Just be glad you aren't using Adobe Premiere, it first creates the peak files and then has to "conform" the audio by extracting the audio from the video file and converting it into a 32-bit proxy audio file. This takes FOREVER, easily five times as much as Vegas. The proxy files also take up a significant amount of disc space. Even after all this, the audio waveforms in the Premiere timeline are somewhat less than useful as they lack enough visual resolution to make any editing decisions based on the waveform.

I'll gladly "put up" with Vegas' .SFK files. For me, they're really not that big a deal.

John

It's a hassle because it populates all of my royalty free subdirectories that I draw media clips from, with the sfks, making it a hassle for file management and access, basically doubling the number of files in each subdirectory.

Why doesn't Vegas simply have some option like "Specify subdirectory to keep sfk files in" in preferences? I don't know if it does, or other workaround.

-k

I just turn em' off.
The sfk files need to be associated with their parent files, so they're always wherever the parent files are.

I just turn em' off.

Spot, how excactly does one do this?

Well, I don't turn them off in Vegas since I do use them, but I keep all project files in the same folder so the problem never arises. But in DVDA I just right click on the audio timeline and turn them off in the context menu. I would suspect that in Vegas you can do the same.

Under View.
However that also turns off thumbnails.

How difficult would it be for Vegas to create / use a sub folder?

How long has this been complained about?

Bob.

There are a few options with regards to frames and waveforms. Some easy ones, for example include in options | general --> build 8-bit peak files (scroll down to bottom, it's near the top then)

This will reduce filesize down to about half - and probably draws/creates them a lot quicker too.

There are some other techniques, such as making Vegas only show end frames in thumbnails that may help a bit too.

This doesn't solve the issue at hand of course, but may help make it less troublesome for some of you

You can organize your folder views to arrange its icons by type or size (instead of name). This will push all of the .sfk files to the bottom of your folder view and they won't appear so annoying.

I used to be confused about what these files were and wasted a lot of time deleting them. Once I figured out what they were, I have developed a nice appreciation for them, especially since I bounce my sound files between a number of Sony's applications (Vegas, ACID, Sound Forge, DVD Architect, CD Architect, Cinescore). That one SFK file translates a file flawlessly into each program. I now think it is a nice example of program planning on Sony's part.

"There are some other techniques, such as making Vegas only show end frames in thumbnails that may help a bit too."

There is such an option in Vegas?
Please tell me/us how to config this?

BTW, I don't think the thumbails are stored in the sfk file, Vegas builds them dynamically.

Bob.

It would be great to hear everyone's tips...

I too use the sfk files, it sounds like they're the audio waveform files?

I use the waveform visuals a lot, during editing in the timelines, since that's what I use for syncing jump-cuts/wipdes to specific audio events and beats (thanks Spot for that tip, years ago)..

But it's a "must have" feature, eg that Vegas should simply let the user specify a subdirectory to use for storing the pesky sfk files, so they don't clutter up project and/or media subdirectories. It's a real pain, to have to constantly delete the buggers at the end of a specific project, and navigate through them.

Good workaround tip re folders view etc, any others?

And Sony - hellloooo? Can you folks address this in an upcoming build/release?

thanks,

Ken

p.s. it would be great if Sony/Madison tech/forum people would be even 1% as responsive to user requests/issues in the forum here, as Dave Hebel is in his company's forum at DigitalJuice.com. Dave is a great role model on how to run a company, that he built from scratch a decade ago, and still answers customer's questions daily in his company's forum. And of course DSE/Spot from Vasst.com is always here for us, despite what has to be a hectic schedule as well (thanks Douglas!), and that's much appreciated, as are the others who provide services/products and follow up help like Ed Troxel, the NewBlue folks and others. Not that Sony's CEO has to be here, but hey at least a programmer here once every couple of days, would be great, for answers.

> It would be great to hear everyone's tips... it's a real pain, to have to constantly delete the buggers at the end of a specific project, and navigate through them.

Ken, I know you have Ultimate S3 so you already have a "one click" answer to this problem. Just go to the Audit tab and check Remove SFK Files and you will have the option of selecting the root folder and whether you want to just remove orphans (i.e., files who's media has been deleted) or all of the files. You also have the option of removing .sfk, .sfl, and/or .sfap0 files. Just point it at any folder and it will clean from that folder on down into all of the subfolders. (hint: C:\ = spring cleaning) ;-)

~jr

Hey thanks - I wasn't aware of that feature, I'll have to give it a try... much appreciated.

Ken

Ken,

Yes sfk files are the image files for the waveforms for audio.

Exactly, what is the difficulty with managing these files?

When you work on your project you can as mentioned above set your folder to to view files by type, and you won't notice the sfks. That also makes it super easy to delete them, just drag a selection around them and hit delete. Or if you are dealing with multiple folders. The next time you stop for a coffee break, open up your main media folder and search for *.sfk. Then delete all the files that show up. You could if you want search all your hard drives for these files every month and delete them. It would be pretty easy.

It might be nice if Sony, gave more control over where files are stored but it is far from a top priority in my view. Also if you were allowed to put them all in one place you would run into issues like having multiple files like "tape 1 - clip 1.sfk."

As for Sony not responding on these boards, SCS is no longer a standalone company, but a division of a giant conglomerate. They probably have a policy in place about commenting publicly. Long time readers of these board remember when SOFO/SCS folks would be here more frequently. I think they have moved away from that. Probably sometime after some public battles on this board.

Be careful of deleting .sfap0 files. If you work with nested projects these can be very large and take a long time to recreate.

Edit: These are the ones I would most like to be able to move. I have several over 1Gb. Really I would like to keep them with my project video assets but Vegas puts them in the same folder as the project.