Emulating the zoom system of Camtasia Editor in VEGAS – a script that copy the last keyframe and add a new one (1 second later)

[Marco Baer]

By the way – I just tested Camtasia 8.6. I could export the Camtasia timeline including its zoom effects using the TSC2 codec. Vegas Pro could also import and edit this AVI file without problem. Though I prefer using FlashBack Pro for screen recordings (and some kind of editing of screen recordings).

So in case nobody could code such a script, at least you should be able to do the zooming in Camtasia, export to one of the given codecs (just like TSC2) and do further editing in Vegas Pro.

[Marco Baer]

That said – you should be able to use Camtasia exported video encoded by TSC2 in any software which decodes AVI files. If it is a separate system you only need to install TSC2 separately. Vegas Pro and other softwares even can encode to TSC2.

Though Camtasia isn’t the only software using this double-keyframe method for zooming. FlashBack also does same way.

[Xavier Dolz]

Hi Marco, step by step okay?
I don’t know why this forum is posting all in italics I have the same problem ! I hope the solve it soon.
The script, okay, I missunderstood you. I though you were able to program it ok.
I am not able to explain the necessary steps clearer than I said before, however I can do some remarks.
Then pan / zoom window must be present always in the screen. You cannot be launching the pan zoom screen everytime you create a zoom, that involve the movement of your hand and 1 mouse click, 2 seconds or 3 seconds, everytime, again we are losing time.
With that screen present always, now, you should be able to apply the zoom, and then, inserting the two keyframes, in the way I’ve explained before, steps 5 to 8.
Things you must know about Camtasia, TSC2 codec and export.
1. TSC2 codec is to be used only with Techsmith products, you cannot use it with VEGAS or Premiere (closed system).
2. Extracting the .TREC file fail a lot. Techsmith gave the possibility to extract the recording AVI file inside the TREC file, because many people complained along the years. However, it is unstable and crash constantly. Extract the TREC content is not an option.
3. Even if you are able to extract it… you wouldn’t have the dual keyframe system, so you would have an AVI file that you can edit in VEGAS… but you won’t have zooms, so again, we need the script to make the zooms in VEGAS.

I don’t know what is Flashback? is it a video editor? it works in the same way?

[Xavier Dolz]

I guess you mean to BB FlashBack Pro 5… it is a screen recorder utility, with an editor, in the Camtasia style, but again, a closed system. If you want to move the produced file to VEGAS, you have to render, and then, in VEGAS render again.
We can talk constantly about this, but it is doing circles about the same.
The only possible solution is a script in VEGAS that allow the pan zoom options you would find in Camtasia.

[Marco Baer]

Camtasia’s TSC2 encoded video definetely can be used in Vegas Pro and other kind of video editing software. I just does at the moment. But I was wrong about encoding to TSC2 from within Vegas Pro. The codec is listed and can be selected (which made me think you could use it) but encocding won’t work then. Instead I could use TSC (the prior version) for encoding from within Vegas Pro. But TSC2 decoder works pretty well in any of my editing apps here.
So TSC2 codec can be used in Vegas Pro but other than TSC only the decoder part of TSCS2, not the encoder part.

If I apply zooming in Camtasia and export to TSC2, I will get a regular AVI video file including all effects done in Camtasia (of course I cannot re-edit the effects because it is a video file, not a project file) which can be used in Vegas Pro.

FlashBack is another screen recording software. I use it for about 10 years now because I prefere FlashBack’s GUI and responsiveness.

[Marco Baer]

Yes, of course them are closed systems in the way you could not share its projects files with Vegas Pro but its rendered video output only. Would you re-edit your zooms you already applied in Camtasia?

[Xavier Dolz]

Hi Marco,
I think we have a missunderstood here about codecs, files, and so on.
.TREC file does not contian any information about zooms… what you have inside is an AVI, if I am not wrong…
okay… then we have a .CAMPROJ file… that yes, that have the zooms information, call outs, etc.
So basically, what you do is recording the screen.
Then you get a .TREC file.
Now you drag and drop that .TREC file in Camtasia.
You have the timeline, you edit the .TREC file (the video), you apply the zooms, etc. and now you can save your file.
The .CAMPROJ file have all the zooms information.
Opening a .TREC file in VEGAS won’t provide VEGAS the zoom information from the timeline. It is just a video file that need to be edited, and again, we have the problem of the zoom and the dual keyframe system.
If I re-edit my zooms in VEGAS, I should need the script with the double keyframe system, if not, it would take long time.
Even if I am able to open the .TREC file in VEGAS, we continue having the problem of the zooms.
The problem is not moving the .TREC file to VEGAS. The problem is creating the zooms in VEGAS in the same way you can do it with Camtasia, dual keyframe, saving time. For that reason the script.

I’ve been watching BB FlashBack Pro 5 but again it’s the same. It is like a Camtasia, but a closed system.
The problem is that, with systems like Camtasia or BB FlashBack Pro, you will never have the same power you have with VEGAS.

No NewBlue FX, no transitions packs, no professional titlers, etc.
For that reason is nice to have a the script for the zooms in VEGAS, because you can use it in this way, like a videolearning tool, to produce videos with a quality never seen before.

[Marco Baer]

I didn’t mean or talk about the TREC files but the TSC2 encoded Camtasia video export files only, which would contain zooms made in Camtasia.

If you would not re-edit your zooms made in the screen recording software (no matter if you use Camtasia or FlashBack Pro which both use double-keyframe zooming), I’d thought it might be an acceptable solution doing the zooms in the screen recording app and any further editing (except zooms) in Vegas Pro.

So now I assume you won’t do that because even if you’d apply your zooms in Camtasia there would be a need to re-edit the zooms in Vegas Pro. I just wanted to be clear we didn’t miss anything which could help you. You only took Camtasia as an example of how a zoom workflow could be optimized, right?

As I cannot code such a script, I also think about a more simple macro solution. At least main parts of desired workflow maybe could be done by a macro. But before dumping into a macro solution I now wait if not a script coder could use the inputs given in this thread.

[Xavier Dolz]

Do you think this could be solved with a Macro? really?
I’m open to everything, so please, tell me.
I don’t understand very well the TSC2 encoded Camtasia video export.
You mean, to edit the video in Camtasia Editor with the zoom, and now export it to mp4 or avi from the Camtasia Editor and then opening it in VEGAS?
That would be a painful job. Have in mind a video could take 3 hours rendering in Camtasia, and now you open it in VEGAS, it has the zooms, yes, now you apply titles, cool color efects, transitions, etc. and now re-render again in VEGAS, another 3 hours waiting… that’s a lot.
I’ve used Camtasia as en example of how zooms can be made for videotutorials and if we could have the same zooms in VEGAS.
Rendering the videos 2 times, one in Camtasia Editor, and the second in VEGAS would be terrible.
So… I think we only have the script solution, if someone is willing to help the community or the macro solution you suggested.
Cheers

[Marco Baer]

Yes, TSC2 encoding would mean rendering and waiting all the time until render process completed.

A macro at least should be able to emulate anything you elsewhere doing by mouse-clicks or key-presses. But a macro does not know which event you selected or where your timeline cursor stays, where your next keyframe is, etc.

If the steps we described are scriptable, a script solution would be much smarter than using a “dump” macro. But if there will be no script then a macro at least could help saving some time.