EDL Writer

EDL Writer 2.1

What it is

Program to produce and process edit-lists in video post-production. The edit-lists can be made by hand and exported as machine readable CMX edit-lists. Additionally the programme allows for the import of CMX lists,the creating of short-picture-lists and lists with overlaps as well as so called indirect lists (the accessing of original material a generation removed).

How it works

The program is a compiled international Macro for Excel versions 4.0 or later.

The macro makes a new EDL menu available containing all necessary commands.

Download

This is a Beta-Version, therefore no guarantee for the functionalbility can be given. The following documentation is also possibly incomplete and not up to date. Please send me your comments to matti@belle-nuit.com

Users of Excel 5, 97 and 98:
The Macro has been written for Excel 4, but it is compatibel with never versions of Excel. At two moments, however, the built-in assistants interfere with the Macro function. (1) At Program start you my have warning that macros may contain viruses. (2) When importing EDL text files, the text file assistants ask for information. Choose fix formatted, not tabulator.

Reference

New list

Creates a new EDL Writer document. The document is a normal Excel document (.xls) and easily formatted.

Nothing should be entered in the black areas.
The window division is fixed to allow the seven title-lines to remain visible at all times.
The columns Source In, Source Out and Record Out have the time code format displayed (Numbers will be presented in the following format "00:00:00:00").

Open list

Opens an existing list and checks the keywords. Several lists can be open simultaneously.

Save

Saves the list. With an unsaved list you will be asked to enter a name.

Import

Enables a CMX 340 / 3600 list to be imported. Commentary lines will be displayed in the name columns. The import stops at an empty line. Transition will generally be set at "abs".

Dissolves and wipes as well as black and aux-lines will be recognised as opposed to keys,motion effects and audio tracks 3-4. The program has a limited error-tolerance for the columns.

Field	CMX 340	CMX 3600
Event	1-3	1-3
Tape	5-10	5-15
Tracks	11-16 \|\|15-20
Transition	16-26	20-29
Effect type	16-21	22-25
Effect duration	22-26	25-29
Source In	27-38	30-41
Source Out	39-50	42-53
Record In	51-62	54-65
Record Out	63-74	66-77

Users of Excel 5, 97 and 98: These versions have a built-in text file assistant who examines the EDL before importing. There maybe a dialog of the kind "the text assistant detected fixed formatting". Choose: Fixed, separated (Excel 4 standard). Done.

Export

Enables the list to be exported. A series of dialogue-windows allow for varying options, where in some cases a letter must be entered.

List types: (C)MX, CMX (K) shortpicture, CMX (I) indirect, (T) tape list, (A) avid log.

CMX: An EDL from the existing list will be made.
Shortpicture: A new list will be made from the current one, enabling a shortpicture to be cut directly from the Mastertape. The first and the last 'n' frames of each scene are taken. This list is then exported as a CMX-EDL.
Overlaps: A new list will be produced where all scenes are extended at the beginning and end by 'n' frames. For dissolves and wipes, the A-tapes are extended accordingly. This list is then exported as a CMX-EDL.
Indirect: The programme asks after a reference-list (in EDL-writer format ). For each Source-TC in the current list, the programme searches the Record-TC in the reference-list and replaces the former Source-TC in the reference-list. Thus it is possible to refer to an edit from a previous generation.
Only one reference-list can be specified. If you have more reference-tapes, make a big list, arranged by Record-TC (the reference-tapes must have differing TC's).
The new list will finally be exported as a CMX-EDL .
Tape List: Makes a text-file from a list of the used tapes.
Avid Loglists: Exports a log-list to be read in Avid. The list still has to have unnecessary tabulators in the header cleaned by a text programme. (A better solution is on the way).

EDL-format: (C)MX 340 (for Swiss Effects) or CM(X) 3600?
The CMX 340-list is widely used, however supports only tapenames from 1-253 (after 253 they are replaced). The CMX 3600 list support names of up to 6 letters, but may not contain empty spaces or special characters.

File format: (M)ac, (D)os or (W)indows?
Macintosh-and DOS/WINDOWS- have different file formats for text files. For a new line change, Macintosh uses CR, whilst Windows uses CRLF. With this option you can choose in which text format the EDL should be saved under. For Swiss Effects choose Windows, and for Avid choose Macintosh.

Sorting: (A) Record, (B) Source Tape, Record In, ( C) Source Tape Source In?
Choose the sorted order of the Edit List. Choose A if you want to edit chronologically. Choose C if you want to progress quickly with the online-edit. Choose B in order to edit quickly but protect the Masterband.

Calculate

Calculates the Record In and Out points. Uses the information in transition. If "abs" is in transiton the Record In remains in TC. If a number 'n' is in transiton a black gap appears for 'n' frames.

Calculating will automatically be done during exporting. Therefore it is not necessary to calculate before exporting.

Add "abs"

Sometimes you may want to fix the value of the calculated Record In and disenable any other changes. This command first re-calculates the list and then places "abs" in all the lines. Dissolves and Wipes are calculated.

If you want to have "abs" for only a portion of the lines or prevent calculation you must do it by hand.

Remove "abs"

During the import, all transition fields will be set to "abs". By changing the Source values the Record-In TC stays fixed. This command enables one to remove "abs" and to change to a relative mode. Eventual edit interruptions and black frames will be taken into consideration. Dissolve and Wipes will also be calculated.

If you only wish to remove "abs" for some of the lines, you must do so by hand.

Delay

This command allows you add or substract a fixed value to every source time code. (To correct a processing delay by a effect generator, for example). The command works on the whole list.

Settings

Allows one to return to the manufacturers setup. Is only active during the programme development.

Help

Creates a new document with a help-text. (german version only)

Valid data input

Title: Text. appears in the title line of the CMX-List and the first characters will be used for the file name of the exported list.

Version, Production: Free. Not used by Macro.

FPS: 25 (PAL), 24, 18, 29.97, 30.

Tape: Text or numbers. Warning: In CMX 340 only numbers from 1-253 will be exported( the others after 253 replaced), and in CMX3600, text without special characters or empty spaces numbering up to 6. Also possible are "aux" and "black".

Source In, Source Out: Time Code. Enter the Time Code only as a number, the format follows automatically. Warning: As per usual with video editing and unlike with film and Avid, the Source-Out is the first Time Code number after the last visible frame.

Name: (Leave) Free.This field not used by Macro.

Tracks: V1A1A2, V1, A1, A2, V1A2, A1A2 or leave empty. Empty fields are replaced with the calculation V1A1A2.

Transition: ("abs" or whole numbers or empty) and ("c" or ("d" and a whole number) or ("w" and two whole numbers) or empty).
If the field is empty, the last setting is taken without interruption.
If a number in entered, the according number of black frames are added.
If "abs" is turned on, then the Record-In TC is taken completely from the list and not calculated.
The list supports dissolves and wipes.
A dissolve consists of "d" plus a number 1-253 (length)
A wipe consists of "w" plus two numbers 1-253 (type and length).
The separate elements can be combined (insofar as makes sense) and must always contain an empty space between them.
If you want to start with a different timecode to 01:00:00:00, then you must write "abs" in the first line of the field transition.

Examples

Transition	Meaning
	hard cut follows immediately
10	hard cut after 10 black frames
abs	hard cut at given record in TC
d 25	dissolve 25 frames
w 3 25	wipe type 3, 25 frames
abs d 25	dissolve 25 frames at given record in TC. This makes only sense wehen the last record out matches to the record in point

Record In: Time Code. Enter Time Code only as a number, the formatting is automatic. If "abs" is not set in transition, the Time Code will be overwritten by the newly calculated Time Code.

Record Out is always automatically calculated.

It is up to the user to add extra columns on the right. They will be ignored by Macro. However the resulting black fields may not be deleted. The document must not have any empty lines.

A valid EDL-Writer document must fulfil the following conditions:

File format standard Excel (.xls)

Field A: Header
Field B1: EDL-Writer document
Column A: Title, Version, Production, fps, Data
In the lines after Data: Tape, Source In, Source Out, Name,Tracks, Transition, Record In, Record Out

Lines that follow after an empty line will be ignored during the calculation.

Error messages

This is not an EDL Writer document. Please import (sought after keyword).

You have a CMX list opened. Please use the command EDL: Import.
You have altered an EDL-Writer document so that it cannot be read (valid EDL-Writer Document)
You have a totally different document open or active and it cannot be read by Macro.

Invalid Time Code entries in Source/Record. Only numbers without a colon are valid (just a format), or by calculating a mistake has arisen. Probably is the Time Code has been entered as text instead as a number.

You have entered the Time Code with a colon (: ). Leave it out and you will automatically get the format.
You have entered text in a Source In or Source Out field .
You have entered an impossible Time Code

Invalid transition. Valid are "abs", "C", "D", "W" and numbers.

Look under valid entries

End of the document

You have added an empty line

The list contains no event

In order to calculate or export, at least one line with Time Code must be entered

Tape information missing

If you only have one tape then enter the number 1

Invalid track entries. Allowed are V1, A1, A and all their combinations.

EDL Writer uses the conventions from Avid and not those from CMX

Source Out< Source In

EDL Writer does not support motion control and reverse
You have an event that runs over 23:59:59:24

TC extends 24 hours

You have an event that runs over the Record Time Code 23:59:59:24

Indirect mistake list: Edit point past the reference Record Out

The Source Time Code cannot to be found on the record reference list. You have extended the source event past that of the reference list. Make 2 edits

Macro mistakes in the cells

This is an unforseen programming mistake. Please note the mistake and what you have done and let me know: matti@belle-nuit.com

To try out. For the functioning no responsibility will be taken.

Comments please to matti@belle-nuit.com

The latest version is available at Swiss Effects or through me at http//www.belle-nuit.com/