Inputting and Outputting Media > Importing Media Files and Sequences > Importing AAF & FCP XML Sequences >

# Relinking a Sequence to its Media

If some media files were not found according to the settings defined in the FCP XML/AAF menu, you can relink the source files to the sequence.

To display only the unlinked clips of a sequence:

1. In the Clip Library menu, select the sequence with unlinked clips.

   A sequence with unlinked clips display Unlinked Hires.

2. Select Show Unlinked Only from the Edits drop-down list.

   The sequence expands to show only the unlinked events.

To relink an event to its source:

1. In the Clip library, expand the sequence containing the unlinked events.
   TipUse the Show Unlinked Only filter to display only the unlinked events in the sequence.
2. From a Gateway library, locate the source file to relink to.
3. Drag and drop the source file from the Gateway library on the unlinked event.
   NoteFor a multitrack source file, expand the file to drag and drop a specific track. If you drag and drop the multitrack file, Smoke relinks to the first track.

   The following restrictions always apply when relinking by drag and drop. You can only relink if:

   - The event displays Unlinked Media.
   - The file to relink matches the event type (audio to audio, video to video). In the case of multitrack files, only the applicable track is relinked.
   - If the file to relink is of the same duration or longer than the event.

   There are no timecode, FCM or resolution restrictions.

To relink a sequence to files located in a Gateway library:

1. Open the Clip Library menu.

   In the EditDesk, click the Open Menu button.

2. Set the Library Mode box to Dual View.

   The Library View Mode button is located in the top-left of the Clip Library menu.

3. Using the Network menu, connect to the Gateway library which contains the sources to relink.

   Open the Network menu, and use the Gateway to select the directories which contain the sequence to import. A Gateway appears under its workstation name, just like a Framestore.

4. Using the Clip Library box in one view, open the local clip library which contains the sequence to relink.
5. Using the Clip Library box in the other view, open the Gateway library which contains the sources to relink.
6. Open the Unlink/Relink menu from the Tools menu.
7. Select From Gateway from the Relink Options Source box.
8. Optional: Enable the Relink options as required.

   Enable: | To:
   --- | ---
   Save Sources | Import a copy of each source referred to in the sequence. The source clips are copied next to the sequence in the clip library.
   Use Clip Name | Use the filename specified in the sequence as a match criteria.
   Use Timecode | Use the timecode specified in the sequence as a match criteria. If this option is disabled, Smoke sets the timecode of the source to match that of the sequence.
   Use Tape | Use the tape/source name specified in the sequence as a match criteria.
   Use UMID | Use the starting SMPTE UMID in the timeline as a match criteria. This is only used with MXF files and is ignored in any other case.
   Use Resolution | Use the resolution specified in the sequence as a match criteria. If this option is disabled, Smoke soft-resizes the media to the resolution specified in the imported sequence, if required.
   Use Framerate | Use the frame rate specified in the sequence as a match criteria. Disable to disregard the frame rate; once imported, you can try slipping the clip and using a timewarp in the timeline to correct any frame rate discrepancy.

9. In the Gateway library view, navigate to the directory which contains the sources you want to relink. Make sure sources to relink are visible in the Gateway library. The Relink tool tries to relink only to displayed media files.
10. Optional: If the sources are located in sub-directories, click Scan Sub-Directories. This flattens the directory structure and makes all the sources visible to the relink tool.
11. From the clip library, select the sequence to relink.
12. Click Relink.

    The application scans all the visible media and asks you to confirm the relink operation.

Be careful when using the Use Framerate search option with FCP XML files, especially if the FCP sequence is using multiple frame rates. With Use Framerate enabled, Smoke uses the frame rate of the sequence's edits as a match criteria to relink to the correct sources: if the frame rate of the considered source is 24fps while the edit is at 30fps, that source is not a potential candidate. So whether or not Smoke relinks the considered source to the edit has nothing to do with the frame rate of the sequence.

But, if you are importing an FCP sequence, Smoke timewarps the edits so that they match the frame rate of the imported sequence. For example, an FCP sequence @60fps contains edits @50fps: Smoke timewarps the edits to 60fps as it imports the sequence. Whether or not edits are relinked to their sources has nothing to do with this: if Use Framerate is enabled, Smoke only relinks the above edits if the sources are matching the edits' original frame rate, in this case 50fps.