Is there a possible way to make the GEM window either opaque or transparent?

The idea is to build a similar application to this one, but cheaper.

It's used for producing visual cues for doing ADR in post production. The idea is that you set up a cue (called streamers) based on either SMPTE or MTC from your DAW, in my case Pro Tools, then set a prescribed pre roll for the streamer so a coloured bar moves across the screen like a count down, then a 'cig burn' appears in the centre to indicate the cue.

I know I could probably achieve this by loading in the movie file that is being worked on, but that seems like a lot of computing work for Pd, especially when it's in HD.

I've got the streamers part working, in that they move across the screen when triggered and can be altered to a prescribed pre roll the only thing i'm stuck on is the transparent window that i can just position as an overlay with a separate floating video window.

I'm working in OS X on the latest Pd-Extended.

Cheers guys.

@polyphuckin Hello again....
You should probably read this https://puredata.info/downloads/gem/documentation/manual/manual/referencemanual-all-pages
and do a text serch for "alpha". The alpha channel is the transparent video channel, and there is an example of a "dancer" that should do what you are looking for!.... maybe!........ always maybe?!
David.

Hi @whale-av

I actually did do a read through of the manual prior to posting, but couldn't see anything related to my idea. Everything works as described if i import a video, but this seems too much for Pd to handle most times. it's just not smooth enough.

The idea is so that when [gemwin] is created I can see everything underneath, i.e if it was on a second screen i could see the Desktop underneath.

It looks like it's not possible.

@polyphuckin You can have more than one gemhead. I am sorry, I almost never use gem so I am a bit rusty. You can have many gemheads on the same screen and you can order them (front to back) with a [set n( message where n is =>1.
On the other hand just adjusting the "z" position parameter will move things backwards and forwards and do what you wish?......... the one marked "best left alone".... but you would have to re-adjust the image sizes afterwards...... it's all possible.
Gemhead_with alpha and video.zip
I have just updated the example to add transparency, and a video! Not much further to go I hope!
David.

So from my understanding there is no way to make the gem window itself semi transparent? I would also be interested in using a Pd patch to make a prototype HUD for our driving simulator. It would be so easy to design it in Pd, and just move the window in front of the driving simulator visuals during a drive.

@sglandry You need to think about it the other way around............. and bring your driving simulator visual into Gem....... maybe through Syphon or Spout or some other external program that could make Gem think that your content is a camera input?
David.