Export

Choose the outputCopy Anchor Link

For project-local installations, prefix CLI commands with npx. API snippets assume an in-memory project; reopen one with StoryboardProject.open('film.cboard') when exporting saved artwork. Create destination directories before using writeFile directly.

Export images for review, paginated storyboard sheets for sharing, or a movie for timing and sound review.

PNG framesCopy Anchor Link

import { renderPanelPNG, renderFramePNG } from 'codeboard-studio';
import { writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises';

await writeFile('panel.png', await renderPanelPNG(project, 'notice'));
await writeFile('frame-24.png', await renderFramePNG(project, 24));

Use a panel render to review a panel and a frame render for a specific timeline moment. Review tools also provide crops, contact sheets, frame sheets, and onion skins.

Storyboard sheetsCopy Anchor Link

codeboard render film.cboard --output sheets --columns 2 --rows 2

The export includes panel images and a paginated PDF. Layout handles the page grid and captions independently of artwork composition. Panel action, dialogue, camera notes, and titles provide caption content.

Through code:

import { exportStoryboard } from 'codeboard-studio';
const result = await exportStoryboard(project, 'sheets', {
  columns: 2, rows: 2, margin: 36, gutter: 18, captionHeight: 96,
});
console.log(result.pdfFile);

Movie with audioCopy Anchor Link

Install FFmpeg, then run:

codeboard movie film.cboard --output film.mp4

To choose an FFmpeg executable explicitly:

codeboard movie film.cboard --output film.mp4 --ffmpeg /path/to/ffmpeg

On Windows use a quoted path to ffmpeg.exe. You can also set FFMPEG_PATH in your environment. Export evaluates artwork, drawing substitutions, camera, transitions, and audio from the saved project.

import { exportMovie } from 'codeboard-studio';
await exportMovie(project, 'film.mp4', {
  onProgress: (frame, total) => console.log(frame, total),
});

Save the project before movie export to include its embedded assets. If exporting an unsaved project with linked assets, provide the correct assetRoot.

Animatic packageCopy Anchor Link

codeboard animatic film.cboard --output animatic

This exports frame images and a manifest for an external review or playback workflow. It is separate from the encoded MP4.

Repeated frame renderingCopy Anchor Link

import { createRenderSession } from 'codeboard-studio';
const session = createRenderSession(project, 64 * 1024 * 1024);
for (const frame of [0, 24, 48]) {
  const canvas = session.frame(frame);
  try { await writeFile(`frame-${frame}.png`, await canvas.toBuffer('png')); }
  finally { canvas.getContext('2d').reset(); }
}

A session freezes a validated snapshot and reuses a bounded artwork cache. Create a new session after edits; an old session intentionally keeps the old artwork. session.panel(id, frame?) renders one panel and session.durationFrames reports its timeline length. The cache limit is in bytes, not a reduction in artwork quality.

Canvas-returning APIs leave the canvas to the caller; release its drawing state when finished. PNG-returning APIs handle their temporary canvases. Use exact-frame renders to compare preview and export. Differences in installed fonts, native library versions, or FFmpeg settings can still affect cross-machine results.

Before deliveryCopy Anchor Link

Check the first and last frame of each shot, transitions, the full playback, and audio sync. Keep the .cboard file and source scripts with your exports so future feedback can be addressed through code.