Thank you Jack S

Seems you are right. I spent twenty minutes copying all the files into bins I have made to match the folders for the tutorial. 2 seconds to do it in Premiere. However Vegas is more user friendly. Gaining experience though. Don't know enough to even make a comment about a 'script'.

@Ross-Jackson Why not using the VMS Explorer, it reflects exactly the structure of your media folders. You can drag media directly from the Explorer to the timeline. Only used media is imported in VMS which makes handling like saving and opening a project much easier and faster. When you first import all the media you have, needed or not, makes project handling quite difficult.

3POINT

Using explorer gives me access to the files in the various folders. However I first need to make copy custom bin folders that match explorer exactly to allow transfer copy of the files

In my case

Audio 4 files

Footage 5 camera files. Each of 50+ films

Stills 5 Cameras 4 locations 200+ copy docs

Honeymoon Footage 2 camera 3 locations, Still 2 camera 4 locations

Been a pain. But I got there

However I first need to make copy custom bin folders that match explorer exactly to allow transfer copy of the files.

Why, just sort all your files in a project folder with sub folders. Why should you create a bin structure that reflects the same as the folder structure. I never import manually my files into VMS, they are automatically imported as soon as I drag them from the explorer into the timeline. For easy access you can also add needed folders to your favorites:

3 POINT

Am I wrong? I am under the impression that any files used whilst in the 'explorer' are stored directly on the computer. If any alteration is done, plug in, colour etc it is permanent to the original. Therefore two copies need to be kept of the files. One for use, the other for originality.

Ross

No original file is ever changed regardless of how you access them.

No original file is ever changed regardless of how you access them.

Or: Original file is NEVER changed regardless of how you access them.

3 POINT

Am I wrong? I am under the impression that any files used whilst in the 'explorer' are stored directly on the computer. If any alteration is done, plug in, colour etc it is permanent to the original. Therefore two copies need to be kept of the files. One for use, the other for originality.

Ross

 

Yes you are, importing files into VMS is nothing else than telling VMS which files you are gonna use in your project. These imported files are not copies of the original files, just a link to those original files. Any alteration done is non destructive to the original, only when rendering, VMS creates a new final file where all alterations are computed using those original files. As said before these original files are under no circumstance changed, in fact they are "read only".

3POINT - (Or: Original file is NEVER changed regardless of how you access them). Only in project media is that correct.

Understand what you mean now. Files taken into project media are copies used by the VMS programme. Alterations are only made on the VMS project media files. However the VMS explorer is 'live' in the windows o/s. Any alteration to the files in this part is nothing to do with VMS even though it is displayed in VMS. I made a copy file in Windows explorer. Started VMS, went to VMS explorer, deleted the copy file. Went back to windows o/s explorer and the copy file had been deleted.

Phew!

Ross

Still can't copy folders though. Shame.

The VMS explorer is the same as Windows explorer, when you delete a file in the Windows explorer it is also gone.

When you delete an imported file in the VMS media tab you delete not the file or a copy of that file but only the link to the file.

I would advice you to make yourself wise what NLE (non linear editing) is all about.

I would advice you to make yourself wise what NLE (non linear editing) is all about.

Ouch!

This was the last well meant advice to you from a VMS/Vpro user with more than 16 year experience. I wish you all the luck with VMS for now and in the "near" future.

This was the last well meant advice to you from a VMS/Vpro user with more than 16 year experience. I wish you all the luck with VMS for now and in the "near" future.

I don't have 16 years, just 6 weeks experience. No other help than the community, who are excellent and very knowledgeable. Even though you no longer wish to advise me. I thank you for your help and assistance.

Regards

Ross

@Ross-Jackson I am not sure why 3point felt it necessary to reword my sentence, but I think you are confused about how files are use in an NLE. You are never making a copy of a file when you import it into the media pool. The media pool acts as a pointer to the original file. When you import it to the timeline, it is still just a pointer to the original file. Neither a new file nor a copy of the file are created. The only way to change the original is, as you discovered, delete it thru the NLE and agree to delete the source file.

@Ross-Jackson Basically, it's very simple. This is how I arrange my project folders in Windows Explorer.

Root Folder
  Project Name
  Working Clips
Supplementary Clips
  Images
  Music
  Sound effects
  Title Files (NewBlue Titler)
  (+ any other file types I deem necessary)

As others have stated, VP is a non-destructive NLE, meaning that nothing you do in VP will have an impact on your original files (unless, of course, you do something to them yourself in the Explorer tab of VP.

In other words, don't worry about your original files, they're safe.

@Ross-Jackson  ... for the basics of Vegas Pro - many of which apply to VMS - please check out the intro tutorials to Vegas on YouTube from early last year, the first being

While this forum is a great resource for how to do things and resolve problems, there is an expectation that people will have first used readily available resources like online tutorials, forum searches (see https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/important-information-required-to-help-you--110457 ) or even Vegas' user manual accessible via Help within the program.

I have been looking at tutorials. However many are above my paygrade. The one suggested above as a basic, compositing? Lost me completely.

However, the information given in this post has helped. I feel I am getting there..

Regards

Ross