Though we didn’t discuss it previously in this blog, version 3.0 introduced a series of console commands that allowed you to generate various reports about the current sequence, including a list of sources, effects, and so on. In version 3.0.5 we’ve added a complete UI for these commands so that they can be easily accessed and utilized.
These sequence reports are available via the Get Sequence Info dialog. To access this dialog simply load the sequence you want to generate a report on into the Record monitor and, with the Record monitor active, and type Ctrl/Command+I. (Alternatively you can right-click on the Record monitor and choose Get Sequence Info… from the context menu.) After you issue this command the following dialog appears:
The top part of the dialog should be recognizable as it is what we’ve provided for years. But everything below is brand new. Let’s take a look at the reporting options available.
Effect Summary
This option displays a list containing all of the effects used in the sequence. This summary is especially useful for identifying the plug-in effects used as they are identified separately at the bottom of the report. For example, the sequence below uses three effects from BCC version 5. If generated in the offline, this information could now be easily communicated to the online editor so they can load the appropriate plug-ins.
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##### Effect Summary for 'Master 06/27 FINAL': (10/07/2008 16:08:35)
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407 renderable effect(s) found: (183 Segment Effect(s), 178 Transition Effect(s), 46 Motion/Timewarp Effect(s)).
Some of the effects are nested inside of other effects. Total nested effects: 44 (44 Video, 0 Audio).
1 effect is unknown/unavailable (unloaded plug-in).
324 precompute reference(s) found.
----- Effect breakdown by effect type: -----
(8) Blend:3D Warp
(4) Blend:Dip to Color
(172) Blend:Dissolve
(11) Blend:Picture-In-Picture
(10) Blend:Superimpose
(2) Film:Blowup
(2) Illusion FX:FluidMorph
(14) Image:Avid Pan & Zoom
(26) Image:Color Correction (CC Effect)
(39) Image:Color Correction (Src)
(1) Image:Color Effect
(4) Image:Flop
(13) Image:Resize
(5) Image:Stabilize
(23) Reformat:Pan and Scan
(46) Timewarp:Timewarp
(2) Title:Animated Title
(1) Title:Rolling Title
(23) Title:Title
----- Effect Plug-in Summary: -----
3 Plug-in types found. (17 total occurrences)
(2) BCC Effects:BCC Film Damage (A4D2B9F3-7D0F-3F67-910B-08F957E9FB22) (BorisFX, Inc ### BCC Film Damage ### Version 5.0 ### AVX2)
(14) BCC Effects:BCC Film Grain (B1E04512-5912-336A-8A2B-59C03AD006FB) (BorisFX, Inc ### BCC Film Grain ### Version 5.0 ### AVX2)
(1) BCC Effects:BCC Glow (FC3ED3B8-7AA5-3AB5-91F8-3E76C21229E2) (BorisFX, Inc ### BCC Glow ### Version 5.0 ### AVX2)
############################## End Effect Summary ##############################
There’s one unfortunate limitation to the plug-in list, though. AVX2 plug-ins are identified by a unique identifier code rather than their name. If a plug-in is installed, the report can query the plug-in and get the actual plug-in name, but if the plug-in isn’t installed it cannot report it’s name. In this instance, the plug-in is reported as an “unidentified” effect, as shown below:
(1) Unavailable Effect (A4D2B9F3-7D0F-3F67-910B-08F957E9FB22)
This indicates how important it is that this list is generated in the offline on the editing system with the plug-ins installed.
Effect Location List
This option displays a list of the location, in track and time, of every effect in your sequence. I find this report type most useful when I’m searching for the locations of specific effects, such as plug-in effects, in the timeline. Typically I would generate this report and use then search it for the effect I’m looking for. Because this report includes all nested effects, it is extremely useful for quickly locating effects that are otherwise very time consuming to find.
For example, the following subset of a larger report shows a nested Freeze Frame. As a rule when I’m doing an online I check every FF generated in the offline as they’re typically created by the offline editor using the default “Duplicated Field” render. These need to be redone in the online and searching for these can be a real pain. Now all I have to do is search a text file for “Freeze Frame,” move to the appropriate timecode, step in as necessary, and rebuild. Much easier than before! (Especially if you have an offline with lots of nested effects!)
V1 01;09;57;16 01;10;09;11 Image:Resize
(V1) 01;09;57;16 01;10;06;18 Timewarp:Timewarp
(V1) 01;10;06;18 01;10;09;11 Motion Effect (Freeze Frame)
Clip Summary
This option has limited utility for sequences, but it can be very useful when you generate this report from a subclip or group. Yes, you can generate reports from things other than sequences. Simply load the desired clip, subclip or group into the Source monitor and generate the report from there. Clip summary from a subclip (or motion effect) will tell you the master clip it was created from. If you drop a group clip it will tell you the clips within the group and the online/offline state of each clip.
Source Summary
This option will generate a list of all tape-based and file-based sources used in your sequence. This report is especially useful when the offline editor is packaging up their sources for delivery to online. And it is especially useful to the online editor, not just because it lists the sources, but it let’s them identify if there are any duplicate tape IDs (and, if there are, which projects they are associated with).
In addition, as it shows all of the imported files (including the path they were imported from) the editor can quickly ensure that they are sending along or archiving all of the graphics, audio files, etc required.
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##### Source Summary for 'Master 06/27 FINAL': (10/07/2008 16:08:35)
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########## Tape Source Info: ##########
30 tape-based sources found.
__________ TAPE NAME __________ __________ PROJECT NAME __________
A001F Burma
A002F Burma
A003B Burma
A004B Burma
A005B Burma
A006B Burma
A007B Burma
A008B Burma
A009B Burma
A010B Burma
A011B Burma
A012B Burma
A013B Burma
A014B Burma
A015B Burma
A016B Burma
A017B Burma
A018B Burma
A020B Burma
A021L Burma
B001F Burma
B002B Burma
B003B Burma
B004B Burma
B005B Burma
B007B Burma
B009B Burma
NA001 Burma
NA002 Burma
########## Imported Source Info: ##########
12 import-based sources found.
__________ IMPORT PATH __________
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Burma Misc\British officers.jpg
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Burma Misc\Corporal wickman.jpg
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Burma Misc\Slim2.jpg
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Burma Misc\boatsatrangoon.jpg
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Burma Misc\crossirrawaddy.jpg
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Burma Misc\dad & family.jpg
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Burma Misc\japanesegun.jpg
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Burma Misc\men of 62 Company.jpg
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\[From www.metacafe.com] 66376.275781.9_Lg_Prog.mov
E:\Japanese dead at Taungni.jpg (Disk Label: 051115_0815)
H:\BritArchives1.avi (Disk Label: Burma2)
H:\BritArchives2.avi (Disk Label: Burma2)
############################## End Source Summary ##############################
I hope you all find all of these reports to be helpful in your sequence and project management. I know your online editor will thank you for using them!
-greg