No codec

[Evolution]

I am supposed to do a presentation for our church to visualize the sanctuary expansion, New Years Eve.  I had a codec at one time but now cannot find it. Following the recommendations in the knowledge base I downloaded the Xvid codec at https://www.xvid.com/ Saved to my drive. I created a walkthrough path, but the option to record the walkthorugh is not available.   I have the Xvid codec on my machine, but it doesn't appear to be available to record the walkthrough. Any help? 

Thankds

[Evolution]

1 hour ago, Evolution said:

I am supposed to do a presentation for our church to visualize the sanctuary expansion, New Years Eve.  I had a codec at one time but now cannot find it. Following the recommendations in the knowledge base I downloaded the Xvid codec at https://www.xvid.com/ Saved to my drive. I created a walkthrough path, but the option to record the walkthorugh is not available.   I have the Xvid codec on my machine, but it doesn't appear to be available to record the walkthrough. Any help? 

Thankds

(EDIT) the knowledge base directs to go to Preferences then Render and select a codec, but uless I've missed something there is no option to select or set a codec. 

[JKEdmo]

3 minutes ago, Evolution said:

(EDIT) the knowledge base directs to go to Preferences then Render and select a codec, but uless I've missed something there is no option to select or set a codec. 

Bob,

 

I think you're working with an older version, but with X17, it's here under Default Settings:

 

 

Jim

 

[Evolution]

3 minutes ago, JKEdmo said:

Bob,

 

I think you're working with an older version, but with X17, it's here under Default Settings:

 

 

Jim

 

Jim, I'm using X12. Here's my defaults: 

[JKEdmo]

29 minutes ago, Evolution said:

Jim, I'm using X12. Here's my defaults: 

 

Sorry, I can't help you as I don't have X12.  Perhaps somebody else can chime in.

 

Jim 

[JKEdmo]

31 minutes ago, Evolution said:

Jim, I'm using X12. Here's my defaults: 

Okay,

 

If you have not done this already, here's a link to X12 PDF manual below.  Do a word search for "codec."

 

https://cloud.chiefarchitect.com/1/pdf/documentation/chief-architect-x12-reference-manual.pdf

 

In particular page 874:

 

 

Looks like it's under Walkthrough Options?

 

Jim

 

 

[glennw]

With X12.....

In a 3D view go 3D>Walkthroughs>Record Walkthrough>Walkthrough Options>Codec.

 

Edited December 30, 2025 by glennw

[Evolution]

7 hours ago, glennw said:

With X12.....

In a 3D view go 3D>Walkthroughs>Record Walkthrough>Walkthrough Options>Codec.

 

Hello Glenn my Ausy friend. I am in 3D view, I select the 3D view, go to walkthrough and select record walkthrough. 

 

Now I have the walkthrough option available 

The save option opens so I save.  but I haven't created a walkthrough path or the walkthrough itself. Where do I go from here? The last walkthrough I did seemed to work much easier.

[Evolution]

The last walkthrough I did seemed to work much easier.

 

So I can use the mouse scroll wheel after opening the 3D view, and selecting the walkthrough option but doing it that way creates a shaky walk through. I want it to be continuous from start to finish. That is always the way I've done it before but now can't.

[glennw]

 Do you want to record a walkthrough along a path or do you want to record frame by frame as you move the camera.

If the last, you are on the correct road, when you select save, the view is saved, you can start moving the camera and the video will record.

When you have finished go 3D>Walkthroughs> where you will get some fresh options:

 

 

 

 

This is from the help file, or do a search for "Recording a Walkthrough" where both "frame by frame" and "along a path" are described:

 

Quote

 

Frame by Frame Walkthroughs

You can also create a walkthrough by recording it frame by frame. Although time-consuming, creating a walkthrough in this manner lets you see exactly what is being recorded as you record it.

To record a walkthrough frame by frame

1. Create a camera view. This view is the first frame of the walkthrough.

2. While the camera view is active, select 3D> Walkthroughs> Record Walkthrough record.jpg.

3. In the Walkthrough Options dialog:

 

bp44d5df.jpg

• Select a Frame Rate between 1 and 100. The value entered is the number of frames per second.

• Select a Compression Percent between 0 and 100. A value of 0 gives the highest quality images and the largest file size.

• Select a Codec from the drop-down list. See Selecting a Codec.

• Click OK.

4. In the Save Video As dialog, specify the name, location, and file format for the walkthrough file, then click Save. The available file formats will vary, depending on the codec you selected.

5. Use the camera movement tools to navigate the view. Each time the screen redraws, it is recorded as the next frame in sequence. See Editing 3D Views.

6. To move the camera without saving a view, select 3D> Walkthroughs> Pause Recording pause.jpg to temporarily stop recording.

• You can then select 3D> Walkthroughs> Save Frame saveFrame.jpg button to control what views are saved.

• You can start recording again by selecting Pause Recording pause.jpg once more.

7. When the walkthrough sequence is complete, select 3D> Walkthroughs> Stop Recording recstop.jpg or close the view.

 

Note: Zooming in and out and using the scroll bars does not change the viewpoint and does not produce a frame for the walkthrough.

If you resize the current view window while recording a walkthrough, the program will stop recording.

Selecting a Codec

A codec is a utility that compresses and decompresses media files, and is used when both recording and viewing videos such as walkthroughs. When you record a walkthrough in Chief Architect, you can choose which of the codecs installed on your system you want to use. This selection is universal and is retained between program sessions: when you choose a codec in either Walkthrough Options dialog, it will become selected the next time you open either dialog, even if you do so in another plan.

“Windows Media Video 9” is the default codec in the Windows version and “H.264”, in the Mac version; but any codecs installed on your system will be available to use.

To choose the codec that best suits your needs, it is a good idea to create a test walkthrough using each of the codecs installed on your system to see how well their walkthrough quality and file compression meet your requirements. Note that your choice of codec may affect the file formats in the Save Video As dialog.

For more information about codecs, visit chiefarchitect.com.

 

 

---

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2025 by glennw

[Evolution]

44 minutes ago, glennw said:

 Do you want to record a walkthrough along a path or do you want to record frame by frame as you move the camera.

If the last, you are on the correct road, when you select save, the view is saved, you can start moving the camera and the video will record.

When you have finished go 3D>Walkthroughs> where you will get some fresh options:

 

 

 

 

This is from the help file, or do a search for "Recording a Walkthrough" where both "frame by frame" and "along a path" are described:

 

 

---

 

 

 

Glynn, I want to do a walk through path not frame by frame because I don't know how to stop the "skaking" results. I tried to understand the instructions in the help file to do the path, however when I attempt it that way it instructs to selecty a codec first then do the path, but if that options is available I don't know where to find it. 

[glennw]

I think you have things in the wrong order.

Draw your path.

Select it and then in the edit toolbar select Walkthrough Options - the red circle:

Video Codec is down the bottom.

 

[Evolution]

50 minutes ago, glennw said:

I think you have things in the wrong order.

Draw your path.

Select it and then in the edit toolbar select Walkthrough Options - the red circle:

Video Codec is down the bottom.

Glenn, I don't see that option to in the edit tool bar. What am I missing? 

Bob

 

 

 

[glennw]

You are looking in the wrong place.

You are looking in the Edit Menu along the Menu Bar at the top.

You need to look at the Edit Toolbar which is usually down the bottom just above the status bar.

Have a look at my picture, you can see the Edit Toolbar and the button with the red circle.

I cant see it on your picture because your picture doesnt go down far enough.

[Evolution]

2 hours ago, Evolution said:

Glynn, I want to do a walk through path not frame by frame because I don't know how to stop the "skaking" results. I tried to understand the instructions in the help file to do the path, however when I attempt it that way it instructs to selecty a codec first then do the path, but if that options is available I don't know where to find it. 

Glynn, as always, you got it! That fixed it.  Now I have to figure out why some of my floors are showing a gap between the wall and the floor. It appears to be a foundation intruding into the room.  I had set my default for a 32" Stem wall, slab on fill. so I am not sure what's with that but I will do a separate post for that.