File operations

Everyday actions

1. Show in Finder (⌥⌘F) — reveal the file on disk.
2. Edit Title… — press Return on a single selected video, or use the context menu. Changes the library display name only; the file on disk stays the same.
3. Rename File… — rename the file on disk from the context menu. Original File Name in the catalog is preserved for search and export.
4. Open With — open the file in any capable installed app.

Bulk Rename…

1. File → Bulk Rename… renames every video in the current filtered view. Right-click → Bulk Rename… renames only the selection.
2. Build a Name pattern from fields (Identity, Media, Library, Custom) and these Special tokens:

   Token	Optional arguments	Description	Examples
   {Inc …}	Starting number; digit width sets zero-padding	Sequential counter for each file in the batch	{Inc 1}, {Inc 015}
   {Conflict …}	Prefix + starting number	Empty when the new name is unique; on collision, inserts a disambiguator	{Conflict -1}, {Conflict -01}
   {Stem}	Case: lower|L, upper|U, title|T, Name|N	Current file name without its extension	{Stem}, {Stem lower}
   {Date …}	Date format string	Today’s date in the format you specify	{Date yyyy-MM-dd}, {Date MMM-yyyy}
   {UUID8}	—	Eight random hex characters, unique per file	{UUID8}

3. Watch the live Preview columns. Skipped rows show why.
4. Click Rename N Files to apply. A results sheet offers Retry Failed if anything goes wrong.

Original File Name is preserved in the catalog for search and export — bulk rename changes the file on disk, not that historical name.

Move files

1. Right-click → Move Files… and choose a destination folder (Move Here).
2. Moves on the same volume are instant and do not appear in the Move Queue.
3. Cross-volume moves copy first, verify, then remove the original — a crash cannot lose the only copy.
4. Cross-volume progress shows in the bottom activity strip. Click the strip or View → Move Queue… to abort, retry, or reorder.

Fix for Built-in Player… (re-encode)

1. Right-click → Fix for Built-in Player… converts a video to a widely compatible MP4 (H.264/AAC). This requires ffmpeg — set it up once under Settings → Tools.
2. The original file is kept as a _backup until you delete it, so nothing is lost if an encode fails or you change your mind.
3. Jobs run one at a time. Open the queue from the activity strip, the header pill after it finishes, or View → Re-encode Queue… — restore or delete backups there.
4. Finished conversions appear in Recently Converted.

Queue pills and the activity strip

1. Busy work appears as text + percent in the bottom activity strip (for example Re-encode 42% or Moving 18% · +2).

   Click to enlarge

2. After a re-encode finishes, a circular-arrows pill stays in the header so you can still open the queue. Moves use the activity strip only; successful ones clear themselves.

   Click to enlarge

3. Re-encode rows stay while a backup remains.

Remove vs. Delete

1. Remove from Library (⌥⌘R) — Skagway forgets the video but the file stays on disk. Rescanning the folder will bring it back.
2. Delete Video… (⌘⌫) — moves the actual file to the Trash after a confirmation.
3. You can turn delete confirmations off under Settings → Library → Confirm deletions.

Duplicates

1. The Duplicates smart library groups videos whose file content matches — even if names differ.
2. Keep the copy you want, then delete or remove the rest.
3. False positive? Right-click → Not a Duplicate and Skagway remembers the exception.

Fix thumbnails and filmstrips

1. Regenerate Thumbnail — picks a fresh frame for videos that landed on a black frame or title card. Works on multi-selections.
2. Set Poster from Image… — choose any image file as the poster (also works by dragging an image onto a grid card).
3. Modify Filmstrip… — change the rows and columns of a video’s filmstrip preview.
4. For frame-perfect thumbnails from the current playback frame, use ⌥⌘M instead.