Compressor 4 - Adding Standard Source Media Files to Batches

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Adding Standard Source Media Files to Batches

Following are the details for adding standard (non–surround sound or image sequence)
source media files to a batch.

To add source media files to a batch

1

Open Compressor.

The Batch window opens with an empty batch tab named Untitled.

Untitled batch tab

Empty batch area with
a placeholder job

Note: If the Batch Template Chooser opens automatically, click Cancel to close the Batch
Template Chooser. To prevent the Batch Template Chooser from opening when you open
Compressor, select the “Don’t show this dialog again” checkbox, or, in Compressor
preferences, select For New Batches: Use Blank Template.

2

Do one of the following:

• Choose Job > New Job With File (or press Command-I), navigate to the relevant media

file folder, select one or more source media files, and then click Open.

• Click the Add File button (in the Batch window toolbar, if visible), navigate to the

relevant media file folder, select one or more source media files, and then click Open.

• Control-click a job and choose Source > File from the shortcut menu.

• Control-click an empty area of the batch and choose New Job With File from the shortcut

menu. You can then navigate to the relevant media file folder, select one or more
source media files, and then click Open.

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• Open your source media file folder and drag one or more source media files into the

batch.

Note: You can combine the above steps by selecting all the source media files you want
to transcode before opening Compressor and then dragging them to the Compressor
application icon. This opens Compressor and adds the media files to the default untitled
batch at the same time.

3

Save the batch by choosing File > Save As (or pressing Command-Shift-S).

4

Enter a name for the batch and choose the location where you want to save it in the
dialog that appears.

5

Click Save when done.

The tab in the Batch window changes to match the name of the file.

Note: If your Finder preferences are set to show the extensions, the extension .compressor
appears in the tab along with the name.

You are not actually required to name and save your batches, and for quick jobs you
might decide not to. However, naming and saving a batch makes it easy to go back and
resubmit it later if you find that the output files were not as expected or if your needs
change. It also makes it easier to figure out what is in the History window and in Share
Monitor if you submit multiple batches in a short period of time.

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The batch now contains your selected media files, each in its own job. Source media files
with video content also include a thumbnail image and a scroller that you can use to
scroll through the video.

Drag the slider to scroll
through video files.

Click anywhere in the job
to see this file’s attributes
in the Inspector window.

Each source media
file creates a job.

The targets for this job
will appear in this area.

You can change the source media file assigned to a job.

To change the source media file assigned to a job

1

Select the job for which you want to change the source media file.

2

Do one of the following:

• Choose Job > Source > File, navigate to the relevant media file folder, select one or

more source media files, and then click Open.

• Control-click the job and choose Source from the shortcut menu. You can then navigate

to the relevant media file folder, select one or more source media files, and then click
Open.

• Drag a new source media file to the job.

Any targets you had already configured remain and are now applied to the new source
media file. You can also remove a source media file from a job if needed.

To remove a source media file from a job

µ

Control-click the job and choose Clear Source from the shortcut menu.

To remove a job from a batch
Do one of the following:

µ

Select the job and press Delete.

µ

Control-click in an empty part of the batch and choose Remove All Jobs from the shortcut
menu.

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These jobs are now ready to have a target added to them.