Advanced features

Warning: Save to EDL path overwrites the current EDL thus destroying the original contents.

Although the operation of Batch Rendering in CINELERRA-GG is similar to that of other NLEs, there is one big difference that we need to take into account. The render setup is not done on a project-by-project basis, which are then brought into the Batch window to be rendered automatically. The setup must be done in the Batch rendering window, where various projects are loaded and set up. In the case of similar projects, derived from a single EDL with some variation, this mode offers the possibility of altering the projects without having to open each individual project, make the changes, set up the rendering, save and import into the Batch window. The procedure is to select the batch we want to modify in the Batches to render window; operate on the currently open timeline (even if it does not correspond to the one we want to modify) making the desired changes and then press the Save to EDL path button. Thus the chosen batch, while retaining its original name, will now contain the modified project. Since this possibility destroys the original EDL overwriting it with the modified one, you must be very careful. This procedure is convenient in case the batches are similar, i.e. they are variations of the same EDL, where we want to experiment with other effects, other output formats or when trying out various cuts of a DVD/BD before the final production. It might also be useful to use an active region of the timeline, so as to speed up rendering times but still have an indicative result for comparison. Instead operating on different projects, we can do a save as... of the project on the timeline to have a new EDL with a new name and then replace it with the batch selected in the joblist using the Use Current EDL button. The new project (with its name) overwrites the original project.

The Save to EDL Path and Use Current EDL buttons can be valuable tools for advanced usage or for developers doing testing. Description of how you can expect them to work will help to illustrate how to take advantage of their capabilities (figure 7.7):

Figure 7.7: New Buttons with Unsafe GUI in batchrender

Save to EDL Path

Warning: this function overwrites the contents of the original EDL with new data, keeping the name of the original. If we don't know exactly what we're doing we may lose the original project. If you have made a change to the EDL, use this button to save the changes so that they will be used in the render operation. Although you can get the same results by using File → Save..., this capability was initially added to assist developers in testing the batch jobs needed to create dvd/bluray media as it keeps the work focused in a single window and retains the original job name. An example –you have everything all set up with a new job in the Batch Render window using generic.xml for the EDL path and with a job name of original_name.xml. Then you realize that you forgot to cut out a section in the media that is not wanted in the final product. You can cut that out and then Save to EDL Path so your change will be in effect for the rendering. Without this button, you would be using the EDL you started with and the cut would be ignored. Alternatively, if the cut changes are saved via File → Save as...with a filename of new.xml and then you use Save to EDL Path, the current highlighted job displayed in the window as original_name.xml will be replaced with new.xml. However, it is important to note that the result will be saved with the name original_name – that is, the new content from new.xml but with the old name of original_name.xml. To have this functionality we have to enable the checkbox in Settings → Preferences → Appearance tab; section Dangerous: and unchecked (default) Unsafe GUI in batchrender.

Use Current EDL

Warning: this function overwrites the contents of the original EDL with new project. If we don't know exactly what we're doing we may lose the original project. if you are working on media and still testing out the results, you can take advantage of this click-box to quickly get results. Basically, you change the media, save that change with another name (in order to preserve the original name in case you don't like the changes), and press Use Current EDL. As an example, a user creates a new job in the Batch Render window using the current media, previously defined in generic.xml, with the EDL path of generic.xml. The user then changes the media on the timeline, saves the changes via File → Save as... with a new name, such as new_name.xml, and then clicks on Use Current EDL. In this case, the EDL path listbox will be automatically updated to the new_name.xml and the current existing highlighted job will be replaced with the new_name.xml in the EDL column.

Warn if Jobs/Session mismatched

Warning: It is better to keep this function unchecked because it is only needed in case of changes on the original EDL. By default it is hidden and is shown only if we enable the checkbox in Settings → Preferences → Appearance tab; section Dangerous: and checked Unsafe GUI in batchrender. After you set up your render and press Start, the program checks to see if the current EDL session matches your Batch Render job. If the EDL has been changed since the batch job was created, it warns you so that you have the opportunity to Save to EDL path to record those changes. Otherwise, you can dismiss that warning box, disable the warning message by unchecking the box and use the original values. If you never want to be warned about the mismatches, leave the box unchecked (figure 7.8). It is advisable to keep it unchecked because it can cause problems.

Figure 7.8: Batch render with the 4 ghosted buttons on the right side + the Warning message below

A very clear tutorial on these features can be found here³; in Russian but easily translatable with DeepL or similar.

Footnotes

...here³

credit Igor Vladimirsky