Encoding media

info

The code examples in this article is only documented with the Python API Client. While many concepts still apply for the JavaScript API, implementation details might differ.

Media such as images and video can be encoded by the ftrack server to allow playing it in the ftrack web interface. Media can be encoded using ftrack_api.session.Session.encode_media which accepts a path to a file or an existing component in the ftrack.server location.

Here is an example of how to encode a video and read the output:

job = session.encode_media('/PATH/TO/MEDIA')
job_data = json.loads(job['data'])

print('Source component id {}'.format(job_data['source_component_id']))
print('Keeping original component'.format(job_data['keep_original']))
for output in job_data['output']:
  print('Output component - id: {0}, format: {1}'.format(
    output['component_id'], output['format']
  ))

You can also call the corresponding helper method on an asset version <ftrack_api.entity.asset_version.AssetVersion.encode_media>, to have the encoded components automatically associated with the version:

job = asset_version.encode_media('/PATH/TO/MEDIA')

It is also possible to get the URL to an encoded component once the job has finished:

job = session.encode_media('/PATH/TO/MEDIA')

## Wait for job to finish.

location = session.query('Location where name is "ftrack.server"').one()
for component in job['job_components']:
  print(location.get_url(component))

Media can also be an existing component in another location. Before encoding it, the component needs to be added to the ftrack.server location:

location = session.query('Location where name is "ftrack.server"').one()
location.add_component(component)
session.commit()

job = session.encode_media(component)