Batch filter disable/enable

Here's a good question for you guys:

I was wondering if it were possible to take a bunch of clips with different filters on each clip, and somehow disable them all at the same time without having to go into the viewer and unchecking each filter. Obviously, the paste/remove attributes function would not work since each clip has its own filters (for example, they all have 3-way color corrector, but the settings are different for each clip).

Is this possible?

Thanks!
Casey Petersen

There isn't any way to do this in the versions of FCP to date (1 to 7) but there are a few plugins/apps that can do it via XML.

Andreas Kiel had a little app a while ago but not sure if he still sells distributes it.

Another one is from: [www.editmule.com] but it's a bit pricey.

There will be at least one other coming out soon.



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If they all have filters you want to remove - like, you want to remove all filters from a group of clips, even they are all different kinds, then you can just use 'remove attributes > filters'

If you want to remove one filter from each and leave a bunch of other filters intact, you have to go the XML route, at this stage, which we all wish was different.

That EditMule program is similar to what I want to do.

I don't want to "Remove Attributes" because I don't want to lose them...I just want to disable them temporarily to make it easier to edit with sometimes...and then enable them when I've finished. I'm just looking for another little thing to make my life easier. Perhaps this should go in the Feature Request forum.

Thanks!
Casey

Well, you could try 'Play base Layer Only' but it has quite a few restrictions - might fit your bill though. This is from the Help files:


Play Base Layer Only

The Play Base Layer Only option takes a unique approach to playing back processor-intensive segments. With this option selected, any segment that requires rendering in Safe RT mode (in other words, any segment with a red render bar) is restricted to original media playback, and all effects, including compositing modes, are turned off.

Here are the playback rules for the Play Base Layer Only option:

Effects that can be played back in real time are played just as they would be in Safe RT mode.

If a clip has effects applied, the effects are ignored if they can?t be played in real time. Only the underlying clip media is displayed.

Clips with compositing modes applied can never play back in real time, so they are ignored and only clips on lower-numbered tracks are displayed. Of course, a clip on a lower-numbered track that has a compositing mode applied will also be ignored.

Transitions that cannot be played back in real time are disabled, so only the underlying clip media is displayed.

The Play Base Layer Only option also affects audio playback. When playing over an unrendered portion of a sequence, no effects are played back. The number of audio tracks that play depends on whether or not you have selected the Play Base Layer Only option.

If selected: The first two tracks of audio play back.
If unselected: The number of audio tracks that play back is determined by the number of real-time audio tracks you have set in the General tab of the User Preferences window.

Hi,

My 'removeFilter' app had been around for years, way before the editMule app appeared. But nobody needed it - maybe because it's free. So I removed it from the website.
But you can still download an actual version from here. It should do what you want.
[www.spherico.com]

Andreas

Thanks Andreas!



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why not just temporarily disable Filters in the User Preference for Render and Playback (under Render Controls)?

Good call guys - I misread what Casey wanted.



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Thanks everyone!

Jude -- the Play Base Layer Only option would work for me sometimes, but not with the transitions, which is one of the things I'm checking.

Andy -- the Render Controls option didn't work for me from the User Preferences, however, it does work from the Sequence Settings...sometimes I needed to close and reopen the sequence for it to take effect, but that is exactly what I'm looking for!

Thanks!!!
Casey

good catch Casey, you are quite right .... changing the setting in the User Prefs will only affect new sequences made after the change ... which isn;t what you want at all ... for a temporary toggle on a specific sequence you'd only want to do it in that specific sequence's settings window

Quote
Ben King
Good call guys - I misread what Casey wanted.

Me too.

Andreas