General Tab

From the Options menu, choose Preferences and select the General tab to specify miscellaneous options.

Item

Description

Automatically open last project on startup

When this checkbox is selected, last project you edited will be reopened if the project was still open when you exited VEGAS Pro.

Confirm media deletion when still in use

When this checkbox is selected, a message box will appear asking if you want to delete a media file that is currently in use by the project.

Save active prerenders on project close

When this checkbox is selected, prerendered video files are preserved when a project is closed.

Close media files when not the active application

When this checkbox is selected, files can be edited in external editors (audio, image, etc.) while they are contained in events on the VEGAS Pro timeline.

Close audio and MIDI ports when not the active application

Select this checkbox if you want to close audio and MIDI ports when you switch to another application.

Use Newsfeed to stay informed about VEGAS product updates

When this checkbox is selected, you will receive notification when updates are available. Clear the checkbox to bypass the Newsfeed dialog.

Prompt to adjust project settings to match first media added to timeline

Select this checkbox if you want VEGAS Pro to ask you whether you want to match your project video settings to match the first video media you add to the timeline.

NOTE If you choose a VEGAS Pro project (.veg) file, VEGAS Pro will match the settings of the project, not the media within the project.

When the checkbox is cleared, no prompt will be displayed.

For more information, see Setting project properties

Check project file type associations at startup

When this checkbox is selected, VEGAS Pro will check whether VEGAS Pro files are associated with VEGAS Pro and will prompt you to restore the file association if necessary.

Enable joystick support

Select this checkbox if you want to use a joystick to control panning, color corrector wheels, and other controls. For more information, see Using a joystick for panning, adjusting controls, and color correction

Clearing the checkbox can prevent problems with copy-protection dongles.

Allow pulldown removal when opening 24p DV

Select this checkbox if you want to remove pulldown when you open 24 fps progressive-scan DV video files.

When the checkbox is cleared, 24p video is read as 29.97 fps interlaced video (60i).

AAF Export - Use frame unit for audio This enables the use of frame units instead of time units for audio when exporting to AAF format.
AAF Export - Use clip-based audio envelope When this option is selected, audio volume changes (envelopes) that have been applied directly to clips in the Vegas Pro timeline will be included in the AAF file when exporting. This ensures that audio level adjustments carry over to other systems that support AAF, maintaining the audio dynamics set in VEGAS Pro.

Import stereo as dual mono

When this checkbox is selected, two-channel audio files will be opened as separate mono audio events on separate tracks:

The audio events are grouped, and tracks that are created by adding media will be panned hard left and hard right. You can select an event and choose Edit | Channels to choose which channel is used for that event.

You can use this feature when working with two-channel source media that contains two distinct audio channels, such as an interview in which channel 1 contains the interviewer's voice and channel 2 contains the subject's voice.

When the checkbox is cleared, two-channel audio files will be opened as a stereo pair on a single track:

For more information, see Audio channels

Use GPU processing for ACES color management

This allows VEGAS Pro to use the computer's GPU to process ACES (Academy Color Encoding System) color management tasks.

Prompt to keep files after recording

When this checkbox is selected, the Recorded Files dialog box will appear after every recording session allowing you to rename, delete, or keep the .wav file.

Create undos for FX parameter changes

When this checkbox is selected, undos are created for all changes made to effect parameters.

Keep bypassed FX running

Select this checkbox if you want effects to remain open so you can bypass/enable effects with no pause for A/B testing. When the checkbox is cleared, effects are fully bypassed, conserving processing power.

Automatically name regions and markers if not playing

When this checkbox is selected, an edit box is displayed so you can name markers and regions as you place them.

Use linear scrub range

When this checkbox is selected, the scrub control uses a linear range. When the checkbox is cleared, the playback rate increases or decreases more as you drag toward the ends of the scrub control.

For more information, see Scrubbing

Allow Ctrl+drag cursor style scrub over events

When this checkbox is selected, you can scrub with the mouse even when the cursor is over an event.

Always draw marker lines

Select this checkbox if you want to extend marker and region lines across tracks in the VEGAS Pro timeline. When the checkbox is cleared, marker lines are drawn only when Enable Snapping is turned on.

For more information, see Enable snapping

Allow edit cursor to be dragged

Select this checkbox if you want to be able to drag the cursor to change its position on the timeline and in the Trimmer window. When this checkbox is selected, you can position the cursor without losing your loop region

To create a time selection without moving the cursor, hold the Shift key.

Double-click on media file loads into Trimmer instead of tracks

When checked, double-clicking a media file will open the file in the Trimmer window instead of adding the file to a track.

Show Trimmer history with filename first, then folder

When this checkbox is selected, the Trimmer history drop-down list displays the media file's name first, followed by the folder it is in. Select this to reverse the names.

Automatically save Trimmer markers and regions with media file

When this checkbox is selected, markers and regions created at the media file level in the Trimmer will be saved to the file.

Provide a warning if a track being deleted holds at least one event

Unselect this checkbox when you don't want to be warned when you delete a track that contains events.

Warn if creating a nested timeline may adversely affect the project This option will give a warning if creating a nested timeline could potentially have negative consequences for the project.
Warn to save modified nested timeline prior to opening parent timeline You'll receive a warning to save any modifications made to a media timeline before opening the parent timeline.
Always show Welcome Screen when program starts When checked, the Welcome Screen will always be displayed upon starting VEGAS Pro.
Automatically thin envelopes after drawing Enables the automatic thinning of envelopes after they are drawn to reduce the number of points and smooth out the envelope curve.
Enable autosave If selected, VEGAS Pro will automatically save your project at regular intervals.
Double-click event edge to toggle Expanded Edit Mode Allows you to enter the Expanded Edit Mode by double-clicking the edge of an event.
Enable Automatic FX Window Resizing When enabled, the FX window will resize automatically based on the number of effects.
Disable hardware detection launch warning Disables the warning message that appears if there is a potential issue detected with hardware at the program's launch.
Do not create .sfk files to store peak data

With this preference active, VEGAS Pro still creates the .sfk data so that it can show the audio waveform and display proper metering. However, this .sfk data is stored in temporary memory instead of in a permanent .sfk file.

This only affects .sfk data that you create when you add a new audio file to the project. If any .sfk files already exist from earlier, VEGAS Pro still uses those files. If you delete those old .sfk files, VEGAS Pro will rebuild them when you add the files again or return to your project, but now this information will also be held in temporary memory.

Since the .sfk data is temporary, it is lost as soon as you close the project. This means that when you reopen the project, VEGAS Pro will need time to rebuild the .sfk data before it can show the waveforms and so on.

Hide new .sfk files

The preference flags newly created SFK files as Hidden so that they honor your Window Hidden Files settings. Change your Windows settings to show hidden files, and you will now see the .sfk file along with the original audio file.

This preference only affects .sfk files that are created after you set it. .sfk files created previously do not contain the hide flag and thus do not react to this preference. If you want those .sfk files to also respect the hide flag, delete the existing .sfk files. Then return to your VEGAS Pro project. Since VEGAS Pro will no longer find those deleted .sfk files, it creates new ones for any audio in your project. Those new .sfk files now contain the hide flag and will be hidden according to your Windows settings.

Send analysis data to MAGIX If this is checked, VEGAS Pro will send analysis data to MAGIX for product improvement purposes.

Recently used project list

Select the checkbox and enter a number in the edit box if you want to list your most recently used projects at the bottom of the File menu.

Temporary files folder

Displays the folder where temporary files are created. Click the Browse button to specify a new folder.

NOTE When you add a media file from a removable device, a copy of the media file is stored in a subfolder within this folder. This keeps the media file available for use even if the source of the media is no longer accessible.

Be aware that these subfolders are cleared when you close the VEGAS Pro application. However, they are not cleared if the application closes inappropriately.

Free storage space in selected folder

Displays the amount of space available in the folder specified in the Temporary files folder box.

Default All

Restores the General page options to the default settings.