Accessing Action From the Tools Tab

When accessing Action from Batch or Batch FX, you have the added benefit of being able to use the Workspace Media panel to add or organize clips and setups. You can also access Action through the Tools tab, allowing you to create modified clips that you can use as a rendered result in the workspace.

To access Action from the Tools tab:

1. From the Tools tab, click Action.
2. Select an option from the Input Mode box.

   Select:	To:
   Front Back Matte	Select source clips from the workspace. The clips are selected in the order front, back, and then matte.
   MultiVersion	Select a multiversion clip. The first frame of the first segment is used to fill the beginning, and the last frame of the last segment is used to fill the end.
   MultiVersion Fill Gap	Select a multiversion clip. Each gap is filled with black frames.
   MultiVersion SelfKey	Select a multiversion clip. The last version is loaded into the background and the other versions are loaded as fronts. The mattes are created based on each front. Gaps are filled with the last frame from the preceding segment.
   MultiVersion Self Gap	Select a multiversion clip with gaps. Each gap is filled with the last frame from the preceding segment. Mattes are created based on each front.
   None	Enter Action with no media or back clip. From the Resolution menu that appears, choose a resolution, width, height, pixel aspect ratio, bit depth, scan mode, and frame depth. If Action already contains a setup, entering with the None option keeps the objects present in the scene and creates empty media placeholders in the Media list for each object. Press the Alt key when you click the Action button to automatically select the None option. Press Alt when you select your destination to open Action with all media and nodes deleted and all parameters (except for resolution) set to default.
   Clear All	To reset all parameters (except for resolution), delete all nodes and media, and prompt you to select front, back, and matte clips. Press the Ctrl+Alt key when you click the Action button to automatically select the Clear All option.

   Although you can use differing resolutions per media, you cannot specify clips of different resolutions to act as the front and matte clip of media (except for 10-bit, 12-bit, and 12-bit unpacked clips, which are interchangeable). An error appears in the message bar if the specified clips are not able to be loaded to the same media.

   TipTo standardize some of your clip resolutions, you can resize them before entering .
3. Select the Action front, back, and matte clip or the multiversion video clip. If you selected None from the Input Mode box, proceed to the next step.

   If you are selecting clips and not a multiversion clip, you can press Ctrl to load multiple fronts and mattes. The Ctrl key changes the order of clips to front and matte of media 1, front and matte of media 2, and so on. The back clip and destination are selected after the last media is filled or when the Ctrl key is released.

   TipPay attention to the cursor colours to know which clips you are selecting (front = red cursor, matte = blue cursor, background = green cursor, and destination = white cursor).
4. Select the destination.

   Action appears and the selected clips or tracks are loaded into the appropriate media. If Auto Image is enabled in the Action Setup menu, objects are automatically added to the schematic.

   The composite of the front, matte, and back clips appear in the image window and their names are listed in the Media list. The Total Frames field defaults to the length of the longest clip loaded.