Trouble with Import Image Sequence

[RichardU]

This script is a big part of my workflow, but all of a sudden I'm having trouble. First It started giving me this error: "attempt to concatenate a nil value" I determined that was because my .PNG files had a space in the name, although that never used to be a problem. Now even without spaces, it only loads one image in a sequence, but then puts a red x on the Image Sequence layer and the Image layer. I can successfully load the images using File / Import / Image. Any ideas?

[heyvern]

Scripts that are working properly aren't going to suddenly change. If the script was working properly and suddenly changed its behavior something was changed in either the application or your workflow.

I see the behavior you describe if the image "file name" (the name before the incremented number) contains a number.

For example:

imageSeq10_00001.png
imageSeq10_00002.png
imageSeq10_00003.png
imageSeq10_00004.png

This will not work because the "filename" portion contains a number. I don't know why this causes a problem. It could probably be fixed in the script itself as it seems like a simple file name string parsing error. I think the script is probably looking for numbers in the WHOLE file name and gets all "confused" with that first number in the front.

[heyvern]

Yup, that's the culprit.

In the script itself it has some notes at the top:

-must have some valid extension
-must have valid numbering
-don't use numbers in names in the last 10 chars...

Most people don't see these notes in the script file because the scripts are hidden away in the application folder and the average user has no need to ever look at them. However, they do sometimes have useful information.

It appears you can use numbers in the name as long as the name is a certain length and not at the end... but... I haven't tested it thoroughly and couldn't get it to work with numbers in the file name in front or behind.

Best bet, avoid using numbers in the file names of the image sequence.

[update]
I did more testing real quick and couldn't get the script to work with any number in the "file name" portion of the image sequence files no matter how many characters, 5, 10 etc, no difference.

Just don't use numbers in the name portion of the sequence.

[RichardU]

Thanks for the rescue, guys. No spaces in the file name and no numbers in the folder or file name.

Richard

[heyvern]

Thanks for the rescue, guys. No spaces in the file name and no numbers in the folder or file name.

Richard

Folder names of the image sequence doesn't matter. You can have numbers in the folder names. It's only the file name that's an issue.

[RichardU]

Does anyone in this thread know why ASP reduces the resolution of Image Sequence images when there are a lot of them, or how to get around that?

[heyvern]

Does anyone in this thread know why ASP reduces the resolution of Image Sequence images when there are a lot of them, or how to get around that?

Anime Studio doesn't reduce image quality. Images are "linked" in the file by the path to the image file. Images in Anime Studio are not part of the file format and are not "converted" or changed when imported.

There is a display quality setting "Smooth Images" that makes them look better in preview. There is also a rendering option "Extra-Smooth images" that renders images "better" when exporting animations.

If there are a LOT of images in a file there may be issues with memory and display but usually this just causes images to not load at all.

Make sure the images you are importing are high enough resolution to look good in your ASP project. If you scale images way up in ASP they won't look as good.

[RichardU]

Hey, heyvern,

I have the right images at the right resolution, with all the right settings so they do export perfectly, except ...

If there are a lot of images (in this case I have 540) and the anime file has been open and edited for a while, anime will change the way those images are displayed and exported. They basically get "jaggy". The only workaround I've found is: before exporting, close the file, then reopen it and export 100 frames at a time. This does feel like a memory issue to me, but I wondered if there is any better solution. There is a thread about this on the other forum, so I know others have experienced this problem, but so far the best advice there is: stop using anime for this.

Richard

[heyvern]

I have never encountered Anime Studio "changing the resolution" of images.

540 high resolution images... eh.. I guess that's a lot. Maybe if this is specific to an image sequence, use video instead. I have done that myself. I would NEVER use a huge gigantic series of image sequences if an an imported video would work better.

If you feel the program isn't designed to do what you need, then yes, use a tool that is better. You wouldn't use a hammer as a screw driver.

[RichardU]

Actually, I misspoke. It's 152 images, but I spread them out over 540 frames of animation.

ASP appears to be designed to do exactly this, but at some point it simply fails. It would be useful to know exactly what the limitations are, or if there is any way to overcome them, but I can live with it as it is.

Thanks for your help.