GJ FILE MANAGER · FIELD NOTES
Mac Card Offload and Review Handoff: From Camera Card to a Delivery Folder
A step-by-step Mac workflow to offload a camera card safely, inspect footage with hover previews, and assemble a clean review folder for review—without modifying the card originals.
Copy from the card without touching the originals
When you connect a camera card to your Mac, treat it as the master source. In Finder, open the card and copy the footage to a working folder on your local drive or an external project drive. If you use GJ File Manager to browse an indexed source view, remember that such views are read-only: use them to inspect and copy, not to modify the source folder. Do not delete or rename files on the card until you have verified the copies.
Browse and preview clips before choosing delivery files
A thumbnail alone may not distinguish two video versions. Before adding footage to a project, check content, location and size. In GJ File Manager, open Videos and choose a local source or authorize a custom media folder. Let the list load and locate candidates by name or modification date. Preview a clip and inspect file information. This preview-before-choosing step helps you avoid sending the wrong take. File management is not professional video editing, and protected content or unsupported codecs may not preview.
Use hover preview to check files in place
Opening a separate application just to inspect one image or document interrupts selection. A quick preview can answer the immediate question. Enable GJ File Manager's hover preview and pause the pointer over supported files. Quick Look remains available when needed. Open the folder and enable its hover-preview control. Pause over a sample file until the preview appears. Review per-type switches and size limits in preview settings. Adjust the delay if previews appear too often, or disable them for this browsing session. Preview support varies by format, and large or protected files may be restricted. This is not the same as double-clicking: preview checks content in place; double-clicking opens the file in its associated application.
Separate the working area from the delivery area
A working project can contain drafts, assets and final files together. Compressing everything may send an old draft or internal note along with the intended delivery. In GJ File Manager, separate the working area from the delivery area. Create a clearly named Delivery folder and open it in its own tab. Copy the required files from their sources and inspect name conflicts rather than replacing blindly. Check each item against the delivery list: name, content, version and whether it opens. If an archive is needed, compress this checked folder, inspect the package and retain a copy of the delivery. Equal file counts do not establish equal content. A comparison cannot decide client requirements, confidentiality or final approval for you.
The handoff checklist keeps the card and the team safe
Before sending the folder to your reviewer, confirm that the card originals are still untouched and that the delivery folder contains only the intended files. Use Finder to copy files from the card; use GJ File Manager for read-only indexed browsing, hover previews and assembling the delivery folder. Remember that indexed source views are read-only, so you cannot delete originals from the source view. A group organizes access, but it is not an automatically assembled delivery package. Copy the actual files into the delivery folder, then use an appropriate sharing method.
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Written by the GJ File Manager team. Mac workflows; controls may differ on iPad.
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