Systems for processing multi-media editing projects

A computing system comprising:

• means for maintaining a list of one or more user designated directories where multi-media files have been stored in the past;
• input means for enabling a user to request one or more multi-media files for creating a multi-media editing project, wherein the multi-media editing project comprises a render engine, the render engine exposes a dynamically reconfigurable matrix switch comprising a scalable plurality of input switches and a scalable plurality of output switches generated to satisfy the multi-media editing project, the request being generated by a user computer, the render engine configured to:
• invoke an instance of a filter graph manager to assemble a tree structure of the multi-media editing project, noting a dependency between a source and one or more filters;
• ascertain performance characteristics of hardware and software components of the computing system, wherein ascertaining performance characteristics of hardware and software components of the computing system comprises accessing and analyzing a system directory of an operating system of the computing system to ascertain performance characteristics of hardware and software components;
• and
• adjust filter graph construction of the system based upon the ascertained performance characteristics;
• one or more processors;
• one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by said one or more processors, perform a method comprising:
• maintaining information on the user computer, the user computer comprising part of a network having multiple computers, said information being associated with multi-media files that are maintained in a network-accessible location and that can be temporarily stored on the user computer;
• intercepting the request by the user computer;
• ascertaining whether a requested multi-media file is located on the user computer by checking one or more user-designated directories for the requested multi-media file listed in the list of one or more user designated directories;
• retrieving the requested multi-media file from the user computer if the file is located on the user computer in the one or more of the user-designated directories;
• asking a user to designate an additional local directory if the requested multi-media file is not located on the user computer in the one or more of the user-designated directories;
• seeking the requested multi-media file from the network-accessible location if the multi-media file is not located on the user computer in the additional local directory;
• and
• updating the list responsive to the user designating the additional local directory.

A computing system comprising:

• means for maintaining a list of one or more user designated directories wherein multi-media files have been stored in the past;
• input means for enabling a user to request one or more multi-media files for creating a multi-media editing project, wherein the multi-media editing project comprises a render engine, the render engine exposes a dynamically reconfigurable matrix switch comprising a scalable plurality of input switches and a scalable plurality of output switches generated to satisfy the multi-media editing project, the request being generated by a user computer, the render engine configured to:
• invoke an instance of a filter graph manager to assemble a tree structure of the multi-media editing project, noting a dependency between a source and one or more filters;
• ascertain performance characteristics of hardware and software components of the computing system, wherein ascertaining performance characteristics of hardware and software components of the computing system comprises accessing and analyzing a system directory of an operating system of the computing system to ascertain performance characteristics of hardware and software components;
• and
• adjust filter graph construction of the system based upon the ascertained performance characteristics;
• one or more processors;
• one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by said one or more processors, perform a method comprising:
• receiving one or more multi-media files from a network-accessible location;
• locally storing the one or more multi-media files in a user-designated directory on the user computer;
• responsive to receiving a request for a multi-media file that is maintained in the network-accessible location:
• first checking in all of the user-designated directories on the list of user-designated directories for the requested file;
• second asking a user to designate an additional local directory if the requested file is not located on the user computer in the user-designated directories;
• third checking the network-accessible location for the requested file in the event the requested file is not located on the user computer in the additional local directory;
• and
• fourth updating the list responsive to the user designated the additional local directory.

A computing system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more computer-readable storage media;
• software code embodied on the one or more computer-readable storage media and configured to implement:
• a multi-media editing project comprising a render engine, wherein the render engine exposes a dynamically reconfigurable matrix switch comprising a scalable plurality of input switches and a scalable plurality of output switches generated to satisfy the multi-media editing project, the render engine configured to:
• invoke an instance of a filter graph manager to assemble a tree structure of the multi-media editing project, noting a dependency between a source and one or more filters;
• ascertain performance characteristics of hardware and software components of the computing system, wherein ascertaining performance characteristics of hardware and software components of the computing system comprises accessing and analyzing a system directory of an operating system of the computing system to ascertain performance characteristics of hardware and software components;
• and
• adjust filter graph construction of the system based upon the ascertained performance characteristics;
• a list referencing user-designated file directories on the user computer where multi-media files are stored;
• a multi-media file locator object configured to:
• intercept a request for one or more multi-media files for use in a multi-media editing project, the request being generated by a user computer;
• ascertain whether a requested multi-media file is located on the user computer by checking the user-designated file directories for the requested multi-media file listed in the list of user-designated file directories;
• retrieve the requested multi-media file from the user computer if the file is located on the user computer in the one or more of the user-designated file directories;
• ask a user to designate an additional local directory if the requested multi-media file is not located on the user computer in the one or more of the user-designated file directories;
• seek the requested multi-media file from the network-accessible location if the multi-media file is not located on the user computer in the additional local directory;
• and
• update the list responsive to the user designating the additional local directory.