Learn, Info, Events and Progress panels in Video by Zaweba
The Learn panel's eight tutorials, file Info, the Events log, background Progress and large timecode in Video by Zaweba, and when to open each.
Four small panels in Video by Zaweba do quiet but useful jobs. One teaches, one tells you about files, one keeps a record of what happened and one shows work going on in the background. Alongside them, a large timecode display under the View menu helps when you need to read the time from across a room.
None of these are where the editing happens. They are the panels that keep you informed while it does.
Learn: eight tutorials inside the app
The Learn panel holds eight step-by-step tutorials. They walk through tasks inside the app itself, so you follow along on a real project rather than reading instructions in one window and trying them in another.
If you are new to Video by Zaweba, or new to editing, work through them in your first sessions. Even experienced editors coming from another program will pick up how this app does familiar things, which is often the quickest way to stop reaching for menus that are not there.
Come back to them later, too. A tutorial on a part of the app you have not needed yet is a good introduction when a job finally calls for it.
Info: facts about a file
The Info panel shows details about the selected file. When a clip behaves oddly, plays too fast or slow, or looks the wrong shape, the details there usually explain why: a frame rate that differs from the project, an unusual size, or a format you did not expect. Check it before guessing.
Events: a log of what happened
The Events panel keeps a log. When something goes wrong, such as an import that fails or an export that stops, the log usually says what happened and when. That is far more helpful than an error that flashed past and vanished.
It is also the first place to look when asking someone for help. A line from the log describes a problem more precisely than any description from memory.
Progress: work in the background
Long jobs such as exports, renders and transcodes run in the background, so you can keep editing. The Progress panel shows what is running and how far along it is. Glance at it before closing the app or shutting down, so you do not stop a job halfway through.
If the computer feels slow while you edit, the Progress panel often explains why: something heavy is running behind the scenes.
Large timecode
Under View there is a large timecode display. It shows the current position in big figures, readable from a distance. That suits reviewing a cut with someone sitting further back, logging footage while glancing up from notes, or any time you need to call out positions in a session.
Keeping them close
You do not need all four panels open all the time. A sensible approach is to keep Progress somewhere small and visible, open Info and Events when something needs explaining, and visit Learn when you are learning. Save a workspace with the arrangement you like, and Video by Zaweba will remember it for you.
