FAQ: What do through edits mean?

[KazuTa]

Do through edits mean there's nothing different between the video or audio clips on either side of a through edit? Or do they only mean they're contiguous, but there could be differences between the video or audio clilps on either side (ex. an effect, a reposition, volume, etc.)? If there could be differences between the clips on either side, I'm not comfortable joining the through edit since it can throw off one of the clips (effect, a reposition, volume, etc.).

[Peru Bob]

A through edit is where a clip is cut. Joining a through edit is when you "uncut" a clip.

[Warren Heaton · Accepted solution]

Through edits are for what you have described.  A reason to remove it would be you didn't wind up doing something different to the A segment (the part before) of the through edit or the B segment (the part after) and might as well play as a continuous Clip. 

[KazuTa]

Is there a way to tell if there's anything in the B segment that's different than the A segment? I'm an Assistant Editor working with an Editor's sequence. In Avid, I believe the through edit symbol turns red if there's a difference between the A segment and the B segment.

[Warren Heaton]

You could examine the fx badge on the Clip Boundary for each segment for differences.

If uncertain, you could duplicate the A segment or B segment to a higher Video Track, disable it, and then extend the segment on the lower Video Track.  To further check it, you could mark an In before where the Through Edit was and an Out after and do a Play In to Out with Loop enabled and then select the front segment and use Command/Control Shift E to enable and disable it while it loops.  Any differences, if present, should be obvious.

[KazuTa]

The reason I ask is I had a through edit in a 1 hour sequence that caused an AAF audio turnover to crash. It took 1.5 hours to isolate that the issue was the through edit. By joining it, I was able to complete the turnover. So, identifying and eliminating through edits my editor makes by mistake that aren't necessary can be helpful.