AnotherGUI is designed to batch process video, graphics and audio files using
several great command line tools.
I wanted to have:
- parallel batch processing to better utilize multicore CPU-s
- presets what also support professional output formats for studio use
- support as many programs as possible
- have file(s) and folder drop
- is portable (does not need installation)
The AnotherGUI is written in Visual Basic 2010 Express and needs Microsoft .NET 4.0
runtime.
So far we have used it with following programs:
- ffmpeg
- Win_binary - Get a libfaac.dll
here
- ffmbc
- Win_binary
- avconv from libav -
Win_binary
- x264
- mencoder
- Win_binary <- find
"Intel Pentium 4 or better"
- VirtualDub
- Win_binary
- convert from ImageMagic
-
Win_binary
- convert from GraphicsMagic -
Win_binary
- image_to_j2k from Open
Cinema Tools
- handbrake
If you have found more interesting programs AnotherGUI can control it would be great
to be noticed.
Also new presets are welcome. My e-mail is below.
Download the a
AnotherGUI.zip, extract it and no more installation is needed.
The package is portable.
If you don't have Microsoft .NET Framework ver 4 installed Windows should
install this on first program start.
The presets are stored in file "AnotherGUI Presets.xml".
The blacklisted extensions are in file "AnotherGUI Exception List.txt".
They both must be in the same folder where is "AnotherGUI.exe".
Sample files should be included in AnotherGUI.zip
The sample presets file does point to several executables.
AnotherGUI will ask the paths to those executables on startup or preset usage.
You can simply press "Cancel" on executables you don't have but you can't use
preset what need those executables.
It is possible to launch AnotherGUI from network share so all users can share the same presets and exception list.
Uninstall: AnotherGUI does write some values into registry.
To delete those keys deploy a included file "Clean registry from
AnotherGUI.reg".
No files are saved outside AnotherGUI launch folder.
You can select file or multiple files from "Add Source(s)" button file dialog.
You can drag and drop several files and folders. All files from subfolders are
also added.
"Add an image sequence" will let you select one file from numbered files
sequence. It mustn't be the firs or last one.
AnotherGUI should recognize the pattern and generate the syntax for
ffmpeg/ffmbc. Other programs may use similar syntax but not always.
Check the generated source syntax in jobs list.
Using image sequence as source you have to set the frame rate in your preset.
Also check/change the output filename.
AnotherGUI implements some kind of Black list for source files. It is based on
file extensions.
The blacklisted extensions are in file "AnotherGUI Exception List.txt".
This is simple text file.
Often source files have satellite data files with the same name but different
extension in the same folder.
Like Canon DSLR has files "MVI_7209.MOV" and "MVI_7209.THM" but only the first
one has video/audio.
It is handy when you drop whole folders on AnotherGUI.
All jobs are stored on jobs list.
The leftmost button will try to play your source file with ffplay.
The Info button will show job data and if possible ffprobe info on source file.
To delete job(s) make selection and press Del.
To change preset select job(s) and change preset.
To change job(s) output folder select job(s) and chose "Change Output Path"
To change job resulting filename just double click on output file name and edit
it.
NB. There is no warning if resulting file already exists and will be overwritten! It depends of your preset.
When a source file is added to jobs list the current preset is used.
You can change the preset by selecting the job or several jobs in jobs list and
by changing the preset.
To edit preset open the Preset dialogue.
The preset name is whatever you want to use. Some symbols like <,>, etc are
prohibited.
On design the arguments you have to mind that:
- the program name with path will be placed on first position
-
<SourceFileName> will be replaced by "Source file" name with
path from jobs list
- <OutputPath> will be replaced with "Output Folder" from jobs list.
- <OutputFileName> will be replaced with "Output file name (w/o extension)" from
jobs list. Note that this replacement is without file extension, so extension
must be added by script.
It is wise to have filenames/paths in quotation marks as they may contain spaces.
When program is finished processing Arguments it should start automatically
process with Arguments2.
This is usable for 2 pass algorithms.
Best way to create a new preset is to copy arguments from a working preset to
new one and modify the new as needed.
NEW. You can export a preset, import a preset or several and also drag'n'drop preset files on preset editor window for import.
Presets are stored in xml file "AnotherGUI Presets.xml".
We use AnotherGUI from shared folder as it doesn't need installation and so all
computers from network share the same presets.
The paths to executables are stored in registry as they can vary from computer
to computer.
Strategy.
The idea is to get works done as fast as possible. Parallel processing is the
key in most cases.
Most programs we control with AnotherGUI support multithreading but are limited
in this.
According to our tests often the best result is to use programs in one thread
mode but launch many instances of the same program. Your mileage may vary.
In preferences it is possible to choose the strategy:
- either to launch as much processes as we have cores (recomended)
- or limit the number of processes by CPU usage like 95% (Not
recomended: can launch too many processes)
When dealing with video files the bottleneck may be the storage and not CPU
usage.
And in this case when the "CPU usage" is selected it may cause to too many
processes opened at the same time resulting in overall performance fall.
Reset executable paths.
This option will let you show new paths to all executables you used in your
presets.
Sometimes the paths are changed or we have several versions installed.
Thanks using AnotherGUI.
Priit Poldmaa
You can contact me Mailto:priit@joosti.ee
Hopefully you can still find a homepage here:
http://www.stuudio.ee/AnotherGUI