"Media Management -> Relink to new files" and trimming

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Orlando Esponda

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"Media Management -> Relink to new files" and trimming

PostMon Nov 20, 2017 11:47 pm

Hello,

I'm trying to use Media Management to consolidate a project. It's a couple of hundreds of GBs and I would like to trim the clips to save some space. Not because it's too heavy but because the project needs to be transferred to a remote location via web, so the less unused data, the better.

So I open Media Management, set the options to Timelines, selected Copy, but the "Relink to new files" option is available only when "Copy only used media files" is selected. This would save some space but not enough. When I select "Copy and trim used media keeping n frame handles" this relink option is not available. This option actually reduces the project size a lot, is perfect, except for the fact that it doesn't link the trimmed files to the timeline, so it's kinda useless.

Am I doing something wrong? I really think this is fundamental and can't get it working. I hope I'm not the only one having this issue and the real problem is between the chair and the keyboard, but please shed some light on me because I cannot figure out how to reduce the project size for transferring.

I'm using Resolve 14.1 Studio on Linux (Fedora). The files are R3D but I tried with a couple of different formats and the Media Management behavior is the same.

Lots of thanks in advance,
Orlando.
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John Paines

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Re: "Media Management -> Relink to new files" and trimming

PostTue Nov 21, 2017 1:22 am

Looks like a bug. You'll get the "relink" option when "Entire Project" is selected, but not when performing the copy by timeline.

p. 493 of the manual shows the relink option "live" with a trimmed timeline, but it doesn't appear to work in real life.

However, it looks like you only have one timeline. In that case, maybe try the "Entire Project" option, with trimming and relinking?
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Orlando Esponda

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Re: "Media Management -> Relink to new files" and trimming

PostTue Nov 21, 2017 2:51 am

Thanks John for confirming this is not just happening to me :)

John Paines wrote:However, it looks like you only have one timeline. In that case, maybe try the "Entire Project" option, with trimming and relinking?


This was just a test project. The real one has a few hundreds of GB's and also multiple timelines, but not all of them need to be send over.

Do you know how can we report bugs?



Thanks again,
Orlando.
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Sam Steti

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Re: "Media Management -> Relink to new files" and trimming

PostTue Nov 21, 2017 10:06 am

Did you perform your test til the end ? Isn't it because the folder hierarchy button is unticked that it would easily link all the files anyway (since coming from the same folder) ?
In case things don't go the way you'd like to, did you also try exporting TL by TL with a .drp ?
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Orlando Esponda

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Re: "Media Management -> Relink to new files" and trimming

PostTue Nov 21, 2017 5:51 pm

Hi Sam,

Sam Steti wrote:Did you perform your test til the end ? Isn't it because the folder hierarchy button is unticked that it would easily link all the files anyway (since coming from the same folder) ?


Yes, I performed the process till the end. The result was a folder containing other folders that contain the trimmed media. So yes, it actually trims the original files respecting the handles, but is not that easy to relink them because the file names aren't the same as the original media. (see attached image)

Sam Steti wrote:In case things don't go the way you'd like to, did you also try exporting TL by TL with a .drp ?


I haven't tried this, but the reason why I'm trying to do it with Media Management is because I do want to minimize the project size. Doing it this way would keep the media intact, and even if it's lighter apparently, it would increase in total size because clips are being used in various timelines, thus they will be exported multiple times.

I think the trimming option is useless without the relink option. Who would want to trim the media and start from scratch the editing with the new trimmed clips? It makes no sense (to me at least, but perhaps it's meant for a different use that I'm not aware of).
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John Paines

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Re: "Media Management -> Relink to new files" and trimming

PostTue Nov 21, 2017 6:01 pm

What I would do, or at least try, is copy each timeline into a new project or into the same otherwise empty project, one at a time. That will put all clips used in the timeline in the root of the Media Pool folder.

Then copy and trim using Entire Project, and see what happens. That process should be much faster than force-conforming the timeline to files with different names.

FYI, I've reported this behavior to BMD.
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Orlando Esponda

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Re: "Media Management -> Relink to new files" and trimming

PostTue Nov 21, 2017 6:11 pm

Thanks John,

John Paines wrote:What I would do, or at least try, is copy each timeline into a new project or into the same otherwise empty project, one at a time. That will put all clips used in the timeline in the root of the Media Pool folder.

Then copy and trim using Entire Project, and see what happens. That process should be much faster than force-conforming the timeline to files with different names.


Will try that.

John Paines wrote:FYI, I've reported this behavior to BMD.


Awesome! thanks. I just sent a mail to support, let's see what they say :)
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Skiess

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Re: "Media Management -> Relink to new files" and trimming

PostThu Dec 02, 2021 2:01 pm

I know this post is several years old, but I stumble upon the same problem: Relink is only possible when selecting the entire project.

It's not possible with the timeline or selected clips, it can't be checked (17.3 Win10) . I see no other option than to re-import the exported clips and manually copy-paste all attributes as well as manually trimming the handles off again.

Which makes the function somewhat useless, unless you just want to trim clips BEFORE editing and grading.
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Marc Wielage

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Re: "Media Management -> Relink to new files" and trimming

PostFri Dec 03, 2021 12:48 am

Skiess wrote:I know this post is several years old, but I stumble upon the same problem: Relink is only possible when selecting the entire project. It's not possible with the timeline or selected clips, it can't be checked (17.3 Win10) . I see no other option than to re-import the exported clips and manually copy-paste all attributes as well as manually trimming the handles off again.

No, you don't have to export and re-import any clips. You could just do a Save-As and then, in the newly-saved project, delete the timelines you don't want and then engage Media Management.

Or (new option for 17): you could export a DRT of the timeline you want to media manage. Create a new (empty) session, then import the DRT, and if you're in the same database, I believe the clips will automatically be pulled into the Media Page (though probably disorganized). If the clips don't come in, you could just find the missing ones and manually relink them on the Media Page.

Once you have clean sessions with only the material you plan to use, THEN you can Media Manage.

I concede that there are tricks, bugs, and workarounds involved with Media Management, but you learn them over time. It's even worse with non-timecoded media, stills, graphics, Fusion compositions, Multicam clips, and related things. With decent camera raw files, DNxHR files, and ProRes, Media Management & Trimming can work very well.
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Simon Lytting

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Re: "Media Management -> Relink to new files" and trimming

PostThu Apr 07, 2022 4:26 pm

Here's another answer on a year old post.

Media Management can only relink to new files in Timeline mode, when you have ONLY ONE TIMELINE inside the project.

I don't know if it's a bug or intended, but having only one timeline is the work-around.
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silvermandj

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Re: "Media Management -> Relink to new files" and trimming

PostWed May 10, 2023 5:15 am

The multiple timelines option works for me as long as I check the "Consolidate multiple edit segments into one file" box before I start a copy when I'm copying "used media".
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mattfezz

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Re: "Media Management -> Relink to new files" and trimming

PostWed May 10, 2023 7:20 am

if anyone is having this problem - do you have the master timeline enabled?
Once I stopped using a master timeline - the option to relink was now always available
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