1. Index Menu

      2. Related audio files can be grouped into a single larger file known as an "indexed file". Each of the individual file segments or "indexes" is assigned an "index number". You can access any audio segment by simply referring to its index number. It's a lot like a compact disc, where each piece of music can be accessed by its number. Indexed files are very useful in organizing and managing large numbers of related files.

      Since Indexed files contain additional format, control, and annotation information, you can make each separate sound segment just the way you want and then you can play these back by number. VFEdit stores all of this special information in a file header that is saved with the file.

      The Index Menu is your doorway into and out of these library collections of numbered sound segments, much as the File Menu is your doorway into and out of the files themselves. You might say that an "Indexed" file is a sort of archive library. It is a whole collection of smaller sound snippets, all stored as sub-files, within the larger library file.

      1. When Would You Use Index?

        2. Suppose that you have a collection of sound segments in various Index files. You can browse the "Contents" list to find that sound of a fire engine or where you put that segment of the kitty purring. Indexed files let you create a kind of "clip-sound" collection, much like a clip-art collection.

        The Index Menu lets you select an audio segment that already contains recorded data, or create a new segment containing no recorded data. You can also delete an old or unused segment. VFEdit automatically expands and contracts the indexed file to accommodate new recordings or to eliminate any wasted space.

        But before you can use the Index Menu, you must choose the File Type of Indexed Audio (*.vap) in the File New or File Open dialog box.

      2. Creating a New Indexed file

        3. This dialog box is through the File New pull-down menu choice, or by the File New icon bar button. If you choose WaveAudio (*.wav), or Pure (*.vox), the Index Menu will be disabled.

        When you choose Indexed Audio (*.vap), VFEdit shows you the File Input/Output dialog box, and asks you to "Enter index count:"; this lets you specify how many empty indexes you would like to create. You can later change this number by adding or subtracting empty index entries using Index Create and Index Delete.

      3. Opening an existing Indexed file

        4. This dialog box is through the File Open pull-down menu choice, or by the File Open icon bar button. If you choose WaveAudio (*.wav), or Pure (*.vox), the Index Menu will be disabled. After selecting File Open you will be presented with a dialog list box from which to select the index number of the audio segment to edit.

      4. Index Select

        5. The Index Select menu command lets you select a new audio segment for editing when you are working with an indexed file. The Index Select menu command chooses which audio segment to work on within an Indexed audio file. The Index Select is your doorway into and out of numbered sound segments, much as the File Open is your doorway into and out of the files themselves.

        After choosing Index Select you will be presented with a dialog list box from which to select the index number of the audio segment to edit. Audio segments are shown with a index number and a length in seconds.

        When you highlight an index entry, VFEdit dynamically displays the file offset in bytes and the annotation text associated with the audio segment. If no annotation text is available, the annotation display box is "grayed"; if the annotation text is blank, the annotation box will empty but not "grayed".

        You can select the audio segment by double-clicking with the mouse, positioning the highlight bar and pressing enter, or by entering the index number in the index number box.

      5. Index Create

        6. The Index Create command inserts a new index just before the selected index. The Index Create menu command lets you insert a new audio segment into the list of audio segments.

        After selecting Index Create you will be presented with a dialog list box that asks you where you want the new index to be inserted. The new audio segment will be inserted before the selected position. Select the index position with the mouse, with the cursor, or by number. A new zero-length audio segment will be inserted prior to the designated position.

      6. Index Delete

The "Index Delete" menu command lets you delete an audio segment from the indexed file.

After selecting "Index Delete" you will be presented with a dialog list box that lets you specify the audio segment to delete. Select the index position with the mouse, with the cursor, or by number. The designated index will be removed.

You cannot delete the currently selected audio segment, and both the audio and annotation text must be empty in order to delete an index. VFEdit prevents accidental deletion of audio segments by requiring a multiple step process. To delete an audio segment:

  1. Select the index.
  2. Cut all voice data and delete all text data.
  3. Select another audio segment into the active work area.
  4. Delete the original index.
      1. Index First, Last, Next, Previous

        2. These commands make it easier to flip through your collection of audio segments, somewhat like paging through a document in a word processing program. First and Last are like the Home and the End keys; Next and Previous are like the Page Down and the Page Up keys.

        To start at the beginning of an indexed audio file use of the Index First menu command. To get to the end of an indexed audio file use of the Index Last menu command. To select one closer to the current one, use the Index Previous or Index Next menu command.

      2. Index Text Edit

        3. Indexed audio Files have a built-in "Table of Contents"-a great time-saver in finding which audio segment you want. Each audio segment can have an attached annotation. Otherwise, you would have to listen to them all again, until you found the right one. The Index Text Edit menu command lets you view and edit the annotation text associated with an index.

        After selecting Index Text Edit you will be presented with a text entry window that lets you modify, add, or delete the annotation text for the currently selected audio segment.

      3. Index Font

        4. VFEdit lets you change the font used to view the text annotation. This is especially useful if someone needs to read the text while recording an audio segment, or if the annotation text is in a font requiring a special character set.

      4. Index Revert

The Index Revert command is a fail-safe insurance plan, a built-in backup mode. Suppose that you have done a lot of editing, or loudness adjustments, or special effects. You can always throw away the changes to the current segment, and revert back to the last saved segment using Index Revert.

Index Revert cancels all accumulated changes made to an index segment since the last time you selected it, and returns you to the previous version of the file. This is a useful way to remove unwanted or experimental changes to a segment without effecting the rest of the indexed file.

Index Revert will ask for confirmation to prevent accidental loss of your changes.