Sub Clips

Once you create a subclip it would be nice to have Resolve automatically have the subclip highlighted and ready to be renamed so you don't have to click on it.

Agreed.

Ditto!

Amen!

I'd like to see this also!

I think even better would be an (optional) dialogue that appears when creating a subclip.

I'd suggest two changes:
1. Add a Clip Name field to the existing Edit SubClip dialogue
2. Add a new shortcut and right-click option: Add And Modify Subclip (in the style of Add and Modify Marker). Default shortcut could be Shift + Alt/Option + B.

This would create the subclip and then bring up the Edit Subclip dialogue, allowing one to immediately rename it and also providing the ability to adjust the start/end TC if for that was useful for anyone.

This would then provide the same user experience as adding markers, and I think would be the fastest way to quickly and and rename subclips - allowing the user to add and rename subclips without ever taking their hands off the keyboard: marker in/out, Add and Modify Subclip, type a name, hit Enter, repeat.

An option to also auto-highlight it in the media pool would be nice as well, but I think the above would provide the greatest increase in functionality.

FWIW, I used to use Adobe Prelude to do my rough sub-clipping and enter my metadata. When creating a sub-clip with Prelude, it would automatically start you in the metadata entry screen and one of the options was to enter the sub-clip name.

Then Prelude would allow you to either render out the individual clips as separate files OR export all of the metadata/sub-clips as an XML file and then Premiere would display all of them in its "Media Pool" as "regular" clips. It was great because I didn't have to create duplicate clip files (saved A LOT of space and time exporting them) and could just use them as "Lego" building blocks for my various timelines in my projects. Also, by default, the sub-clips could be extended, if needed... unlike Resolve sub-clips, in which you have to individually go in and click the "extend sub-clips" option for each sub-clip.

Anyway, at least for me, the OP's request would be helpful. Hey, what can I say? I'm lazy this way...

Scott

I think even better would be an (optional) dialogue that appears when creating a subclip.

Added in 17.3!


Quick and easy to use as well - when the dialogue appears, the text field is auto focused. If you want the default name, just hit enter. If you don't, type to replace then hit enter. Works well.

Thanks BMD!

Ditto on the "Thanks BMD!"!

But I don't understand why the "Use full clip extents" isn't the default option (checked)...

Scott

Ditto on the "Thanks BMD!"!

But I don't understand why the "Use full clip extents" isn't the default option (checked)...

Because that's just a duplicate of the original clip.

A 'sub' clip is normally shorter than the the original clip, using in + and out points to define a subsection of the original.

If you want another full copy of the original clip, you don't even need to make a subclip: just copy + paste the original clip in the Media Pool.

Ditto on the "Thanks BMD!"!

But I don't understand why the "Use full clip extents" isn't the default option (checked)...

Because that's just a duplicate of the original clip.

A 'sub' clip is normally shorter than the the original clip, using in + and out points to define a subsection of the original.

If you want another full copy of the original clip, you don't even need to make a subclip: just copy + paste the original clip in the Media Pool.

Avid subclips (as long as no film matchback enabled) are always fully extendable + this is a good thing. It's not a duplicate of master clip cos it can have fewer tracks, different clip colour + is shorter when loaded into source or cut into sequence BUT flexible in that it can be trimmed longer if necessary.

Avid subclips (as long as no film matchback enabled) are always fully extendable + this is a good thing. It's not a duplicate of master clip cos it can have fewer tracks, different clip colour + is shorter when loaded into source or cut into sequence BUT flexible in that it can be trimmed longer if necessary.

Ah OK. You can edit Resolve subclips also, to change the range they use:


So this is how it works currently:

1. In the Source Viewer, set in + out then press Alt/Option + B to bring up the Create Subclip dialogue, hit Enter = subclip duration is set using in and out points.
OR
2. In the source viewer, hit Alt/Option + B without setting in/out points, hit Enter = subclip is created with the same length as the original (full clip extents).
OR
3. In the source viewer, hit Alt/Option + B with or without in/out points, tick Use Full Extents and hit Enter = subclip is created the same length as the original (full clip extents).

So the "Use Full Clip Extents" seems to be there simply so that you can specify the whole length of the clip even if you had in/out points set. If you make a subclip without in/out points, it's already set to use the full clip extents anyway.

In any scenario, you can then later right-click on the subclip and choose "Edit Subclip" to see that dialogue I showed above, in which you can edit the range of the subclip, or set it to full extents.

I guess I was wrong earlier when I said a Full Extent subclip is just the same as copying + pasting the original - it's not, in the sense that if you duplicate in the media pool you can't then do Edit Subclip to change its length later.


Also, I just realised that maybe this whole discussion is moot: the dialogue remembers the last setting you had for "Use Full Clip Extents". If you export one subclip with Use Full Clip Extents ticked, that's remembered the next time you hit Alt/Option +B.

So GlueFactory - it does already do what you want You just have to tick it once, and it'll be auto ticked the next time.

Avid subclips (as long as no film matchback enabled) are always fully extendable + this is a good thing. It's not a duplicate of master clip cos it can have fewer tracks, different clip colour + is shorter when loaded into source or cut into sequence BUT flexible in that it can be trimmed longer if necessary.

Ah OK. You can edit Resolve subclips also, to change the range they use:


So this is how it works currently:

1. In the Source Viewer, set in + out then press Alt/Option + B to bring up the Create Subclip dialogue, hit Enter = subclip duration is set using in and out points.
OR
2. In the source viewer, hit Alt/Option + B without setting in/out points, hit Enter = subclip is created with the same length as the original (full clip extents).
OR
3. In the source viewer, hit Alt/Option + B with or without in/out points, tick Use Full Extents and hit Enter = subclip is created the same length as the original (full clip extents).

So the "Use Full Clip Extents" seems to be there simply so that you can specify the whole length of the clip even if you had in/out points set. If you make a subclip without in/out points, it's already set to use the full clip extents anyway.

In any scenario, you can then later right-click on the subclip and choose "Edit Subclip" to see that dialogue I showed above, in which you can edit the range of the subclip, or set it to full extents.

I guess I was wrong earlier when I said a Full Extent subclip is just the same as copying + pasting the original - it's not, in the sense that if you duplicate in the media pool you can't then do Edit Subclip to change its length later.


Also, I just realised that maybe this whole discussion is moot: the dialogue remembers the last setting you had for "Use Full Clip Extents". If you export one subclip with Use Full Clip Extents ticked, that's remembered the next time you hit Alt/Option +B.

So GlueFactory - it does already do what you want You just have to tick it once, and it'll be auto ticked the next time.

OK, aside from the problems I'm currently having trying to get subclipping to even work on my system, what you describe about "Use full clip extents" is NOT how it worked the last time I used it.

I started using subclips back when I was an Adobe user, probably around 2013-2014, just after CC was released. When importing them into Premiere, I frequently needed to make the subclips slightly shorter or longer.

This was a problem when I started trying to use subclips in Resolve. I could easily shorten the subclips, but couldn't extend them at all (say, I wanted to do a "J cut" or needed a few extra frames for a transition, etc.). It took awhile before I finally found out that EACH clip needed to have the "Use full clip extents" checked. Wow, what a major pain as it could only be done AFTER the subclip was created and required going into the subclip edit dialog.

Specifically, the "Use full clip extents" is there so that you can EXTEND the subclip (at the beginning or end). Shortening doesn't need that check box. At least that is the way it worked the last time I was able to create subclips.

For the life of me, I cannot imagine any need to stop an editor from being able to extend a subclip... thus at least making it checked as the default seeming to be the most logical option. Since I cannot get subclipping to work on my system right now (Resolve 17.3), I can't verify that it will remember that setting for future subclips.

I really, Really, REALLY hope it does as I really love using subclips!

Scott

PS. Sorry if I'm being a bit repetitive...

OK I think I understand what you're saying..

Here's a few thoughts, and what I hope is the answer to your fundamental problem:

Use Full Clip Extents is, so far as I can see, just a shortcut to make the subclip is the same length as the original clip.

Any subclip - regardless of its original length - can be later edited by right-clicking on it in the Media Pool and choosing Edit Subclip.

Having done Edit Subclip, you could then choose Full Clip Extents if you now want it the full length of the original clip. Or you could manually enter a new start/end timecode:


I suspect the problem you're having is that you're trying to expand a subclip on the Timeline in which you've placed it, but are running out of frames because the subclip is too short. It's not possible to use more frames on a timeline than exist in the subclip; you'd need to first edit the subclip to make it longer.

If you always want to be able to use the full range of the original clip, just click Full Clip Extents whenever you make that subclip. I personally can't see a huge benefit to having what is in effect just a duplicate of the original clip (why not just edit on the original clip?) but maybe that's helpful for setting different metadata on it or something?

If you make a subclip which is not the full length of the original clip, then later find while editing on a Timeline that your subclip is too short, you can:
1. Right-click on the clip on the Timeline and "Find In Media Pool" (or press Alt/Option-F)
2. Right-click on the subclip in the Media Pool and "Edit Subclip"
3. Adjust the Start/End timecode - or click Full Clip Extents if you want the subclip to be as long as the original clip
4. Now go back to your Timeline and you'll be able to expand the head/tail of the clip to make use of its extra available length.

Hope I understood your problem correctly and that that answers it.

(Regarding your issue not being able to make subclips at all, I answered that earlier this morning in your other post: do it from the media pool, not from the Timeline. Full details and explanatory video in the other post.)

OK I think I understand what you're saying..

Here's a few thoughts, and what I hope is the answer to your fundamental problem:

Use Full Clip Extents is, so far as I can see, just a shortcut to make the subclip is the same length as the original clip.

Any subclip - regardless of its original length - can be later edited by right-clicking on it in the Media Pool and choosing Edit Subclip.

Having done Edit Subclip, you could then choose Full Clip Extents if you now want it the full length of the original clip. Or you could manually enter a new start/end timecode:


I suspect the problem you're having is that you're trying to expand a subclip on the Timeline in which you've placed it, but are running out of frames because the subclip is too short. It's not possible to use more frames on a timeline than exist in the subclip; you'd need to first edit the subclip to make it longer.

If you always want to be able to use the full range of the original clip, just click Full Clip Extents whenever you make that subclip. I personally can't see a huge benefit to having what is in effect just a duplicate of the original clip (why not just edit on the original clip?) but maybe that's helpful for setting different metadata on it or something?

If you make a subclip which is not the full length of the original clip, then later find while editing on a Timeline that your subclip is too short, you can:
1. Right-click on the clip on the Timeline and "Find In Media Pool" (or press Alt/Option-F)
2. Right-click on the subclip in the Media Pool and "Edit Subclip"
3. Adjust the Start/End timecode - or click Full Clip Extents if you want the subclip to be as long as the original clip
4. Now go back to your Timeline and you'll be able to expand the head/tail of the clip to make use of its extra available length.

Hope I understood your problem correctly and that that answers it.

(Regarding your issue not being able to make subclips at all, I answered that earlier this morning in your other post: do it from the media pool, not from the Timeline. Full details and explanatory video in the other post.)

My main use case for subclips is to create timelines by "assembling" it with subclips kind of like legos. Just grab the one you need and drag it down to the timeline.

Once there, they act like any other clip, just like they are a shortened version of the original clip without having to drop multiple copies of the original and trim them to length (and the time sink involved). However, for various reasons you may need to either expand or contract the subclip. I agree that they obviously cannot be expanded beyond the length of the original clip.

As an example, if I have a 15 minute video "take", I might have 10 30 second(ish) subclips out of that. However, when I assemble them, I might find that one in the middle of the 15 minute "take" might need a few more frames for a transition to work correctly. If I DON'T have "Use full clip extents" checked, I CANNOT expand that clip at all (or at least I couldn't when I first started using Resolve's subclips).

To be clear, once on the timeline, the subclip acts EXACTLY like if you had the original video and trim it down to the same lengths and then used the timeline tools to expand or contract the trim.

I CAN shorten the subclip without "Use full clip extents", but not extend it in the timeline. That is what I don't understand. I don't know anyone who is good enough that they won't need to adjust a cut/markers/subclip at least at some point, if not most of the time while refining their edit. Perhaps my inability to imagine it is a reflections of my limitations of an editor, but I find it hard to believe I'm alone in this.

Additionally, if I have to pull up the "Edit Subclips" screen, I can't SEE what I'm starting/ending, so I won't know if the frames are correct. That is why I use the timeline tools to do the changing of the length of the subclips.

In the example above, I am NOT trying to change the length of the subclip to past the ends of the original video it was taken from.

I really do appreciate the time you are taking regarding this feature request. However, I still feel that BMD really needs to better understand how helpful subclips are compared to markers and how markers are not a replacement for subclips (discussed in other parts of the "Subclips" series of feature requests I've made).

Scott

PS. Frankly, I'm hoping that BMD will see the utility and competitive advantage that developing subclipping and extending Resolve to have MAM features (e.g. searchable clips/subclips from all projects). In my personal case it would enable, for example, pulling all of a player's clips together in one smart bin and then going through just those to do a season highlight reel that is just uneconomical (time-wise) right now. Same for documentaries, interviews, etc. But that is a topic for another thread...