Ripple alternatives ?

vidiot57 wrote on 9/7/2005, 8:26 AM
Hello,

I have been working using Vegas in a Professional TV enviroment for th past 2 months..Doing stuff for broadcast, cable etc..
One thing i have struggled with is when working on a large complex timeline.. with maybe 25 or even 35 event tracks If I have to insert some footage in the middle or move a whole section of it using the Ripple mode.. It can be quite nerve wracking and unruly when you have tons of layers stacked with sound effects, voiceovers etc.. Are there any alternatives or maybe techniques which I am not familiar with to deal with this type of situation??

What i have been doing is selecting one event and then holding down the shift key to select any other clips that need to move with it..

Thanks,
Mike m.



Comments

johnmeyer wrote on 9/7/2005, 8:46 AM
Ripple is pretty scary and with good reason: The results can be completely unpredictable, depending on what you have selected prior to taking some action. There are some scripts that can help you with a few specific actions you might want to take which are more reliable. Also, there are a few tips on using ripple that may help:

1. Don't use a ripple setting that is more aggressive than you need. There are three levels of ripple, and the last setting where everything is moved, can get pretty wild.

2. Upgrade to the latest version of Vegas. Vegas 6 made some changes in how ripple operates in order to reduce the number of "gotchas." I still think it has a long way to go, but it is a little better.

3. As already mentioned, make sure you know what is already selected. My recommendation is to make sure that nothing is selected prior to making your "move," whether that move is a deletion, an insertion, or the moving of certain events. If you inadvertently have a few events selected, either after or before the place on the timeline where you are working, all hell can break loose.

4. Backup up your VEG file to a new name (project_01, project _02, etc.) just prior to doing a major ripple edit.
Liam_Vegas wrote on 9/7/2005, 9:56 AM
What i have been doing is selecting one event and then holding down the shift key to select any other clips that need to move with it..

This makes it sound you are not actually using ripple mode at all. What you just described was a manual method of doing it. Have you actually been using the ripple modes (the ripple button on the toolbar)?

I do occasionally have a messup with ripple mode editing... but very rarely. Just get to know how it works and be careful. I do often leave ripple mode off and then do a post-edit ripple (Ctril-Shift-F)after I have moved or inserted some new clip.
vidiot57 wrote on 9/7/2005, 11:51 AM
Hello,

Liam,
lets say I need to insert something in the middle of my veg project, and i have 30 events.. I have been selecting everything to the right of the place where the clip will be inserted, then turn on ripple(yes i hit the button0 then move everthing to the right and drop in my video clip..Maybe ther is a better way??

Mike

Marco. wrote on 9/7/2005, 11:59 AM
If Ripple-Edit is turned on just insert a clip exactly between two existing Events (CTRL+ALT+Cursor helps to place the timeline cursor exactly between two adjacent Events). In this case there is no select and move anything manually - this is done automatically by the ripple mode.

Marco
Liam_Vegas wrote on 9/7/2005, 12:01 PM
With ripple mode - you don't need to select everything. From what you are describing you are basically doing it manually and it's irrelevant that you are even pressing the ripple button.

Do it one of two ways;

a) switch ripple mode on (select mode 3 - ripple everything). Select the first event you want to move... drag it to the right. Everything to the right of that event on all tracks will now move as well. If you have V6 - then you will actually see all of the other events moving "in real time".

b) with ripple mode off. Do the above. Then after you have moved the one event just do a post edit ripple (Ctrl-Shift-F).

Despite what was said... ripple editing works pretty well. Like everything... you do have to be aware of what it is doing... and make sure you have not selected more events than you actually should be moving.
vidiot57 wrote on 9/7/2005, 12:17 PM
Hello,

OK, I think i did not explain myself correctly.. I am not selecting everything.. I am only selecting the first piece of each event, which is to the right of my inserted clip.. Otherwise, (and I am not sitting at the computer) if i remeber right, does the ripple only affect the event track you are on??

Thanks,
Mike m.

vidiot57 wrote on 9/7/2005, 12:19 PM
Opps , I just saw your Ripple Mode 3.. Maybe that is my answer.. How do you do this??

Mike m.

Liam_Vegas wrote on 9/7/2005, 12:28 PM
There is a little "arrow" to the right of the ripple icon. Click that and a drop-down appears. Choose the bottom one. OR... do the steps I outlined above (b). That post edit rippple (Ctrl-Shift-F) does a "mode 3" ripple everything.

If you are using ripple editing correctly - you only need to select ONE event.
vidiot57 wrote on 9/7/2005, 12:48 PM
OK Thanks,

Good stuff.. I will give it a whirl on the computer..!!

Thanks,
Mike M.