Cineversity

Hi,

I have 2D tracking in Cinema4D using Manual Track.
When I import slightly different footage, the manual track is deleted.

Is there a way to keep the manual track after importing another footage?

Illustration background is I have given change 520-820 (300 frames) to track. Now it was changed to 500-350 (350 frames).
I was expecting to use my previous manual tracks since both frame range have more or less the same visual detail.

P.S. By manual track, I meant their initial position (so I don’t have to recrete them again) rather their whole track data.

Regards,
Ben

Hi Ben,

I’m not clear about your numbers. Is it now 500-850? (not 500-350, right?)

Anyway, you can try to extend the range in the Footage Tab: Start/End. Go to 500 and add new Tracker-features and track forward. Go to 850, add new trackers and track backward. Then do a new 3D solve.

However: I would not recommend this in general. First of all, I do not know if the lens was not adjusted during the shot or how the movement was. Or even worse, zoomed. Well, it seems to be below one-second start and end. This might not mean a lot in terms of lens or camera change.
Secondly, with the extra data, some trackers might be recognized as less quality than before, but they might be used in some of the Tracker tags. I tested this scenario, and in my case, the quality had changed (I used 150-299 frames first, then, after all, was set up 0-299.) I would have never thought to just expand the time and pad the track. I would always start over, hence why tested it first. Besides, if I have more footage, I track typically much more, to get more data.

Given how much work is typically done after a track, I would spend the short time to really set up the Tracking tags at least new. Check the new solve and its quality very carefully. Which might take as much time than to get a 350 frame shot. Of course, if it was a difficult shot, with lots of manual trackers, that would be a different perspective.

Again, answering tracking questions without having seen the footage seems kind of careless. I hope I made this point clear.

Cheers

Thanks for the response.
Sorry I meant 500-850. So it equals 350 frames.

Anyhow, will reperform the solution perhaps later. I ended up making new tracks again.

You’re very welcome, Ben, thanks for the reply.

Perhaps use already a more significant duration. It can’t hurt to have a little bit more wiggle-room.

Fingers crossed, it is quickly done. Typically it is, but I’ve had shots that needed a lot of attention/time.

Cheers

Hi Dr. Sassi,

RE: Anyway, you can try to extend the range in the Footage Tab: Start/End. Go to 500 and add new Tracker-features and track forward. Go to 850, add new trackers and track backward. Then do a new 3D solve.

Doesn’t work.
I can’t go to 500 since the frame range starts at 0. The Frame range of 500 is in reference to footage.
Anyway, I did went to -30 frame (equivalent to 500) but it doesn’t allow me to track since it’s out of the Motion Tracker’s Frame Start/Stop Range.

Probably a dead-end. No need to reply.

Hi Ben,

My suggestion works, but not if the frame numbers were given differently, I used a single QuickTime file here, not having any other information here. I wonder what happens that the sequence was not recognized as the range you gave initially. I tested r21 for that reason, and it shows the frame numbers here correctly.

You did not mention that your entries in the Tracker were 0-300, to begin with. I didn’t ask for the file, as tracking requires footage, and that can be a huge file.

A short check with the manual shows clearly that negative numbers are not enabled.

Frame Start [0..2147483647]
Frame Stop [0..2147483647]

Since a reload with sequence would then shift the frames, the tracking would become useless, as it obviously takes the frame numbers and not the image content as the connection.

Sorry, but with the more complete information, it is now safe to say, this is not working.

As mentioned before, I would suggest a new track anyway.

My best wishes

RE: but not if the frame numbers were given differently,
This is my case. So it’s a no go for me at the moment.

Ben, As explained in the other thread, if the files were not available during the initial set up, there is no option to increase the range later.

It is set up, as you have experienced it, that the link for the footage points to the complete folder, then all are recognized and can be limited [range] or later expanded up to the initially given range. If any material is added later to that folder will currently result in the requirement to track newly.

I see your point, and I will make a request since you have made so many suggestions already.

All the best