Pinnacle Systems EDL Manager - 9.0 User's Guide

Avid® EDL Manager

User’s Guide

Release 9.0

for the Windows NT® Operating System

tools for storytellers™

Avid EDL Manager User’s Guide for the Windows NT Operating System • Part 0130-04226-01 Rev. A • August 1999

Chapter 1 Working with EDLs

EDLs and the EDL Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Online and Offline Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

What the EDL Manager Does . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Starting EDL Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Using Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Creating or Reading an EDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Creating an EDL from a Sequence in a Bin,

Existing EDL, or OMFI File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Creating an EDL from an Active Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Reading an Existing EDL from an RT-11 Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Saving an EDL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Saving an EDL as a Text File or an OMFI Composition . . . . . . 15

Saving an EDL to an RT-11 Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Verifying an RT-11 Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Formatting an RT-11 Disk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Printing an EDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Copying an EDL Between Storage Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Using EDL Manager with Your Avid Editing System. . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Creating an EDL from the Active Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Creating a Sequence from an EDL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Viewing a List of Tapes in the Source Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Chapter 2 Customizing EDLs

EDL Manager Option Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Changing Settings in the EDL Manager Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Changing the Title of an EDL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Defining Video Tracks and Audio Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Including or Excluding Specific Tracks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Redefining a Track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Combining or Isolating Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Creating Stereo Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Choosing a Format for the Audio Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Displaying Different Views of an EDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Selecting a Template for the EDL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

File Names in the Template Pop-up Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Opening a Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Adjusting the Source and Output Timecodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Updating an EDL with EDL Manager Window Changes . . . . . 35

Changing Settings in the Options Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Selecting an Edit Controller Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Sorting the Order of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Setting Up a Master List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Setting Up a Dupe List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Using the Preread Option. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Showing or Hiding Comments and Other Information . . . . . . 45

The Effects Info Comment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

The Repair Notes Comment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Optimizing the EDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Optimization Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Setting Up Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Setting the Record Start Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Saving Options to a Template File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Changing Serial Transfer Options in the

Site Settings Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Chapter 3 Editing and Troubleshooting EDLs

Using a Text Editor to Edit an EDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Fitting the Format to the EDL Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Changing the Header Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Removing Problems Caused by Complex Sequences. . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Using the Console Window to Display Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Fixing Difficult Transitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Locating Trouble Spots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Slicing and Dicing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Tryi ng On e Track at a Tim e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Avoiding Problems in EDLs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Simplifying Effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Looking for Missing Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Dealing with Corruptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Appendix A Check List for Online Editing

Calling Ahead to the Online Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Deciding What to Take to the Online Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Take EDL Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Take the EDL in Several Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Take Reference Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Double-Checking the EDL File Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Appendix B Creating EDLs for Film Projects

Matchback Conversion in Film-to-Video EDLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Creating EDLs for a Matchbacked Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Creating Audio-Only EDLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Appendix C Using Serial Transmission to Transfer EDLs

Connecting the Edit Controller to the Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Setting Serial Transmission Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Transmitting the EDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Appendix D Using Help

Opening and Closing the Help System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

How Help Windows Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Finding Information with the Help Topics

Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Using the Contents Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Using the Index Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Using the Find Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Using Buttons in a Help Topic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Accessing Information from the Help Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Using Context-Sensitive Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Help for Windows and Dialog Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Help for Screen Objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Printing Help Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Copying Information from a Help Topic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Changing the Font Size of Help Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Glossary Index

Tables

Table 2-1 Source and Output Timecodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Table 2-2 Formats and Audio Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Table 2-3 EDL Sort Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Table 2-4 Master List Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Table 2-5 Dupe List Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Table 2-6 Show Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Table 2-7 Optimization Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Table 2-8 Standards Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Tabl e C -1 Serial Transfer Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Table D-1 Help Topic Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Table D-2 Help Menu Choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

CHAPTER 1

Working with EDLs

This chapter introduces edit decision lists (EDLs) and provides instructions for basic EDL Manager procedures. It includes the following sections:

• EDLs and the EDL Manager

• Starting EDL Manager

• Using Help

• Creating or Reading an EDL

• Saving an EDL

• Formatting an RT-11 Disk

• Printing an EDL

• Copying an EDL Between Storage Locations

• Using EDL Manager with Your Avid Editing System

• Viewing a List of Tapes in the Source Table

EDLs and the EDL Manager

An edit decision list (EDL) is a list of instructions for all the edits you make for creating a program on videotape. This list might include cuts, wipes, dissolves, fades, and black edits. The EDL Manager application organizes the instructions as a series of chronological edits called events. Each event specifies a timecode for the source and master tapes.

Online and Offline Editing

In most cases, you generate an EDL to take a project from the offline editing environment, where rough editing and experimentation are less

expensive, into the online editing environment, where an editor using an edit controller can produce a finished master in less time. The EDL Manager saves EDLs in a format an editing system can use, such as GVG or CMX. You might also need to import an EDL from the online environment back into the offline suite to make further changes before completing the master tape.

Traditionally, the offline environment consisted of a simplified videotape suite with less expensive machines and fewer effects capabilities. More recently, offline environments are likely to include

nonlinear editing systems such as Avid’s Media Composer environment might also include a high-end nonlinear editing system such as Avid’s Symphony™, or an online model of Media Composer.

. The online

In all cases, the EDL, in the form of a file generated in a readable format, is the link back and forth between the two environments.

What the EDL Manager Does

You can use EDL Manager to generate an EDL from a sequence in a bin or from an OMFI file. OMFI is a file format for importing and exporting media; it allows you to share information with other platforms. You can also read a previously saved EDL into EDL

Manager. After creating an EDL, you can save it as a text file that can be read by different edit controllers, such as Sony you can save the EDL as an OMFI composition.

You can use EDL Manager to create an EDL that displays additional types of information, such as comments or patches. You can specify the different audio and video tracks in the sequence. You can also specify the assembly modes that the online edit controller uses when creating your program.

Because EDL Manager is a standalone application, your other Avid applications do not have to be running when you create EDLs from sequences. When you run EDL Manager with your Avid editing system (for example, Symphony), you can bring the sequence that is currently in the editing system into the EDL Manager window. After working with the EDL in EDL Manager, you can create a sequence in the Avid editing system from the EDL.

Starting EDL Manager

You can start EDL Manager as a standalone application, or you can start it from within your Avid editing system application.

, GVG, or CMX, or

To start EDL Manager as a standalone application:

1. Click the Start button.

2. Point to Programs.

3. Point to Avid.

4. Point to EDL Manager.

EDL Manager opens.

To start EDL Manager from within your Avid editing system application, choose EDL from the Output menu.

EDL Manager opens as the active window, showing the Editing System icon connected to the Update button by a Right Arrow button.

Using Help

The Help system provides procedures and reference information for all features of EDL Manager. You can access complete information by opening the Help system, or you can get specific information for windows, dialog boxes, and screen objects by using context-sensitive Help. For information on using the Help system, see Appendix D.

Creating or Reading an EDL

The EDL Manager window displays the EDL you create or the existing EDL you open or read. You can view an EDL by doing any of the following procedures:

• Create an EDL from a sequence in a bin.

• Open an existing EDL.

• Create an EDL from an OMFI file.

• Create an EDL from an active sequence in your Avid editing

system monitor.

• Read an existing EDL from an RT-11 disk.

Creating an EDL from a Sequence in a Bin, Existing EDL, or OMFI File

To create an EDL from a sequence in a bin, from an existing EDL, or from an OMFI file:

1. Choose Open from the File menu.

The Choose file to open dialog box appears.

2. Choose Common files (*.avb, *.edl, *.omf) from the Files of Type pop-up menu.

3. Navigate to the disk or folder that contains the file you want.

4. Select a file — either a sequence in a bin (.avb), another EDL (.edl), or an OMFI (.omf) file — and click Open.

If you select a bin or an OMFI file, one of the following happens:

• If the file contains only one sequence, EDL Manager creates

the EDL for that sequence.

• If the file contains more than one sequence, the Make Selection

dialog box appears.

Select a sequence and click OK. EDL Manager creates the EDL.

The created EDL appears in the EDL Manager window.

The Source and Output pop-up menus appear only for 24p bins and for OMFI files.

For information on changing the settings in the EDL, see Chapter 2.

Creating an EDL from an Active Sequence

You can create an EDL directly from the sequence that is loaded in your Avid editing system. For more information, see “Using EDL

Manager with Your Avid Editing System” on page 20.

Reading an Existing EDL from an RT-11 Disk

To read an EDL that is saved on an RT-11 disk in a CMX, GVG, or highdensity GVG (HDGVG) edit controller format:

1. Insert the RT-11 disk that contains the EDL you want to read into the disk drive.

2. Choose Read From RT11 Disk from the File menu.

The Make Selection dialog box appears.

3. Select the EDL you want and click OK.

The EDL opens in the EDL Manager window.

Saving an EDL

You can save an EDL as a text file with the .EDL file name extension, or as an OMFI composition. The location where you save the EDL can be a DOS-formatted disk, a hard drive or other storage device, or an RT-11 disk that can be read by CMX or GVG edit controllers. For information on formatting an RT-11 disk, see “Formatting an RT-11 Disk” on

page 17.

Saving an EDL as a Text File or an OMFI Composition

To save an EDL as a text file or an OMFI composition:

1. Choose one of the following from the File menu:

• Save As, to save the EDL as a text file

• Save As OMFI, to save the EDL as an OMFI composition

A dialog box appears.

2. Accept the default file name, or enter a new name.

If you are saving to a DOS-formatted disk for transfer to an edit controller, use a file name that the edit controller can read. The name must be eight alphanumeric characters or less in uppercase letters, followed by the file name extension (either .EDL or .OMF). For example:

ANNA23.EDL

3. Navigate to the disk or folder where you want to save the EDL.

4. Click Save.

EDL Manager saves the EDL to the location you specified.

Saving an EDL to an RT-11 Disk

To save an EDL to an RT-11 disk:

1. Insert a CMX or GVG disk into the disk drive.

2. Choose Write To RT11 Disk from the File menu.

A dialog box appears, showing the name of your EDL.

3. Accept the EDL file name, or type a new name.

The name must be six or fewer alphanumeric characters, in uppercase letters, followed by the .EDL file name extension. For example:

LEO3A.EDL

4. Click OK.

EDL Manager saves the EDL to the CMX or GVG disk.

Some edit systems cannot read high-density disks (marked with the HD symbol), so you might have to use a double-density disk. If you are in doubt, check with the online suite or have the suite provide you with a formatted disk.

Verifying an RT-11 Save

Because an RT-11 disk is not initialized for the Windows NT or Windows 98 format, you cannot see its contents by using the standard operating system tools (for example, My Computer). To verify that the EDL has saved successfully to the disk, you can follow the first few steps of “Reading an Existing EDL from an RT-11 Disk” on page 14. If the EDL appears in the Make Selection dialog box, then you know it was saved to the disk.

To verify that the EDL was saved to the disk:

1. Choose Read From RT11 from the File menu.

A message box appears, which states that the currently displayed EDL will be cleared.

2. Click OK.

The list of files for the RT-11 disk appears, allowing you to verify that your EDL was saved to the disk.

3. Click Cancel to return to the EDL Manager.

Formatting an RT-11 Disk

An RT-11 disk in EDL Manager can be in any of the following formats:

• CMX

• GVG

• HDGVG (high-density GVG)

When you take a DOS-formatted disk and format it as an RT-11 disk, data on the disk will be erased.

To format an RT-11 disk:

1. Choose Format RT11 Disk from the File menu.

A dialog box appears.

2. Insert a DOS-formatted disk into the drive and click OK.

A message box appears.

3. Click OK.

The Format Options dialog box appears.

4. Click one of the option buttons to choose an EDL disk type format.

EDL Manager formats the disk.

Printing an EDL

To print the open EDL:

1. Choose Print EDL from the File menu.

A dialog box appears.

2. Select the print options you want.

3. Click OK.

Copying an EDL Between Storage Locations

You can copy an EDL from any drive or disk storage location to another without having to open the EDL in the EDL Manager window or switch to operating system tools such as My Computer. The storage locations, including RT-11 disks, must be accessible to your computer.

To copy an EDL from one location to another:

1. If you want to copy to or from an RT-11 disk, insert the RT-11 disk in the disk drive.

2. Choose Copy To/From Disk from the File menu.

3. If no RT-11 disk is in the drive, a dialog box appears. Navigate to the file you want to open and click Open. Another dialog box appears. Navigate to where you want to copy the EDL and click Save.

4. If an RT-11 disk is in the drive, a dialog box appears.

Do one of the following:

• To copy from an RT-11 disk, click Yes.

A list of EDL files appears. Select the EDL you want and click OK.

• To copy from any other disk or drive, click No.

A dialog box appears. Navigate to the file you want to open and click Open.

• To copy to an RT-11 disk, click No.

A dialog box appears. Navigate to the file you want to open and click Open. The Write to RT11 Disk dialog box appears. Click Yes and then either accept the default file name or enter a new name of six or fewer uppercase characters

• To copy to any other disk or drive, click No.

A dialog box appears. Navigate to the file you want to open and click Open. The Write to RT11 Disk dialog box appears. Click No. A dialog box appears. Navigate to where you want to save the file and click Save.

Using EDL Manager with Your Avid Editing System

EDL Manager is a standalone application; your other Avid editing applications (for example, Media Composer, Film Composer Symphony, Symphony Universal, or Avid Xpress running when you create EDLs from existing sequences.

When you start EDL Manager from your Avid editing system, or have EDL Manager and the editing system running at the same time, you can do the following:

• Create an EDL for the sequence loaded in the active monitor.

• Create a sequence in the Avid editing system from an EDL that is

open in EDL Manager.

™

) do not have to be

Creating an EDL from the Active Sequence

To create an EDL from the sequence currently loaded in the Avid editing system, do one of the following in EDL Manager:

• Click the Right Arrow button between the Editing System icon and the Update button in the EDL Manager window.

• Choose Get Current Sequence from the File menu.

The EDL appears in the EDL Manager window and a Left Arrow button appears under the Right Arrow button, indicating that you can now also create a sequence from the EDL.

Creating a Sequence from an EDL

To create a sequence in your Avid editing system from an EDL that is open in EDL Manager:

1. With your Avid editing system running, do one of the following:

• Click the Left Arrow button between the Update button and

the Editing System icon in the EDL Manager EDL Manager window.

• Choose Create Sequence from the EDL Manager File menu.

The editing system becomes the active window, and a dialog box appears. The dialog box lists only those bins currently open in the editing system.

2. Select an existing bin or create a new bin in which to place the EDL sequence.

3. Click OK.

The sequence is created in the bin you selected, and EDL Manager becomes the active window again.

Viewing a List of Tapes in the Source Table

The source table lists all source tapes in the sequence that the EDL describes. The source table is a useful reference when you assemble your program.

To view the source table, click the Sources button in the EDL Manager window. A list of source tapes appears.

User-defined name

Avid-defined name

If Sources is already selected before you open an EDL, the source table appears when you complete the opening procedure. To view the master EDL display, click Master in the EDL Manager window.

The source table has one row for each source tape. The three columns provide the following information:

• The user-defined name for a source tape

• The Avid-defined name for a source tape

• The Avid import ID, which is the internal identification for your

Avid source ta pe

The exact format for these columns varies depending on the format of your EDL.

Avid import ID

Before your online session, you might want to print the source table on paper. To print the source table, choose Print from the File menu. For more information about the online session, see “Online and Offline

Editing” on page 9 and Appendix A.

CHAPTER 2

Customizing EDLs

This chapter describes how to customize an edit decision list by changing a variety of settings. It also explains how to save settings as templates for use with other EDLs.

This chapter includes the following sections:

• EDL Manager Option Settings

• Changing Settings in the EDL Manager Window

• Changing Settings in the Options Window

• Changing Serial Transfer Options in the Site Settings Dialog

Box

EDL Manager Option Settings

Initially, EDL Manager uses default option settings to generate the EDL, unless you customize the EDL by changing the settings for any of the options. You can change the settings, save them to a template, and then use the template for other EDLs; or you can continue to manipulate the settings until you find the most effective combination for your sequence.

Settings that you can change are located in several places within EDL Manager:

• The EDL Manager window

• The Options window

• The Site Settings dialog box

As you choose the settings for your EDL, remember that they might significantly affect the online session in terms of time and money. For example, if you finish your program in a suite with preread capabilities, choosing the preread option in the EDL Manager application can save time in dubbing sources, and save money in additional deck rental.

Changing Settings in the EDL Manager Window

Use the EDL Manager window ( see Figure 2-1) to change or select the following settings:

• Title name of your EDL

• Video tracks and audio channels

• Views of the EDL — master list, dupe list, or source table

• Templates to apply to the EDL

• Source and output frame rates (for 24p bins and OMFI files only)

Use the Update button to update the EDL with changes you make to

)

the video tracks, audio channels, title, and to the Source and Output frame rates.

EDL

EDL name Three views

Update button

Source timecode Output timecode

Video and Audio Track selector panel

Timecode options (24p and OMFI files only

Figure 2-1 EDL Manager Window

Changing the Title of an EDL

You can change the title of your EDL at any time. For example, you might want to open an EDL, modify it in some way, and then retitle the modified version to distinguish it from the original. If you then save the new version by using a new file name, you have two distinct versions of the EDL with different titles and file names.

To change the title of an EDL:

1. Click in the Title text box.

2. Delete the old title and type a new one.

3. Click Update.

The new title appears as the first line of the EDL.

Changing the title of an EDL does not automatically create a new file. To create a new file, you must save the EDL by choosing Save As from the File menu. In the Save As dialog box that opens (for an EDL with a changed title), the system supplies a new file name by default — the first six characters of the new name plus the .EDL file name extension. You can accept this file name or modify it before you save the EDL.

Defining Video Tracks and Audio Channels

EDL Manager works with a maximum of 24 video tracks and 16 audio channels, depending on the edit controller format you select, as described in “Changing Settings in the Options Window” on

page 36. The capabilities of the edit controller determine how many

output tracks (channels) you can use.

The Track Selector panel in the EDL Manager window controls the selection of video and audio tracks for the EDL. Each button in the panel represents one channel of audio or video in the EDL.

Initially, EDL Manager uses the following panel configuration:

Audio channelsVideo track

The number on each button refers to the channel from the sequence that is assigned to that channel in the EDL.

If you create an EDL from a simple sequence that contains one video track and up to four audio channels, you can use the default arrangement of the Track Selector panel. For other situations, you can reconfigure the Track Selector panel differently.

Including or Excluding Specific Tracks

If multiple audio channels and video tracks exist in your sequence, you might want to include only certain tracks in the EDL. To specify which tracks to include or exclude:

1. Click the audio or video track button in the Track Selector panel.

A pop-up menu of channels (or tracks) appears. The number of audio channels listed depends on your edit controller.

2. Do one of the following:

• Choose a track number from the pop-up menu.

• Choose the minus sign (–), at the top of the pop-up menu, to

turn off a track.

The track appears dimmed when it is turned off.

Redefining a Track

You can assign any track from your sequence to any track in your EDL. Keeping channel A1 in the sequence as the first audio channel in the EDL is not necessary.

For example, suppose you decide to move audio channel 16 in your sequence to audio channel 1 in your EDL. Choose A16 from the popup menu.

The underlined number in the list of available tracks — in this case, A1 — is a reminder that you are moving A16 to the EDL audio channel 1.

The audio button displays A16, indicating that you have assigned track A16 from the sequence to the first audio channel in the EDL.

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