- [Instructor] Let's take a look at the riveting
world of naming conventions.
If you are sometimes mystified by your file names
or your project folder is beginning to look
like a junk drawer, a standard naming convention
can help tame the clutter.
A file like this one could be anything.
Not only that, but it's totally plausible
that I have multiple files on my computer
with the exact same file name.
This can create some real problems in production.
I like to name all my files in a given project
using something like this.
At a glance, I know that this file belongs
with the Camtasia 2020 advanced project.
It's my demo video, and for me, final means final.
If I dig this up three years from now,
I know that this video was the final output
for this project.
This is all, of course, just a guideline.
You can make your naming convention as simple
or as detailed as you need it to be.
I also highly recommend naming your files
before you import them into your media bin.
Currently, there's no way to rename files
here in the media bin, and if I rename this file
in the Windows browser after it's been imported
into Camtasia, either Windows just won't let me do it
or I'll break the link and create
the highly annoying missing file error.
Now, if a client or colleague sends me files
that don't fit my naming convention, I usually invest
a few minutes to rename things before I begin production.
I just right-click the file, choose rename,
name it something that works for me,
and now I can import it to the media bin
without any problems.
All that said, I don't always rename
all the files in a project.
It's just not always feasible.
Things like a folder full of images or media downloaded
from a site like TechSmith Assets, I just leave be,
but I always rename the main files in a given project.
Don't overthink it.
The objective is to make your life easier
and production smoother.
Just create and use a file naming convention
that works for you.