If you intend to export your project as an AAF file, please note the following usage guidelines and plan your project accordingly:

• Audio and video cuts are preserved.

• Track-based audio gain and panning are preserved when saving or importing AAF files.

  Select the AAF Export – Use clip-based audio envelope check box on the General tab of the Preferences dialog if you want to combine track and event gain envelopes and save them as clip-based gain envelopes in the AAF file. When the check box is cleared, track envelopes are saved as track envelopes, and event envelopes are saved as clip envelopes.

  When exchanging AAF with another application, refer to its documentation to determine whether audio gain and panning changes are supported.

• Muted audio tracks are not included in the AAF file.

• When you import an AAF file, the track- and clip-based gain envelopes are combined and imported as track envelopes.

• Audio and video effects are ignored.

• All video transitions are exported as AAF Video Dissolve transitions.

• All audio crossfades are exported as AAF Mono Audio Dissolve transitions.

• Time-stretched video is exported using the AAF “Video Speed Control” effect.

• Time-stretched audio is not supported: audio events that are time stretched will play at their original speed, and time is added to the track to represent the stretched duration; audio events that are time compressed will play at the original speed, but the event is trimmed to match the compressed event length.

• Any track that has mono and stereo audio will be ignored; the AAF format does not allow mono and stereo audio on a single track.

• Still images will be exported as 1,080,000 frames (the AAF specification does not allow media with a length and frame rate of 0).

• Track order in your exported AAF will not match your project: in the track model, the first track represents the foreground; in the AAF specification, the first track represents the background.

• Audio is exported using frame units when the AAF Export – Use frame unit for audio check box is selected on the General tab of the Preferences dialog. Clear the check box if you want to use sample units for exported audio (use this setting only if your project contains audio only or if you know the application that will import your AAF supports frame units for video and sample units for audio).

1. From the File menu, choose Save As. The Save As dialog is displayed.

2. Select the drive and folder where you want to store the project.

3. Type a name in the File Name box.

4. From the Save as type drop-down list, choose Edit Protocol Compliant AAF File (*.aaf) or Avid Legacy AAF File (*.aaf).

5. Select the Embed WAVE/AIFC Media check box if you want to embed audio that uses the wave or AIFC codec with your AAF file.  

   This check box is available only if Edit Protocol Compliant AAF File is selected from the Save as Type drop-down list.

Only individual audio files that use the wave or AIFC codec will be embedded. Audio streams from video files of audio that does not use the wave or AIFC codec will not be embedded.

6. Type a name for the file and browse for a destination.

7. Click Save.

If you intend to import an AAF file into a project, please note the following usage guidelines and plan your project accordingly:

• Audio and video cuts are preserved.

• Track-based audio gain and panning are preserved when saving or importing AAF files.

  When you import an AAF file, the track- and clip-based gain envelopes are combined and imported as track envelopes.

  When exchanging AAF with another application, refer to its documentation to determine whether audio gain and panning changes are supported.

• All video transitions are imported as crossfades.

• Audio and video effects are ignored.

• The AAF Video Speed Control effect is preserved and mapped to the Playback rate setting in the imported event’s properties.

• If you import an AAF file that has embedded wave or AIFC audio, the files will be extracted to the same folder as the AAF file when you import the project.

1. From the File menu, choose Import, and then choose AAF from the submenu. The Import dialog is displayed.

2. Choose the folder where the project you want to open is stored:

• Choose a drive and folder from the Look in drop-down list.

  —or—

• Choose a folder from the Recent drop-down list to quickly select a folder from which you have previously opened files.

3. Select a file in the browse window or type a name in the File name box.

4. Click Open. The AAF is imported into the current project.

If you intend to import an AAF file into a project, please note the following usage guidelines and plan your project accordingly:

• Audio and video cuts are preserved.

• Track-based audio gain and panning are preserved when saving or importing AAF files.

  When you import an AAF file, the track- and clip-based gain envelopes are combined and imported as track envelopes.

  When exchanging AAF with another application, refer to its documentation to determine whether audio gain and panning changes are supported.

• All video transitions are imported as crossfades.

• Audio and video effects are ignored.

• The AAF Video Speed Control effect is preserved and mapped to the Playback rate setting in the imported event’s properties.

• If you import an AAF file that has embedded wave or AIFC audio, the files will be extracted to the same folder as the AAF file when you import the project.

1. From the File menu, choose Open. The Open dialog is displayed.

2. Choose the folder where the project you want to open is stored:

• Choose a drive and folder from the Look in drop-down list.

  —or—

• Choose a fo
  lder from the Recent drop-down list to quickly select a folder from which you have previously opened files.

3. Select a file in the browse window or type a name in the File name box.

4. Click Open. If you have not saved the current project, you will be prompted to save your changes.