VideoGen: video from images and photos
The "VideoGen" window builds a video from photos. The app downloads the photos from a free source of random pictures on the web. You add the finished files to the project as additional videos yourself. You need the window when a template lacks varied source videos and you have nowhere to shoot them.
What the window does
The video processing module joins the pictures into a slideshow with changing frames. You set the frame size, the number of pictures, the video duration and the transitions between pictures yourself. Pictures do not repeat within one video.
The window has no "Save" button
Settings are written to the project only when you click "Generate video". There is no separate "Save" button here. Close the window without starting the work, and your changes are not saved.
Hence the order of work: you changed the settings - click "Generate video" right away.
How do I open the window?
- Open the project.
- Click the round button at the very bottom of the narrow column on the left. Its tooltip says "Project integrations".
- In the "VideoGen" card, click "Open".
The window fills in the settings from the project right away.
Order of steps
- Set "Video height" and "Video width".
- Decide whether you need a spread in image resolution.
- Set "Video duration", "Number of images in each video" and "Video FPS".
- If you like, turn on "Smooth transitions between slides".
- If you like, turn on "Use proxy" and enter the address.
- Set "Number of videos".
- Choose a folder with the button to the right of the "Folder to save generated videos to" field.
- Click "Generate video".
What settings are there?
| Setting | Default | Limits | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Video height" | 1920 px | 100-1920 | Frame height |
| "Video width" | 1080 px | 100-1920 | Frame width |
| "Allow spread in image resolution" | On | - | Pictures of a slightly different size are taken too, they are stretched or squeezed |
| Double spread slider | From -10 to +10 px | -100...+100 | How much the picture size may differ from the set one |
| "Video duration" | 60 s | 1-99,999,999 | The desired duration of one video |
| "Number of images in each video" | 20 | 2-60 | How many different pictures go into one video |
| "Video FPS" | 30 | 2-180 | Frame rate |
| "Smooth transitions between slides" | Off | - | Adds a transition animation between pictures |
| Double transition slider | From 1 to 5 s | 1-30 | The transition duration is taken at random from this range |
| Pause before the next attempt | 5 s | 1-99,999,999 | The exact field label is given below, in the section about retries |
| "Reconnect attempts" | 20 | 1-99,999,999 | How many times in a row to repeat the request |
| "Use proxy" | Off | - | Turns on the proxy |
| "Number of videos" | 1 | 1-99,999,999 | How many videos to create in one run |
| "Folder to save generated videos to" | Empty | - | Where to save the finished files |
Each double slider is shown only when its own switch is on. The proxy field is shown only when the "Use proxy" switch is on.
Pictures do not repeat within one video. A separate set is downloaded for each video.
Retries: two fields
Two fields control repeated requests to the photo service. In the window they are labeled like this:
Delay before reconnecting
Reconnect attempts
The first field is the pause in seconds before the next attempt. The default is 5, the limits are from 1 to 99,999,999. The second is how many times in a row to repeat the request. The default is 20, the limits are the same.
Both fields accept up to 99,999,999. One typo gives a pause lasting years, and the window is busy the whole time. Sensible values are 5 seconds and 20 attempts.
The two-frames-per-image rule
Each image needs at least two frames. This gives the smallest duration. Multiply the number of images by 2, divide by the frame rate and round up.
- 20 images at 30 frames per second - at least 2 seconds.
- 60 images at 2 frames per second - at least 60 seconds.
If the duration is shorter, the start is refused. The refusal text names the number you need:
With {N} images at a frame rate of {F}, the video cannot be shorter than {M} s. Increase the duration or reduce the number of images.
What to do: increase "Video duration", reduce "Number of images in each video" or raise "Video FPS".
Why is the video longer than ordered?
The "Smooth transitions between slides" switch is off by default. When it is on, an animation is added between pictures. The duration of each transition is taken at random from the slider range. So the final duration comes out longer than ordered. The exact value is not known in advance.
The tooltip of the "Video duration" field says the same. If the exact duration matters, turn off transitions.
With one image there is nowhere to make transitions. In this case the start is refused: "Only one image is set, but transitions are turned on. There is nowhere to build a transition. Increase the number of images, or turn transitions off."
Error 403 and proxy
The photo service limits the request rate. On a refusal, the status line shows the error code. Code 403 is the most common of them. Turn on "Use proxy" and enter the address. You connect your own proxy, and this window has no other costs.
The address format is written at the field: Proxy in the format http://login:password@address:port. The address can be no longer than 512 characters. The login and password cannot contain Cyrillic letters. A space in the password is replaced with %20. The hash sign is replaced with %23, the slash with %2F, the question mark with %3F.
What the status line shows
The bar is split in half. From 0 to 50 % the pictures are collected, from 51 to 100 % the video is assembled.
| Status line | What it means |
|---|---|
Creating the images_for_videogen working folder | A working folder is set up next to the app |
Looking for an image for the video: {N}/{M} | The next picture is being downloaded |
Connection error {code}. Reconnecting... [{attempt}\{total}] | The service refused, attempts are left |
Connection error {code}. No reconnection attempts left. | The attempts ran out |
Could not download the images. Check your internet connection. | Five failures in a row, the proxy is off |
Could not download the images. Check the proxy and the connection. | The same, the proxy is on |
Ran out of distinct images. Reduce their number. | The service returns pictures already downloaded |
Could not create the working folder for images | The folder next to the app could not be set up |
Generating the video from images: {file name} | Assembly of one video has started |
Video generation error (code {return code}): {file name} | The video processing module refused |
Video generated successfully: {file name} | One video is ready |
Done | The whole order is done |
Stopping... | The "Stop" button was clicked |
Stopped by you | The work was stopped on your command |
Five failed downloads in a row cancel the whole order, not one video. Files that had time to be assembled stay on the disk.
Where are the files saved?
Finished files are saved to the folder from the "Folder to save generated videos to" field. The name follows the pattern VUBGenerated_ddmmYYYY_HHMMSSmss.mp4. The container is mp4.
Pictures go into the images_for_videogen working folder next to the app. It is cleared after each finished video.
You have to add the finished video to the project by hand. The window does not do this. Add the files as additional videos the same way as the others: this is described on the template page.
Start refusals and what to do
| Refusal text | What to do |
|---|---|
| "Wait: the previous video creation is still finishing" | Wait until the previous work winds down. This takes up to 60 seconds |
| "Choose a folder to save videos to" | Choose a folder with the button to the right of the field |
| "The save folder is not where it was. Choose the folder again: the disk may have been disconnected, or the folder renamed" | Connect the drive or choose another folder |
| "A file is set for saving, but a folder is needed. Choose a folder" | Choose a folder, not a file |
| "The save folder is unavailable. Choose the folder again: the disk may have been disconnected, or the path turned out to be invalid" | Choose a folder you can write to |
| "Enter a proxy or turn its use off." | Enter the address or turn off the switch |
"The proxy address could not be parsed. Enter it as http://login:password@address:port" | Check the address format |
| "The proxy port must be a number from 1 to 65535." | Fix the port number |
| "The proxy login and password may use only Latin letters, digits and symbols. Check them: Cyrillic letters cannot be sent to a proxy server." | Remove the Cyrillic letters from the login and password |
Frequently asked questions
Why did the video come out longer than I set?
"Smooth transitions between slides" is on. Each transition adds time. Turn off the switch if you need an exact duration.
Why does clicking "Stop" not work right away?
The work does not stop instantly. The button label changes to the line Stopping.... The thread may be inside a network request, and that takes up to 60 seconds.
What does "Ran out of distinct images" mean?
The service started returning pictures that were already downloaded. When the share of new ones drops below 90 %, collection stops. Reduce "Number of images in each video".
Can I set a delay of several years?
Yes. Both retry fields accept up to 99,999,999. One typo gives a pause lasting years. Sensible values are 5 seconds and 20 attempts.
Why are old pictures left after a failure?
File Explorer or an antivirus may have locked the images_for_videogen working folder. Then the cleanup fails. At the next start these pictures already count as downloaded. Close the File Explorer window and delete the folder by hand.
Do I need a key or an account?
No. The photo service is free. Only the proxy costs money, and you do not always need it.
Where did my settings go?
The window was closed without clicking "Generate video". Only this click writes the settings to the project. Set them again and start the work right away.