Job action properties

Compressor comes with a set of job actions that are used in destinations as well as in jobs. The job action assigned to a destination or job performs an automated action after transcoding—usually copying the transcoded file to a new location.

For more information about adding or modifying a job action in a job, see View and modify job properties. For information about choosing a job action that’s part of a destination, see View and modify destination properties.

The properties of job actions available in Compressor are described below.

Add to iTunes Library

  • Playlist: This pop-up menu sets a playlist for the output file to be added to. The choices in the menu are automatically populated from your iTunes library. If necessary, you can click the Refresh button to update the playlist choices.

  • Title: Displays the title of the file as you want it to appear in your iTunes library. You can type a title in the text field.

Disc-burning job actions

The “Create Blu-ray disc” and Create DVD job actions include the following properties:

Job inspector showing Create Blu-Ray disc action
  • Output device: This pop-up menu specifies the device that the output files will be formatted for. You can choose Hard Drive to create a disk image (.img) file that you can burn to DVD media at a later time using the Disk Utility application (available in the OS X Utilities folder).

    Note: The items in this menu are determined by your system’s available options. For example, when no Blu-ray or DVD drive is detected, only the Hard Drive option is available.

  • Layers: This pop-up menu sets the type of disc that will be created. There are three options:

    • Automatic: Detects the inserted disc’s type. For Automatic to work, you must insert the disc before clicking Burn. Additionally, Automatic always creates a single-layer disk image when Hard Drive is selected as the output device.

    • Single-layer: Creates output for a single-layer disc. You can use this option to treat a dual-layer disc as a single-layer disc.

    • Dual-layer: Creates output for a dual-layer disc. When you choose Hard Drive as your output device, the “Dual-layer” option creates a disk image in dual-layer disc format. Choosing “Dual-layer” when using a single-layer disc may result in an error while burning the disc, depending on the project’s length.

  • Disc template: This pop-up menu sets the menu template.

  • Title: Type the disc name in the text field.

  • When disc loads: This pop-up menu sets what happens when you play the disc: Show Menu or Play Movie.

  • Use chapter marker text as subtitle: Select this checkbox to include chapter marker text as subtitles on the output disc. For more information about chapter markers, see Add markers.

  • Background: Click the Add button to select a graphic for the disc’s background.

  • Main Menu and Chapter Menu buttons: Click the Main Menu and Chapter Menu buttons to display previews of the menus.

  • Include Loop Movie button: This property is available for a subset of Blu-ray disc templates. Select this checkbox to add a Loop Movie button to the menu.

  • Logo: This property is available for Blu-ray disc only. Click the Add button to select a graphic for the disc’s logo.

  • Title: This property is available for Blu-ray disc only. Click the Add button to select a title graphic for the disc’s title.

Open with Application

  • Open with: This pop-up menu sets the default application for opening the transcoded file (for example, iTunes or QuickTime Player).

Prepare for HTTP Live Streaming

This job action processes the transcoded files using the instructions you provide via the properties below and then uploads the processed files to the server you specify.

  • Destination for Live Stream assets: Click the Choose button to assign a save location for the live streaming assets.

  • Segment duration: Enter a minimum number of seconds per segment for the segment duration.

    Because the segment’s length determines when the web server can switch between the various video formats while streaming to a device with varying network connection speeds, a shorter segment duration allows the server to respond more quickly to changing connection speeds. In most situations, it’s recommended that you leave the segment duration at 10 seconds.

  • Create Read Me file with sample HTML: Select this checkbox to create a sample HTML file for hosting the HTTP live-streaming content.

Run Automator Workflow

This job action applies an Automator workflow to an output file after transcoding.

  • Workflow: Click the Choose button to set the Automator workflow that the job action triggers.

Send Email

This job action sends an email with an attachment of the transcoded file from the OS X Mail app.

  • To: Enter recipient’s email addresses in this field.

  • Subject and Message: Enter relevant text in these fields.

Web publishing job actions

The Publishing to CNN iReport, Publishing to Facebook, Publishing to Tudou, Publishing to Vimeo, Publishing to YouTube, and Publishing to Youku job actions include the following properties:

Inspector showing Job Action section.
  • Account (Sign In): Available when “When done” is set to Publishing to YouTube. Click the Sign In button to open the Google sign-in dialog.

  • Email/Username: Enter the email account name or username used to log into the service.

  • Password: Enter the password used to log into the service.

  • Title: Enter the title of the file to be published.

  • Description: Enter the description of the file to be published.

  • Category: Choose a category for the file to be published from the pop-up menu.

  • Subject, Body: Available when “When done” is set to Publishing to CNN iReport. Enter descriptions of the file to be published.

  • Tags: Enter metadata to be associated with the file to be published.

  • Viewable by: Choose an option from the pop-up menu to set viewing limitations for the file to be published.

  • Copyright: Available when “When done” is set to Publishing to Youku. Choose an item from the pop-up menu to set copyright information associated with the file to be published.

  • Privacy: Available when “When done” is set to Publishing to Youku. Choose a privacy option from the pop-up menu, then enter a password to control who can view the file to be published.