How do I…?
Take your notes with you
The video files can stay where they are. What you do not want to redo by hand is the catalog work: titles, stars, tags, resume positions. Export writes that metadata to a file. Import applies it to another library, or back to this one after you have edited the spreadsheet. Save Copy is the whole .machii catalog as a backup.
A metadata file, or a copy of the catalog
Export does not copy video files. Use it when another library should receive the notes, or when you want to edit a column in a spreadsheet and bring it back. Use Save Copy when you want a duplicate of the catalog file itself.
- Choose File → Save Copy… first if you want a way back. Skagway writes a timestamped duplicate of the .machii file. The library you had open stays open.
- Choose File → Export Metadata… (⌥⌘E) to export every video currently shown. Filter first if you do not want the whole library in the file. Right-click → Export Metadata… exports only the selection.
- Choose CSV for a spreadsheet, or JSON Lines for another tool. Check the fields you want. Content Fingerprint and Path are how a later import finds each video.
- On the other library, choose File → Import Metadata… (⌥⌘I) and open that file. Each row matches by Path first, then by Content Fingerprint, so a file that moved can still match.
- Tags in the file are added to the tags already on the video. When the import finishes, the summary reports Matched, Updated, and Unmatched.
Fields, match keys, and Save Copy are on the Export / Import page. See Export / Import.