Batch lists - import as frames, wrong TC possible

In FCP 4.0.2, if i export a Batch List with DF TC, and then re-import it, the In-Out points all show up as frames, not TC.

Scary, but if I crl-clk on the IN or OUT coulmn, and choose to show as TC instead of frames, all looks to be OK.

However, if i then Ctrl-clk of media Start or Media Stop to turn them from frames into TC too, the right TC changes to wrong TC. Even the In and Out points, which were right, switch to wrong TC, when I turn Media Start to DF from Frames.

For instance, when I switch the Media Start of one clip from 203198 frames to show as DF, the MS changes to 01:52:53;08, and the IN point switches from the correct TC of 01:53:00;02 to the wrong TC of 01:52:53;08.

Workaround is to not switch the Media Start/Stop, I guess. I shudder to think how this might bite us in the rear, down the road. I'm about to help some folks turn hours and hours of paper logs into batch lists, so this is something I have to get right.

Happens with a BL made in Excel, too.

--Ralph

I'm not seeing that Ralph.

I have a bin of clips. I export to Batch List. I import Batch List at 29.97 and all the TC appears correctly.

All the best,

Tom

I think it may be my column layout. When I choose to hide the Media Start and Media End columns, on Export of the BL, that appears to be when the problem happens. If i have MS/ME showing, it doesn't.

How about you, Tom?

--Thanks,

--Ralph

Ralph,

I see the same sort of problem in a 25 fps. batch list. In-, Out and Media time changes all over the place.

However, I can also only make it happen if I hide the Media Start and Media End columns on export. That means that MS and ME are not present in the batch list when you import as it is supposed to be according to Apple.
So I don't really think it is a bug but more of a strange behavier when FCP "should" be throwing a warning at you about missing columns.

DV-Pal project - FCP 4.0.2

A haa!

A check of the manual tells me they changed the behavior with FCP 2. The minimum columns now required are Reel, Name, MS and ME, instead of In and Out, like it used to be. Pg 507, vol 1.

I guess I would consider this a usability issue then, not a bug. It seems like FCP should put up a warning, with the option to just copy the In-Out info to MS and ME, and create an MS ME column, when none is present. The app should always fail gracefully, if there's a danger of the user losing data.

Interesting note on the same page - to make sure the TC in a batch list imports as DF, enter "**Drop=on" on the very first line of the txt doc. Hot tip. Many people get frustrated with this.

Thanks Peter,

--Ralph

I agree with you Ralph.

Batch list import could use a warning about missing MS & ME columns as well as a warning about Aux TC 1 & 2 are lost on capture.

That's very useful to know. It figures that MS/ME shows up in both Standard and Logging Bins. I've customized some bins not to include it. I am forewarned!

Another brilliant Ralph-bot item.

Love this resource.

- Loren
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