Scripting with Fast video cataloger

Fast video cataloger has support for automating and extending the software through C# scripting.

Scripting in Fast video cataloger is extremely powerful but it can be a bit intimidating if you have no previous experience from scripting.

We prepared a guide to help you get started with scripting in Fast video cataloger, download it here

We also prepared a quick high-level video about scripting.

How to arrange your video workspace in Fast video cataloger

Fast video cataloger has a lot of functionality, in this video, we show how to arrange your video workspace for efficiency.

You can find the Fast Video cataloger features in different windows.

You typically only need some of it, depending on your task at hand.

If you want to browse your videos, you do that in the video catalog window. A search is done in the search window, edit video details in the detail window, etc.

This video shows how to create layouts for new users.

FVC 8.05 available for download

Fast Video Cataloger 8.05

Available for download today at https://videocataloger.com/download/

  • Improved performance for catalogs with lots of extended properties. You should notice a performance improvement when switching videos if your catalog has more than 1000 extended properties.
  • Added new option when auto assigning keywords from filename, the new option will only consider text inside brackets as keywords, i.e [this text] or {this text}.
  • Add new sample scripts.
  • If you used a hotkey that was a plain key (i.e no ALT/Shift/CTRL) and had keyboard focus in the script console window the shortcut action was executed. Now the character is written to the text window.
  • When updating multiple keywords in the keywords manager to set color the first keywords text also got updated.
  • When the write metadata option is enabled metadata is now also written for multi-selected videos.
  • If metadata writing fails because a file is locked by a program fast video cataloger will keep trying. (this typically failed because the video was playing in the internal or an external video player).

How to set keywords to video scenes

How to set keywords to video scenes in Fast Video Cataloger

Fast Video Cataloger lets you assign keyword tags to specific scenes in videos. You can then search for these tags to find a specific moment in a video. This video shows how to add a keyword to a scene and how to search for that keyword.

 

 

For this example, we will use a tutorial video about the software.
Select the video.
Look at the timeline of the video.
Select the scene to get a keyword.
Make sure you have the keywording window open in your layout.
Make sure the checkbox for tagging a scene is selected.
Write the keyword, or use one of the keywords you have used before.
You now see the tagged scene has a changed color tint.
If you hover the mouse over the tag you see the assigned keywords.
Now we will try to search for this video.
Make sure you have the scene search window in your layout.
Go to the scene search section.
Click on the keyword
You will see the matching scenes.
Click on the thumbnail to play the video from the tagged point in time.
Tagged scenes will also match video file searches.

How to import a video playlist to DaVinci Resolve

This video will show you how to import a video playlist into DaVinci Resolve.

In Fast video cataloger, you can quickly create video playlists.

A video playlist is a list of cuts from videos.

A playlist can be played as if it was a normal video file.

A playlist can work as a video edit outline. 

You can then import the outline into professional video editing software like Davinci Resolve.

Start Fast video cataloger.

Make sure you have the playlist window in your layout

Create a new playlist and give it a name.

As an example, we will edit a cat video, so let us search for cat videos in our catalog

Add a video to the playlist by right-clicking on the video and select “add to playlist”

Or add a segment of a video by right-clicking on a thumbnail and select “add to playlist”

And let’s add a subscribe outtro

You now have a playlist that you can play as a video.

Export the playlist by clicking “Export”

You will see a save file dialog.

Select where to store the playlist, and select XML as the format.

We now have an exported XML playlist.

Open Davinci resolve and create a new project.

Select File, Import, Timeline

Accept the defaults in the dialog

You should now see the timeline and all the imported video clips and can your editing start editing.

In rare cases, the import to DaVinci will fail. The most common reason for a failed import is that the video format is not supported in Davinci Resolve. 

Fast video cataloger supports many formats that are not supported in Davinci. If you import a playlist with these videos, like WMV, you will get an error dialog. If this is the case, you will need to convert the video file.

If the clip start time is not 0 the import might fail. In Fast video cataloger you can set the default playlist start time from the general preferences.

Davinci Resolve and Fast Video Cataloger

 

If you are using FastVideoCataloger and Davinci Resolve you can easily bring the videos into DaVinci resolve for editing just by drag and drop.
Working like this keeps the Resolve project less cluttered
1., Start Fast video cataloger with your video catalog.
2. choose a layout with the video catalog and the search window
3. Search for a video you want to have in your resolve project.
4. We get a list of videos.
5. Click on the video to get a good overview.
6. Have your resolve project open in another window, perhaps on another display.
7. Drag the video from Fast video cataloger to Davinci resolve.

You now have the video in the project and can drag it onto the timeline and edit as usual.

How to customize video columns in Fast video cataloger

In Fast video cataloger, you can change the size and order of the video detail columns.
You can also show and hide columns including columns to show extended properties.
Here is a tutorial video to show you how:

  • In Fast video cataloger you can customize your video detail columns.
    Start Fast video cataloger.
  • Open the video catalog window in detail mode.
  • Move the pointer between the columns so that the mouse cursor change.
  • Drag with the left mouse button down to change the size of the columns.
  • Move the pointer above a column so it changes color.
  • Drag with the left mouse button down to rearrange the column order.
  • You can also Right-click on the columns.
  • You will get a context menu with all avaiable columns.
  • The visible columns have a checkmark.
  • Check and uncheck columns to toggle their visiblity.
  • Select More from context menu for the advanced dialog.
  • In this dialog you can also select to show extended properties.
  • Click on one of the empty rows.
  • Click on the Extended property dropdown.
  • Select the extended property you want to show.
  • You will see the custom property in the list with an icon.
  • Close the dialog.
  • Column customization is saved with your layout.
  • Customized columns allow you to view, just the right video information you need.

How to save a video screenshot using Fast video cataloger

How to save video screenshots

I will show how you can save a video frame as an image file.
First, start Fast videocataloger.
Find and select the video you want to take a screenshot from.
Seek the frame you want to capture, by clicking on a video frame and using the seek bar.
Right-click the camera icon in the video player.
Select “Capture frame to file”
You will get a save file dialog.
Pick the folder where you want your image and click Save
In a few seconds, the image will be captured from the video and saved as an image file.
Browse to the folder and you can see your captured video frame image.

video on 3 tips for metadata headers

This video shows 3 easy tips on the metadata columns in the Video Catalog window.

This video will provide you with 3 short tips on Metadata columns in Fast Video Cataloger. The video-catalog window is a natural starting point for most use cases. Each video has a number of columns populated with metadata.

Tip 1. You can sort the catalog using the headers of the columns

Tip 2. You can resize the columns by grabbing the edges or move columns by grabbing and dragging. This is a great way to set up the layout of this window to fit your need for the work you are doing.

Tip 3. Right-click a column to add more metadata columns to the video Catalog window. Most videos do not have data in all columns but depending on your videos different sets of metadata are important. Download Fast Video Cataloger now and build your video catalog.