Graphics Plugin Administrator Guide

Version 2.3 | Published September 14, 2023 ©

Windows-based NLE Systems

The Configuration Tool and a NLE version of Viz Trio are also installed when you install Graphics Plugin for Windows-based NLE systems. Viz Trio is an advanced character generator used to produce content to use with a Windows-based NLE system. Viz Trio requires a Viz Engine and a Media Sequencer, see the illustration in Hardware Requirements.

Typical Viz Trio Setup

  • NLE machines

    • NLE system

    • Graphics Plugin (includes bundled Viz Trio)

  • Media Sequencer

  • Viz Engine

    • Graphic Hub with graphic scenes

    • Optional: Datapool plugins for Viz Engine

Although Viz Pilot and Viz Pilot Edge can also be used as the graphics editor for NLE systems, they are not bundled with the installation, and require a Viz Engine and a Viz Pilot database. The Viz Pilot database (Oracle 10g) is where templates, template data elements and associated data are stored.

Typical Viz Pilot Setup

  • NLE machines

    • NLE system

    • Viz Pilot/Viz Pilot Edge

    • Graphics Plugin

  • Viz Pilot database installation

    • Oracle 10g

  • Viz Engine

    • Graphic Hub with graphic scenes

    • Optional: Datapool plugins for Viz Engine

Note: Viz Engine and Media Sequencer both run on Windows versions 7 or newer. Viz Engine 3.7 and later do not support Windows XP. Although it's recommended to run Media Sequencer on a separate machine, Media Sequencer can run on the Viz Engine machine in small production environments.

This section covers the following topics:

Installation

When installing Graphics Plugin for EDIUS, Adobe or Avid on Windows, the Configuration Tool and the NLE version of Viz Trio are also installed.

Notes

  • The installer requires a Windows user with administrator privileges.

  • Adobe Premiere Pro must be installed on the workstation before installing Graphics Plugin for Adobe.

  • Separate installers apply for 32-bit and 64-bit NLE systems. The 32-bit installer should be used together with Media Composer 5/NewsCutter 9 (or older); the 64-bit installer with Media Composer 6/NewsCutter 10.

Configuration

A Configuration Tool is installed with Graphics Plugin. See the Graphics Plugin User Guide on how to access the Configuration Tool in Adobe, Avid and Edius, and the Configuration Tool section for settings.

Setting Up a Shared Default Configuration

This section explains how to set up a default configuration for all users of a computer or network by adding a master settings file.

A master settings file is useful in large installations where a system administrator can collect common settings into a shared file, and have this picked up by all users on a computer or all users on a network (by putting the file on a Windows share). Although it's currently not possible to use the Configuration Tool to edit such a shared settings file, an advanced user could copy the %APPDATA%\Vizrt\VizNLE\vizplugin.xml file that the Configuration Tool produces into the desired shared location.

If a user settings file is loaded after a master settings file has been loaded, the user setting file takes precedence in case of any conflicts. For example, if the loglevel defaults to "none", and the master settings file sets the loglevel to "report" and the user settings file sets the loglevel to "extreme", then the value of "extreme" is respected by Graphics Plugin. However, if the master settings file sets the Viz Engine hostname, and the user settings file is silent on this point, then the Viz Engine hostname in the master settings file is used.

Before loading the user settings, the master settings file is looked for and potentially loaded as follows:

  • Graphics Plugin asks the Windows registry for the SettingsDir string in the registry path under the listed registry locations.

  • If the string is found, and its content is a path to a folder, then the filename vizplugin.xml is searched for at that location.

  • If present, vizplugin.xml is loaded as a default configuration before loading the individual user settings file.

Registry Paths

Host system

Registry path

Adobe

HKLM\SOFTWARE\[vizrt]\NLE\After Effects

Avid

HKLM\SOFTWARE\[vizrt]\NLE\AVX2

Edius

HKLM\SOFTWARE\[vizrt]\NLE\EDIUS