Trying to use the Media Tool as directed: that is, as directed by the excellent Avid Learning series of texts and Gaijin-Eyes tutorials (the very best and charming way to learn!), I seem to have missed something:
The purpose is simple: remove orphaned media objects; for example, remove orphaned media pre-computes of a single sequence. The media objects sought are usually pre-computes but perhaps include media files or master clips, as the user selects when opening the Media Tool.
But the Media Tool upon opening seems to list ALL the media pre-computes for the PROJECT. This project-wide scope and the resulting list seems to be the Media Tool base list and starting point.
Then select a sequence in a bin and then find its media relatives. Lo and behold, those media relatives appear highlighted in the bin and in the Media Tool display.
Then, for the purpose of finding orphans, we are instructed to reverse the selection and thus switch the highlight to unrelated media.
But wait! These newly highlighted "unrelated" items, while indeed unrelated to the sequence in question, are possibly related to other sequences.
Test Case: I created a new project and two bins, each with a couple of very simple sequences each with some rendered items which were then deleted or replaced, thus creating no-longer used media pre-computes. We will try to find those orphans and delete them with the Media Tool.
Upon opening, the Media Tool shows ALL the pre-computes for the entire PROJECT. And when the media relatives are selected for the bin object via the bin hamburger menu the media objects are highlighted in the bin they are also highlighted in the Media Tool list of all the project media. OK.
At this point, the instructions seem to say to reverse the Media Tool selection in order to delete the newly-highlighted, presumably orphaned media.
BUT reversing the Media Tool selection highlights for deletion ALL the other pre-computes in the entire project. In our test case, we can clearly see items in the Media Tool list now highlighted for deletion which are still being used elsewhere in the project.
Clearly, this is not what we want. The logic of this operation cannot be to select and highlight for deletion all the project objects no longer related to this sequence even if they are still related to other sequences as this list includes all the project pre-computes.
Or, try this: in our test case, open on bin and select a sequence for which there are NO pre-computes. Select the bin's hamburger Media Relatives option. Nothing changes in the Media Tool which continues to show ALL the pre-computes in the project. Select Reverse Selection in the MT hamburger menu. It now highlights for deletion ALL the other project pre-computes--even though they are related to sequences elsewhere in the project.
I must be missing something very basic here.
Your patient advice is awaited!
Mike