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Re-rendering proxies
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I’m not sure I know what you mean by path-based previews looking like tape-based ones.
If the original file path has the reel name in there somewhere then the corresponding path-based preview will too, but if the original doesn’t then the preview won’t.
Unless the old Mac Classic way of doing things, CatDV always accesses files via Unix-style file paths. We use the term “original” to mean the original path to the full res media that CatDV saw when the file was originally imported, ie. what’s stored in the CatDV Media Path field. If the file has moved, or was imported on a Mac and the catalog is being view on a PC, or if the original file is offline and you only have a proxy available, then CatDV uses “path mapping” to automatically construct a new file path from the original file path (ie. the path as stored in the catalog).
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what I mean is that the path-based files have the original reel name as part of the file name, while the tape-based previews have what looks like a hash code as the file name. I can look at the path-based files and see what it is and where it came from. Can’t do that using the tape-based previews, not unless you open the file and it has the reel name burned it. I’m thinking that the term for tape-based should be changed to something less inviting like “old format,” if you catch my drift. For someone coming, as I do, from decades of a world filled with 8.3 reel names and timecode, the term “tape-based” is actually very attractive. Maybe that’s not so with the later generation, many of whom don’t even know what a tape deck looks like. And yes, I have exported CMX EDLs from CatDV. Actually, they were GVG because I prefer the audio format.
I got lost on “original” because I couldn’t tell if meant the original full-rez media, or the path where the previews had been originally stored. I was thinking the latter, because the full-rez had never moved but the previews had.
Thanks for the help. I’m running a couple more tests to see if I can fix the issue. Then I’ll switch everything over to path-based.Non-linear: all the time and nothing but.
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I’m still confused. You say “path-based files have the original reel name as part of the file name”. The reel name isn’t added by CatDV, it just uses whatever the original file name was. How the files are named depends on what software you use to capture them and how you name your clips. CatDV will work with any kind of files placed on any volume with any kind of folder structure and any kind of file name, so file-based previews won’t in general have the reel name in them unless you or your software put it there.
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[Rolf Howarth] “The reel name isn’t added by CatDV, it just uses whatever the original file name was.”
Yes, that’s actually making my point. The same doesn’t happen when using tape-based. Look at it from the viewpoint of someone who doesn’t live and breathe this every day: Tape-based doesn’t have the tape name, but path-based does have the tape name. There exists a point of confusing when using the word “tape.”
I’d already written a database for all this, but CatDV is infinitely better. I mean there’s not the tiniest bit of comparison. And now we live and breathe CatDV. It’s really more important to the operation than any of the editing software. Logging is the root of all editing, as far as I’m concerned—even more so for Non-Linear Editing. The logs are the true non-linear access to the footage.
The following screen grabs just try to illustrate my point of confusion over the terminology. I’m going back and fixing the paths using the “original” location for the full-rez footage. I already changed the drive names and I’m reattaching the media to switch the drive path in the database. I’ve moved the previews into directories whose paths match the original footage. It seems to be working, but every once in a while one of the previews just doesn’t want to “stick.” By that I mean I can get it to work initially, but when I come back later it’s no longer found.
Non-linear: all the time and nothing but.
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Ok, but the way CatDV sees things the whole file path is the “name”. Thus a tape-based preview such as /Volumes/Raid Set/CatDV Previews/ADH02/3000,27584,28777,96c.mov includes the the reel name ADH02. On the other hand, a path based preview such as “FS02 John Smith.mov” will be called whatever the original hires file has called (possibly with the extension changed to .mov, .mp4 or .jpg). The original file might be called Clip1.mov, Sunset.mp4, DSC01234.jpg, Train.wav, or whatever. Some applications might include the reel name there but by no means all.
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Got that. And I think the path-based is the way to go. It just goes to the origins of where you started. I mean DV is in the name. Is anyone over there still shooting DV and using a product as sophisticated as this? But you’re stuck with certain thing. Of course version 9 could be “Super Deluxe Best Ever Logging and Asset Management system.” Or you could do the Apple thing and just skip to version X
I’ve been fixing the paths. Update Media Location is working like a charm. I’m removing the old conflicting Raid Set-1 references. I think I have all the previews popping up correctly, at least reading the files from one location. I have to try the laptop.
Non-linear: all the time and nothing but.
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