Graphics Template Package (Composition Builder v.2025)
- Manuel Grund
- Georg Deisting
- 1 Installation
- 2 Usage
- 3 Graphics Template List
- 3.1 Composition Builder Templates
- 3.1.1 Basic Three-Part Template
- 3.1.2 Cube Lower Third
- 3.1.3 TNN News
- 3.1.4 TOA World News
- 3.2 Quartz Composer Templates
- 3.2.1 Clip Info
- 3.2.2 Lower Third Text Scroller
- 3.2.3 Name Lower Third with XML
- 3.2.4 Side-scrolling Credits
- 3.2.5 Simple News Lower Third
- 3.2.6 Stock Exchange
- 3.2.7 TOA Sports Graphic
- 3.1 Composition Builder Templates
Installation
Together with Composition Builder, ToolsOnAir provides you with a real-time graphics template package. It can be used to test and demonstrate some features of the Static/Realtime Base FX Layers.
Some templates 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.
Open the just:play 2025 and just:live 2025 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 2025/just:play 2025, 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. These templates can only be edited within the Composition Builder application for macOS, which is part of every Static/Realtime Base FX Layer license and available within the Just Playout folder.
2. Quartz Composer Templates: these templates are created with Quartz Composer, a real-time, node-based visual programming environment by Apple. Editing of these templates can only be done in Quartz Composer (deprecated).
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 2025/just:live 2025.
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 Static/Realtime Base FX Layers or as a whole graphics template on a single Static/Realtime Base FX Layer.
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 2025/just:live 2025. 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 2025/just:live 2025).
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 currently playing video/live event, 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 Sports Graphic
Various basic sports graphics, such as counters, clocks, and text fields, can be changed on the fly. This Template can also be controlled using a web browser running on an iPad for example.
