R3d file extension hierarchy problems

[Jeremy Drake]

So there was an accident in the workflow and I don't have the RDC (clips) in the RDM (magazine) folder. I'm able to create a folder that matches the magazine and the date and whatnot but I don't know the hexidecimal code at the end (the 2 digits before the ".")

Now I'm trying to reconform the footage in FCP and it freezes when I open that particular folder.

Is there any way to find out what the magazine number was originally? Is that information embedded in the r3d file?

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Unfortunately, those two characters are randomly generated as a means of avoiding possible duplicate filenames. They are not stored in metadata or anywhere I'm aware of, they're not in the mag profiles on the media either.

RDM folder is camera ID letter, reel number, month, day, random characters, then .RDM extension. So A003_1015Q7.RDM would be camera A, reel number 3, October 15, Q7 (random tag) dot RDM.

Can you check somewhere on a backup? Do you have a project saved that references the files? FCP, Premiere, etc.. will usually tell you the location of the files it can't find, so you'll know the name of the .RDM folder you would need to use.

Or just create a new folder to put all your clips in and then re-link your media in your project and move on. The .RDM is just a folder name and doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. Just so long as you can always get your applications linking back to the right files.

 

[Stefan Auer]

if you open a r3d file with a text editor or hex editor you can see the filename at the beginning (starting after the first 67 bytes)

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

if you open a r3d file with a text editor or hex editor you can see the filename at the beginning (starting after the first 67 bytes)

Yep, unfortunately that doesn't give us the RDM name. You can also view the R3D filename via the metadata viewer in REDCINE-X.

In the case of the misplaced RDM name, I think the best option is to open up whatever application can now not find the files (if you have a project saved) and it will have the RDM folder name in the path to the file it can't find. Problem solved.

If you don't have that, then what matters? Create a ...._....XX.RDM folder and dump all your RDC's in there. Good to go. Make a note that you did this - make an OMGREADTHISFILEDUDE.TXT that explains what you did. That way if someone ever restores the original media from a backup or something, they don't go "WTF"? When the RDM's don't match up.

 

[Stefan Auer]

ah, sorry. I mixed up RDM with RMD