Graphics Template Package (Composition Builder v.5.0)

Owned by Thomas Staiger
Last updated: Oct 24, 2023 by Manuel Grund
5 min read

Installation

Together with Composition Builder, ToolsOnAir provides you with a realtime graphics template package. It can be used to test and demonstrate some features of the FX layers.

Some templates that are provided with this template package may not play properly depending on the hardware, the Playout resolution and some other parameters which are used for testing.

  1. Open the just:play and just:live or disk image (DMG).

     

    Double-click the “Install Template Package” icon to install the templates into the “Pictures” folder of the current macOS user. This folder is the default graphics repository of a standard just:live/just:play installation.

  • The templates are resolution-independent, i.e. you can use them in SD 16:9, HD-ready, Full-HD and even UHD playout scenarios. The templates cannot be used in SD 4:3, though.

  • Please note that the playout hardware may impose restrictions on the usable resolution, i.e. a playout which barely handles UHD video cannot handle an additional UHD graphics template.

Usage

In just:live/just:play, switch to the “Graphic” tab in the Library. If everything went fine, the Library looks like in this screenshot.

1. Composition Builder Templates: these templates are created with Composition Builder, ToolsOnAir's own broadcast graphics creation tool. Editing of these templates can only be done in Composition Builder, which can be acquired from the → ToolsOnAir Helpdesk.

2. Quartz Composer Templates: these templates are created with Quartz Composer, a realtime, node-based visual programming environment by Apple. Editing of these templates can only be done in Quartz Composer.

Both types of template types can be used in the same way in just:live and just:play.

Graphics Template List 

Composition Builder Templates 

Basic Three-Part Template

A template that consists of three separate compositions. They can be scheduled and triggered independently on separate FX layers in just:play/just:live.

Cube Lower Third

A lower third which displays five texts on a 3D cube.

TNN News

A more complex news template is made up of three sub-parts, each triggered by a Stop frame.

TOA World News

A news template that displays its information in a lower-third style. It can either be used on separate FX layers or as a whole graphics template on a single FX layer.

ToolsOnAir Product Lineup

Displays the ToolsOnAir product line-up (2015 state). This template can be used infinitely, as it automatically repeats its content. There are three variations of this template:

  • ToolsOnAir Product Lineup: default version of the template, displays the NAB logo.

  • ToolsOnAir Product Lineup - Logo from URL: displays a user-defined logo (instead of the NAB logo). Make sure to use the proper dimensions.

  • ToolsOnAir Product Lineup - No LT: version of the template where the lower third info is removed.

Quartz Composer Templates

Clip Info

This folder contains four different templates to display current and next clip information.

Clip Progress and Clip Info: displays the current (and optionally the next clip name) and also an animated progress bar with the remaining time of the current clip.

Display Current Clip Name: displays the current clip name in a lower third. This only happens at the beginning and at the end of a video clip, so you need to make sure to schedule the template over the whole duration of a clip (or use it on the infinite layer). In the Inspector there is also an option to manually force the showing of the lower third.

Display Next Clip Name: displays the next clip name in a lower third – but only when there is a next clip scheduled in the timeline of just:play/just:live. This only happens at the beginning and at the end of a video clip, so you need to make sure to schedule the template over the entire duration of a clip (or use it on the infinite layer). In the Inspector, there is also an option to manually force the showing of the lower third (again: only when there is a next clip scheduled in the timeline of just:play/just:live).

Progress Bar: displays a simple animated progress bar with optional “remaining seconds” info.

Lower Third Text Scroller

A simple lower third template with a scrolling/crawling text. The separator between text elements is an image. You can modify several parameters in the Inspector.

Name Lower Third with XML

An XML-based lower third where the displayed content can be selected by a simple UID (unique ID).

Side-scrolling Credits

A side-scrolling credits template automatically resizes the output of the video layer and also displays a lower third information.

Simple News Lower Third

Displays a two-lined lower third with a nice animation.

Stock Exchange

A stock exchange template that displays exemplary stocks and automatically loops. The displayed values are stored in the XML file “stocks.xml” which is stored in the same folder as the template. It can be edited and changes will be reflected immediately. This template requires a lot of GPU power and should not be tested in combination with other templates.

TOA Product Showcase

Displays a corner logo with text scroller and product info.

TOA Sports Graphic

Various basic sports graphics, such as counters, clocks, and text fields, can be changed on the fly.

→ Use the sidebar to navigate.