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• How to encode a video from several images generated in a C++ program without writing the separate frame images to disk ?

  29 janvier 2016, par ksb496

  I am writing a C++ code where a sequence of N different frames is generated after performing some operations implemented therein. After each frame is completed, I write it on the disk as IMG_%d.png, and finally I encode them to a video through ffmpeg using the x264 codec.

  The summarized pseudocode of the main part of the program is the following one :

  std::vector<int> B(width*height*3);
  
  for (i=0; i/ void generateframe(std::vector<int> &amp;, int)
  
    generateframe(B, i); // Returns different images for different i values.
  
    sprintf(s, "IMG_%d.png", i+1);
  
    WriteToDisk(B, s); // void WriteToDisk(std::vector<int>, char[])
  
  }
  
  </int></int></int>

  The problem of this implementation is that the number of desired frames, N, is usually high (N 100000) as well as the resolution of the pictures (1920x1080), resulting into an overload of the disk, producing write cycles of dozens of GB after each execution.

  In order to avoid this, I have been trying to find documentation about parsing directly each image stored in the vector B to an encoder such as x264 (without having to write the intermediate image files to the disk). Albeit some interesting topics were found, none of them solved specifically what I exactly want to, as many of them concern the execution of the encoder with existing images files on the disk, whilst others provide solutions for other programming languages such as Python (here you can find a fully satisfactory solution for that platform).

  The pseudocode of what I would like to obtain is something similar to this :

  std::vector<int> B(width*height*3);
  
  video_file=open_video("Generated_Video.mp4", ...[encoder options]...);
  
  for (i=0; icode></int>

  According to what I have read on related topics, the x264 C++ API might be able to do this, but, as stated above, I did not find a satisfactory answer for my specific question. I tried learning and using directly the ffmpeg source code, but both its low ease of use and compilation issues forced me to discard this possibility as a mere non-professional programmer I am (I take it as just as a hobby and unluckily I cannot waste that many time learning something so demanding).

  Another possible solution that came to my mind is to find a way to call the ffmpeg binary file in the C++ code, and somehow manage to transfer the image data of each iteration (stored in B) to the encoder, letting the addition of each frame (that is, not "closing" the video file to write) until the last frame, so that more frames can be added until reaching the N-th one, where the video file will be "closed". In other words, call ffmpeg.exe through the C++ program to write the first frame to a video, but make the encoder "wait" for more frames. Then call again ffmpeg to add the second frame and make the encoder "wait" again for more frames, and so on until reaching the last frame, where the video will be finished. However, I do not know how to proceed or if it is actually possible.

  Edit 1 :

  As suggested in the replies, I have been documenting about named pipes and tried to use them in my code. First of all, it should be remarked that I am working with Cygwin, so my named pipes are created as they would be created under Linux. The modified pseudocode I used (including the corresponding system libraries) is the following one :

  FILE *fd;
  
  mkfifo("myfifo", 0666);
  
  
  
  for (i=0; i/ void WriteToPipe(std::vector<int>, FILE *&amp;fd)
  
    fflush(fd);
  
    fd=fclose("myfifo");
  
  }
  
  unlink("myfifo");
  
  </int>

  WriteToPipe is a slight modification of the previous WriteToFile function, where I made sure that the write buffer to send the image data is small enough to fit the pipe buffering limitations.

  Then I compile and write the following command in the Cygwin terminal :

  ./myprogram | ffmpeg -i pipe:myfifo -c:v libx264 -preset slow -crf 20 Video.mp4

  However, it remains stuck at the loop when i=0 at the "fopen" line (that is, the first fopen call). If I had not called ffmpeg it would be natural as the server (my program) would be waiting for a client program to connect to the "other side" of the pipe, but it is not the case. It looks like they cannot be connected through the pipe somehow, but I have not been able to find further documentation in order to overcome this issue. Any suggestion ?

• How to encode a video from several images generated in a C++ program without writing the separate frame images to disk ?

  29 janvier 2016, par ksb496

  I am writing a C++ code where a sequence of N different frames is generated after performing some operations implemented therein. After each frame is completed, I write it on the disk as IMG_%d.png, and finally I encode them to a video through ffmpeg using the x264 codec.

  The summarized pseudocode of the main part of the program is the following one :

  std::vector<int> B(width*height*3);
  
  for (i=0; i/ void generateframe(std::vector<int> &amp;, int)
  
    generateframe(B, i); // Returns different images for different i values.
  
    sprintf(s, "IMG_%d.png", i+1);
  
    WriteToDisk(B, s); // void WriteToDisk(std::vector<int>, char[])
  
  }
  
  </int></int></int>

  The problem of this implementation is that the number of desired frames, N, is usually high (N 100000) as well as the resolution of the pictures (1920x1080), resulting into an overload of the disk, producing write cycles of dozens of GB after each execution.

  In order to avoid this, I have been trying to find documentation about parsing directly each image stored in the vector B to an encoder such as x264 (without having to write the intermediate image files to the disk). Albeit some interesting topics were found, none of them solved specifically what I exactly want to, as many of them concern the execution of the encoder with existing images files on the disk, whilst others provide solutions for other programming languages such as Python (here you can find a fully satisfactory solution for that platform).

  The pseudocode of what I would like to obtain is something similar to this :

  std::vector<int> B(width*height*3);
  
  video_file=open_video("Generated_Video.mp4", ...[encoder options]...);
  
  for (i=0; icode></int>

  According to what I have read on related topics, the x264 C++ API might be able to do this, but, as stated above, I did not find a satisfactory answer for my specific question. I tried learning and using directly the ffmpeg source code, but both its low ease of use and compilation issues forced me to discard this possibility as a mere non-professional programmer I am (I take it as just as a hobby and unluckily I cannot waste that many time learning something so demanding).

  Another possible solution that came to my mind is to find a way to call the ffmpeg binary file in the C++ code, and somehow manage to transfer the image data of each iteration (stored in B) to the encoder, letting the addition of each frame (that is, not "closing" the video file to write) until the last frame, so that more frames can be added until reaching the N-th one, where the video file will be "closed". In other words, call ffmpeg.exe through the C++ program to write the first frame to a video, but make the encoder "wait" for more frames. Then call again ffmpeg to add the second frame and make the encoder "wait" again for more frames, and so on until reaching the last frame, where the video will be finished. However, I do not know how to proceed or if it is actually possible.

  Edit 1 :

  As suggested in the replies, I have been documenting about named pipes and tried to use them in my code. First of all, it should be remarked that I am working with Cygwin, so my named pipes are created as they would be created under Linux. The modified pseudocode I used (including the corresponding system libraries) is the following one :

  FILE *fd;
  
  mkfifo("myfifo", 0666);
  
  
  
  for (i=0; i/ void WriteToPipe(std::vector<int>, FILE *&amp;fd)
  
    fflush(fd);
  
    fd=fclose("myfifo");
  
  }
  
  unlink("myfifo");
  
  </int>

  WriteToPipe is a slight modification of the previous WriteToFile function, where I made sure that the write buffer to send the image data is small enough to fit the pipe buffering limitations.

  Then I compile and write the following command in the Cygwin terminal :

  ./myprogram | ffmpeg -i pipe:myfifo -c:v libx264 -preset slow -crf 20 Video.mp4

  However, it remains stuck at the loop when i=0 at the "fopen" line (that is, the first fopen call). If I had not called ffmpeg it would be natural as the server (my program) would be waiting for a client program to connect to the "other side" of the pipe, but it is not the case. It looks like they cannot be connected through the pipe somehow, but I have not been able to find further documentation in order to overcome this issue. Any suggestion ?

• The ultimate solution to knowing how your business is performing overall

  8 janvier 2018, par InnoCraft — Community, Plugins

  Would you like to know how your business is performing overall at a glance ? Guess what, you can now do this easily with Roll-Up Reporting.

  What is Roll-Up Reporting about ?

  Roll-Up Reporting is a premium feature which you can acquire through the Piwik Marketplace. Developed by InnoCraft, the professional company behind Piwik, this plugin will :

  1. Save you heaps of time and gives you completely new insights
  2. Make this process easy as pie
  3. Reflect the structure of your business or organization

  1 – Roll-Up Reporting does the maths for you

  Yes, you read it right. Compared to having to sum reports of multiple websites manually, you can get aggregated results for your business or departments instantly with a single click directly in Piwik. Not only does this save you heaps of time compared to doing this complicated work in a spreadsheet, you also avoid human errors. With this feature, you get a clear overview over all your websites, apps, and shops performances.

  For example, if you want to know which referrers bring you the most value across all websites, then you will get the answer in a report. Same results for e-commerce reports, actions, and other metrics.

  2 – Easy as pie, no tracking code involved

  The best part of this feature is that you do not need to push data through additional tracking code. The setup is simple and made through the UI of the plugin.

  3 – Roll-Up Reporting meets even the hardest requirements

  You can also create “nested roll-ups”. This feature allows you to create a roll-up consisting of several other roll-ups. With a nested roll-up, you can create a roll-up for each department in your company (and assign all the websites of a department to that roll-up), then group several departments easily into a new roll-up simply by assigning several department roll-ups to this new roll-up.

  

  For example, a company with multiple brands can assign multiple websites to each brand, and then get aggregated results for each brand and for the business overall. As a roll-up is basically the same as a website, you can give users access to a roll-up without having to give them access to each site, and the other way around.

  How does it work ?

  As with all premium features, this plugin is straightforward to use. Once activated in your Piwik administrator panel, you will notice that when you add a website, you have the choice between two possibilities :

  

  When you select the “Roll-Up” option, a new window will appear asking you which websites and mobile apps you would like to aggregate into a roll-up :

  

  The created roll-up will then be shown just like any other website that you have in Piwik. You can create as many roll-up entities as you want.

  

  Features, such as custom alerts, segments, and e-mail reports work for a roll-up just like for any website.

  Real-Time reports

  One of the most interesting features of Roll-Up Reporting is, that you can view all the Real-Time reports, such as the “Visitors in Real-Time” widget, the “Real-Time Map”, and the “Visitor Log” across several websites making it much easier to keep an eye on your business :

  

  How to get the Roll-up reporting plugin ?

  Developed by InnoCraft, the makers of Piwik, Roll-Up Reporting is a premium feature which you can purchase on the Piwik Marketplace. You can also try it for free on the Piwik Cloud for 30 days.

  Learn more about the Roll-Up Reporting feature