Workpage
The Workpage is the area where nodes can be combined into a Tracking Tree to perform various tasks such as feature tracking, camera solving and file export.
A Tracking Tree is a group of connected nodes, where the connections symbolise data flow. Data is passed down the tree from a Clip Input, Photo Input or Spherical Panorama Input node (1), through a combination of other nodes, to either a Scene Export or Footage Export node (2). This data can consist of information such as 2D tracker paths, 3D tracker positions, camera or object motion, lens distortion models and even dense 3D point clouds.
A node can receive data from upstream through its input connector(s), and pass data down the tree through its output connector(s).
Nodes and trees can be created on multiple pages (3). Red lines are displayed along the edges of the tracking tree window in situations where nodes exist but are not visible on-screen.
Nodes can be cut or copied and pasted to reuse a specific set of node parameters, and tree layouts can be stored to disk as presets for reuse in other projects (4).
Multiple Workpages can be created, each containing multiple tracking trees if desired:
: Create a new empty Workpage.
: Delete a page. Only empty pages can be deleted.
: Import an entire Workpage from a binary data file.
: Export the current workpage as a binary data file.
Creating nodes
Nodes can be created in two ways:
With the Node Panel open, select a node category tab to display available nodes, and click-and-drag with the left mouse button to drop a node into the Workpage.
When nodes already exist in the Workpage, click with the right-mouse button on a node to display a popup menu. The node categories can then be navigated and a new node chosen from the menu. If a node is currently selected in the Workpage, the new node will be automatically connected to it when possible.
Special nodes
The Clip Input, Photo Input, and Spherical Panorama Input nodes have no input connectors. They act as locations to load media and specify camera parameters for use elsewhere in the tracking tree.
Similarly, the Scene Export and Footage Export nodes have no output connectors and are used to export data and other types of media for use in external applications.
Mask nodes are used to assist with node operations by providing masks to exclude image regions from processing. There are two different types of mask nodes:
A Roto node generates spline-based masks that are animated over a clip.
A Keyer node generates a mask based on colour keying, such as a green screen background, or a blue sky.
Mask nodes can be attached to any other node that has a purple indicator on an input label.
Enhance nodes are used to modify RGB image data, and can be attached to any other node that has a cyan indicator on an input label.
Activating nodes
In order to access the controls of a node, it must be activated. To do this, double-click on the node in the Workpage with the left mouse button. This will display the node controls at the bottom of the Workspace.
Manipulating nodes
, : Cut or copy selected nodes into the clipboard.
: Paste the nodes from the clipboard into the current page.
: Delete selected nodes. This button has to be pressed twice to confirm the delete action.
Node Groups
Multiple nodes in a tree can be grouped together. Once grouped together, the entire group can be collapsed, expanded and moved as a single entity.
- : Group or un-group multiple nodes.
The colour of the node group can be changed by double-clicking with the left mouse button to display a color selection window. The name of the group can also be adjusted in the Notes Panel.
Other controls
: Store the current tree as a preset. This will identify all nodes connected to the currently selected node and store them as an XML preset file.
: Re-centre the viewport to show nodes in the tree.
: Display a drop-down menu containing python scripts that can be executed to assist with processing operations in the tree.
Mouse controls
Click left-button on a node to select it.
Click and hold left-button on a connection to connect one node to another
Click left-button on a connection to disconnect the link.
Click and hold right button to pan the Workpage.
Click and hold middle button to zoom the Workpage.
Mouse wheel can also be used to zoom the Workpage.
Double-click left-button on node to select it and display the node controls
Click right-button on a node to display a context menu to select another node to be created in the current page.
Click and hold left-button and drag one node into another whilst holding Shift key to automatically create link between them (If either connector is already connected to another node, no connection will be made).
Click and hold left button to draw a selection area and select multiple nodes.
Keyboard controls
- / display a small overview window, showing the current location of the viewport.