Can't get automatic screenshot maker to work

[pwantzel]

I'm trying to get the automatic screenshot maker to work. 

I checked the first two boxes in Preferences/screenshots.  Selected 6 screenshots.

I added a new file, no screenshots. 

I checked Movies/Automatically Create Screenshots when an existing movie entry was selected.  The screen flashed for a second, but no screenshots. 

Note that the manual screenshot maker (Movies/Screenshot Maker) works fine.

PVD 0.9.9.21, Win Vista Business.

[nostra]

Setup the screenshot maker to use ffdshow and provide the right path to it in the settings.

[pwantzel]

And where might that be?  I found a directory called ffdshow under program files, but there are no .exe files in it.  I found a ffmpeg.exe file in the PVD directory under program files, but selecting this does not make it work.  What exactly is the filename I should be looking for?

Remember that the manual screenshot maker works OK.  Does this not prove that the codec is not the problem?

Note that I also tried the MS DirectShow choice under Preferences/Screenshots (for .avi files) but this didn't work either.

[nostra]

The one in the PVD directory is the right one. If it does not work then the only thing you can try is finding a more recent ffmpeg version (with some additional codecs maybe)

[Data1001]

Not sure if this is helpful, pwantzel, but frequently when I do automatic screenshots, they don't show up on the display unless I either re-save the entry or navigate to a different movie and then back again. I know they're there, it's just a refresh issue or something.

Also, I've occasionally had fffmpeg start up numerous copies of itself, which just mucks with everything -- in those cases, I've shut down PVD, opened up Task Manager and killed all process entries of fffmpeg. Then started again. If nothing else is working, maybe open up Task Manager and see if you've got more than one instance of fffmpeg running (under "Processes", not "Applications").

I'm on Windows XP, though, not sure how much of this (if any of it) applies to Vista. Could be that OS requires a different version of ffdshow. Then, of course, the other option is that you could just use MS DirectShow for screenshots, I suppose -- as long as you're only working with AVI files.

[pwantzel]

When I run "Automatically Create Screenshots" I see ffmpeg start in task manager, then stop after a second or so.  No extra copies left behind.  And no screenshots.

MS DirectShow does not work either (for .avi files).

I have shut down PVD then run it again and still no screenshots.  Likewise navigating to a different movie.

Let me make sure.  Is running "Automaticaly Create Screenshots" when a (previously imported) movie is selected supposed to work?  that is, create the 6 screenshots I've specified in Preferences/screenshots?

I'm getting the feeling that this whole thing isn't working because of some basic setting I haven't done.  Any ideas?

And remember that manually creating screenshots works OK.  Does this not mean that the codec is OK?

[pwantzel]

The one in the PVD directory is the right one. If it does not work then the only thing you can try is finding a more recent ffmpeg version (with some additional codecs maybe)

I just downloaded the latest PVD a couple of days ago.  I assume the copy of ffmpeg in the PVD directory came with it?  Nonetheless, I will look for a later copy.

[nostra]

I meant the version of ffmpeg which could be not the latest one already...

[Data1001]

Yeah, I agree, you would think that your codecs are fine if you're able to use the manual screenshot maker (you said you couldn't do automatic screenshots with MS DirectShow, but I assume you can do manual screenshots with that). But, then again, I can't say I'd exactly be surprised if the problem does indeed lie there somewhere. Trying to sort out issues with codecs can be a maddening thing.

Again, I'm on XP, but I know that I've had troubles in the past when I've had several conflicting versions of codecs installed at the same time -- often installed by various multimedia applications. But I've generally been problem free ever since uninstalling any previous codecs and codec packs I've had on the system, then doing a fresh install of the K-Lite Mega Codec Pack -- for me, that one seems to work the best.

(All this sort of reminds me of days past, with the early versions of Quicktime, where that app had the potential to nearly bring down your whole system.)

--------------------
"Drat these computers, they're so naughty, and so complex, I could just pinch them!" ~ Marvin the Martian

[pwantzel]

I just downloaded the latest PVD a couple of days ago.  I assume the copy of ffmpeg in the PVD directory came with it?  Nonetheless, I will look for a later copy.

Well, I loaded the latest ffmpeg.exe I could find and now it (seems to be) working. 

Although I did notice that it doesn't always make 6 of them.  Sometimes it does, sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less.  Any idea about this?

[nostra]

Although I did notice that it doesn't always make 6 of them.  Sometimes it does, sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less.  Any idea about this?

No, sorry. It really only depends on this external library.

[Papstomat]

Since yesterday I have a similar problem when I try to make automatic screenshots ffmpeg starts but doesnt do anything and PVDB crashes and i have to force it to close. I already tried the latest ffmpeg version but it doesnt help