7.3 Image Components

Owned by Thomas Staiger
Last updated: Oct 10, 2018
3 min read

Image

Opens a file chooser dialog where an image file can be selected. Once accepted, you can see and change the image in the drop-zone in the Inspector. Note that images which are added with this component are embedded into the composition. This means your composition file grows when using many and/or large images, but it can be opened on any system without file referencing issues. A side effect of this is that images which have been embedded cannot be extraced from a composition anymore, so make sure you keep your source files. 

Note on PSD files

composition:builder has an integrated Photoshop importer which takes care of layers:

  • Layer effects can not be interpreted.
  • PSD files in a color space other than RGB are not supported.
  • PSD files with only one layer are interpreted incorrectly.
  • Holding the command-key while dropping a PSD into the workbench of composition:builder disables the Photoshop Importer and creates a standard ­image component. 


Image With Mask

Same as the 'Image' component, but additionaly offers a mask which can be defined in the inspector.

 

Image Slideshow From Folder

Displays images from a defined folder in a slideshow with a crossfade animation. The slideshow always loops.

  

Image From Url

Loads an image from a specified URL (filesystem, network, web). If the specified URL is not valid, nothing will be displayed.

 

Image From XML

With this component it is possible to display an image depending on an XML file. Inside of the XML file the image paths are defined. You need to define the URL to the XML file and the XPath in the Inspector. The desired image is selected with an XPath statement. The image provided in the XML file will be projected on the given area of this component. Therefore it is a good idea to scale your images before loading them via the XML file. A good solution is to create a fixed projection area i.e. fixed dimensions for all images proveided here. By default this component uses the files contained in the folder "/Applications/Composition Builder/Extras/Image from XML Sample".

 

Image From XML (No Caching)

Same as the 'Image from XML' component, but this one does not cache parsed data at all, that means there is more overhead when using this component, but it will always stay up-to-date (also depending on the 'Refresh Period'). Using many instances of this component may lead to playout latency (eventually resulting in staggering playout and/or rejection by the just:out engine).  A refresh period that often polls data may add to this behavior. In contrast the normal 'Image from XML' component can be used for data where up-to-dateness is not top priority. Note that both components do definitely update when the composition is loaded the first time.

  

Automated Image From XML

This component is able to parse a XML file which contains image paths. It can then display multiple images in a row (similar to the 'Image Slideshow from Folder' component). A placeholder is used to dynamically change the XPath which has been set in the Inspector.

 

Automated Image From XML (No Caching)

Same as the 'Automated Image from XML' component, but this one does not cache parsed data at all, that means there is more overhead when using this component, but it will always stay up-to-date (also depending on the 'Refresh Period'). Using many instances of this component may lead to playout latency (eventually resulting in staggering playout and/or rejection by the just:out engine).  A refresh period that often polls data may add to this behavior. In contrast the normal 'Automated Image from XML' component can be used for data where up-to-dateness is not top priority. Note that both components do definitely update when the composition is loaded the first time.

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