HELP: Overwrote original MOV after trimming in Quicktime Player Pro

I was editting a MOV movie file with Quicktime Player 7.6.6 Pro.

I trimmed the movie with Edit > Trim to selection, then I save it accidentally to the original file.

So now, I can only view the trimmed version of the movie, not the original file anymore.


The file size is still about the original size, and other movie players can play the whole original movie.

So, I believe Quicktime Player Pro saved some extra marker informations to the MOV file.

But I just can not find a way to erase these kind of markers in Quicktime Player Pro, and view the original movie again.


Anyone can help me out of this trouble?

Thank you So MUCH !!!

Quicktime Player Pro-OTHER, Windows XP

Posted on Dec 30, 2011 12:32 PM

Reply
8 replies

Dec 31, 2011 7:06 PM in response to johnny789

hi, man, take it easy,

While I feel it may be a waste of time, I will make one last attempt to answer some of your questions.



1) theoretically reversible? I was not talking about the triming operation, I am talking about save operation. Take a test by youself.

I used the term "theoretically" because, while the process is reversible, it requires certain values which the average user is not likely to have at their disposal or want to try and calculate.


The title of your topic implies that you have used QT 7 Pro to select a portion of your clip's progress bar by manually setting "in" and "out" points, then selected the Edit menu "Trim to Selection" option, and finally saved the file with these changes. Further, since you now appear to be complaining that there was no "confirmation" request before the save, I must also assume that your source data was already stored in an MOV file container as content like H.264/AAC in an M4V file container would normally call the "Save As..." routine at this point and ask you to provide a filename for a new MOV file container. Add to this the fact that you say the file was saved with the playback display limited to the segement of the progress bar which you previously selected means that you must have used the "Trim to Selection" Edit option as otherwise the the "Save" operation would have saved just the selection points in the progress bar and would have been an operation which is completely reversible from within QT 7 Pro.


In short, only the active steps of setting. trimming, and saving the file seems to create the situation of which you seemingly complain and then, only if the source file is an MOV file type. As an experienced QT 7 user I am well aware of how the application works and do not have to be reminded or forced to continuously confirm my actions. On the other hand, I suggest you run addition tests to become more familiar with the application and its operation so you can make suggestions as to how the application can be enhanced to better suit your specific needs.



2) I am just a normal user, ok? how can I reverse it now? tell me, or.... tell me you do not know.

As am I. (I.e., I am neither a professional videographer nor a professional programmer.) Since I already covered the "how" of the recovery operation, I will only add that I use the Dumpster utility to access, enter, and save the various values that actually reverse what you have done.



3) yes, a subset of data is currently valid, while, while, while, a huge section of other data is in the file, but I can never do anything about it with QT. Isn't it a piece of junk? Or, you are still rely on other programs to restore it. Stop it, I am talking about QT's context. I guess you are not a software engineer.

Not "a huge section of other data" but rather the entire original file of data together with modified pointer values.


No, QT 7 is an editing utility—not an unediting utility (another enhancement you are welcome to request) nor is it a resource editor.


If you think it a piece of junk, don't use it. It serves my needs as a quick workflow for edits that do not require the use of a full video editing software suite.


To "fix" the changes you have made you now have to overwrite the values your changes overwrote in the first place with the values that were originally overwritten but no longer available within the file for QT 7 to use in your desired "unediting" process. So, yes, I do have to rely on other applications here, as well as, values which I either know or have to calculate and then test by trial and error.


Not familiar with the phrase "QT's context" or what you think you mean when using the term.


Lastly, as already indicated I am not a software engineer. On the other hand I am a problem solver and can often reverse engineer a solution as in this particular case. Consider this process as something akin to the generation of a longhand algorythm to calculate cube roots based on your knowledge of how to calculate square roots in longhand.



I told you your original suggestion is not working so far for me in my first reply. I do not have much knowledge about the MOV files, that is why I feel in trouble and ask for help here, ok? But I feel there might be a way, that is what I am ask for.

I only re-addressed the original suggestion as a possible solution which might be easily applied by an average QT user since the alternative would likely require lengthy one-on-one time to demonstrate. (I.e., something not lightly undertaken except possibly with other members of our local Video SIG and likely requiring more than one session of instruction, demonstration, and discussion to cover not only the basic workflow but also the background on which it is based and use of the utility involved.)


Since you indicated the file was not of any major loss and I assumed your were looking for a possibly quick and simple solution rather than one that requires a software development level of interest, I did not mention a work flow which I did not expect you use requiring software which is no longer be available from the Apple Deveoper's area to access and modify values which you are unlikely to have available.


As to there being a way to do this, earlier today I managed to recover a test file (MOV Apple Tutorial) which I "trimmed" and "saved" in the manner I assumed you had processed your file. Of course, I had the required values available and only had to "plug" them into the proper file locations to regain playback of all the clip's data.



While, I still think you are trying to help. Just do not understand, why it feels like you are protecting apple. What makes it so perfect?

I do not consider my attitude one of protecting Apple or its products. I neither work for Apple nor (unfortunately) own stock in their company. Based on my experience using the QT Pro appplication, I simply have a different concept regarding what it can or should be able to do and have adapted my workflows to avoid your so-called "bugs."


User uploaded file

Dec 30, 2011 5:12 PM in response to johnny789

Just feel this is a stupid bug of Quicktime Player.

Not sure what you consider a "bug" here. As you correctly guessed, the option to trim and save a file with QT 7 Pro does not really modify the data in the original file—instead merely re-witing the "in" and "out" points for playback. This is very quick procedure and is often used where editing time is more important than file space economy. As you pointed out, the content is only played in its "trimmed" form by media players programmed to use these "in" and "out points. Other media players ignore them and continue to play the entire file normally. On the other hand, if you trim the same file and use the "Save As..." option, your original file remains unchanged and the data between your "in" and "out" markers is re-written to a new, standalone MOV file container. This takes more time but the new file only contains the actual data you wish to keep as a "standalone" file. Of cource, the third option "Save As.../Reference File" is available for users who want both speedy editing and very small (what I like to call "what if") files by creating a new file that only contains instructions regarding how the source file's data will be played in the reference file. Its major disadvantage is that both the source and reference files are required for playback but is a great way to quickly create and evaluate editing "tweaks" to content playback. As such, I consider each of these workflows useful in their own way and not a "bug."


As to avoiding such mistakes in the future, I normally recommend users either use the "Command-D" shortcut to create duplicate files for editing before opening the duplicate file in the QT 7 Pro Player or use the "Command-A, Command-C, Command-N, Command-V" shortcut sequince to quickly create a new untitled duplicate player file for editing from a file already opened in QT 7 Pro.


User uploaded file

Dec 31, 2011 7:39 AM in response to Jon Walker

I feel it is a bug in a sense that:


1) The process is irreversible (just as a normal overwriting save) while it didn't ask user to confirm their operation.


2) As these extra data are small & extra, something irreversible shouldn't exist in the first place.


3) It keeps the original data, while it can only be played by another player in a bad way (like wrong timeline, can not jump to a time). So, these original data means a picece of junk in some way, and expecially in QT 7 Pro its own context. A responsible software engineer may treat this (making useful data a junk, & keep this junk) as a bug.


By the way, really expect some suggestions on solving the problem, not on preventing it from happening again.

in out point are just some numbers in the MOV file, right? Is there any way to modify these numbers directly?


Thanks for helping, Jon Walker,

Dec 31, 2011 9:00 AM in response to johnny789

I feel it is a bug in a sense that:


1) The process is irreversible (just as a normal overwriting save) while it didn't ask user to confirm their operation.


2) As these extra data are small & extra, something irreversible shouldn't exist in the first place.


3) It keeps the original data, while it can only be played by another player in a bad way (like wrong timeline, can not jump to a time). So, these original data means a picece of junk in some way, and expecially in QT 7 Pro its own context. A responsible software engineer may treat this (making useful data a junk, & keep this junk) as a bug.

1) Incorrect. The process is theoretically reversible (i.e., the overwriting save merely modifies header data already present in the file). If you want the application to ask the user to confirm his or her intention to trim the content, then send QT feedback asking to include this request for confirmation in the application. (I don't need this since the "Trim" action itself confirms the trim settings already manually made in the progress bar but I could live with the secondary warning if you required it.)


2) Incorrect. The data is not extra at all and is reversible if you know the original information to be restored.


3) I fail to follow your reasoning since nothing is turned into "junk" but rather logical changes are made to movie/track headers within the file denoting the subset of data to be considered "currently" valid by QT based media players.



By the way, really expect some suggestions on solving the problem, not on preventing it from happening again.

in out point are just some numbers in the MOV file, right? Is there any way to modify these numbers directly?

Sorry. My original suggestion was made in the hope that some third-party media player might be capable of restoring the original hearder data via a simple "Save" since the "Edit List" data is ignored during playback. Had you indicated that you had the knowledge, expertise, software, and required values available to analyze and modify the QT files, I would have simply told you to manually reset the movie and all track Duration values to their original "tic" setting and to restore all track Edit Lists to their original "tic" duration and "tic" Media Time values.


User uploaded file

Dec 31, 2011 2:51 PM in response to Jon Walker

hi, man, take it easy,


1) theoretically reversible? I was not talking about the triming operation, I am talking about save operation. Take a test by youself.


2) I am just a normal user, ok? how can I reverse it now? tell me, or.... tell me you do not know.


3) yes, a subset of data is currently valid, while, while, while, a huge section of other data is in the file, but I can never do anything about it with QT. Isn't it a piece of junk? Or, you are still rely on other programs to restore it. Stop it, I am talking about QT's context. I guess you are not a software engineer.


I told you your original suggestion is not working so far for me in my first reply. I do not have much knowledge about the MOV files, that is why I feel in trouble and ask for help here, ok? But I feel there might be a way, that is what I am ask for.


While, I still think you are trying to help. Just do not understand, why it feels like you are protecting apple. What makes it so perfect?

Jan 1, 2012 7:03 PM in response to Jon Walker

You always wrote more than I did, but nothing helps, just to argue with me.


While, when I said I think it is a bug, it is from a programmer's point of view. So, if you are not a programmer, what are you arguring about?


Maybe you have the ability to help me, but you provided too much useless information. Useful information? can not see it.


"QT's Context" means just talking about QT, not mention other softwares.

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HELP: Overwrote original MOV after trimming in Quicktime Player Pro

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