Apple Cinema Tools 3 - Manual (Page 171)

Chapter 10 Working With External EDLs and ALE Files 171
Cinema Tools also looks for conflicts within the EDL, such as when two edits overlap
(known as a dirty list). Cinema Tools cleans these edits, removing any portions that
would be over-recorded by any edits that follow. Any transitions or supers that are
completely overlapped by a following edit are removed. If the transition or super is
only partly overlapped by a following edit, it is flagged as a conflict, the later edit is
removed, and an entry is added to the cut list indicating this was done.
When Cinema Tools successfully processes an EDL, it places an entry at the beginning
of the film list showing a summary of events that it processed. This entry lists how
many of each type of event occurred (cut, dissolve, wipe, and key). The number of
events in the list should match the number of events in the EDL.
Using TextEdit to Make Changes to an EDL
By default, TextEdit saves files in the Rich Text Format (RTF), but the EDL needs to be
a plain text file. Follow these steps to edit an EDL in TextEdit and save it in a plain
text format.
To edit an EDL file in TextEdit:
1 Open TextEdit.
2 Choose File > Open, then locate the EDL file and click Open.
3 Choose Format > Make Plain Text, then click OK in the warning that appears.
The font changes to Monaco, a nonproportional font that ensures the text columns line
up properly. The name changes to Untitled.
4 Make your text edits, then choose File > Save.
By default, the name is Untitled, and a “.txt” extension is appended to it.
5 Enter the desired name for the file and replace the “.txt” extension with “.edl” (or
whatever was used in the original file), then click Save.
6 A dialog appears asking if you want to have “.txt” appended to the end of your
filename. Click “Don’t append.”
If you often find yourself editing plain text files, you may want to configure TextEdit’s
preferences to make it easier.
Note: Double-clicking a filename with an “.edl” extension opens it in a read-only
window in Final Cut Pro.
Warning: Use great care when editing an EDL file—some items that appear
meaningless can be very important. Make sure you have a backup copy available in
case you alter your working copy beyond usability.
UP01101.Book Page 171 Thursday, March 10, 2005 3:16 PM