Export frame from Source Monitor via Timeline

[dpt12]

I need to export a frame from Source monitor, since I don't have a direct Source Monitor API for doing so, I use the Sequence API this way:

1. I select a frame in the Souce Monitor using the time indicator.
2. I add the media to a new sequence
3. I set the sequence time indicator like this:

seq.setPlayerPosition(app.sourceMonitor.getPosition().ticks) 

• I export the frame in Timeline:

  activeSequence.exportFrameJPEG(timecode, outPath)​

My issue is that I get one frame back relative to my selection in Source Monitor.

Any suggestions how can I get through it?

[Bruce Bullis]

Ticks are more accurate than timecode; I think you may be running into rounding error.

If the clip in the Source Monitor is also in the project, it has a projectItem, which you could then use encodeProjectItem() to transcode (rather than relying on the QE DOM).

[dpt12]

encodeProjectItem starts a AME interaction, right? I aim to do this flow without interfering the user.

[Bruce Bullis]

Yes, like most of the PPro API, encodeProjectItem relies on AME for rendering—we prefer to think of that as "doing what the user wanted", rather than "interference". 🙂

[dpt12]

I understand. In my case the user should not be aware of all this. The user selects a frame on the Source Monitor and should be able to see it in the extension. 

Is there a way to do it without opening AME? I can theoretically set one frame back in the timecode I pass to exportFrameJPEG, but it seems to me a like a bad approach.

[Bruce Bullis · Accepted solution]

> Is there a way to do it without opening AME?

Not using the supported API; you could continue to use activeSequence.exportFrameJPEG(), from QE DOM. 

> I can theoretically set one frame back in the timecode I pass to exportFrameJPEG, but it seems to me a like a bad approach.

For a complete solution, you'd need to get the sequence frame rate, factor in non-zero start times (if you're not sure the sequence starts at 00;00;00;00), and move to the next frame boundary before attempting to export.