[Papywizard] TimeLapse Preset Generator

[sjhenry]

[Papywizard] TimeLapse Preset Generator

by sjhenry » Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:34 am

As the name suggest, this preset generator is used to generate a time lapse preset.

1. What is it?
This html/javascript program creates a PW preset to do a time lapse in linear motion in both yaw, pitch axis with constant time interval between each positions.

3. Where is the screen shot?
a) Picture 2 shows an initial opening screen
b) Picture 3 shows an preset generated screen

4. How to install?
a) Open notepad or any text editor
b) Copy the following code (remove the "Code:" part)
c) Paste that in the text editor
d) Save it with a name (like pw_tl_preset.html)
e) Double click on the name. It will be opened in the default browser.
f) You can create a shortcut as well (see Picture 1).

4. What is the system requirement?
A modern browser - latest version of any browser. I wrote it in html/javascript combination so that it works in most of the browsers. I tested it in IE and Firefox. It works find on these browsers. The javascript needs to be enabled on the browser. The script uses very premitive javascript so it should work in most browsers without any modifications. If you find that it is not running in a browser, please post it in this thread to figure out a solution.

5. What are the fields on the screen?
a) "Total positions" - Number of positions you want to move the head for this time lapse
b) "Yaw Direction" - Yaw direction of the head. Possible values are empty, Right, Left. Empty value is for static timelapse
c) "Yaw per position" - Yaw axis movement for each position. They are in degrees.
d) "Pitch Direction" - Pitch direction of the head. Possible values are empty, Up, Down. Empty value is for static timelapse
e) "Pitch per position" - Pitch axis movement for each position. They are in degrees.
f) "Shots per Position" - Number of shots that needs to be taken per position
g) "Initial Yaw" - Inital yaw position if a timelapse preset segment is generated
h) "Initial Pitch" - Initial pitch position if a timelapse preset segment is generated
i) Generate (button): Press this button to generate the preset.
j) Preset (text area): The generated preset will be shown here.

6. How to use it?
Mode 1: To generate a complete timelapse preset
==================================================
Enter a valid value for the "Total positions". If you need an ouput for 24 fps and 10 seconds and 1 shot per position, 240 is a good starting value.
Choose the direction for the yaw movement of the head. The Empty value is for static timelapse.
Choose a yaw value that moves the head in the yaw direction between each position.
Choose the direction for the pitch movement of the head. The Empty value is for static timelapse.
Choose a pitch value that moves the head in the pitch direction between each position.
Choose number of shots per position.
Press the "Generate" button.

Mode 2: To generate a partial timelapse preset segment (see the last picture)
========================================================
As mention in "Mode 1: To generate a complete timeelapse preset", choose/enter all the values and before pressing the "Generate" button,
Enter a valid value for "Initail Yaw" and "Initial Pitch" values.
Press the "Generate" button.

This creates a preset in the bottom text area. The preset name will be <total positionn>_<shots per position>_<pitch inc>_<yaw inc>. Now copy this to a file same as the preset name with an extension of .xml.
For example, you want to have 240 positions with yaw in the "Right" direction with 0.1 degress as "Yaw per Position", the preset name will be 240_1_0_0.1.
Note that there is a preset preview 240_1_0_0.1_preset is also created to do the preview.

Load this preset file into the PW using File->Import Preset File menu.

Once you set the home position correctly, then select the preset (240_1_0_0.1) and take the timelapse.

7) what is in the tooltip?
a) The tooltip shows the total number of positions with pitch, yaw increments.

Code: Select all

        <tooltip>
            TimeLapse preset for 240 positions with 0 pitch increment and 0.1 yaw increment
        </tooltip>

If you have any other questions/feedback about this program, please post it in this thread.

Code: Select all

     Top,Left        Top,Right
      2  1 -->        <--4   5
      | -------------------  |
      | |\ 3           6 /|  |       
     \|/| \             / | \|/
        |  \           /  |
        |                 |
        |                 |
        |                 |
     /|\|  /           \  | /|\
      | | /             \ |  |
    11| |/12            9\|  |
        -------------------  8
         10-->         <--7   
     Bottom,Left        Bottom,Right

0 ========> "Yaw Direction" as Empty, "Pitch Direction" as Empty (Not in the above picture - For static timelapse)
1 ========> "Yaw Direction" as Right, "Pitch Direction" as Empty
2 ========> "Yaw Direction" as Empty, "Pitch Direction" as Down
3 ========> "Yaw Direction" as Right, "Pitch Direction" as Down
4 ========> "Yaw Direction" as Left, "Pitch Direction" as Empty
5 ========> "Yaw Direction" as Empty, "Pitch Direction" as Down
6 ========> "Yaw Direction" as Left, "Pitch Direction" as Down
7 ========> "Yaw Direction" as Left, "Pitch Direction" as Empty
8 ========> "Yaw Direction" as Empty, "Pitch Direction" as Up
9 ========> "Yaw Direction" as Left, "Pitch Direction" as Up
10========> "Yaw Direction" as Right, "Pitch Direction" as Empty
11========> "Yaw Direction" as Empty, "Pitch Direction" as Up
12========> "Yaw Direction" as Right, "Pitch Direction" as Up

Setting up constant time:
====================
The total time between two shots are

"Stabilization Delay" + "Time Value" + time taken to move the head

Once you setup these times correctly, you will get a constant time between the shots.


Jones

The HTML code is below. Save it in pw_tl_preset.html

Code: Select all

<!--
 ! This program is to generate preset for the Papywizard
 ! program. This program can be used for commercial and/or
 ! non-commercial use for free.
 !
 ! Author: Jones Henry Subbiah (C) 2009.
 !
 ! Disclaimer: The user assumes the responsibility of any
 ! any demage using the preset. The author is not responsible
 ! for anything.
 !
 ! The preset generated assumes top-left corner of the pano
 ! is the home position that is yaw = 0, and pitch = 0. The
 ! name of the preset will be <total positionn>_<shots per position>_<pitch inc>_<yaw inc>.
 !
 ! History of changes:
 ! ====================
 ! 0.1        Initial public version
 ! 0.2        Added history of changes to track
 !
-->

<html>
 <head>
  <title>Papywizard Time Lapse Preset Generator</title>
  <script language="Javascript">
      var PREVIEW_STEP = 5;
      var DEBUG = false;
      var RAMP_STEP = 4;
      var pval = '';

      /*
       * This function appends the message to the text box.
       */
      function write ( message )
      {
          pval += message + "\n";
      }

      /*
       * This function appends debug messages to the text box.
       */
      function debug ( message )
      {
          if ( DEBUG )
              write ( message );
      }

      /*
       * This function validates the input.
       * Input validation is done only for text box fields.
       */
      function validate_input()
      {
          if ( isNaN ( parseInt ( document.main.np.value ) ) )
          {
               alert ( "Enter a valid value for number of shots" );
               document.main.np.select();
               document.main.np.focus();
               return false;
          }

          return true;
      }

      /*
       * This function rounds a number to a single decimal precision.
       * The trick to is to add 0.05 to the number and truncate at the first
       * decimal position.
       */
      function round21 ( number )
      {
          nnum = number + 0.05;
          nums = nnum.toString();
          numa = nums.split('.');
          return ( numa[0] + '.' + numa[1].charAt(0) );
      }

      /*
       * This function is the main function that creates the full preset XML.
       */
      function do_tl()
      {
          var np  = 0;
          var yd = '';
          var pd = '';
          var ypp = 0.0;
          var ppp = 0.0;
          var spp = 1;
          var ns = 0;
          var yaw = 0.0;
          var pitch = 0.0;
          var iy = 0.0;
          var ip = 0.0;
          var rup = 0;
          var prvw_prst = '';
          var prvw_pos = 0;
          var cur_line = '';
          var partial = false;
          var nrus = 0;
          var yinc = 0.0;

          pval = '';

          if ( validate_input() )
          {
              np = parseInt ( document.main.np.value );
              ypp = parseFloat ( document.main.ypp.options[document.main.ypp.selectedIndex].value );
              ppp = parseFloat ( document.main.ppp.options[document.main.ppp.selectedIndex].value );
              yd = document.main.yd.options[document.main.yd.selectedIndex].value;
              pd = document.main.pd.options[document.main.pd.selectedIndex].value;
              spp = document.main.spp.options[document.main.spp.selectedIndex].value;
              iy = parseFloat ( document.main.iy.value );
              ip = parseFloat ( document.main.ip.value );

              debug ( "np: "  + np  );
              debug ( "ypp: " + ypp );
              debug ( "ppp: " + ppp );
              debug ( "yd: " + yd );
              debug ( "pd: " + pd );
              debug ( "spp: " + spp );
              debug ( "iy: " + iy );
              debug ( "ip " + ip );

              nps = Math.floor ( np / PREVIEW_STEP );
              debug ( "nps: " + nps );
              prvw_pos = nps;

              if ( iy != 9999 || ip != 9999 )
              {
                  partial = true;
                  yaw = iy;
                  pitch = ip;
                  debug ( "yaw: " + yaw );
                  debug ( "pitch: " + pitch );
              }

              if ( ! partial )
              {
                  write ( '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>\n' );
                  write ( '<papywizard>\n' );
                  write ( '    <preset name="' + np + '_' + spp + '_' + ppp + '_' + ypp + '">' );
                  write ( '        <tooltip>' );
                  write ( '            TimeLapse preset for ' + np + ' positions with ' + ppp + ' pitch increment and ' + ypp + ' yaw increment' );
                  write ( '        </tooltip>' );
                  write ( '        <shoot>' );
              }

              for ( var ctr = 0; ctr < np; ctr++ )
              {
                  cur_line = '            <pict yaw="' + yd + round21 ( yaw ) + '" pitch="' + pd + round21 ( pitch ) + '"/>';

                  if ( ctr == 0 )
                  {
                      prvw_prst += cur_line + '\n';
                  }

                  if ( ctr == prvw_pos )
                  {
                      prvw_prst += cur_line + '\n';
                      prvw_pos += nps;
                  }

                  if ( ctr == ( np - 1 ) )
                  {
                      prvw_prst += cur_line;
                  }

                  for ( var ctr2 = 0; ctr2 < spp; ctr2++ )
                  {
                      write ( cur_line );
                  }

                  if ( yd != '' )
                      yaw += ypp;

                  if ( pd != '' )
                      pitch += ppp;
              }

              if ( ! partial )
              {
                  write ( '        </shoot>' );
                  write ( '    </preset>\n' );
              }

              /*
               * Create a preview preset that travels along the path of the time lapse.
               */
              if ( ! partial )
              {
                  write ( '    <preset name="' + np + '_' + spp + '_' + ppp + '_' + ypp + '_preset">' );
                  write ( '        <tooltip>' );
                  write ( '            A preview preset for the following that travels through the time lapse path' );
                  write ( '            TimeLapse preset for ' + np + ' positions with ' + ppp + ' pitch increment and ' + ypp + ' yaw increment' );
                  write ( '        </tooltip>' );
                  write ( '        <shoot>' );
                  write ( prvw_prst );
                  write ( '        </shoot>' );
                  write ( '    </preset>\n' );
                  write ( '</papywizard>' );
              }

              document.main.preset.value = pval;
          }
      }
  </script>
 </head>
 <body onload="document.main.preset.value = '';" bgcolor="#cccccc">
  <form name="main">
   <table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" width="700">
    <tr>
     <td>Total positions</td>
     <td>
      <input type="text" name="np" value="240" style="width:100px">
     </td>
     <td>Yaw Direction</td>
     <td>
      <select name="yd" style="width:100px">
       <option value=""></option>
       <option value="+" selected>Right</option>
       <option value="-">Left</option>
      </select>
     </td>
     <td>Yaw per position</td>
     <td>
      <select name="ypp" style="width:100px">
       <option value="0.0">0.0</option>
       <option value="0.1" selected>0.1</option>
       <option value="0.2">0.2</option>
       <option value="0.3">0.3</option>
       <option value="0.4">0.4</option>
       <option value="0.5">0.5</option>
       <option value="0.6">0.6</option>
       <option value="0.7">0.7</option>
       <option value="0.8">0.8</option>
       <option value="0.9">0.9</option>
       <option value="1.0">1.0</option>
       <option value="1.1">1.1</option>
       <option value="1.2">1.2</option>
       <option value="1.3">1.3</option>
       <option value="1.4">1.4</option>
       <option value="1.5">1.5</option>
       <option value="1.6">1.6</option>
       <option value="1.7">1.7</option>
       <option value="1.8">1.8</option>
       <option value="1.9">1.9</option>
       <option value="2.0">2.0</option>
       <option value="3.0">3.0</option>
       <option value="4.0">4.0</option>
       <option value="5.0">5.0</option>
       <option value="6.0">6.0</option>
       <option value="7.0">7.0</option>
       <option value="8.0">8.0</option>
       <option value="9.0">9.0</option>
       <option value="10.0">10.0</option>
      </select>
     </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
     <td>Pitch Direction</td>
     <td>
      <select name="pd" style="width:100px">
       <option value="" selected></option>
       <option value="+">Up</option>
       <option value="-">Down</option>
      </select>
     </td>
     <td>Pitch per position</td>
     <td>
      <select name="ppp" style="width:100px">
       <option value="0.0" selected>0.0</option>
       <option value="0.1">0.1</option>
       <option value="0.2">0.2</option>
       <option value="0.3">0.3</option>
       <option value="0.4">0.4</option>
       <option value="0.5">0.5</option>
       <option value="0.6">0.6</option>
       <option value="0.7">0.7</option>
       <option value="0.8">0.8</option>
       <option value="0.9">0.9</option>
       <option value="1.0">1.0</option>
       <option value="1.1">1.1</option>
       <option value="1.2">1.2</option>
       <option value="1.3">1.3</option>
       <option value="1.4">1.4</option>
       <option value="1.5">1.5</option>
       <option value="1.6">1.6</option>
       <option value="1.7">1.7</option>
       <option value="1.8">1.8</option>
       <option value="1.9">1.9</option>
       <option value="2.0">2.0</option>
       <option value="3.0">3.0</option>
       <option value="4.0">4.0</option>
       <option value="5.0">5.0</option>
       <option value="6.0">6.0</option>
       <option value="7.0">7.0</option>
       <option value="8.0">8.0</option>
       <option value="9.0">9.0</option>
       <option value="10.0">10.0</option>
      </select>
     </td>
     <td>Shots per Position</td>
     <td>
      <select name="spp" style="width:100px">
       <option value="1" selected>1</option>
       <option value="2">2</option>
       <option value="3">3</option>
       <option value="4">4</option>
       <option value="5">5</option>
       <option value="6">6</option>
       <option value="7">7</option>
       <option value="8">8</option>
       <option value="9">9</option>
       <option value="10">10</option>
      </select>
     </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
     <td>Initial Yaw</td>
     <td>
      <input type="text" name="iy" style="width:100px" value="9999">
     </td>
     <td>Initial Pitch</td>
     <td>
      <input type="text" name="ip" style="width:100px" value="9999">
     </td>
     <td> </td>
     <td> </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
     <td colspan="5">Preset</td>
     <td>
      <input type="button" value="Generate" style="width:100px" onClick="do_tl()">
     </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
     <td colspan="6">
      <textarea name="preset" rows="18" cols="83"></textarea>
     </td>
    </tr>
   </table>
  </form>
 </body>
</html>

Last edited by sjhenry on Tue Jul 21, 2009 1:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

[fma38]

by fma38 » Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:50 am

jhenry is the king of preset

[sjhenry]

by sjhenry » Tue Jul 21, 2009 1:09 am

lol

I am just sharing what I have to this community. I hope it helps many users.

Jones

[sjhenry]

by sjhenry » Tue Jul 21, 2009 1:34 am

My netbook that I use for the wired connection has the following shortcuts

[tived]

by tived » Tue Jul 21, 2009 2:05 am

Henry

thanks very much for sharing, you are very generous

Henrik

[sjhenry]

by sjhenry » Wed Jul 22, 2009 2:53 am

Henrik,

You are welcome. I like to see how the users putting these scripts in use.

Jones

[claudevh]

by claudevh » Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:10 am

Hi Henrik,

Are you now a Papywizard/Merlin effective user now ?
If yes, could you give us some informations about your material ... Camera & lenses, Platform for running Papywizard, interface and your usage of Papywizard ?
I will include into our Papywizard users Database:
http://www.autopano.net/wiki-en/action/view/Merlin-Orion-Papywizard_users_feedback

Many thanks in advance !

Last edited by claudevh on Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[cruikers]

by cruikers » Thu Jan 28, 2010 8:50 am

Hi Henry, and others

My Name is Mark Cruikshank, i found this website and have bought a Merlin head and have used it to make a few Timelapses so far, i have an example here for you. http://vimeo.com/8992524

I use a Canon 7D and 6.5mm lens, also have 11mm lens as well, using Papywizard on a netbook and using the bluetooth adapter, using the script preset generator you showed me how to program papywizard to move and take the shot, i like this as the camera has to be steady while the shutter is open and it even stabilised the head before the shot, you can see in the video that it was a very windy night and the head did not move at all the exposure was at 25 seconds for about 900 shots,

i plan to do a lot more timelapses this year, i will post the results here,

thanks for your time and if i can help in any way please let me know.

Mark Cruikshank

Freelance Tv Cameraman/Director

[claudevh]

by claudevh » Thu Jan 28, 2010 9:56 am

Hello Mark,

Welcome on board !

Excellent job ! Nice shoot's ...

Could-you give us a little bit more info's on how you use the Merlin head and Papywizard for your timelapse ?
Do-you use the Merlin via the hand-controler for the panning ?
Do-yo use "remote camera control" of the Merlin for your camera with a intervalometer ?
Or do-you use only the Timelapse preset for all ?

As you are a Papywizard user, we will want to put some informations about you into our "users" database.
If you agree, just send me the info's by Email and I will populate the database for you ...
Have a look on our database :

http://www.autopano.net/wiki-en/action/view/Merlin-Orion-Papywizard_users_feedback

[bruper]

by bruper » Fri Mar 05, 2010 5:48 pm

Hello,
I would like to know if the time-lapse preset very generously supplied by sjhenry has being tested on Mac (10.5 or 10.6), it's just that while I'm waiting for the B.T. I was experimenting with the software.
I tried the above preset240_1_0_0.1 but, after opening on Firefox OK, copy and pasting on textedit, saving with the 240_1_0_0.1 name (word 2003 Format (.xml)), launching PW, import preset file, nothing happens, timelapse window stays grey and prest doesn't have a preset with such a name or function. What am I doing wrong?
thanks, Bruno.

[claudevh]

by claudevh » Fri Mar 05, 2010 7:17 pm

Hello Bruno,

I believe that the preset should be saved by a "simple text editor" (like Notepad not in Word) in xml format !

[bruper]

by bruper » Fri Mar 05, 2010 7:41 pm

thanks Claude, on Mac, TextEdit is a simple text editor but on saving I have the choice of saving as .xml (and before that it says word 2003 Format (.xml))

[olihar]

by olihar » Fri Mar 05, 2010 8:30 pm

is it possible to make smaller then 0.1° movement with the merlin and Papywizard?

[Photosbykev]

by Photosbykev » Fri Mar 05, 2010 8:34 pm

I don't use Macs but with Windows notepad if you wrap the filename.ext with " " i.e "preset.xml" notepad saves the file in basic text but with the xml extension rather than appending the .txt extension. Macs may do the same if you just select text rather than xml? .

Failing that save the file as a txt file and just change the extension to xml.

[bruper]

by bruper » Fri Mar 05, 2010 11:01 pm

Hi Photosbykev Normally Macs do the same. I tried what you suggested (both versions) saving as rich text format and adding the .xml on the file (which it accepts) but then PW gives me errors:
Can't import preset file
not well-formed (invalid token):
line 1, column 0
is it any chance someone could e-mail me a .xml (preset) file so I could try to import?
thanks

[claudevh]

by claudevh » Sat Mar 06, 2010 12:07 am

Hi Bruno I have send an example by direct mail ...

[fma38]

by fma38 » Sat Mar 06, 2010 12:26 am

Don't wait for the Timelapse tab to be activated!!! It is a feature I never implemented, and will never implement, in Papywizard (I removed this tab in the latest releases); timelapse will be a dedicated application, if I have time to write it some day

Once you have loaded your preset (if it does not fail), you will see it in the Preset tab, as any other presets.

[bruper]

by bruper » Sat Mar 06, 2010 12:32 am

Thanks Claude,
well your preset is working although it opens with presets, not with timelapse, does it suppose to?
In fact it produced 2 presets one called 360_1_1_1 and the other 360_1_1_1_preset, does it suppose to?
both are going out left of the rectangular box (out of screen), using the shoot button, does it suppose to?
I will have to investigate why I'm not able to produce one myself.

[bruper]

by bruper » Sat Mar 06, 2010 12:35 am

that answer the greyed timelapse tab then, thanks Frédéric

[olihar]

by olihar » Sat Mar 06, 2010 12:45 am

So I ask again, is it possible to make smaller movements then 0.1 Will papywizard understand a xml having 0.05 movement.

[bruper]

by bruper » Sat Mar 06, 2010 12:55 am

for what I understand the preset generator made by sjhenry is not let you do that on the browser, beside for 0 (still) it goes from .1 to 2 in .1 increments and then it increments of 1º until 10º

[claudevh]

by claudevh » Sat Mar 06, 2010 1:20 am

Hi Olihar,

I think that such a little increment will not be accurate in absolute value !
But this mount is a "astronomical" mount and the slowest speed is = 1 x "sideral" = 1° / 4 minutes
So you have an idea of the timelapse capability ...!!!

Last edited by claudevh on Sat Mar 06, 2010 1:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

[bruper]

by bruper » Sat Mar 06, 2010 1:27 am

Hi Claude,
so I fund out that if I save-as the preset you sent me (Mac 10.6.2 TextEdit) would open a new dialog showing me that your file is Unicode (UTF-8), something I could not reproduce with my file.
I copied the content of my file (the 240 positions from sjhenry), pasted into yours (erasing the previous content) and saved with a new name, now it opens in PW and virtually works, except that:
it only gives me a total of 6 position for a total time of 13 frames (??)...
Bruno

[olihar]

by olihar » Sat Mar 06, 2010 1:46 am

Hi Olihar,

I think that such a little increment will not be accurate in absolute value !
But this mount is a "astronomical" mount and the slowest speed is = 1 x "sideral" = 1° / 4 minutes
So you have an idea of the timelapse capability ...!!!

Thanks for your reply.

I did a test using 0.1 Yaw and 0.1 Pitch for 1440 shots, its amazingly smooth. I am just wondering if smaller increments would be possible. As it at least not visible in Papywizard window.

Another thing, would you have any idea about creating an incremental speed time laps script. A speed curve. Lets say starts off slow goes faster and slows down again.

Speed curve kind of got me thinking about getting slower then 0.1 movement.

Last edited by olihar on Sat Mar 06, 2010 1:46 am, edited 1 time in total.

[bruper]

by bruper » Sat Mar 06, 2010 1:57 am

smooth out / smooth in would indeed be very nice to do computerized motion control !!