EDL Writer 2.1
EDL Writer 2.1
Program to produce and process edit-lists in video post-production. The edit-lists can be made by hand and exported as machine readable CMX edit-lists. Additionally the programme allows for the import of CMX lists,the creating of short-picture-lists and lists with overlaps as well as so called indirect lists (the accessing of original material a generation removed).
The program is a compiled international Macro for Excel versions 4.0 or later.
The macro makes a new EDL menu available containing all necessary commands.
This is a Beta-Version, therefore no guarantee for the functionalbility can be given. The following documentation is also possibly incomplete and not up to date. Please send me your comments to matti@csi.com.
Users of Excel 5, 97 and 98:
The Macro has been written for Excel 4, but it is compatibel with never versions of Excel. At two moments, however, the built-in assistants interfere with the Macro function. (1) At Program start you my have warning that macros may contain viruses. (2) When importing EDL text files, the text file assistants ask for information. Choose fix formatted, not tabulator.
Creates a new EDL Writer document. The document is a normal Excel document (.xls) and easily formatted.
Opens an existing list and checks the keywords. Several lists can be open simultaneously.
Saves the list. With an unsaved list you will be asked to enter a name.
Enables a CMX 340 / 3600 list to be imported. Commentary lines will be displayed in the name columns. The import stops at an empty line. Transition will generally be set at "abs".
Dissolves and wipes as well as black and aux-lines will be
recognised as opposed to keys,motion effects and audio tracks 3-4.
The program has a limited error-tolerance for the columns.
|
Field |
CMX 340 |
CMX 3600 |
|
Event |
1-3 |
1-3 |
|
Tape |
5-10 |
5-15 |
|
Tracks |
11-16 |
15-20 |
|
Transition |
16-26 |
20-29 |
|
Effect type |
16-21 |
22-25 |
|
Effect duration |
22-26 |
25-29 |
|
Source In |
27-38 |
30-41 |
|
Source Out |
39-50 |
42-53 |
|
Record In |
51-62 |
54-65 |
|
Record Out |
63-74 |
66-77 |
Users of Excel 5, 97 and 98: These versions have a built-in text file assistant who examines the EDL before importing. There maybe a dialog of the kind "the text assistant detected fixed formatting". Choose: Fixed, separated (Excel 4 standard). Done.
Enables the list to be exported. A series of dialogue-windows allow for varying options, where in some cases a letter must be entered.
List types: (C)MX, CMX (K) shortpicture, CMX (I) indirect, (T) tape list, (A) avid log.
EDL-format: (C)MX 340 (for Swiss Effects) or
CM(X) 3600?
The CMX 340-list is widely used, however supports only tapenames from
1-253 (after 253 they are replaced). The CMX 3600 list support names
of up to 6 letters, but may not contain empty spaces or special
characters.
File format: (M)ac, (D)os or (W)indows?
Macintosh-and DOS/WINDOWS- have different file formats for text
files. For a new line change, Macintosh uses <CR>,whilst
Windows uses <CRLF>. With this option you can choose in which
text format the EDL should be saved under. For Swiss Effects choose
Windows, and for Avid choose Macintosh.
Sorting: (A) Record, (B) Source Tape, Record In,
( C) Source Tape Source In?
Choose the sorted order of the Edit List. Choose A if you want to
edit chronologically. Choose C if you want to progress quickly with
the online-edit. Choose B in order to edit quickly but protect the
Masterband.
Calculates the Record In and Out points. Uses the information in transition. If "abs" is in transiton the Record In remains in TC. If a number 'n' is in transiton a black gap appears for 'n' frames.
Calculating will automatically be done during exporting. Therefore it is not necessary to calculate before exporting.
Sometimes you may want to fix the value of the calculated Record In and disenable any other changes. This command first re-calculates the list and then places "abs" in all the lines. Dissolves and Wipes are calculated.
If you want to have "abs" for only a portion of the lines or prevent calculation you must do it by hand.
During the import, all transition fields will be set to "abs". By changing the Source values the Record-In TC stays fixed. This command enables one to remove "abs" and to change to a relative mode. Eventual edit interruptions and black frames will be taken into consideration. Dissolve and Wipes will also be calculated.
If you only wish to remove "abs" for some of the lines, you must do so by hand.
This command allows you add or substract a fixed value to every source time code. (To correct a processing delay by a effect generator, for example). The command works on the whole list.
Allows one to return to the manufacturers setup. Is only active during the programme development.
Creates a new document with a help-text. (german version only)
Title: Text. appears in the title line of the CMX-List and the first characters will be used for the file name of the exported list.
Version, Production: Free. Not used by Macro.
FPS: 25 (PAL), 24, 18, 29.97, 30.
Tape: Text or numbers. Warning: In CMX 340 only numbers from 1-253 will be exported( the others after 253 replaced), and in CMX3600, text without special characters or empty spaces numbering up to 6. Also possible are "aux" and "black".
Source In, Source Out: Time Code. Enter the Time Code only as a number, the format follows automatically. Warning: As per usual with video editing and unlike with film and Avid, the Source-Out is the first Time Code number after the last visible frame.
Name: (Leave) Free.This field not used by Macro.
Tracks: V1A1A2, V1, A1, A2, V1A2, A1A2 or leave empty. Empty fields are replaced with the calculation V1A1A2.
Transition: ("abs" or whole numbers or empty) and
("c" or ("d" and a whole number) or ("w" and two whole numbers) or
empty).
If the field is empty, the last setting is taken without
interruption.
If a number in entered, the according number of black frames are
added.
If "abs" is turned on, then the Record-In TC is taken completely from
the list and not calculated.
The list supports dissolves and wipes.
A dissolve consists of "d" plus a number 1-253 (length)
A wipe consists of "w" plus two numbers 1-253 (type and length).
The separate elements can be combined (insofar as makes sense) and
must always contain an empty space between them.
If you want to start with a different timecode to
01:00:00:00, then you must write "abs" in the first line of the field
transition.
Examples
|
Transition |
Meaning |
|
hard cut follows immediately |
|
|
10 |
hard cut after 10 black frames |
|
abs |
hard cut at given record in TC |
|
d 25 |
dissolve 25 frames |
|
w 3 25 |
wipe type 3, 25 frames |
|
abs d 25 |
dissolve 25 frames at given record in TC. This makes only sense wehen the last record out matches to the record in point |
Record In: Time Code. Enter Time Code only as a number, the formatting is automatic. If "abs" is not set in transition, the Time Code will be overwritten by the newly calculated Time Code.
Record Out is always automatically calculated.
It is up to the user to add extra columns on the right. They will be ignored by Macro. However the resulting black fields may not be deleted. The document must not have any empty lines.
A valid EDL-Writer document must fulfil the following conditions:
Lines that follow after an empty line will be ignored during the calculation.
This is not an EDL Writer document. Please import (sought after keyword).
Invalid Time Code entries in Source/Record. Only numbers without a colon are valid (just a format), or by calculating a mistake has arisen. Probably is the Time Code has been entered as text instead as a number.
Invalid transition. Valid are "abs", "C", "D", "W" and numbers.
End of the document
The list contains no event
Tape information missing
Invalid track entries. Allowed are V1, A1, A and all their combinations.
Source Out< Source In
TC extends 24 hours
Indirect mistake list: Edit point past the reference Record Out
Macro mistakes in the cells
To try out. For the functioning no responsibility will be taken.
Comments please to matti@csi.com
The latest version is available at Swiss Effects or through me at http//www.belle-nuit.com/