Visual QuickStart Guide [Electronic resources] : Final Cut Express HD for Mac OS X

Using the Browser to Organize Your Project

The Browser is a powerful tool for organizing all your program elements in a way that makes sense to you. You could construct a multilevel folders-within-folders structure by organizing your material in multiple folders, or you could use one long list containing every element in the same display. You might want to keep separate folders for your live-action footage, graphics, and music files; or you might use folders to organize stock footage from multiple sources. You can search for your clips based on any clip property and sort from most Browser columns. Any markers you've placed in a clip will be noted in the Browser. You can use the Browser shortcut menu to modify some clip and sequence properties, or you can add or modify most clip information directly by double-clicking a Browser column entry.

To select an item in the Browser:

Do one of the following:

Tip

Multiple-item selection in FCE's Browser works in the same way as it does in the Mac OS X Finder: Command-click to select multiple items individually; Shift-click to select a range of items; or drag a bounding box around a group of list items or icons (Figure 7.2 ). Figure 7.2. You can select a group of items by dragging a bounding box around them.

Sorting items

FCE allows you to sort by almost every column you see in the Browser. You can use a series of secondary sorts (up to eight) to further refine your list order.

To sort items in the Browser:

1.

Select the primary sort column by doing one of the following: Click a column header. A black arrow in the column header indicates the primary sort column (Figure 7.3 ). Figure 7.3. Click the column header to sort by name; the direction of the arrow to the right of the column name here indicates ascending order. To reverse the sort order, click again (Figure 7.4 ). Figure 7.4. Click again to reverse the sort order; the arrow's direction now indicates a descending order.

2.

Select secondary sort columns by doing one of the following: Shift-click additional headers. A gray arrow in the column header indicates a secondary sort column (Figure 7.5 ). Figure 7.5. Shift-click another column header to select a secondary sort column. To reverse the sort order, Shift-click again.

Tip

If you've defined secondary sort columns by Shift-clicking, you'll need to click a deselected column to clear the current sort before you can select a new primary sort column.