Conditions for Matching Field Recorder Channel Availability

By default, a matching field recorder channel is available to replace the original channel (represented by the clip or portion of a clip selected on the Timeline) if all of the following are true:

Both channels are part of a multichannel part of a recording made simultaneously on one or more field recorders.

Both channels overlap at least once between their start timecode and end timecode positions.

Criteria set in the Match Criteria dialog is met.

The metadata embedded during shooting and recording has been preserved prior to import into Pro Tools.

For information on how to ensure that metadata have been properly preserved in your source files, see Ensuring Metadata of Source Files Have Been Preserved.

However, different field recorders can behave differently, and in some cases, available metadata can be incorrect, incomplete, or missing. To aid in finding matching field recorder channels in these situations, Pro Tools lets you control its channel match criteria.

Field Recorder Channels Match Criteria

For maximum flexibility, the Field Recorder Channels Match Criteria dialog lets you set the criteria Pro Tools uses to find matching field recorder channels.

 

Field Recorder Channels Match Criteria window

You can find matches using any or all of the following identifying data points:

File Creation Date

The date the files were created, as specified by the operating system.

Shoot date

The shoot date of the content, as specified by iXML metadata.

Scene

The scene number of the content, as specified by iXML metadata.

Scene and Take

The scene number and take number, as specified by iXML metadata.

Matching channels by take can only be done if also matching by scene.

Tape Name

The tape name, as specified by iXML metadata, must match the tape name of the guide file.

Sound Roll Name

The sound roll name, as specified by iXML metadata, must match the sound roll name of the guide file.

Sound Roll Name to Tape Name

The tape name, as specified by iXML metadata, matches the sound roll name of the guide file.

Tape Name to Sound Roll Name

The sound roll name, as specified by iXML metadata, matches the tape name of the guide file.

When matching by the above criteria, Pro Tools will accept timecode matches in both Original Time Stamp and Sound Roll Timecode.

First X Characters in File Name

Matches files based on a user-specified number of characters in the file name, starting at the beginning.

Channel Name

The channel name, as specified by iXML metadata.

Channel Number

The channel number, as specified by iXML metadata.

Name and Sort Tracks By

This option lets you set the method Pro Tools uses to name and sort the audio files created by expanding matching field recorder channels.

To set match criteria:

1 Do one of the following:

In the Edit window, Right-click on a mono clip, and choose Matching Field Recorder Channels > Match Criteria from the pop-up menu.

In the Edit window, Command-option click (Mac) or Control-alt-click (Windows) on a mono clip, and choose Field Recorder Channel Match Criteria from the pop-up menu.

Right-click the name plate of the track you want to find matches for, and choose Field Recorder Channel Match Criteria from the pop-up menu.

2 In the Field Recorder Channels Match Criteria window, select the matching conditions you want Pro Tools to search.

3 Choose ANY or ALL from the Match Timecode Plus pop-up menu. Choosing ANY will find matches based on any one of the criteria you’ve set. Choosing ALL will require that all of the criteria you’ve set must be matched for Pro Tools to consider a prospective match valid.

When looking for the largest number of matches, choose ANY. Then, you can use ALL to narrow down your matches to a specific shoot date, channel name, or other identifying data point.

4 In future searches for matching field recorder channels, Pro Tools will follow the guidelines you’ve set, until you change them again.

The Reset button toggles all criteria to their default values.

Option-click (Mac) or Alt-click (Windows) any item to select or deselect all criteria in the dialog.

Select Areas to Search

By default, Pro Tools searches for matching field recorder files in the Audio Files folder for the current session. Because field recorders often accumulate large amounts of audio data, importing the necessary files into your Pro Tools session can be a slow and complex task.

The Select Areas to Search option lets you specify additional locations (such as alternate folders or hard drives) for Pro Tools to search for matches.

To select areas to search for matching field recorder tracks:

1 Right-click the name of a field recorder track.

2 A menu will open.

3 Click Select Areas to Search.

 

Select Areas to Search dialog

4 The Select Areas to Search dialog will open. By default the list of areas to search will be empty.

5 Press the Plus (+) button to add a new alternate search location.

6 A file navigation window will appear.

7 Navigate to a folder or hard drive you want Pro Tools to search for matches.

8 Select the desired folder or hard drive.

9 Press the Choose button to confirm your choice.

Pro Tools will show an error message if you try to add a subfolder whose parent folder is already in the list of search areas.

10 Repeat this procedure to add additional search areas, if necessary.

11 If you need to delete a search area from the list, select it and click the Minus (-) button.

12 Do one of the following:

Press Save to close the Select Areas to Search dialog and save the new search area settings.

Press Save & Index to save the new search area settings and re-index the selected folders. For more information, see Re-Indexing.

Re-Indexing

When new audio is added to one of the designated search areas, Pro Tools must index the contents of that folder before the new audio can be accessed.

To re-index all alternate search areas:

1 In the Field Recorder Channels Match dialog, click the Select Areas to Search button.

2 The Select Areas to Search dialog will open.

3 Click the Save & Index button to save the current settings and re-index all search areas in the list.

Missing Search Folders

Folders that you select as search areas can go missing for a variety of reasons (such as deletion or the absence of a needed hard drive). If a folder is missing, Pro Tools shows an error message when you open the Select Areas to Search dialog. The missing path name is displayed in the list in gray-colored italic text.

Field recorder files imported through searches outside the session are always imported as .WAV if any conversion needs to take place, to preserve the field recorder metadata. Session file type selected in the Session Setup window is ignored.