9 Replies Latest reply: May 19, 2011 9:32 AM by Bob Howes RSS

    Clip names in Multitrack session

    Sengstack Community Member

      If I edit a clip in a multitrack session and then save it under a new name, the clip name in the multitrack session does not change. But if I open the clip from the multitrack session in the Editor, it displays the edited version with the new name. In the meantime, the name of the clip changes in the Files panel and the old clip is no longer displayed in the Files panel.

       

      Is this by design? If so, it's confusing.

       

      Jeff Sengstack

        • 1. Re: Clip names in Multitrack session
          Ron_Day Adobe Employee

          Hey Jeff,

           

          Hopefully I can explain this in a way that makes sense.

           

          When you open a file into Audition that has a name of "audio.wav" and add it to a multitrack session, the clip name within the session is now "audio.wav" (taking on the name of the source file). If you change the name of the source file by performing a "save as" and naming the file "sound.wav", the source file has changed, BUT the clip name remains the same.

           

          This is mostly because you can name that clip in multitrack anything you want (from the properties panel). If you were to change the clip name in multitrack to "vocals" and then saved the source file with a name of "sound.wav", I'm fairly certain that you wouldn't want us changing all of the clips that reference that source file to be have a clip name of "sound". Especially after you may have gone through a lot of trouble to name all of those clips a certain way. Regardless of if the clip names or the source asset name changes, we try to respect names used prior to those changes.

           

          If you double click to now edit a clip named "vocals", you are actually editing the source file "sound.wav". Any changes you make to the source file will be made to all clips in MT that reference this source. This is why we can't show that you are editing the clip named "vocals", because in reality, you will be altering any clips in MT that reference the original source file.

           

          I hope that makes sense.

           

          --Ron

          • 2. Re: Clip names in Multitrack session
            therealdobro Community Member

            Ron, I've read your post a couple of times and still don't understand all of it.  However, here's what I'd like to see in Audition.  In AA3, I like how when I rename a clip in Multitrack, I can see that name in three places:

             

            1 on the clip

             

            2 in the Files window to the left of the tracks in multitrack

             

            3 in Windows Explorer (which I use a lot to manage files)

             

            This is really useful for keeping track of files.  However, in AA CS5.5 aka Version 4, it's really easy to get lost and confused with files because the clip name ISN'T reflected in either the Files window or in Windows Explorer.  Please can you change the naming of clips and files to the way it was in AA3?

            • 3. Re: Clip names in Multitrack session
              Sengstack Community Member

              Hi Ron,

               

              I appreciate the explanation but I think there is a better way to handle this.

               

              Audition allows you to destructively edit source files. So, there needs to be a way to know what source file you're working with. How about using the After Effects Timeline display model: that is, allow users the option to display the layer(AE)/clip(Audition) name or the file name?

               

              Jeff

              • 4. Re: Clip names in Multitrack session
                Ron_Day Adobe Employee

                Hey Guys,

                 

                So in Audition 3 if you choose to rename a clip, we change the name of that clip and all other clips that originated from the source because we change the name of the source file as well. People complained because they only wanted to change the name of the 1 clip and now we re-named all clips that referenced the source and the source.

                 

                In Audition CS5.5 we now allow you to re-name all clips regardless of the name of the source (which was requested).

                 

                Are you saying that you don't want to be able to individually name clips or are you saying that if you change the name of the source file, all clips that reference that source should change to the new name of the source? If you do want to be able to re-name clips, what if you manually change the name of 10 clips which reference the same source and then change the name of the source after (through a save as operation)? Would you expect all the clips to still be re-named to match the source file (essentially undoing your earlier clip name changes)?

                 

                I'm trying to get a better understanding of the requrest here because we changed the Audition 3 behavior specifically because many users wanted to individually name clips that reference the same source.

                 

                Thanks,

                --Ron

                • 5. Re: Clip names in Multitrack session
                  therealdobro Community Member

                  Well, it sounds to me like different people want different naming options.  Can the software offer users options in that regard?  I can see why someone might want the source file to have one name but twenty clips that reference that source file to have different clip names.  But I don't want that.  I want the source file and the clip name to be the same - that's just the way I work.  So the only way you can keep everybody happy is to allow each user to choose which way they want to do it - in the same way that you allow each user to choose any preference - panning options, UI options, cursor options - that sort of thing.

                  • 6. Re: Clip names in Multitrack session
                    Ron_Day Adobe Employee

                    Thanks for the feedback. I'll make sure to add a feature request to add a preference for this behavior in future versions.   For now, as a workaround you can manually change the clip names to match the new source name by opening the Properties panel and changing the name of the selected clip. I know it's not as quick and simple as what you did in Audition 3, but it's the best I can offer for now.   --Ron

                    • 7. Re: Clip names in Multitrack session
                      therealdobro Community Member

                      Thanks, Ron.

                      • 8. Re: Clip names in Multitrack session
                        ryclark Community Member

                        When I am working on a soundtrack restoration I go through a Save As process at each stage of the restoration which is destructive ie. DeClick, DeHum, DeNoise, EQ etc.

                        The reference video that I work to in Multitrack has the latest version of the audio synced to it. Therefore I need the clip in the multitrack to reflect the actually audio file at each stage of the process so that I can keep track of where I have got to. This is particularly necessary when restoring a multi reel feature film where there will be separate sessions and files for each reel.

                        • 9. Re: Clip names in Multitrack session
                          Bob Howes Community Member

                          I don't work on feature films but it sounds like my work flow is very similar to Ryclark's. 

                           

                          Every time I use a destructive process on a file I use Save As to give that version a descriptive name.  "Guitar Take 2" becomes "Guitar Take 2 norm" then "Guitar Take 2 norm edited" and so on.  I'd also prefer to see the name in multitrack reflect the actual version I'm using.

                           

                          Bob