VDMX Plugins Page
From VidvoxWiki
VDMX has a number of plugins which perform a wide variety of tasks. Many plugins are generic data sources that can be used by any slider or button in VDMX, such as the Audio Analysis and Waveform Generator. Others are used for more crucial tasks such as triggering media files, previewing layers, and scratching movie files.
Managing Plugins
Plugins are managed using the 'Plugin Manager' palette window, shown at right. The left list contains the different kinds of plugins, the list on the right specifies all the plugins that currently exist.
• To create a plugin, double-click on an item in the left list, or select an item in the left list and click the 'Create' button.
• To delete a plugin, click the 'x' next to it's name in the right list, or select it in the right list and press the 'delete' key on your keyboard.
• To rename a loaded plugin, double-click on it's name in the right-hand list, type in the new name, and press the return key.
You may use as many copies of each plugin as you want at any given time; this means you can have as many audio analysis modules, preview windows, midi output sessions, etc. as you need.
Creating custom Plugins with Quartz Composer
Quartz Composer patches can be loaded into VDMX as if they were plugins allowing for the creation of custom Data Sources and persistent image sources (useful for creating masks for layers). When added to your project the QC patch will show up in its own window with an automatically generated interface based on the published inputs of the patch and any published outputs will be available as either data-sources (in the case of number, bool, and color outputs) or video-taps (in the case of image outputs).
Some example uses of Quartz Composer patches as plugins are:
- Creating custom LFO and timeline controls.
- Advanced math, logic, and number routing using multiplexers, numeric objects and javascript.
- Performing video analysis using the Histogram object and passing the results back to VDMX.
- Using QC controller objects to access tablet, Apple Remote and HID inputs.
List of included Plugins
Audio Analysis
The audio analysis plugin in takes an incoming audio signal and converts it to control data that can be used within VDMX5.
Each instance (window) of the audio analysis plugin can have any number of filters and you can have any number of audio analysis plugins running simultaneously either on the same or different input devices.
For more information visit the Audio Analysis page.
Aux. Display
The Aux. Display is a borderless preview window which can go fullscreen. Any layer or live input can be displayed. This can be used for sending different outputs to multiple screens.
The "Buttons" Plugin
The Buttons plugin lets you create a series of generic VDMX buttons which can be used as a data sources for sliders and buttons within VDMX, or for triggering files in Media Bins. Individual buttons can be set to be either toggle or momentary.
Layer Controls
The Layer Controls plugin is used to access the controls for any media that is being played back on a layer, such as the transport (time, speed, volume, scratch) controls for a movie, or the inputs for a Quartz Composer document. The controls for a layer exist even when not being viewed by a plugin, making it possible to use a single Layer Controls to set up and manage multiple layers at a time.
MIDI Display and OSC Display
These is a relatively simple and straight-forward plugins; all it does is display incoming MIDI or OSC data respectively. It was initially created as a troubleshooting aid, and we decided to keep it in the distro because we couldn't think of a good reason to take it out.
MIDI and OSC Output
These plugins are used to send control data from VDMX out over MIDI and OSC to be used by other software or hardware. Each contains a pop up menu for setting a destination to send to (OSC destinations can be set up in the Preferences) and a table for setting which data sources you which to send.
Media Bin
The Media Bin is one of the most important plugins in VDMX5. It's primary purpose is triggering media files to playback on layers. Generally this is executed by clicking on the thumbnail of a movie in the thumbnail or list view using the mouse, or by pressing a keyboard or MIDI shortcut. Additionally, the media bin can be used for loading files from a hard drive and file management within VDMX.
NotesToValue
Takes a range of notes / keys / buttons and maps them to different values between 0 and 1 to use with sliders.
Oscillator
An LFO data source that includes a bezier curve editor for user editable curves.
Preview Window
Display the current output of any layer or live input. When previewing a layer, the opacity and composition mode can be adjusted.
The "Sliders" plugin
An array of generic VDMX sliders which can be used as a data source for other sliders and buttons within VDMX. Useful along with the MIDI / OSC Output plugins, or for processing other data sources with behavior chains.
Step Sequencer
A simple step sequencer data source.
Sticky
A window for writing down notes.
TwoChannelMixer
The Two Channel Mixer plugin is used for adjusting the opacity level of two layers or groups at the same time, making it easy to seamlessly cross-fade from one source or mix to another.
Waveform
The Waveform plugin is a basic LFO data-source with adjustable rate and wave type.
Wiimote
Converts input from a WiiMote to VDMX data sources. Buttons on the controller can be assigned using the Button Detect or Hardware Learn modes.