Help!

Butch Moore wrote on 7/27/2009, 4:05 PM

I have a cameraman in Boston trying to do a simple edit on Vegas. Obviously, he knows just enough to get himself into trouble...which he has succeeded to do quite nicely.

He did his first "short" with no problem...so we know his system is working! For his next project, using the same clips, he deleted his timelines. Now, he is unable to drag media from the project media bin to the timeline.

Somewhere in the process, he has switched something on or off that would create this problem. Unfortunately, I can't re-create the problem.

Anyone know what he could have done to "lock" media out of the timeline? BTW, I've had him reboot/start a fresh project and the problem remains. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks!

Comments

xberk wrote on 7/27/2009, 4:24 PM

Is the media still on his harddrive? Can he play it in Windows Media Player?

If so, have him open a new Vegas project, use the explorer window to drag the media directly from explorer window to the timeline. Maybe he turned the explorer window off. Use "View" on menu bar and then make sure Explorer is checked. Or uncheck and check it again to get it back.

Butch Moore wrote on 7/27/2009, 4:28 PM

The media is in the project media bin...it appears normal (highlight, etc.) The media will play in the trimmer, it just won't drag to the timeline.

I've figured out a work around by right-clicking the media in the bin and choosing "Add Across Time". It's putting the media on the line now, but the regular "drag and drop" method still doesn't work...

I'm baffled...

ushere wrote on 7/27/2009, 4:30 PM

my mistake....

xberk wrote on 7/27/2009, 5:08 PM

I think we you start a new project, the project media window should be empty. If you are using Media bins -- they should be empty also. So if you are starting a new project, I'm not seeing how media has gotten into the Project window or the Media bin (which, I think, is just a virtual folder as is the Project Media window) --- I don't want to complicate things and if you've found a method that works -- use it -- but you should be able to drag and drop to the timeline from either the explorer window or the project window once media gets into the project window. I don't think there is any setting to "turn off" drag and drop to the timeline. Very weird that the right click and "add across time" works. Curious to see what happened.

Butch Moore wrote on 7/27/2009, 5:58 PM

I've been pulling my hair out (he's already bald). I starting to think that it may be as simple as a bad mouse. He's gone to get one, so hopefully it will work.

I've been with Vegas since Version 4, so I kinda know my way around. He's not super-savvvy on a computer, so I'm really having to talk him through it. He's been using Vegas for several years, but only for the simplest of jobs.

Any other advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!

xberk wrote on 7/27/2009, 6:54 PM

That would be kick in the pants if the a new mouse solves this.

One other method to drag and drop to the timeline is to do it from Windows Explorer directly into the Vegas timeline. You can do this one file at a time or in groups.

srode wrote on 7/28/2009, 2:46 AM

If he can get the computer hooked up to the internet - maybe set up a MS Netmeeting session - have him let you take control of his computer and you can work around in Vegas to try and fix it? It works quite well really. If you both have a windows OS it should be on the computer - run a search for Netmeeting and start it.

Butch Moore wrote on 7/28/2009, 7:12 PM

Well, he's back in Carolina. We plugged everything up and "shazaam"...everything worked perfectly! @$#%^&*

I can say that the airline wrecked his luggage...broken wheels, ripped panels. The TSA were none to kind either. He carried his laptop on-board, but wires/accessories were checked. Everything was a mess, plus an external harddrive case was cracked.

We should have known better!