Importing With the Read File Node

To Expand a Read File Clip

1. Select the Read File clip.
2. Press Shift+C.

To Replace the Current Read File Clip With Another One

1. Double-click the proxy of the Read File clip.

   The Read Files browser appears.

2. Optional: Set General and Format Specific Options for the files to import.
3. Optional: For each file, set In and Out points using the Preview panel.
4. Select the clip to import.
5. Click Load.

   You are returned to Batch or Batch FX and the Read File clip is updated with the selected file. The Schematic is also updated, using a channel matching strategy that preserves the links between the clip's channels and the linked nodes.

To Load a Clip as a Version

1. Double-click the proxy of the Read File clip.

   The Read Files browser appears.

2. Optional: Set General and Format Specific Options for the files to import.
3. Optional: For each file, set In and Out points using the Preview panel.
4. Select the clip to import.
5. From the Load drop down menu, select Load as Version.

   You are returned to Batch or Batch FX and the Read File clip is updated with the selected file. The previous clip is now available as a version from the Clip Versions box. You can have as many versions as you need.

To Switch Between Versions of a Read File Clip

1. Double-click the Read File clip.
2. Select a Clip Version using the Clip Version box.

   The Read File clip now uses the selected version and the schematic is updated accordingly, using a channel matching strategy that preserves the links between the clip's channels and the linked nodes.

To Check for New Versions of Clips

1. Open the Batch or Batch FX Preferences menu.
2. Under Read File Nodes in the Preferences section, click Check for Updated Versions.

   Every Read File clip in the schematic is checked for updated versions of their clip.

To Edit a Batch Setup Included with a Read File Clip

1. Double-click the Read File clip.
2. Click Append to current Batch.

   The Batch setup that created the open clip for the displayed Clip Version is added to the schematic as a Group Node.

Modifying the appended setup does not modify the open clip imported with the Read File clip. But since it includes the original Write File node, you can export a new open clip with the exact same export settings. This means that you can create a new version of the open clip, and then use the Check For Updated Versions button to update the current open clip. A high level workflow could be as follows.

1. A Flare user processes a Batch setup to export a clip with the following options enabled.
   • Create Clip Data
   • Include Setup
   • Version (set to version 1)

   It creates open clip with a Batch setup, and versioning enabled.

2. A Flame user imports the open clip and starts using it in his own Batch setup.

   Looking at the Read File clip, he can see that there is only one version of the clip (only one version in Clip Versions box) and that the Batch setup that created this open clip is included (Source Setup field has the name of the setup).

3. In the meantime, the Flare user touches up his Batch setup. Before processing it, he also updates the Write File node's Exports Settings (from JPEG to DPX), but makes sure to not change any of the Clip Data, Path, and Naming fields (the Flame updates the version automatically). Without further ado, he processes it.

   The Write File clip updates the open clip file with new information: a new version which points to updated media files.

4. The next time the Flame user opens his Batch setup, he is prompted to check for updated open clips. He does check, and the clip he imported in a previous session is updated and set to the current version.

   Or, during his Batch session, the Flame user can use the Check for Updated Versions.