Writing an OTIO Media Linker

OpenTimelineIO Media Linkers are plugins that allow OTIO to replace MissingReferences with valid, site specific MediaReferences after an adapter reads a file.

The current MediaLinker can be specified as an argument to otio.adapters.read_from_file or via an environment variable. If one is specified, then it will run after the adapter reads the contents of the file before it is returned back.

Python

    #/usr/bin/env python
    import opentimelineio as otio
    mytimeline = otio.adapters.read_from_file("something.edl", media_linker_name="awesome_studios_media_linker")

After the EDL adapter reads something.edl, the media linker "awesome_studios_media_linker" will run and link the media in the file (if it can).

Registering Your Media Linker#

To create a new OTIO Adapter, you need to create a file mymedialinker.py. Then add a manifest that points at that python file:

Json

        {
            "OTIO_SCHEMA" : "PluginManifest.1",
            "media_linkers" : [
                {
                    "OTIO_SCHEMA" : "MediaLinker.1",
                    "name" : "awesome_studios_media_linker",
                    "filepath" : "mymedialinker.py"
                 }
            ],
            "adapters" : [
            ]
        }

Then you need to add this manifest to your {term}OTIO_PLUGIN_MANIFEST_PATH environment variable.

Finally, to specify this linker as the default media linker, set {term}OTIO_DEFAULT_MEDIA_LINKER to the name of the media linker:

Bash

    export OTIO_DEFAULT_MEDIA_LINKER="awesome_studios_media_linker"

To package and share your media linker, follow these instructions.

Writing a Media Linker#

To write a media linker, write a python file with a "link_media_reference" function in it that takes two arguments: "in_clip" (the clip to try and add a media reference to) and "media_linker_argument_map" (arguments passed from the calling function to the media linker.

For example:

Python

    def link_media_reference(in_clip, media_linker_argument_map):
        d.update(media_linker_argument_map)
        # you'll probably want to set it to something other than a missing reference
        in_clip.media_reference = otio.schema.MissingReference(
            name=in_clip.name + "_tweaked",
            metadata=d
        )

For Testing#

The otioconvert.py script has a --media-linker argument you can use to test out your media linker (once its on the path).

Bash

    env OTIO_PLUGIN_MANIFEST_PATH=mymanifest.otio.json:$OTIO_PLUGIN_MANIFEST_PATH bin/otioconvert.py -i somefile.edl --media-linker="awesome_studios_media_linker" -o /var/tmp/test.otio