Video Clip Name Display - Inadequate!

[2Dogs]

This one has always bugged me with video Studio.

I work with a monitor set to 1024 x 768.

By default, video Studio only appears to be able to show the first 8 characters of a video clip name in the library area to the right of the preview screen.

Although there is an option from the "General" tab of "File", "Preferences" to set clip display to be either "Thumbnail only", "Thumbnail and filename" or "Filename only", this only affects the display of clips on the timeline when in timeline view.

I find this very frustrating. For example, the default name VS assigns to captured clips is at least 9 characters.

I would also prefer the default name of the captured clip to use the timecode date rather than the date of capture. After all, the "date modified" property of the file will give the capture date.

I invariably have to rename all my clips, since I prefer to archive them with the timecode date, followed by a dash and a two digit code. One recent one hour MiniDV tape captured using "Split by scene" comprised no less than 338 clips! Renaming all of those was a tedious process.

Using my naming system, "062205-03.avi" would represent the third clip shot on 22nd June 2005. (and I realise that you folks in blighty might use 220605-03, but it's fairly sensible to be able to sort by months)

Does anybody out there know a solution to these two problems? Can VS be made to wrap filenames onto two lines below the thumbnail? Are there any lines in some .ini file that can be editied to do this perhaps, or are these just issues that Ulead might address in version 10?

[daniel]

if you hover with your mouse over the library thumbnail it will display the full filename

[Trevor Andrew]

Using my naming system, "062205-03.avi" would represent the third clip shot on 22nd June 2005. (and I realise that you folks in blighty might use 220605-03, but it's fairly sensible to be able to sort by months)

Hi 2Dogs

If you name the folder containing your files as 062205.
Create a separate library page for each folder. call it 062205
Then name your files as 03.avi. 004.avi would that not produce the info you need.

Trevor

[2Dogs]

Dear Trevor,

I can see that such a scheme would work - but it would not really assign the timecode date information to the clip. Therefore it would be possible to mix up clips from one folder with another. Imagine making a compilation video of say, your kids growing up - you'd likely be mixing many 03.avi's.

Don't you think it odd that the VS default name contains more characters than can be displayed - and illogical that the timecode date is not the default?

[2Dogs]

if you hover with your mouse over the library thumbnail it will display the full filename

Dear Daniel,

yes, I know that - but if you have 100 clips in your library, you'll spend all your time hovering!

Have you ever played "The Memory Game"? You have a bunch of picture cards laid face down, start by turning a pair face up. If they match, you can keep them in your pile. If not, you turn them back over.

I was never that good at that game, my daughter always beat me. Maybe I can get her to memorise the names of the clips in my library!

[Trevor Andrew]

Therefore it would be possible to mix up clips from one folder with another.
Imagine making a compilation video of say, your kids growing up - you'd likely be mixing many 03.avi's.

Hi 2Dogs

I cannot see how you would mix up your Avi files.
They would be saved to your hard drive in separate folders, one for each movie.
Each folder having a different name.

You would work on each movie in a different project.

Each project/movie having a different library page, named to identify the movie.

Only one 003.Avi would be in any library page.

(just a thought—you are aware that you can create your own library pages )

All the Best

Trevor

[daniel]

yes, I know that - but if you have 100 clips in your library, you'll spend all your time hovering!

I don't know: there are 15 clips displayed on the screen
If you sort them by name (the little (AZ) button), then you just hover the last, if it's not far enough just click under the scroll bar to get the next 15 try again the last, in 7 iterations you get the 100th.
Also if you want the 200 for 338 you can position the scroll bar two thirds form the top and start from there?

I do mainly slide shows, typically around 300-500 pictures wisely noted with a 25 letters name and the last three are 001 to nnn (due to the scanning process) and only meaningful. I never felt this a pain.

But maybe I didn't quite understand at all what your problem is...

[2Dogs]

Therefore it would be possible to mix up clips from one folder with another.
Imagine making a compilation video of say, your kids growing up - you'd likely be mixing many 03.avi's.

Hi 2Dogs

I cannot see how you would mix up your Avi files.
They would be saved to your hard drive in separate folders, one for each movie.
Each folder having a different name.

You would work on each movie in a different project.

Each project/movie having a different library page, named to identify the movie.

Only one 003.Avi would be in any library page.

(just a thought—you are aware that you can create your own library pages )

All the Best

Trevor

Dear Trevor,

yes, I know about library pages!!

Upon reflection, I think that I will adopt your separate folder system. It's probably unrealistic to hope that Ulead will enable wrapped filenames on the clip display, and I doubt that they would take up a sensible suggestion like having the default name use the timecode date.

And Daniel, I admire you for being able to deal with hundreds of image clips in your projects!


Thanks for all the input!

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi 2Dogs

One very annoying thing about video studio numbering is that they start from:-
xxxxxxx-002.avi

the next file being:-

xxxxxxx-002-1 and xxxxxxx-002-2, xxxxxxx-002-3 and so on upwards as you would expect.

Unfortunately windows sees xxxxxxxx-002-2 not next to number one and three but next to number twenty.

If you try to import to the library they can easily get mixed-up.

Most confusing

Hope you find a good alternative

Trevor

[pdunn]

Duh ! I might be missing something here, but I never split by scene on capture, only once I've loaded the entire AVI file into the timeline. Hence I don't end up with zillions of video clips on the RHS.

What's the advantage of splitting on capture ? I can see it might help if you're moving files between projects or re-using them elsewhere.

Thanks,

Peter

[daniel]

Unfortunately windows sees xxxxxxxx-002-2 not next to number one and three but next to number twenty.

If you try to import to the library they can easily get mixed-up.

Most confusing

Hope you find a good alternative

Trevor

In this case being AVI (supposedly DV files), I just click on sort by date and they're in order...

[daniel]

What's the advantage of splitting on capture ? I can see it might help if you're moving files between projects or re-using them elsewhere.

Well when I use it, it's for ease of removing garbage clips with just one key (well shift-key), unvoluntary start-stop sequences, repeats etc, it goes faster than multi-trim because you don't have to check the exact frame, just delete that rush and go on.
Then I do a batch convert to MPEG at 8264/PCM of the rest as backup on a DVD and start editing.

[rguthrie]

2Dogs,

Here's a, somewhat, solution to your problem. Google "batch rename freeware". There are lots of free programs that'll rename your files easily in a batch. Now you don't have to waste all that time renaming each file.

Hope this helps,
Ron

[pdunn]

Good idea re file renaming utility.

Daniel wrote:

Well when I use it, it's for ease of removing garbage clips with just one key (well shift-key), unvoluntary start-stop sequences, repeats etc, it goes faster than multi-trim because you don't have to check the exact frame, just delete that rush and go on.

And it's also possible in Storyboard view to right-click each clip and select 'delete', then to use the trim handles to select what you you want. Each method achieves the same end, but if you need to rename clips, it might take longer your way.

Isn't it a nice surprise that Ulead actually provides alternatives sometimes.