How to Delete a Through Edit

[ This article was first published in the September, 2004, issue of
Larry’s Final Cut Pro Newsletter. Click here to subscribe. ]

It took me years to discover this, in fact, I learned about it two weeks ago, so I wanted to pass it on to you. (Though, you probably knew about this already.)

When you use the Razor Blade to cut a clip, you create a “Through Edit.” This is an edit, invisible to the Viewer, which separates a clip into two pieces. Normally, this is what you intend. But, if you change your mind, you can “uncut” it using the Undo key — provided you Undo it immediately. But, what if days pass before you decide you no longer need that cut there.

I used to either live with the cut, because, after all, a through edit is invisible to the viewer, or I would delete the shortest portion of the cut clip and drag the longer part back out, using the Arrow tool, until the clip was whole again.

Both techniques worked, but neither was particularly elegant.

Then, I discovered it. To delete a through edit, simply select it by clicking on it, and press the Delete key. Poof. No more edit.

How cool is that?

Update: Naturally, I no sooner published this than I got a flock of emails pointing out that if you Control+click on the edit point, you can also select “Join Through Edit” from the contextual menu.

 

Gosh, my cup runneth over.

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