| Solution |
You can import clips from a recording media displayed in the media panel to the computer. You can import all the clips at once or select which clips to import. You can also select multiple recording media to import in one go all the clips they contain.
Using the auto backup function, XF Utility can automatically back up all the clips saved in a recording media whenever one is detected.
IMPORTANT
- Although the example procedure below is shown in Windows 7, similar procedures can be used in Windows 10, Windows 8/8.1 and Mac OS X environments.
Reading recording media with the computer
1. Start Canon XF Utility.
2. Connect a commercially available card reader compatible with CFast or SD memory cards to your computer, depending on the type of recording media you plan to use. Start up XF Utility and then insert the recording media into the card reader. When the recording media is correctly recognized*, it will appear in the list of available media in the media panel.
* Only recording media that were initialized using the camcorder and have the designated folder structure will be correctly.
- Overview of the Main Window
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Backup toolbar |
With these buttons you can manually back up recording media. The icons displayed also serve as an indication of the backup (including auto backup) settings. |
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Folder tree |
The folder tree allows you to quickly select folders and access clips stored in the computer. You can also set the selected folder as a virtual media so it appears permanently in the media panel. |
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Media panel |
Shows a list of recording media connected to the computer (directly or through a card reader) and virtual media (local folders on the computer that have the same folder structure as recording media and can be used in the same way). In the manual, recording media and virtual media are collectively referred to as "media".
With the buttons in the virtual media toolbar, on the top part of the media panel, you can create and delete virtual media, add local folders as virtual media or remove them, and rearrange the order of the displayed virtual media. |
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Status bar |
The left side of the status bar shows the used and available space on the media*1 selected in the media panel. When multiple media are selected, the number of media selected will be displayed instead. In the center of the status bar you will see information regarding the number of selected clips and their total playback time and file size. |
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Clips panel |
Shows a list of the clips stored in the media curently selected in the media panel or the folder*2 currently selected in the folder tree. With the buttons in the search toolbar, on the top part of the clips panel, you can search or filter clips by different criteria ; and with the drop-down button at the top right corner of the panel, you can select how the clips are displayed. |
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Preview panel |
In this panel you can use the playback buttons to play back the selected clip and control various aspects of the playback such as select audio channels, apply a viewing LUT or view the playback image at 100% size. You can also grab frames from the video and save them as image files and add shot marks to the clip. |
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Metadata panel |
This panel shows the metadata recorded with the clip selected in the clips panel. With the tabs on the top of the metadata panel you can switch the information displayed between the clip properties, the camera's metadata, the custom picture file used to record the clip or the list of marks in the clip. |
*1 When a virtual media is selected, the status bar will show the used/available space on the hard disk that contains the selected virtual media.
*2 The clips themselves are saved under the "CONTENTS" subfolder.
IMPORTANT
For CFast cards, please use a card reader that supports CFast cards.
NOTE
- Multiple instances of XF Utility cannot be opened simultaneously.
- Use of a commercially-available, UDMA-compatible card reader is recommended.
Importing all clips at once (Media Backup)
You can import all the clips stored in a recording media at once by backing up the recording media. When you back up a recording media, a virtual media is created automatically in a specified folder in the computer. You can even specify a second backup folder to automatically save two backup copies of your recordings.
- To change the backup settings
1. Click Tools -> User Configuration.
- The User Configuration dialog box will appear
2. Select the Folders Used for Backup ( ).
- You can choose to back up to only one folder or to two folders.
3. Specify the Folder for Backup Files ( ).
- Depending on your selection in step 2, click Browse and then select the destination folder for [Folder A], [Folder B], or both.
4. Click [OK] ( ) to close the dialog box. Depending on the settings selected, the [  A / B ] icons in the backup toolbar will indicate which folder(s) are used for backup.
5. In the folder tree or media panel, select the recording media you want to back up ( ).
6. Click the [  : Back Up Media ] button ( ) in the backup toolbar or, in the menu, click File -> Back Up Media.
7. Only when backing up a recording media that has already been backed up previously, you will be asked to select the type of backup you want to create.
NOTE
- Select [Full Backup] to import all the clips again or [Incremental Backup] to back up only those clips that have not been imported previously.
8. Click Yes.
- A virtual media will be created automatically () and the clips will be copied to the local folder on the computer.
- If in step 7 you selected the Incremental Backup option, any new clips will be copied to the folder used for the original backup.
- Click Cancel to interrupt the operation.
- When the backup operation is completed, a confirmation dialog box will show the name automatically given to the virtual media. (The name of the virtual media represents the date and time of the backup operation.)
9. Click [OK].
NOTE
- If you prefer, you can rename virtual media later on*
- Depending on the system used (the computerâs performance specifications, transfer rate of the recording media, etc.), importing clips can take some time.
* For more information, please refer to the Canon XF Utility instruction manual.
Importing selected clips
You can select which clips to import to the computer from the clips stored in a recording media. In such case, you will need to create in advance a virtual media in the local folder on the computer where you want to save the clips.
1. Prepare a virtual media where the type of clips you want to import can be saved*.
* For more information, please refer to the Canon XF Utility instruction manual.
2. In the media panel, select the recording media that contains the clips you want to import ( ).
- You can select multiple recording media.
3. In the clips panel, select the clips you want to import ( ).
- To select multiple, non-successive clips : Click the desired clips while holding the Ctrl key (Ctrl + Click).
- To select multiple, successive clips : Click the first clip and then click the last clip while holding the Shift key (Shift + Click).
- To select all clips : Click Edit -> Select All.
4. Drag the selected clips onto the icon of the desired virtual media in the media panel ( ).
- The selected clips will be copied to the local folder corresponding to the selected virtual media.
- Click Cancel to interrupt the operation.
NOTE
Depending on the system used (the computerâs performance specifications, transfer rate of the recording media, etc.), importing clips can take some time.
Auto Backup
You can configure XF Utility so that all the clips stored in a recording media are automatically backed up into a folder in the computer whenever the software detects that a recording media is connected to the computer. You can even specify a second auto backup folder to automatically save two backup copies of your recordings.
1. Click Tools -> User Configuration.
- The User Configuration dialog box will appear.
2. Select the Folders Used for Backup.
- You can choose to back up to only one folder or to two folders
3. Specify the Folder for Backup Files.
- Depending on your selection in step 2, click Browse and then select the destination folder for [Folder A], [Folder B], or both.
4. Select the Auto Backup ( ) settings.
| All media |
Automatically backs up clips every time a recording media is detected. |
| Only media with clips recorded in full auto mode |
Automatically backs up clips only if the media that was detected contains clips that were recorded using full auto mode. |
| Do not use auto backup |
Turns off the auto backup function. |
5. If necessary, uncheck the Display reminder message box ( ).
- If you uncheck the box, the Do not use auto backup setting is automatically selected and the auto backup reminder message will not appear when a recording media is detected.
6. Click [OK] ( ) to close the dialog box.
- Depending on the settings selected, the [AUTO] icon in the backup toolbar will indicate if the auto backup function is on (white) or off (grayed out), and the [ A / B ] icons will indicate which folder(s) are used for auto backup.
7. Connect a recording media or a camera to the computer.
8. Only when backing up a recording media that has already been backed up previously, you will be asked to select the type of backup you want to create.
NOTE
- Select [Full Backup] to import all the clips again or [Incremental Backup] to back up only those clips that have not been imported previously.
9. Click Yes.
- A virtual media will be created automatically and the clips will be copied to the local folder on the computer.
- If in step 8 you selected the Incremental Backup option, any new clips will be copied to the folder used for the original backup.
- Click Cancel to interrupt the operation.
- When the backup operation is completed, a confirmation dialog box will show the name automatically given to the virtual media. (The name of the virtual media represents the date and time of the backup operation.)
10. Click [OK].
NOTE
- If you activated the auto backup function, XF Utility will automatically back up the clips from the detected recording media. If you selected to back up to both folders, XF Utility will back up the clips first to [Folder A] and then to [Folder B].
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