iOS app — Processing Output motion format

Processing
1

Hi all,

I’m a bit of a beginner when it comes to Processing, but I can easliy do some nice still and video outputs using Processing.

I’m on a client project, and going to create some visuals for an app — the visuals themselves will be generative, but it will always be the same “video” played on this app at the Splash Screen.

My Question: I know how to Export to mp4, but what is the best format to output to in Processing to be used in an iOS app?

Thanks!

Tabrez

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2

Hello – welcome to the forum!

Can you please explain more what you are trying to do?

Are you trying to:

  1. create a video file with a Processing sketch
  2. save that file in a separate iOS app
  3. play the video in the app

or

  1. create a video file with a Processing sketch
  2. save to a webserver
  3. stream the web video from the iOS app

or …?

3

Hey Jeremy! Thanks,

Option 1 please. I’ll be creating a video in Processing which will pay in the app. I’m just wondering if there’s another (better maybe?) format I should be using instead of just using a .mp4, and if yes, can this be exported from Processing?

Thanks!

4

mp4 is a container format for video – it is really widely supported, so I would assume that the iOS app would have no problem playing it, no matter how it is developed. If you already know how to export mp4 then you should be all set.

There is also an option for exporting an animated gif using the gifAnimation library.

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5

Thanks Jeremy!

That clears things up. What I was wondering, (maybe this question is more for an iOS forum) — should there be like a code based animation instead of mp4? This would reduce file size wouldn’t it?

Thank again!

6

Possibly – but the amount depends a lot on what your content is. Given the overall size of available iOS storage and average app size, the space savings might not be worth designing around.

If you want embedded programmatic animation on iOS one way would be:

  1. Switch you Processing code to p5.js.
  2. Display your content in an app view that is playing javascript-based web content via webkit.

This helps you avoid trying to embed a Java PApplet in an iOS app, which would probably NOT save you space – as you would need to include Java 8 JVM!

7

Ahhhh, ok this is interesting.

Guess it’s the old adage of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. I’ll stick to mp4 then!

Thanks Jeremy :slight_smile:

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