Limecraft Edge allows you to securely offload camera card media onto external drives. This allows the production crew to reuse the camera cards, once the offload process is complete and the media are verified on the external drives. The backup drives can be used directly for the post production or for ingesting the media into Limecraft Flow. This allows to effortlessly locate the media throughout the production process.


This article explains how to offload and backup files with Edge.

Before you begin

Ensure that the project is properly configured in both the relevant Edge settings within Limecraft Workspace and the Edge System settings in the desktop app. Most importantly, verify that the shared storage volumes are correctly set up and ready for use, as explained in this article.


Select Source Material

In the Import & Backup tab, select one or more sources (volumes or folders) to back up, then click Continue. 


Limecraft screenshot illustrating how to select sources for an import, offload or backup job with Edge.



NOTE: In many cases there is only one source as camera cards are offloaded one by one.



Select Destination

In the next step, you can select one or more destinations to back up and offload your card.
Alternatively, you can proceed without creating a backup by clicking 'Continue without backup'. 


NOTE: If backup volumes were configured in the Edge Settings, those will appear automatically in the dropdown list in Edge when selecting Backup Destination.


Limecraft screenshot showing how to select backup and offload destinations in Edge.



Backup is done in parallel to all destinations with md5 verification by default. It is not recommended to skip md5 verification. 


Clip Detection

If the source contains several clips, an analysis of the clips and their types is shown.


Limecraft screenshot showing the clip detection page during an Edge offload process.


This gives the possibility to deselect some file types, although this is not recommended. 


Metadata and Offload Path

The next step is to enter metadata that will define the file path on Edge, in the Limecraft Workspace library, and within any shared storage volumes. This ensures that the media is well-organized and easy to locate after the offload. 


NOTE: Please do not remove the 'Card name' from the path. It is essential for organising the media correctly. If the card name is not shown, write it in the field manually.


  • Use a path part, which will suggest you metadata automatically based on the path of the source. This speeds up the process and makes it more error-proof.
  • Keep an eye on the preview of the file path in the lower part of the screen as shown below.

 

Limecraft GIF showing how to add metadata during an offload job with Edge.


NOTE: The path name is fully configurable in the Edge Settings on Limecraft Flow Workspace Settings.



Job Summary and Confirmation

The final step provides a summary of the job details and allows you to perform a final check before starting the offload.


Limecraft screenshot showing an overview of an Edge offload job for confirmation.

Click 'Continue' to start the process.


Follow the progress and get a report of the backup job on the page that follows.

Limecraft screenshot showing an Edge page where you can monitor a running offload job.



Once the backup is complete, you can move straight into an ingest job to transcode or transfer the media to your chosen destination(s).

The offloaded media will be available in the Edge library, and you can also start an audio sync if needed.

You’ll find a full overview of your offload jobs in the Cards section under workspace settings.


Manifest

A report is also saved to the backup or offload folder as a human-readable manifest (PDF), along with a machine-readable JSON file for internal use by Edge. 


Please do not remove the report files from the backup volume.