New in v 1.5: Relinking and Traceback with the CORTEX Manifest

[amy (Amy Hawthorne)]

Continuing the discussion from New in v 1.5: Generating a CORTEX Manifest file:

@amy

The CORTEX Manifest file is a lightweight XML file that can be exported and shared between two or more CORTEX Dailies systems. It contains all the session information, such as file name, file size, checksum, CDL color, LUTs, sync points and edit points.

Once imported into the second system and relinked or traced back through the corresponding media, it identically replicates the state of the session from the first system.

CORTEX Manifest files can also make a “round-trip” and be sent back to the original machine, where all new and old metadata will be merged to reflect changes made in the second session. This is useful for verifying dailies color sessions with the DP without going through an online review system or waiting for the review deliverables to arrive.

CORTEX Manifest Relink

If you start by importing a CORTEX Manifest, CORTEX will generate offline clips with all related metadata that simply need to be relinked to the corresponding media files.

To import a CORTEX Manifest file:

1. Select Import
2. Select Cortex Manifest
3. Browse to the manifest file and click Open

Offline Media in Clip Bin

Offline Media in Player Window

Relink Via Media Import

1. Select Import
2. Select Media Files or Media Folder
3. Browse to the target files and click Open

CORTEX will automatically relink the media to the clips created by the Manifest

Relink via Copy Tool

1. Select New Copy Job
2. Define your Source and Primary Destination (additional Destinations optional)
3. Make sure the Import files to Clip Bin after Offload option is selected
4. Start the Copy Job

CORTEX will automatically relink the media in the Primary Destination to the clips created by the Manifest

CORTEX Manifest Traceback

If you begin by importing media, you can later import a Manifest file and traceback through the existing media.

1. Within the Clip Bin with existing media, select Import > Cortex Manifest
2. CORTEX will open a Merge Metadata dialog with basic information about the traceback. Click OK to continue with the traceback
   
3. CORTEX will open the Traceback dialog with a list of traced clips
4. You can selectively apply metadata using the checkboxes in the bottom left corner
   
5. New/updated metadata will be highlighted
   
6. Click OK and CORTEX mill merge the Manifest and existing clips

[dave (David McClure)]

Its also worth pointing out that we also have a ‘normal’ relink in v1.5.

Even if you’ve never used the copy tool or imported a manifest, if media is moved after you work on it, you can now relink to it by right-clicking on an offline clip and then choosing ‘relink’.

Then, once you identify that one clip, CORTEX will automatically try to relink all other offline clips. Its pretty smart about finding things in other folders as long as the directory structure is similar to what you started with. If not, you may have to relink a few different batches separately.

If audio and video moved separately, you may have to go back and relink the audio afterwards too.