Preferences

Use the Preferences dialog to enter your registration details and change user preferences. There are a large number of settings, arranged in different pages or tabs for convenience. You can use the Next and Previous buttons to cycle through them, or Defaults to restore selected settings back to their recommended default values.

General tab
Whether to interpret timecode in a log file as PAL or NTSC; the format for displaying dates and times; whether to create a backup copy when saving catalogs; whether to hide less commonly used menu commands or show a simplified toolbar in the main window.
Import tab
Whether to recursively scan subdirectories when importing a directory; whether to combine clips with the same tape name, in and out values into a single clip reference; whether to perform scene detection based on changes in time stamp or image contents (check both for automatic operation); what naming scheme to use when automatically generating clips for each scene; whether to import clips based strictly on the DV timecode information embedded in the media (ie. whether to favour the DV or QuickTime timecode if they differ); whether to automatically combine start and end segments of a DV clip that spans more than one capture file.
Previews & Thumbnails tab
What size and quality settings to use when creating preview movies (use one of the presets, or customise your own in the Professional Edition); whether to use tape- or path-based previews; whether to display a preview instead if the original movie is unavailable; whether to generate thumbnails for imported media; what size thumbnails to create; whether to use the midpoint or start of clip as initial default poster; whether to create thumbnails on the first/last frame or inset by 5% (for shots that fade in from black).
Media Search Paths tab
The directory for creating tape-based previews and additional preview directories to search when locating preview movies for a tape (you can include the directory where self-contained archives are stored to search those also). Specify equivalent media directories for path-based previews and to automatically locate media files (define mappings from the path as stored in the catalog to where the files are physically located on the local machine).
Play Media tab
Whether to start playing a movie automatically; whether to automatically double the size of small movies or images; how fast should slide shows be shown; whether to use jog or shuttle keyboard controls (Professional Edition only).
User Columns tab
Specify names for user-defined columns or create additional columns (Professional Edition only). The FCP Preset button automatically sets user column names to match Final Cut Pro. Define whether the column is used for grouping or not.
Pick Lists tab
View or edit the values that appear in drop down lists when editing grouping columns. If an attribute is extensible you can type in new values, otherwise you are restricted to values in the list. Auto-populate means values you type in are automatically remembered.
Metadata Columns tab
Choose whether metadata fields such as copyright and author information (extracted from the original media file from QuickTime user data, Exif and ID3 tags, or WMV/ASF attributes) are displayed as normal columns. Control how individual fields are used, or press Cmd-Delete to delete a field altogether.
User Interface tab
Whether to open last catalog when launching CatDV; explicitly specify the default view and grouping when a window is first opened or whether these should automatically be the same as the previous window; define whether the media or details dialog is shown when double clicking on a clip; whether to use the advanced query dialog for searches within a catalog (Professional Edition).
Customise Views & Customise Details Panel tabs
Create or modify view definitions. In the Professional Edition you can customise fields shown in the clip details panel also.
Printing tab
What fonts and margins to use when printing (top, bottom, left and right); how much extra spacing to leave around cells; any custom title to be used.
Export tab
What line ending character to use when exporting batch logs; whether to use the whole clip or a selection within the clip when exporting clips; whether to prefix the name of exported movie files with the tape or bin name (or create subdirectories based on these names); what duration to apply to still images when exported as a movie or added to a sequence; the custom footer to include on each page when exporting HTML.
Advanced User Interface tab
Select the look and feel of the application; whether imports (and similar operations) can take place as a background activity; whether renaming a clip or changing its bin also renames or moves the media file; whether to keep the details dialog on top of the main window at all times; preferred units for displaying data rate; which import and export menu command should have a keyboard shortcut; whether to play WMV files using QuickTime/Flip4Mac or an external application; automatic save interval; whether to enable commands that publish data to the server; whether clicking on a directory in the tree navigator automatically analyses the files.
Advanced Functionality tab
Options that control how files are imported and other advanced functionality, including: whether debug messages are written to the log file; how much detail to use when importing OMFI and Cinestream files; whether to import a media file even if it gives a QuickTime error; whether to completely disregard timecode embedded in DV movies; how to decide the timecode format for imported formats; whether to import audio tracks from FCP XML files; whether to import unknown file types as 'generic' files; whether Build Preview Movies should automatically add a timecode track.
Registration tab
Enter the name and registration code you were sent to register CatDV, or clear an existing registration. It is easiest to copy both lines from your registration email and press the Paste button.


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