This tutorial shows how to use the LEADTOOLS Multimedia SDK to create a C# Windows Console application that uses the ConvertCtrl
to perform a simplified conversion of a video file to the MP4 format.
Overview | |
---|---|
Summary | This tutorial covers how to convert a video file in a C# Windows Console application. |
Completion Time | 30 minutes |
Visual Studio Project | Download tutorial project (3 KB) |
Platform | Windows C# Console Application |
IDE | Visual Studio 2017, 2019 |
Development License | Download LEADTOOLS |
The LEADTOOLS Multimedia Convert Control contains many advanced features that simplify many multimedia tasks such as media conversion, streaming and transcoding. The toolkit is shipped with various demos that make use of these features, such as the main Multimedia Convert demo that has different editions in multiple programming languages.
Get familiar with the basic steps of creating a project by reviewing the Add References and Set a License tutorial, before working on the Convert Video to MP4 - Console C# tutorial.
In Visual Studio, create a new C# Windows Console project, and add the below necessary LEADTOOLS references.
This tutorial requires the following local DLLs, which are located at <INSTALL_DIR>\LEADTOOLS21\Bin\Dotnet4\x64
:
Leadtools.dll
Leadtools.Multimedia.dll
Note
Different SDK features require different references. For a complete list, refer to Multimedia Files You Must Include With Your Application.
The License unlocks the features needed for the project. It must be set before any toolkit function is called. For details, including tutorials for different platforms, refer to Setting a Runtime License.
There are two types of runtime licenses:
Note
Adding LEADTOOLS NuGet and local references and setting a license are covered in more detail in the Add References and Set a License tutorial.
With the project created, the references added, the toolkit unlocked, and the license set, coding can begin.
In Solution Explorer, open Program.cs
, then add using Leadtools;
and using Leadtools.Multimedia;
to the using
block at the top.
// Using block at the top
using System.Windows.Forms;
using Leadtools;
using Leadtools.Multimedia;
Add a new method called ConvertVideo()
, and call it in the Main
method after the UnlockMultimedia()
method call.
static void Main(string[] args)
{
UnlockMultimedia();
ConvertVideo();
}
static void ConvertVideo()
{
string inputFile = @"C:\LEADTOOLS21\Media\DaDa_CMP.avi";
string outputFile = @"C:\LEADTOOLS21\Media\converted.mp4";
ConvertCtrl convert = new ConvertCtrl(true);
Console.WriteLine("Preparing to convert..");
convert.SourceFile = inputFile;
convert.TargetFile = outputFile;
convert.TargetFormat = TargetFormatType.ISO;
// select suitable compressors
convert.VideoCompressors.H264.Selected = true;
convert.AudioCompressors.AAC.Selected = true;
convert.AllowedStreams = StreamFormatType.AudioVideo;
Console.WriteLine("Converting. Please wait...");
convert.StartConvert();
int previousPercent = 0;
while (convert.State != ConvertState.Stopped)
{
System.Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents();
if (convert.PercentComplete - previousPercent >= 1) // print a dot every 1 percent or so
{
previousPercent = convert.PercentComplete;
Console.Write(". ");
}
}
convert.ResetSource();
convert.ResetTarget();
Console.WriteLine($"\nFinished conversion to file {outputFile}. Press any key to continue...");
Console.ReadKey(true);
}
Make sure the input and output file names are set correctly. For this tutorial, the file DaDa_H264.avi
can be used as input, which is shipped with LEADTOOLS 21 Multimedia SDK in the <INSTALL_DIR>\LEADTOOLS21\Media
folder. Run the project by pressing F5, or by selecting Debug -> Start Debugging.
If the steps were followed correctly, the application starts and converts the input file to a new MP4 (ISO) file.
This tutorial showed how to convert a video file using the ConvertCtrl
class.