Sony Vegas 6 Manual

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Removing media files from a library
You can remove a reference to a media file from a library without affecting the media file itself.
1.Select files in the Search Results pane to choose the files you want to delete:
 To select a single file, click the file.
—or—
 To select multiple consecutive files, click the first file, hold the  key, and then click the last item.
—or—
 To select multiple files that are not consecutive, hold the  key and click each file.
2.Right-click a selected file and choose Remove from Library from the shortcut menu (or press the  key 
on your keyboard). A confirmation dialog is displayed.
3.Click OK to remove the selected files from the library.
Tagging media files
Tagging helps you classify your media files. For example, if you wanted to keep track of loops played by a 
specific instrument, you could create a tag with the name of the instrument and apply it to the appropriate 
loops. Similarly, you could create tags for genres, moods, seasons, client names, locations, scenes, performer 
names, and so on.
When you create a new library, a default tag tree is displayed in the Tags pane. You can create your own tags 
to customize the tags for your needs. Tags are the fastest way to search a media library, and they require very 
little disk space.
Tags are saved in your media library. If a media file exists in multiple libraries, tagging the media file in one 
library has no effect on the other libraries unless you save the tags to the files and use the Add Files to Media 
Library dialog to update tags and custom properties for all files. 
Tip: If you want to see which tags are associated with a file as 
you’re adding or removing tags, drag the Tags column in the 
Search Results pane to the left so you can see the Name and 
Tags columns at the same time.
Creating a tag
Adding tags creates new tags in the current library only.
1.Click the New Tag button () to add a new tag to the tree.
If a tag is selected, the new tag will be added below the selected tag. If no tag is selected, the new tag will 
be added to the bottom of the tag tree.
2.Type a name for the tag.
3.Press .
4.If you want to change the icon used to display the tag, right-click it and choose Edit from the shortcut 
menu to display the Tag Editor dialog.
5.If you want to change the tag’s location, drag it to a new location in the tag tree.
Shift
Ctrl
Delete
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Applying a tag to a media file
You tag media by dragging a tag from the tag tree to a media file in the Search Results pane (or by dragging a 
media file to a tag) when the 
Apply Tag Mode button () is selected.
Tip: If you want to see which tags are associated with a file as 
you’re adding or removing tags, use the Properties pane in the 
Search Results pane (or drag the Tags column in the Search 
Results pane to the left so you can see the Name and Tags 
columns at the same time). For more information, see Using 
the Properties pane on page 92.
Note: Tags are saved in your media library. If a media file 
exists in multiple libraries, tagging the media file in one library 
has no effect on the other libraries unless you save the tags to 
the files and use the Add Files to Media Library dialog to 
update tags and custom properties for all files. 
1.Select media files to tag in the Search Results pane:
 To select a single file, click the file.
—or—
 To select multiple consecutive files, click the first file, hold the  key, and then click the last item.
—or—
 To select multiple files that are not consecutive, hold the  key and click each file.
2.Click the Apply Tag Mode button () in the Search pane.
3.Drag a tag from the tag tree to the selected file(s).
Tip: You can also right-click a selection in the Search Results 
pane and choose 
Apply Tag from the shortcut menu to add a 
tag to all selected media. The Tag Chooser dialog will be 
displayed. Select the tag you want to add, and then click the 
OK button.
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When you add a subtag to a media file, the tag’s hierarchical position in the tag 
tree is applied implicitly. 
In this example, adding the “Snare” tag to a media file would mean that a search 
for “Audio,” “Drum One-Shots,” or “Snare” would find your tagged media. If the 
user rearranged the tag tree so that the “Snare” tag did not appear below the 
“Audio” and “Drum One-Shots” tags, searching for “Audio” or “Drum One-Shots” 
would not find your tagged media.
If you add all three tags to your media file, a search for “Audio,” “Drum One-
Shots,” or “Snare” would find your tagged media even if the tag tree had been 
rearranged, though this behavior is not always desirable.
Removing a tag from a media file
You remove tags from media by dragging a tag from the tag list to a media file in 
the Search Results pane (or by dragging a media file to a tag) when the 
Remove Tag Mode button () is 
selected.
Tip: If you want to see which tags are associated with a file as 
youre adding or removing tags, use the Properties pane in the 
Search Results pane (or drag the Tags column in the Search 
Results pane to the left so you can see the Name and Tags 
columns at the same time).
1.Select media files in the Search Results pane:
 To select a single file, click the file.
—or—
 To select multiple consecutive files, click the first file, hold the  key, and then click the last item.
—or—
 To select multiple files that are not consecutive, hold the  key and click each file.
2.Click the Remove Tag Mode button () in the Search pane.
3.Drag a tag from the tag tree to the selected file(s). The tag is removed from the file(s).
Deleting a tag from a library
Deleting the selected tag(s) affects the current library only.
1.In the Search pane, select the tag(s) to be removed:
 To select a single tag, click the tag.
—or—
 To select multiple consecutive tags, click the first tag, hold the  key, and then click the last tag.
—or—
 To select multiple tags that are not consecutive, hold the  key and click each tag.
2.Click the Delete Selected Tag button () to delete the tag from the current library. A confirmation dialog 
is displayed.
3.Click OK to remove the selected tags from the library.
The tag is removed from the library and from all media files in the library. However, if the tag had been 
saved to the media file, it will be added to the library again the next time the file is added to the library if 
the
 Add tags and custom properties from files check box is selected in the Add Files to Media Library dialog.
Shift
Ctrl
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Merging subtags
Merging tags combines a selected tag with its subtags and removes the subtags from your library permanently.
To merge a tag with its subtags, right-click the tag and choose Merge Subtags into Selected Tag from the 
shortcut menu.
All subtags are combined with the main tag, and the subtags are removed from the library. All media 
formerly associated with the subtags is associated with the main tag.
Arranging tags in the tag tree
Tags are displayed in a tree view in the Media Manager window. You can organize tags hierarchically: click 
the Expand button (
) in the Search pane to expand a list, or click the Collapse button () in the Search 
pane to hide an expanded list.
You can drag, copy, and paste tags within the list to arrange them and create parent and child tags. 
You can also display tags in a palette view by clicking the Change Tags View button ().
Editing tag names or images
1.Double-click a tag (or right-click a tag and choose Edit from the shortcut menu) to display the Tag Editor 
dialog.
2.In the Tag name box, type the name you want to display for the tag.
3.Select a thumbnail image to choose the icon that will be displayed for the tag in the Search pane and in 
the Search Results pane when the tag is added to a media file.
4.Click the OK button to apply your changes and close the Tag Editor dialog.
Viewing or creating palettes
The palette view provides another way of working with tags that can be useful for more focused searching. 
You can use a palette to concentrate on a portion of the current tag tree.
In the palette view, tags are displayed as a grid of buttons instead of the standard hierarchical tag tree.
1.Click the Change Tags View button () to toggle the display of the tag tree and palette view. 
2.Click the down arrow  next to the button to choose a saved palette or create a new palette.
Creating a palette
1.Click the down arrow  next to the Change Tags View button () and choose New Palette from the menu. 
The New Palette dialog is displayed.
2.In the Name box, type the name you want to use to identify the palette.
3.In the Rows box, specify the number of rows of buttons you want to display in the palette.
4.In the Columns box, specify the number of columns of buttons you want to display in the palette.
5.Click OK to create the palette. The palette is displayed as a grid with empty buttons. 
						

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Assigning palette buttons
1.Perform either of the following actions to display the Tag Chooser dialog:
 Click an empty palette button.
—or—
 Click an existing button and choose Choose Tag from the shortcut menu.
2.Select the tag you want to assign to the button.
3.Click the OK button. 
Clearing a button 
Right-click a palette button and choose Clear from the shortcut menu.
Deleting a saved palette
1.Right-click a palette button and choose Delete Current Palette from the shortcut menu.
2.Click the OK button when prompted to delete the palette from your library.
Saving tags and properties to media files
Saving tags and properties to files makes all your tagging work portable: if tags are saved to files, those tags 
will be preserved in the files and can be added to the library by selecting the 
Add tags and custom properties 
from files
 check box in the Add Files to Media Library dialog. 
Saving tags to files affects only the current media library and libraries that you create after saving the tags. If 
you have multiple libraries, you can add embedded tags and custom columns to existing libraries by opening 
the desired library and rescanning your media folders with the 
Add tags and custom properties from files check 
box selected in the Add Files to Media Library dialog. Embedded file properties are also updated when you 
preview or add media to a project.
Follow these steps to save tag information in your media file(s):
1.Perform a search to find the files you want to tag.
2.In the Search Results pane, select media files for which you want to save tags and properties:
 To select a single file, click the file.
—or—
 To select multiple consecutive files, click the first file, hold the  key, and then click the last item.
—or—
 To select multiple files that are not consecutive, hold the  key and click each file.
3.Click the Save Tags and Properties to File(s) button () in the top right corner of the Search Results pane. 
Information about tags associated with the file or information that you edited in the Search Results pane 
is saved to the selected files.
Tagging for loop developers
If you develop collections of loops and samples, you want to make sure you tag your media so users can find 
your loops easily and so your tagging is consistent with other existing collections.
1.Make a copy of the media library named Sony Tag Tree for Library Development.medialib. This file is saved in 
your My Documents\Sony Media Libraries folder by default.
2.Open the copy of the library.
3.Add the loop collection you want to tag to the library.
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4.Apply the appropriate tags from the tag tree to your media files.
 Use existing tags whenever possible to ensure your collection is consistent with other collections in the 
Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples family.
 When adding new tags, try to add them within the existing tag tree. For example, if you wanted to 
create a tag for a bowed upright bass, consider adding it below the existing 
Basses tag:
 When adding tags, consider how the user will search for media. In the previous example, adding the tag 
Bowed to a media file means that the user will find that file whether searching for Basses or Bowed. If a 
user’s tag tree is rearranged so that 
Bowed is not a subtag of Basses, a search for the Basses tag will not 
find the file.
 If you add both tags, a search for Basses or Bowed will find the file regardless of whether Bowed is a 
subtag of 
Basses. This could result in inaccurate search results.
 Each tag contains a globally unique identifier (GUID) that preserves information about the tag and its 
location within the tag tree. For example, if you saved the 
Bowed tag to a media file, the file Bowed tag 
would be added to a user’s media library when the file is added. If the 
Basses tag did not exist in the 
user’s library, it would also be created.
 Because tags have unique identifiers, tag information and location is preserved. In the previous example, 
the 
Bowed tag would be added to the correct location in the user’s media library even if the user had 
translated all the tag names to a different language or otherwise renamed the 
Basses tag. In this case, the 
new tag would be added, but higher-level tags that were renamed by the user would be unaffected.
5.Save the tags to your media files:
a.Delete the Scan [date / time] tags from the tag tree.
b.If you’ve searched the collection, click Clear to remove all search criteria and ensure all media files are 
displayed in the Search Results pane.
c.Select all files in the Search Results pane.
d.Click the Save Tags and Properties to Files button ( ).
Tip: You can also right-click a selected file and choose Save 
Tags and Properties to Files from the shortcut menu.
6.Distribute your media files. You may optionally include the .medialib file. 
						

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Backing up your media libraries
Media Manager software automatically saves your library as you make changes, so you don’t need to tell the 
application explicitly to save your library as you’re working.
However, you can create a backup of the current library as a restore point or as a template to create new 
libraries.
Note: When you back up your library, the Media Manager 
automatically performs database management that can 
reclaim free space and improve performance.
1.Click the Media Library Actions button () and choose Back Up Media Library from the menu. The Back 
Up Media Library dialog is displayed.
2.Choose a drive and folder from the Save in drop-down list, or use the browse window to locate the folder 
where you want to save your backup.
3.In the File name box, type the name you want to use to identify the library.
4.Click the Save button. 
To restore the backup at a later time, open the backup file.
Opening a Reference Library
A reference library contains information about media from an outside source or vendor.
If you have the Sony Loops and Samples reference library loaded when you search your computer for media, 
media from existing Sony Loops and Samples or Loops for ACID collections will inherit tags and custom 
properties from the reference library.
You can also use a reference library to search media files that you aren’t part of your collection. For example, 
if you’re unable to find the perfect loop for a Vegas project in your own collection, you could use the Sony 
Sound Series Loops & Samples reference library to search the entire Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples 
catalog and purchase a new loop library. 
You can use the Media Reference Library drop-down list in the Media Manager Options dialog to determine 
which library is opened when you click the 
Switch to Reference Library button ().
1.Click the Switch to Reference Library button (). The reference library specified in the Media Manager 
Options dialog is opened. Media in a reference library is displayed in gray text to indicate that the files are 
not available on your computer.
Tip: To view the Media Manager Options dialog, click the 
Media Library Actions button (
) and choose Options 
from the menu.
2.Find the media you’re looking for with a standard or advanced search.
3.Tag media from the reference library as needed. For more information on tagging, see Tagging media files on 
page 77.
4.When you select a file in a reference library, the Product Information pane displays information about the 
selected file and a link you can use to purchase the media.  
						

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Using the Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples reference library
If you have the Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples reference library loaded when you search your computer 
for media, media from existing Sony Loops and Samples or Loops for ACID collections will inherit tags and 
custom properties from the reference library. 
The Sony Sound Series Loops & Samples reference library is not installed by default, but you can install it 
from the Vegas CD or download it from the Sony Media Software Web site 
(http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/reference). After installing the library, go to the Media Manager 
Options dialog (click the 
Media Library Actions button  and choose Options from the menu) and choose the 
reference library from the 
Reference library drop-down list.
Searching for media files
You can use the Media Manager tool to search the current media library for media files using keywords or 
tags.
Tips: You can use the Search results limit box in the Media 
Manager Options dialog to determine the maximum number 
of media files you’d like to have returned in the results of your 
searches. Increasing the 
Search results limit setting increases 
the amount of time required to search a library and can 
significantly decrease performance if set excessively high.
When performing complex searches, consider creating 
temporary tags to classify the results. If you apply a tag to the 
files found by a complex search, you can return to those files 
easily by searching on the tag. The Media Manager tool can 
search for tags more quickly than it can perform keyword or 
advanced searches.
Searching using a keyword
1.Select the Quick text search check box in the Search pane and type a keyword (or keywords) in the edit 
box.
Tip: You can separate search terms using quotation marks 
and other operators. If quotes or wildcard characters are not 
applied, an * is automatically added before and after each 
search term.
2.Press .
The Media Manager tool searches your media files and displays the results in the Search Results pane on 
the right side of the window. Any file that contains your keywords in the file name or attributes is 
displayed (tags are not searched as keywords).
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Your search terms are displayed in the yellow bar below the Search Results toolbar.
3.You can refine the search results using any of the following methods:
 Select tag check boxes.
 Use the Advanced search controls. For more information, see Using advanced search options on page 86.
 Choose Match Any from the Match Any/Match All drop-down list to display all media that matches any of 
your keyword, tag, or advanced search criteria. Using this option in the search displayed in step 2, the 
Search Results pane would display all files that contain the keyword “EBow” OR the “Guitar” tag.
 Choose Match All from the Match Any/Match All drop-down list to display only media that matches all of 
your keyword, tag, and advanced search criteria. Using this option in the search displayed in step 2, the 
Search Results pane would display all files that contain the keyword “EBow” AND the “Guitar” tag.
 Click the View items not matching search criteria button () to display only items that do not match your 
keyword, tag, and advanced search criteria.
Searching using tags
In the Search pane, select the check box for each tag you want to find. The 
Media Library searches your media files and displays the results in the Search 
Results pane on the right side of the window.
Choose Match Any from the Match Any/Match All drop-down list if you want to 
display all media that contains any keyword, tag, or advanced search criteria. 
In the example to the right, the Search Results pane would display all files 
that contain the tag “High Tom” OR the tag “Floor Tom.”
Choose Match All from the Match Any/Match All drop-down list if you want to 
display only media that includes all keyword, tag, and advanced search 
criteria. In the preceding example, the Search Results pane would display only 
files with tags “High Tom” AND “Floor Tom.”
Note: If you have check boxes selected for parent and child 
tags, those tags will be treated as an OR relationship 
regardless of whether Match Any or Match All is selected.
Click the View items not matching search criteria button () to display only items that do not match your 
keyword, tag, and advanced search criteria.
 Keyword
Search results Search terms 
						

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Sorting search results
Click a column heading to sort the results in ascending or descending order based on that column.
Viewing previous searches
Click the Previous Search button () in the top left corner of the Search Results pane to navigate through 
your recent searches and update the contents of the Search Results pane. 
After viewing previous searches, click the Next Search button () in the top left corner of the Search Results 
pane to navigate back to your current search.
Using advanced search options
If your media library contains many files and you’re searching for a very specific media file, the Advanced 
section of the Search pane can help you zero in on exactly the file you want. 
If you want to perform an advanced search to refine the results of a previous search, start by creating a quick 
search or tag-based search and then perform the following steps. 
Tips: You can use the Search Results Limit box in the Media 
Manager Options dialog to determine the maximum number 
of media files you’d like to have returned in the results of your 
searches. Increasing the 
Search Results Limit setting increases 
the amount of time required to search a library and can 
significantly decrease performance if set excessively high.
When performing complex searches, consider creating 
temporary tags to classify the results. If you apply a tag to the 
files found by a complex search, you can return to those files 
easily by searching on the tag. The Media Manager tool can 
search for tags more quickly than it can perform keyword or 
advanced searches.
1.Add your search criteria:
a.Click the Add New Search Criteria button ( ) in the Search pane. The Search Criteria Chooser is 
displayed.
b.Double-click an item in the Search Criteria Chooser or drag it to the Advanced section of the Search 
pane.