General Resolve feedback

The below list is a pretty scattered list of niggles, feature requests, etc. Some of this stuff may be down to poor workflow on my part, but by and large it comes from the lack of transparency and rigidity of the Resolve UI. I'm still using 14.3.0.014, so some of this stuff may have changed or been resolved (so to speak). If nothing else, it can be taken as an insight into general UI desired behaviour - at least for me. I feel confident I'm not alone in many of these points, though. Please take them in the spirit in which they're intended - desire to see an already great piece of software improved and more widely adopted.

Some of these points are very off-the-cuff notes as they frustrated me, so don't hesitate to ask for clarity on anything:

Shouldn't have to click on source monitor to set I&O points

Allow Folders for bins

When adding a node, dialogue “Name” field should be selected automatically (ie it should be expected that you will name a new Node instead of leaving it as “Node X”)

Importing an XML never finds clips. I always have to manually point to them.

Similarly, if a storage location changes, one has to relink EACH CLIP. This is terrible. They can be group selected, but they shouldn't have to be. I just relinked a project which was effectively a single file/clip cut up. Re-linking a single instance of this clip should have repaired the whole project, as each cut was referencing the same file. I guess there's power in being able to use re-link to change each cut individually, but w.r.t. to fixing broken locations, it's unnecessary tedium

When multiple clips are selected CTRL/CMD-D should deselect them.

Keywording should effect multiple clips at once if several are selected. 'save' shouldn't be required

Reference Clip – any clip should be selectable as a reference clip after it's been imported. Having to specifically import a reference clip is unintuitive and cumbersome. Currently you have to import a reference clip via the

Media Storage windows. It's daft that you can import media via CTRL/CMD-I, but if doing this, there's no way to make something a reference clip.

When starting a new project, it makes sense to default to the media page.

I would strongly prefer standalone project files over the database system. It's interesting that Apple and Final Cut, the masters of not trusting users to know where they put stuff still has project files/libraries, or whatever they're called, but Resolve lets users do whatever they want with media, but doesn't trust us to know where the project file is.

Deliver page – the exported filename entry is unintuitive. This should default to the timeline name. It looks like it should be possible to click on the Filename field to change it. There’s no good reason why not. Filename and location should be editable all at once, not via separate windows.

It would be helpful to be able to cut and paste markers between clips and the timeline (keeping the temporal position, colour and notes).

Bulk modifying markers (e.g. colour change) would be helpful.

Changing the “M” marker colour would be great. e.g. I might set blue markers first to mark the beats of the soundtrack. I'll then set the “M” key to drop orange markers instead to leave as bookmarks.

An audio function to beat-detect music tracks and drop markers would be reasonably simple to implement and EVERYONE would scramble to add the feature to their NLE. Statues would weep.

It should be possible to drag and drop keywords onto clips, or vice versa.

Final Cut Pro X has made it fantastically simple to leave feedback, via a menu option. Consider something similar.

Allow the ability to change a project's frame rate. This would be a HUGE benefit. Similarly, allowing frame-rate conversion on export would be AWESOME. e.g. my project is in 30 fps. I should be able to deliver a 29.97 and a 24fps version from the Deliver page - along with several options for the conversion (drop frame, interpolate, 4% retime, etc). Sure, some elements don't take kindly to changing the project's timebase, but for MOST functions it's a non issue. Maybe flag issues upon changing (like doing a preflight check in Adobe Indesign)

The file navigation system is very cumbersome. It would be nicer to access the system file navigation like many other apps do. As an example - when trying to relink a clip, I can navigate through folders, but the dialogue box doesn't show me the contents of those folders. The imaginary conversation between me and Resolve goes something like "So, punk, is this is the folder you want to link?" "I don't really know. Show me what's in there" "No. Do you want this one or not? I've got better things to render..."

Allow clip tagging in the media pool, similar to FCPX 'favourites'

There is too much confusion and distinction between flags, clip colour and markers – it feels pointless at times to see clip colours, for example, only in the media page, then switching to flags for a similar thing to be visible in the timeline (or vice versa. I can't remember off the top of my head).

Another one:

If one opens a project with media offline (I haven't plugged in an external drive yet), the media is listed as offline, as it should. When I plug that drive in, Resolve needs intervention to refresh and recognise that media as online. This should be automatic, as with other NLEs