Inputting and Outputting Media > Processing and Publishing >

# Managing Media Using the Store Tool

Use the Store tool to manage how media are stored by Smoke.

Store media on the framestore to ensure that Smoke is the sole owner of the media and prevents it from being modified by an outside source; it can also provide better playback performances, depending on your setup. Storing a clip converts it from a clip with unmanaged media to one with managed media.

Unstore media from the framestore to allow the substitution of sources, or to easily perform a relink operation. Unstoring a clip converts it from a clip with managed media to one with unmanaged media.

(a) Source Format indicator marking a clip with managed media and import history

To store media to the framestore:

1. In the clip library, select the clip or clips that you want to write to the framestore.
2. Click Tools and then Store Media.
3. Click Store Local Copy.

   The media of each selected clip is copied to the framestore. The clips that you selected become clips with managed media. If more than one instance of a clip with unmanaged media is present in the library, every instance of that clip changes to a clip with managed media.

   While the media is being transcoded to the framestore, Smoke marks which frames it has not yet imported using the Pending Render overlay. Smoke also displays the unmanaged media frames until the Pending Render-overlaid frames are completely transcoded.

To unstore media from the framestore:

1. In the clip library, select the clip or clips that you want to write to the framestore.
2. Click Tools and then Store Media.
3. Click Unstore Copy.

   The clip now displays the unmanaged media. If the media referred to by the clip is no longer available, the Player displays a checkered frame. But the clip proxies are still available, and can be displayed in the Player. If more than one instance of a clip with unmanaged media is present in the library, every instance of that clip changes to a clip with unmanaged media.