Filtering a folder view for video work - A detailed example

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1

Harry wrote in part (In a different thread): " Someone [...] who could say right off hand that its easily possible to filter that particular case or similar ones without having to go to more specialized tools?

I think I've found a decent and fairly quick way to accomplish my goals expressed in two previous threads with similar subject matter.

Some combining of several mechanisms has provided a nice way to get this done.

The problem was really in two parts:

  1. To filter only the filenames ending in ".avi" where there are also piles of files ending ".avi.sfk" and
    copy them to a collection

  2. filter that collection by size and move those below what I think is appropriate size to their own related collection.
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To do this pretty handily it seems to need the steps below that I hope by laying out so verbosely, to let other folks like me who may not be the sharpest folks in town, to still learn in detail, how something like this may be done readily in Dopus.

( It appears to be quite a high count of steps needed, but in fact they follow quickly and easily after the first try)

I: First then, we create two empty collections avi_good and avi_unlikely

II: Open the dual view and move one side to the Collection: avi_good. Move the other to a real directory of avi files intermixed with *.avi.sfk files.

III: Filter the real directory in this way " shift *.sfk, now select those.

IV: Type this filter "Shift * *" which brings all files into view again.

V: Go to "Edit/invert selection" and we now have selected all files ending *.avi (since there are only two kinds in this directory)

VI: Go to the little icon on the standard toolbar that says SMB: copy [...] and LMB: copy [...]
copy the files to "avi_good"

VII: move the other view, at this point, to "avi_unlikely"

VIII: Back in avi_good, we filter on size using the column header, and select those we want removed, back to the icon on toolbar and this time using the one that says SMB: move [...] and LMB: move [...], "move" them to avi_unlikely

We now have all usable avi in one collection, all the unlikely but possibly needed avi files in another and no problems with stumbling over *.sfk files.

So before we ever "fire up" the actual NLE (Non Linear Editor = those editors designed to edit video files) (In this case Vegas pro 10) we have done quite a lot of work that would have had to be done inside the editor and would be quite a lot more work and slower.

We can now draw our imports from the right collection, and if a problem arises where a piece of a few frames is actually needed, it is quickly available in another collection but has not tied up some amount of memory in the NLE until needed.

Thank you Dopus, you've made my video editing a faster and pleasanter experience.

2

Harry wrote: "( It appears to be quite a high count of steps needed, but in fact they follow quickly and easily after the first try)"

Haaa... several of those steps (It replaces 3 steps with 1) can be completely eliminated and the whole process sped up a good bit by using the "Find panel / advanced tab". and just checking the [x] use wildcards.

Then the "" acts like an asterisk does in standard shell filtering. So, ".avi" now matches only files ending ".avi", unlike when used in the "Shift *.avi" mechanism where it matches any where in a file name.
So in one step we've isolated the true *.avi and can copy them to whatever collection from there.

3

Or you could use the even simpler Filter Boxes that I think I've suggested twice now... :slight_smile:

4

Sorry to be the dunce of the week. ..

A search on `filter boxes' and your name on this forum shows only 1 previous mention in my threads. Perhaps your tip was somehow worded differently enough that it has evaded the terms I used.

But I recall your mention of `Filter Boxes' and you even bothered to tell exactly where in the somewhat complex FAQ to find directions. Thank you for that. Not all helpful folks go so far in there tips as to provide specific places to find further info.

I didn't pursue your advice on that yet; I haven't been that eager to add stuff to tool bars... I usually run without the toolbar even being visible. I like to keep the top of my apps small and therefor more room.

I like to be able to do things with some kind of common commands an app offers if possible, unless I have what is clearly a long lasting need for some specialized scripting or toolbar addition sort of thing.

As it stands, Opus is so full of abilities I'm finding it can do the things I need right out of the box in most cases (so far).
If I only go to the trouble (Or more likely put people here to the trouble ) of finding out how.

As I become more and more familiar with it I might go into using special buttons, commands, scripting etc.

I've been using Opus for a pretty good while now, probably moving up on a yr or a little better and have hardly even scratched its abilities.. I've really just been using it as I would formerly have used explorer, but taking lots of advantage of the tabs. (something explorer should have had long ago).

It's really kind of embarrassing how very little I've learned in all that time of how to use it.
I might break down and make use of what looks to be a really excellent "Getting Started" offering. That would be nearly a first for me, reading directions and working thru "Getting Started" or other tutorials... hehe... I usually plunge in and wallow around for a while until I finally start to pick up stuff.