Importing LST files questions...

Support Synfig related help
1

I have a couple of questions regarding the importing of images via a LST file.

My intent:
Draw my animation out using PAP (http://www.plasticanimationpaper.dk/), which is simular to Pencil but only b/w. I’ve been playing with if for a bit and am very happy with the output. I can create a foreground, midgrounds, and background layers. I export each layer as a BMP sequence and save it to a folder.
I then use Potrace (http://potrace.sourceforge.net/) to batch trace the BMP files and save each frame as an SVG file. If I did it correctly, then each frame is traced in black and filled with the color I selected in Potrace and all other areas of the frame are transparent.
I then use InkscapeBatch (http://inkscapebatch.sourceforge.net/Homepage) that batch processes SVGs into PNGs and retains the transparency. It can also scale and change foreground/background color the same way Potrace can. I am left with a series of frame sequences, which when placed in layers, can be rendered into a video file. I’ve tried this using Blender’s VSE (video sequence editor). It works okay and I’ve tested it out with a 5 second animation. It is a bit clunky, though.

I am beginning to learn that this last step can be done in Synfig, with much better control and results, using LST files.

My questions:

1: Can I layer "Import Image Layer"s so they stack foreground, midgrounds, and backgrounds, and therefore take advantage of the alpha channel in the PNGs?

2: Can I skip the PNGs and import the SVGs in a LST file? This would be preferable and would allow the option on “tweeking” the frames. I understand they may need to be converted to a SIF file? If so, can they be batch converted? I might be getting ahead of myself there.

3: Does each respective LST file reside in the directory of the image files? I believe so, but I want to make sure.

4: Knowing my intent, are there any ideas or methods that I might take advantage of in Synfig? I used Blender a fair amount and have made a number of short animations, but I am missing the drawing part in animation.

2

Me to myself:

1: Yes! Works great and easy. A little buggy, but I’m hoping 0.64 improves it. It doesn’t import them 1:1, though it does when I just import a PNG straight. Even when I click File>Setup…>Misc.>Scale New Imported Images to Fit Canvas, the sequence comes in as a small square aspect. It’s easy enough to fix in the parameters. This is all MUCH easier than using Blender’s VSE.

2: Tried it and SVGs don’t appear to work when importing via LST files. SIF might, but I’m sticking to PNGs for now. It works fine and I can do my sequence tweeks and editing, etc. in Gimp.

3: Yes. And I made a BAT file to generate the LST for the files in the directory. The BAT file is just a TXT file but renamed with the .BAT extension. One line of code, which is:

dir *.png /b /o :n > 00_png_list_file.lst

Just put the BAT file in the same directory as the PNGs and run it. It generates a LST file of all the PNGs in order by name.

Now I just need to try playing with the follow Bline function and putting transitions on backgrounds. I rendered the same files I used for the Blender test and had good results, once I figured out the settings.