Batch export of multiple projects?

Softball_Dad

My workflow is simple -- GoPro insists on splitting a 1.5 hour ball game into 6x 15 minute snippets. I use VideoPad to stitch the snippets into one continuous game-long video that I save to a local NAS (and then upload to YouTube). No multiple video tracks, no audio track, no subtitles or effects. Just stitching 4-5 videos together end to end.

As a result, the interaction with Video pad consists of importing the snippets, dragging them to the timeline in order, and then clicking on Export -> Two or three minutes max. Then I have to wait 1.5 hours (for 1080P@60 hz) for it to process. This is a pain, because I typically will have a weekend's tournament worth of games to stitch together (6-8 games).

Is there a way to batch or process multiple projects in parallel? Looking for some way that I could set up an export of one project and then start another export, then another, etc. -- spend 30-40 minutes up front setting up each game and then let the program chug away overnight.

Is this possible? Any ideas or workarounds if not?

Thanks

Dave

borate

Parallel, no. Cued, yes, if each project is a separate sequence. Start each export independently. As soon as one completes VP will move on to the next.

Ideas to reduce overall export time: lower resolution, frame rate and quality. Try a different compressor, such as MPEG4, in lieu of H264.

Softball_Dad

Forgive the ignorance, but not sure how to physically set that up. I can see how I can add sequences and each sequence would be a different game with a different set of the 4-5 mp4 files that make up a game. How to export with different names for each sequence?

Or is it (even though it is unclear from the UI) that whatever sequence is on top is what is exported when you click on the export button? So I would select sequence1, then export to file1. Select sequence 2, export to file2, etc?

Lower resolution and lower frame rate is not an option because the college coaches want to zoom in on plays and players and see swing/throw mechanics. Already using Mp4 output.

borate

Try different compressors. You may see filesize reduction without quality compromise.

Correct, the active sequence is the one that is exported. Each will have the default name "untitled." Untitled (1), untitled (2), etc. They can be renamed later.

[deleted]

Hi Softball Dad

Proceed like this...

Load the first set of Game 1 clips and join on together on the timeline
Create a Sequence.by clicking the + that follows Sequence 1 X.
Right click Sequence 1 in the clip bin and rename it Game 1
Load the clips for Game 2 and join them together on the timeline (which have become empty)
Create a Sequence.by clicking the + that follows Sequence 2 X.
Right click Sequence 2 in the clip bin and rename it Game 2
Continue like this until all games are now in the Sequence bin and have individual names.
Click Menu followed by File
Select Export All Sequences. Click File. Click Video file (These prompts come up in a wizard style window)You should now be on the usual export window.
Set your export parameters
Delete the "Untitled" from the file name if you feel it is necessary. (Probably this is an NCH oversight as you have changed the name)
Click Create the required number of times to cycle through all the sequences and set the export name for all the games.
When the final sequence is complete , (the window will note the number of sequences in the queue) VP will then export each Sequence (game) in turn automatically to the designated export folder.

Nat

Softball_Dad

Awesome! Just the workaround I needed. Still does the processing sequentially, but I can set it up at night and let it work while I am sleeping. Now if only it could use the 6 MB GPU card to assist the processing...

Thanks, Borate!

Softball_Dad

@Nationalsolo: So I did rename the sequences, but when I clicked export, it defaulted to "untitled" so I had to retype the same thing. Are you saying that the "Untitled" is just an override to the sequence name and if I delete "untitled" that it will save the export the same name as the sequence name?

borate

In the export config box, renaming the sequence will stick. Name each as you set them up for export.

Softball_Dad

OK. So no sense in renaming the sequences other than just to keep it straight in my mind. Regardless of what I name the sequence for splicing, I will still need to rename for export.

Correct?

borate

Renaming the sequence tabs won't carry over to export.

Softball_Dad

OK. I think it is clear now. Thanks to both of you for your help!

Dave

[deleted]

IMHO the fact that you have renamed the files in the Sequence bin but when exported they still have "Untitled" tagged to the name you setup is a bug. (or an oversight)

I can understand that under normal circumstances any file for export is untitled as it usually consists of several clips each haning their own name and therefore a definitive name is not available.Hence the default of "Untitled".

However when you rename a Sequence ,a presumed complete unit, that name ought to be fixed and therefore used as the default in the export box. Not "Untitled"

It is not logical, (particularly as VP can automatically export consecutive sequences as individual vdeos) that one should have edit the name given each time.

This post has highlighted that behaviour

Nat

Softball_Dad

I think I would add another usability issue -- when clicking on the sequence name in the upper left box, the preview window changes to the sequence clicked on. However, the sequence is NOT also selected in the editing timeline. Simultaneously, the export button exports the video on the timeline -- not the video shown on the preview. Which kind of contravenes the meaning of the word preview...

So, as I discovered last night, clicking on the sequence name to flip the preview to that sequence and then exporting, then the next sequence name, then exporting, etc, for 6 sequences resulted in me waking up this morning with 6 videos of the same game with different names.

borate

A learning experience. ^_ Click a SEQUENCE tab above the timeline, to bring that sequence into focus.

Or, follow Nat's suggestion and click FILE | EXPORT ALL SEQUENCES. Mo' better.

Softball_Dad

Yes. Lesson learned... 🙂

Will try the EXPORT ALL method next time. I was doing it one at a time because I had already renamed the sequences -- so I was highlighting the sequence name, clicking on rename, cntl-c to copy the name, cancel the rename dialog, then export and cntl-v to replace the "untitled". Trying to save typing time not realizing (or noticing) that clicking on the sequence name did not not actually select the sequence...

Thanks again for your help.

borate

If you run Windows 10, here's a fun exercise...

1. In edit mode, rename each sequence

2. Click the SEQUENCES tab in the bin and, for each sequence in turn, right-click it and click PROPERTIES

3. For each sequence - wipe (highlight) the sequence name, press <ctrl-C> on the keyboard, and close the properties box

Click FILE | EXPORT ALL SEQUENCES
With the first export box showing, swipe the "untitled" name
Click Windows Key + V - to invoke the Windows multiple clipboard and click the appropriate name on the clipboard - CREATE

Repeat steps 5 and 6 for each sequence

Softball_Dad

Sweet. Had to turn on multiple clipboard functionality in settings, but works now. Great advice!

[deleted]

I have referred the "Untitled" observation to NCH. This is where " Untitled" is added to the name when a sequence in the Sequence bin is being exported. They agree that the program doesn't need to do this for sequences being exported from the bin ,as they already have a name and exporting should use just this name (even if it is Sequence 1)and not have "Untitled" appended to it. They appreciate that the sequences would need then to be renamed again to remove the "untitled" part

This should be fixed in a later version. have to wait and see.

Nat

borate

Fixed in v8.56 and above.

ELS

If you mean export multiple projects simultaneously read on.

Open first project, set output settings and start the export procedure, while this is exporting click open again and select the next project. Again, set output settings and start the export procedure. Now two projects are in the "Export Queue". Keep adding projects as you like. If (when) a box opens about saving, click dismiss because nothing has changed. Hope this helps

ELS