< Previous | Contents | Next >
This panel presents a selection of general preferences that affect the interface and operation of DaVinci Resolve.
Conform Options
The settings in this group determine how clips are conformed to match imported project files with source media on disk by extracting timecode, reel names, file names, file paths, and so on. For more information on conforming and relinking, see Chapter 56, “Conforming and Relinking Clips.”
— Use Timecode: Determines how DaVinci Resolve extracts timecode from referenced media files. There are two options:
— Embedded in the source clip: The preferred setting for most projects to conform automatically and apply grades to the resulting clips. As long as DaVinci Resolve can reference the timecode in either a media file’s timecode track, or in the header metadata of the frames in a DPX sequence, you can use timecode to reconform clips, or even completely change the media file to which a clip refers.
— From the source clip frame count: This setting is useful if the source media lacks timecode metadata, and all that’s available is a frame count that identifies frames via sequentially numbered integer values.
— Conform partial clips with black gaps: Inserts black frames whenever you conform a clip that doesn’t contain all the required frames. When this option is selected, partial clips are flagged in the Edit page with a P in the thumbnail of the clip that it is lacking frames.
— Automatically conform missing clips added to Media Pool: Enabled by default, must be disabled to use collaborative workflow. When this checkbox is turned on, DaVinci Resolve maintains a dynamic relationship between clips in the Media Pool and those in a project’s various timelines. When this checkbox is on and you import clips with matching timecode/file names/reel names to clips in a timeline, DaVinci Resolve will automatically reconform all matching missing clips, and all other timeline clips that have force conform turned off.
— Assist using reel names from the: When this checkbox is turned on, DaVinci Resolve uses reel numbers when conforming clips to match any imported project. This setting must also be turned on if you want to choose different reel name extraction methods for individually selected clips using the Clip Attributes window. Turning this checkbox off forces DaVinci Resolve to identify clips using file names when conforming XML and AAF projects. File names can only be used for conforming XML or AAF files, or when importing a DaVinci Resolve project.
There are four options:
— Source clip file pathname: Obtains the reel number by extracting it from each media file’s path. This makes it possible to extract a reel number from all or part of the file name, or from all or part of the name of any folder in the path that encloses that file. This extraction is defined using the Pattern field.
— Pattern: A code that defines how a reel number should be extracted from the source clip path name. For more information about creating patterns in “Using the Pattern Field”,
see Chapter 56, “Conforming and Relinking Clips.”
— Media Pool folder name: The reel number is obtained from the name of the bin in the Media Pool that encloses that clip. This option is often used for stereo projects, deriving the reel number from “Left” and “Right” named directories. It’s also useful for projects that are inheriting new VFX clips on a daily basis.
— Embedding in source clip file: Useful for file formats where the reel number is embedded within the media file itself. QuickTime files created by Final Cut Pro, DPX frame files, and CinemaDNG files are all formats that are capable of containing reel number header data.
— Source clip filename: If there is no defined reel number, often it’s easy to just use the source clip filename. This is a safe option to use in situations where you want to manually choose different reel name extraction methods for individual clips using the Clip Attributes window.
— Limit reel name matching to X characters: For situations where you’ve been provided with media files with extra characters in the reel name that don’t correspond to the names used in the project file you’ve been given, “Limit reel name matching to X characters” lets you omit a specific number of characters from the end of a reel name. This works in conjunction with the following setting.
— Ignore the first X characters of the reel name: For situations where you’ve been provided with media files with extra characters in the reel name that don’t correspond to the names used in the project file you’ve been given, “Ignore the first X characters of the reel name” lets you omit a specific number of characters from the beginning of the reel name. Combined with the previous setting, you can trim any reel name to a conformable subset of characters.
— Extract reel names from EDL comments: Media file formats such as R3D have reel names, obtained from the file names, that are longer than the eight characters that are allowable in a standard EDL. This option allows DaVinci Resolve to extract reel names from appropriately formatted EDL comments, such as those output from Final Cut Pro 7.
— Sort timeline using reel number and timecode: Lets you change the behavior of C mode sorting in the Timeline. With this checkbox turned on (the default), all clips in the Timeline are sorted by reel number first, and then by source timecode. This way, clips with similar timecode from the same reel will appear next to one another in C mode. If you turn this checkbox off, reel number is ignored, and all clips in the Timeline are sorted only by source timecode. This may result in clips from multiple sources being mixed together, but it is useful in specific situations.
— Mixed frame rate format: (Only available prior to importing media into a project) This drop-down menu lets you choose the method used to conform mixed frame rates for rendering and playback.
Which option you choose dictates the accuracy with which retimed clips in DaVinci Resolve match the same clips that were retimed in other editing applications when you import those
timelines into DaVinci Resolve via XML or AAF. This drop-down menu also appears in the Load AAF or XML dialogs.
— If you’re editing from scratch in DaVinci Resolve: You should leave this setting set to “Resolve.”
— When importing timelines via XML from Apple software: Choose the “Final Cut Pro 7” or “Final Cut Pro X” methods of conform.
— When importing timelines via XML or AAF from Premiere Pro, Media Composer, Smoke, or other NLEs: You should choose “Resolve.”