Patent ID: 8296649

Claim:
A method for generating a preview of a reformatted preview segment of a selected input file, comprising: for a single graphical window: associating each of a plurality of input file graphical elements with a corresponding branch of a batch job tree in a first portion of the single graphical window responsive to a user graphically repositioning each of the plurality of input file graphical elements to the first portion; globally associating a first reformatting processes to each of the plurality of input file graphical elements in each branch of the batch job tree; locally associating a second reformatting process to one of the plurality of input file graphical elements associated with a selected input file; displaying a preview pane; displaying preview controls including a file timeline indicator configured to graphically depict a time length of the selected input file and a play head configured to graphically depict a displayed location within said selected input file; identifying a segment of the selected input file to be reformatted and previewed, wherein the identified segment has a duration of time shorter than a duration of time of the selected input file; displaying a preview in marker and a preview out marker configured to graphically depict the identified segment of said selected input file; reformatting said identified segment of said selected input file into a temporary reformatted preview segment according to the second reformatting process, wherein reformatting said identified segment occurs prior to reformatting the entire selected input file according to the second reformatting process; displaying said temporary reformatted preview segment in said preview pane without beginning a process to reformat the selected input file entirely; and converting all of the selected input file to a compressed output file format according to the second reformatting process and responsive to activation by the user.