Visual QuickStart Guide [Electronic resources] : Final Cut Express HD for Mac OS X نسخه متنی

Using the Canvas Window

Chapter 8, "Working with Clips in the Viewer," that detail operating the Viewer window, you'll know how to use the Canvas window as well.

Editing in the Canvas is detailed in Chapter 9, "Basic Editing."

So what does that leave for this section? Just a few odds and ends.

To open a sequence in the Canvas:

1.

Start in the Canvas with your sequence cued to the location to which you want to add effects.

2.

Choose Image+Wireframe from the View selector in the Canvas (Figure 10.13 ). Figure 10.13. Selecting Image+Wireframe from the View pop-up selector. The Canvas acts as your monitor as you compose and review effects or create motion paths (Chapter 14, "Compositing and Effects Overview." Figure 10.14. Motion paths, filters, and scaling can be directly applied in the Canvas window, but only when Image+Wireframe mode is enabled.





Creating and exporting still frames




It's easy to turn a single video frame into a freeze-frame image and use it in a sequence. If you want to convert this image into a graphics file and work with it outside of FCE, you'll need to export it using the Export command on the File menu.

To create a still image from a Canvas frame:




1.	In the Canvas, position the playhead on the desired frame.
2.	Choose Modify > Make Freeze Frame; or press Shift-N. The new freeze-frame image opens in the Viewer window as a clip. It has the default duration for stills, as specified on the Editing tab of the User Preferences window. You can modify the freeze-frame clip's duration by setting In and Out points before you edit it into your sequence.




To export a still image from a Canvas frame:




1.	In the Canvas, position the playhead on the desired frame.
2.	Choose File > Export > Using QuickTime Conversion (Figure 10.15 ). Figure 10.15. Locate the frame; then choose File > Export > Using QuickTime Conversion to export a still image directly from the Canvas or Viewer.
3.	In the dialog box, type a new name for your exported still image in the Save As field and select a destination folder.
4.	Select Still Image from the Format pop-up menu (Figure 10.16 ). Figure 10.16. Select Still Image from the Format pop-up menu.
5.	To set export format options, click the Options button.
6.	In the Export Image Sequence Settings dialog box, select an export format from the Format pop-up menu at the top (Figure 10.17 ); click OK. You can ignore the frame rate settings because you are exporting a single frame. Figure 10.17. Select an export format for your still image from the pop-up menu.
7.	Back in the Save dialog box, click Save.




To set the time display view:

Figure 10.18 ).



Figure 10.18. Select a time display option from the shortcut menu in the Canvas's Current Timecode display.










Tips

Check the time display mode to quickly determine which type of timecode is currently specified in your sequence settings. The timecode type specified in your sequence settings appears in bold. Changing the timecode display in the Canvas won't alter your sequence's timecode settings; you're just selecting a different display mode.

Adjusting the Canvas Display You can set up the Canvas to show clips in a variety of display formats and magnifications. FCE also lets you overlay an array of useful information on your clip image, or you can turn off everything. Display options operate the same way in the Canvas and the Viewer. Learn more about Canvas display options by reading "Adjusting the Viewer Display" in Chapter 8.