Which files are what?

laz111 wrote on 8/14/2002, 4:53 AM

Here's a silly one: Can anyone tell me which vf files relate to what function. I can't tell from the names. In an effort to create some hd space I deleted a project avi file (and emptied recycle bin) thinking it was a rendered avi file (too much drink, drugs and women in the 60's I'm afraid, but I think I enjoyed myself). Looking in windows explorer there are files with a little yellow page icon with 'v'; ones with blue icon called BAK, ones with clip xxx avi; and ones with clip xxx avi sfk. So, there are media files, project files and rendered files. I can't get the deleted file back using a retrieval utility 'cos I've defragged, but it was only a day's work. But it would be useful to know. I'm assuming project and rendered files are approx same size.
Thanks all.

Comments

Grazie wrote on 8/14/2002, 6:43 AM

Good question!

G

Chienworks wrote on 8/14/2002, 7:36 AM

I'm afraid the distinction between source files and rendered files is rather hazy. They can both be almost any media type. If you've captured with VidCap and not renamed as you're going, then all the source files will be Clip xxx.avi. That's not a guarantee though because many of us rename the files as we're capturing. I tend to name my source files with a word that describes the scene, and i name my output files with a word that describes the entire project (usually the same name i use for the .vf project file). I also usually render the output to a different directory than the one i keep the source and project files in.

.sfk files are the peak files that SonicFoundry software produce in order to show the visual display of the audio waveform. If you delete these, they will be recreated the next time you use the corresponding source file.

.vf files are the project itself, basically the timeline and a list of all the clips, events, crops, effects, titles, etc. that you've put into your video.

.bak files are copies of the .vf files that VideoFactory creates each time you load a project. So if you mess up completely, you can quit VideoFactory, delete the .vf file (well, maybe rename it to something else just to be safe), and then rename the .bak file to a .vf name. Then you'll be back to where you were before the recent edits.

laz111 wrote on 8/16/2002, 3:28 AM

Many thanks Grazie and Chienworks. In future I'll be more organised and pay more attention to naming files as I go. It'll save time in the long run.