis]

I don't know that it's necessary to expand a spec...

PPro can successfully export, and import, an FCP XML of a sequence, containing a sequence of stills. The information is in there; I've asked where.

[mikkelf3580674]

Well that would be very good news indeed if it turns out to be possible after all - I had just about given up hope on it, and still have my doubts.

Crossing fingers and hoping I was wrong!

[Bruce Bullis]

To further allay doubts:

0. Launch PPro.

1. New Bars n Tone.

2. New sequence (doesn't matter what format)

3. Insert BandT into new sequence.

4. Export movie --> Targa sequence, check the import into project box.

5. In sequence, replace BandT with newly-imported image sequence.

6. Export as FCP XML.

7. New project (for testing cleanliness)

8. import FCP XML

Result: Hey look, a sequence containing a sequence of stills, via FCP XML!

[thomasp25902177]

I just did your steps, but that image sequence gets converted to a still image on export of xml, - so when import its not image sequence anymore...   not working 😕    ( I replaced in sequence with Replace With Clip - From Bin )

[Bruce Bullis]

Upon further consideration, it was QE tester error. I see the same results as you. Looking into it...

[thomasp25902177]

2017.0.2  -   11.0.2 (47) Build    on windows

[mitchs42786776]

This is not related to the script you are trying to write (which I think sounds great), but just to share a workaround I have been using to save me lots of time importing multiple image sequences. If you have each image sequence in its own folder, you can drag and drop all of them into After Effects, and it will automatically process them as image sequences, bringing in clips of each shot. Then you can simply copy and paste that into Premiere and you will effectively batch import them as image sequences. A little bit of a workaround but it saves a lot of time

[mikkelf3580674]

Thank you Mitch, while it's (unfortunately) not really practical in our workflow/pipeline, I'm sure it'll be useful for others in a similar situation who come upon this post later.