Multi-stream Compositing

Composition Tools			Stereo Viewing
Chapter 11, 2D Compositing

Use the Streams tools to perform identical processing on multiple image streams avoiding the creation of identical sub-graphs to process a number of images in the same way. The Streams tools can also be used to support a stereo workflow in Toxik --see Stereo Viewing. There are three Streams tools:

Use:	To:
Merge Streams	merge multiple single-stream image inputs into a single multi-stream output. It has a single multi-valued image input socket, and a single output socket. You can connect as many inputs as you like to the Merge Streams tool.
Extract Streams	extract single-stream image outputs from the Merge Stream node using the Selector value editor.
Stereo Streams	input left eye and right eye image streams to create a 2-stream stereo image. The Stereo Streams tool takes two single-stream inputs and combines them into a single dual-stream output, placing the left image in stream 0, and the right image in stream 1.

In the application, the default stream is stream 0. For example, if a color picker is used in the player, it will pick stream 0. If you pick a color in the Keyer, it will pick the color from stream 0. If you click Fit to Source in a warp tool, it will fit to stream 0.

Note: Paint strokes will only be applied to stream 0.

Performing Multi-stream Processing

You can perform identical processing on multiple image streams. The following example workflow applies a blur to five imported layers.

To apply a blur to multiple layers:

Import multiple layers into Toxik. Toxik creates a composition per layer.
Perform a multiple selection of the imported layers, drop them into a new composition and swipe through the Link option. Toxik creates a link node per layer in the new composition.
Drag a Merge Streams tool from the Streams tool folder and drop it into the composition.
Connect all layers to the inputs of the Merge Streams node.
Drop a Blur tool into the composition and connect the Merge Streams output socket to its input then change the blur parameters.

The blur is applied identically to all five streams.

Note: To view the individual streams, use the Player 0, (next stream) and Shift + 0 (previous stream) to cycle to the next and previous streams produced by the Player target. You can also view a stream by swiping through the Player south gate, opening the Streams tab and selecting the stream you want to view from the Stream value editor.