Best way to delete unwanted clips from memory card? How to transfer from memory card to hard drive?

ckatosmith

Newbie Joined: May 28, 2014 11:58 Messages: 24 Offline

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May 28, 2014 12:24

Hi, I'm new to NLEs and video, but not at all to photography. When I wanted card space or to look at still images, I would just delete specific unwanted files i.e., jpeg/tif/nef etc. I could do this directly from Adobe Photoshop/Bridge or just by using my camera or Windows File Manager.

But when I look at my memory card in Windows 8.1 for a way to delete a clip, I see one realtime video clip spread out over different folders.

Example, PRIVATE>M4ROOT>THMBNL and also PRIVATE>M4ROOT>CLIP which further shows MP4video and XML file.

I want a simple way to make clean deletions of unwanted clips from my memory card (currently 64GB XDXC) without worrying about screwing up. I tried bringing up a clip in PD12, but don't see a DELETE clip function in the menus. Am I missing something?

Also, what's the best way to transfer a 'complete' clip to my hard drive? This way, I could transfer just the wanted clips and then just delete whatever is left on my memory card. I'm confused because of the many files associated with the clip. The way I like to edit is to get rid of 'junk' (things I don't want) and focus on the remaining hopeful clips.

So far, I'm having a blast with PD, but need to learn pronto how to manage files! Thanks.

I shoot with the Sony FDR-AX100 (does 4K).

Dafydd B

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 26, 2006 08:20 Messages: 11973 Offline

May 29, 2014 04:57

Quote: Hi, I'm new to NLEs and video, but not at all to photography. When I wanted card space or to look at still images, I would just delete specific unwanted files i.e., jpeg/tif/nef etc. I could do this directly from Adobe Photoshop/Bridge or just by using my camera or Windows File Manager.

But when I look at my memory card in Windows 8.1 for a way to delete a clip, I see one realtime video clip spread out over different folders.

Example, PRIVATE>M4ROOT>THMBNL and also PRIVATE>M4ROOT>CLIP which further shows MP4video and XML file.

I want a simple way to make clean deletions of unwanted clips from my memory card (currently 64GB XDXC) without worrying about screwing up. I tried bringing up a clip in PD12, but don't see a DELETE clip function in the menus. Am I missing something?

Also, what's the best way to transfer a 'complete' clip to my hard drive? This way, I could transfer just the wanted clips and then just delete whatever is left on my memory card. I'm confused because of the many files associated with the clip. The way I like to edit is to get rid of 'junk' (things I don't want) and focus on the remaining hopeful clips.

So far, I'm having a blast with PD, but need to learn pronto how to manage files! Thanks.

I shoot with the Sony FDR-AX100 (does 4K).

Hi ckatosmith,
Always edit video from your HDD or SSD and not from a memory card.

Transfer data simply by using cut'n'paste from your memory card.

Video can be removed from the Media Library with a right click and files can also be removed completely with the same right click and select. In Preferences/Confirmation I de-selected the option to remove from one's HDD.

Dafydd

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at May 29. 2014 04:59

Carl312

Senior Contributor Location: Texas, USA Joined: Mar 16, 2010 20:11 Messages: 9090 Offline

May 29, 2014 08:37

Quote: Transfer data simply by using cut'n'paste from your memory card.

It is safer if you Copy and Paste. Cut and Paste will remove the file from the Flash Card.

When you want to erase files on the Flash memory card, you should only do that in the camera that created the videos.
If you erase files from a flash memory card with the computer, you may put the card in an unusable state.

Most cameras have an initialize function, that will erase everything and put the card in condition for use in the camera.
Most cameras also have an erase function, that selects which files you want to remove. One, a range or all.

As Dafydd, said do not edit the files on the flash memory card, always copy the files to a folder on your hard drive.

Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

ckatosmith

Newbie Joined: May 28, 2014 11:58 Messages: 24 Offline

May 29, 2014 15:14

Thank you Dafydd and Carl312.

I made an ingest folder on my desktop and copied the complete card over to it and verified I could open the files from the hard drive folder in PD.

I left the option to delete from the hard drive checked in Preferences so I can simply right click and delete. I like this, because I can be sure just the proper files are deleted and not worry about leftover xml or thumbnails, should I have tried to do it manually in Windows.

Now I can feel confident about reformatting the memory card to clean it up. Good advice and I missed the preference option to delete from the hard drive the first time I went through the Preferences.

One more question: when one Produces a film via the 'New Project' process, the original in camera clip is not altered, correct? So I can make as many versions/new projects as I want and be sure that the original in-camera file is unaltered? If so, is there any time I could accidentally alter the original in-camera file through playing around in PD?

Carl312

Senior Contributor Location: Texas, USA Joined: Mar 16, 2010 20:11 Messages: 9090 Offline

May 29, 2014 15:42

Quote: Thank you Dafydd and Carl312.

One more question: when one Produces a film via the 'New Project' process, the original in camera clip is not altered, correct? So I can make as many versions/new projects as I want and be sure that the original in-camera file is unaltered? If so, is there any time I could accidentally alter the original in-camera file through playing around in PD?

You should also Save Project As and be sure the project file is saved in your chosen folder.
You can create as many projects you wish using the same camera files. The Camera files are not changed in any way.

Powerdirector does not alter the original file. It does however write some files and folders in the Export folder.

It may be possible to delete the original camera file (the one in the PD library) in your working folder with the Delete function enabled in preferences.
Which is why I uncheck that option. I won't take the chance.

Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.