How to Add Video Files¶

You add videos from the Add Videos Window. If the Window is hidden, you must unhide it by clicking View / Add Videos. The easiest way is to use the default Layout called Add Videos, including the Add videos Window.

Note: If you add videos already in your catalog, they will not get double entries.

Selecting video files¶

Videos can be dragged and dropped in the top box in the Add Videos window (where it says "Path"). You may also use the "Folder" or "File" button to add every video in a folder or a single video file. Sometimes it is easier to add too many videos and then right-click to remove the ones you don't want to keep in your video catalog.

Set thumb generation interval (optional)¶

When you add a video to the video catalog, the program scans to extract frames, which become the thumbnails that demarcate the evenly-spaced scenes throughout the video's length. You decide how these thumbnails get generated in Preferences(CTRL+P). In this tab, you can override the values previously specified in Preferences for the particular batch you are now adding.

Fill out shared properties¶

You can designate some common properties assigned to each new video when you add them to your video catalog. Shared properties are perfect when you know that they all share some set of specific details. You can subsequently add or modify details later. The more you enrich your video catalog with more information, the easier it is to work with it.

Keywords -- can be assigned to your videos. New keywords are entered directly into the box provided or selected from the list of those you have already entered and used.

Genre -- Here, you can categorize a video according to a specific genre. You can pick various standard genre designations, such as Animation, Drama, Action, Comedy, etc. You can also edit the list of genres. In general, it is better to work with Keywords, as you can be more specific.

Rating -- You can rate your videos on a scale of 1 -- 5, each vividly assigned as a corresponding number of gold stars in the Video Catalog window.

Link -- Here, you enter a link address for your video if, for example, you have published it online or wish to reference a website with additional information.

Video Cast - You can add several actors to your videos. Just drag actors from the Actors window into this box.

Index Video(s)¶

Click the Start button to index your selected videos and get them added to your video catalog.

Once a batch is indexing, you can add a new batch of videos. Changes to shared properties will not affect videos once they are in the indexing queue.

Failed files¶

Indexing videos can sometimes fail because the video file is corrupt or of an unsupported format. This video will appear in a failed videos list at the bottom of the Add Videos window.

Right-click any video file that failed to index and select "export list". This function saves paths to failed videos to a text file. Some professional scenarios can use this feature, but it is probably not crucial for everyday use. The tooltip over a failed video prints more info about why the video failed.

You can also retry the indexing of failed videos. Indexing can timeout if your computer is overloading and it takes too long to index a video file or if another program is interfering. If you change index settings, like enabling/disabling external DirectShow filters, these changes will be applied when you select Retry.

Note: Please note that Fast video cataloger is a 64-bit program. If you want to use external directshow filters, it is always the 64-bit versions of the filters that are used.