TOKYO (MacHouse) – If you write Objective-C, you probably know that the QTKit (also known as the QuickTime Kit) has been deprecated with introduction of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion. And Apple, Inc. proposes that we use AV Foundation instead. A problem for transition to AV Foundation is that it’s quite difficult for us to create a movie with a bunch of images. Well, I really wanted to know how several months ago. So I opened a technical support ticket and asked DTS (Developer Technical Support) how. The guy who answered my request didn’t appear to know exactly how under OS X. It seemed that he was an iOS software developer because he gave me some links to web sites that shows how to use AVAssetWriter in iOS, which wasn’t the development platform of my choice at that time. Anyhow, I’ve eventually managed to create a movie with an array of NSImage objects.

Well, I haven’t used this new technique till now. A new desktop application that I submitted to Mac App Store several hours ago lets the user create movies. This new submission is called Fireworks Maker.

Tom Bluewater

Tom Bluewater

Fireworks Maker is a desktop application that utilizes the QuartsCore framework (also known as Core Animation framework) to animate a firework display. You can save the firework display as a still picture (BMP, GIF, JPEG, JPEG 2000, PNG or TIFF) to your disk with a click of a button. Also, you can save the firework animation as a movie to your disk. Note that this application is suitable for a computer with a non-Retina display.  

Available at Mac App Store

Features

1. Save the firework display as a picture to your disk with a click of a button.
2. Save the firework display as a movie to your disk.
3. Configure firework properties such as rocket birth, angle rocket range, explosion life, sparkle size.
4. Select a solid background color of the display area, which serves as the color of the nightly sky.
5. Select one of three frame rates (24, 25, 30) with a drop-down menu.
6. The application does NOT support the fullScreen mode.
7. The application supports the retina screen although we recommend that you save the firework display as a movie with a non-Retina display. The application has been tested with 2014 2.6 GHz 13″ MacBook Pro, though.
8. Languages: English only.
9. Application file size: 15.8 MB.
10. The application comes with a built-in 13-page user guide. Choose Show Quick Tour under Fireworks Maker whenever you need to see it.

System requirements

1. 10.8 (tested with 10.8.5), 10.9 (untested), 10.10 (tested with 10.10.5), 10.11 (tested with 10.11.1)
2. 64-bit system.
3. At least 8 GB of RAM preferably for a non-Retina display computer.

Limitations

1. This application is not very suitable for a Retina display computer unless it’s equipped with a graphics chip other than Intel Iris Graphics. We strongly suggest that you test a trial version if you have a Mac with a Retina display. (Scroll down and locate a line that says Trial/Demo version.)
2. A movie must have the frame rate of 24, 25 or 30.
3. A movie duration can be no longer than 30 seconds.
4. A firework display movie does not contain audio.
5. The firework display size must be no smaller than 480 x 320 points.

Version history

Version 1.0.1 (Released on December 13, 2015)

1. Fix: The application calculated the memory requirement for a Retina display incorrectly.

Trial/Demo version

Click here to download a trial version. This trial version will remain fully functional for 7 days, starting from the very moment you first launch it.






Video tutorial

There is no video tutorial at this time.






Fireworks Maker is a product of Tom Bluewater.
Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Mac App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.