Sequence Pro
Buy on Gumroad
← Blog

Reopen Recent Videos and Rebuild Contact Sheets Faster on Mac

Use Sequence Pro import history to reopen recent local and online videos, restore sources to the queue, and continue Mac video contact sheet workflows faster.

Rebuilding a video contact sheet should not start with hunting through Finder or digging up a URL you pasted yesterday. When a review session stretches across days, repeated source setup becomes friction: find the clip, add it again, check whether it is already in the queue, then rebuild the sheet before any real frame sampling or visual indexing work begins.

Sequence Pro reduces that friction with import history. Recent local and online sources can be added back to the queue, sorted, filtered, revealed in Finder, or opened at the source URL so you can continue the selected-video contact sheet workflow and export a polished PNG or JPEG when the current sheet is ready.

Why import history matters for contact sheet work

Import history is about getting back to work faster. A contact sheet workflow often starts with the same few sources: yesterday’s local clip, a reference URL, a folder of review files, or the one video that needs a revised storyboard.

Without history, reopening those sources becomes a manual search. With history, Sequence Pro keeps the source trail visible so you can restore a recent item to the queue and focus on layout, timestamps, metadata, watermarks, and export decisions.

Import history
A list of previously imported local and online sources that can be reviewed, filtered, sorted, and added back to the queue.
Recent imports
A compact set of recent sources shown when the queue is empty, useful for restarting a contact sheet session quickly.
Selected-video workflow
A workflow where users add one or more sources, select one video, compose the current sheet, and export the selected video when ready.

Micro-FAQ

  • Can Sequence Pro reopen recently imported videos? Yes. Sequence Pro shows recent imports when the queue is empty and includes a full import history where local and online sources can be added back to the queue.
  • Does import history export contact sheets for me? No. Import history helps restore sources to the queue. You still select a video, compose the current sheet, and export that selected contact sheet.
  • Does this replace presets? No. Import history restores sources; presets help restore composition settings such as layout, text layers, timestamps, and export choices.

(Placeholder: Screenshot of the empty Sequence Pro preview showing the Recent imports list.)

Step 1: Use Recent imports when the queue is empty

The fastest restart is often the empty-state shortcut. When there are no videos in the queue, Sequence Pro can show a compact Recent imports list with the latest local and online sources.

Each recent item shows its display name, source type, and when it was last used. Local entries can show the source filename, while online entries can show the source host. If a local file is no longer available, Sequence Pro marks it as missing instead of pretending it can be reopened.

This is useful for short review loops:

  • Reopen yesterday’s local source.
  • Revisit a reference URL.
  • Continue a storyboard draft after clearing the queue.
  • Restore a source before applying the same preset or layout again.

The important boundary is simple: recent imports help you re-add the source. You still compose and export the selected contact sheet after the source is back in the queue.

(Placeholder: Screenshot of recent local and online imports, including a missing-file state.)

Step 2: Open the full import history

The full import history is better when the source is not one of the latest few items. It gives you a broader list of previous sources plus controls for filtering, sorting, re-adding, and cleanup.

Import history rows can show:

  • Source type: local or online.
  • Last-used timing: recent labels such as minutes, hours, or days ago.
  • Cache marker: useful when a source path is likely temporary.
  • In queue state: prevents re-adding the same entry unnecessarily.
  • Missing state: warns when a local file no longer exists at its known path.

For a Mac video contact sheet generator, this is practical workflow glue. The app remembers what you were working with so you can spend less time re-finding media and more time on frame sampling, timestamp readability, and canvas-based composition.

(Placeholder: Screenshot of the full Import History section with several local and online rows.)

Step 3: Filter local and online sources

Filtering helps when the history contains mixed source types. Sequence Pro’s import history can switch between All, Local, and Online entries.

Use Local when you are working through files on disk, such as camera cards, archive folders, review exports, or transferred clips. Use Online when you need to return to reference URLs or sources that were added through the online import workflow.

Sorting also helps restore context:

  • New: recent review work first.
  • Old: earlier sources first when retracing a session.
  • A-Z: source names grouped alphabetically.

That combination makes import history useful for repeat work without turning it into a content management system. It is a focused source-reopening tool for contact sheet workflows.

(Placeholder: Screenshot of Import History with All/Local/Online filters and New/Old/A-Z sort controls.)

Step 4: Re-add one item or all visible entries

Once you find the source, add it back to the queue. Each history row includes an add action for restoring that source. If the row is already in the queue, Sequence Pro shows that state and disables duplicate re-add behavior.

When you have filtered the history to the right subset, Re-add all can restore the visible entries. For local files, Sequence Pro skips entries that are known to be missing. For online entries, re-adding uses the current download options, and availability still depends on the source and your configured settings.

This is where import history supports automate video contact sheets intent without overstating the product. It reduces repeated source setup, but it does not generate output for every history item.

Stop rebuilding your source queue from memory. Try Sequence Pro when recurring Mac contact sheet sessions need recent imports, selected-video composition, and PNG/JPEG export in one workflow.

(Placeholder: Screenshot of a filtered Import History list with Re-add all highlighted.)

Micro-FAQ

  • Can import history handle local and online sources? Yes. Import history can show local and online entries, filter them by source type, re-add entries, reveal local files in Finder, and open source URLs when available.
  • Does Re-add all export every visible item? No. Re-add all restores visible history entries to the queue. You still select, compose, and export the current contact sheet.
  • Are online sources guaranteed to download again? No. Online downloads are best-effort and depend on source availability, site behavior, and your configured download options.

Step 5: Handle missing files, cache entries, and source URLs

Good history UI should tell you when a source is not actually available. Sequence Pro marks local entries as missing when the last known path cannot be found. That prevents a dead source from looking like a normal re-add target.

History rows also help with follow-up actions:

  • Reveal in Finder: open the local source location when a candidate path is available.
  • Open source URL: return to the online source page when a source URL exists.
  • Remove entry: delete a single history row when it is no longer useful.
  • Clear history: remove history entries without deleting source files.

That last point matters. Clearing import history is cleanup for the history list. It is not the same as deleting media from disk.

(Placeholder: Screenshot of row actions showing Add, Reveal in Finder, Open source URL, and Remove.)

Step 6: Compose and export the selected contact sheet

After the source is back in the queue, the normal contact sheet workflow takes over. Select the video, choose the frame sampling mode, tune timestamps if needed, apply text layers or metadata tokens, check the canvas preview, and export when the selected sheet is ready.

Use PNG when text clarity and high-fidelity export matter most. Use JPEG when a smaller file is better for email, tickets, or lightweight review.

Keep the selected-video workflow clear:

  • Re-add one or more recent sources to the queue.
  • Select the video you want to work on.
  • Compose the current contact sheet.
  • Export the selected sheet as PNG or JPEG.
  • Move to another queue item when you are ready to prepare the next sheet.

Import history speeds up the beginning of the workflow. The export still stays tied to the sheet you intentionally composed and checked.

Micro-FAQ

  • What happens if a recent file is missing? Sequence Pro marks unavailable local files as missing and skips missing local entries when re-adding all visible history entries.
  • Does clearing import history delete my videos? No. The clear-history dialog states that it only removes history entries and does not delete files.
  • Can import history help with offline local media? Yes. For local files that still exist at their known path, import history can help restore sources without uploading media anywhere.

(Placeholder: Screenshot of a restored source selected in the queue with a finished contact sheet ready to export.)

Import history workflow recipes

Import history is most useful when the same sources come back into review. These recipes show how to use it without confusing source restoration with export.

Return to yesterday’s local clip

  • Open Recent imports or full Import History.
  • Choose the local source from the latest entries.
  • Re-add it to the queue.
  • Apply your usual preset and export the selected contact sheet.

Rebuild an online reference sheet

  • Filter Import History to Online.
  • Re-add the reference source if it is still available.
  • Let the online workflow use the current download options.
  • Compose and export the selected sheet after the source is ready.

Re-add a filtered set of local sources

  • Filter Import History to Local.
  • Sort by New or A-Z depending on the session.
  • Use Re-add all for the visible entries.
  • Select each source when you are ready to compose its sheet.

Clean old history entries

  • Remove individual rows that are no longer useful.
  • Clear the history list when you want a fresh source trail.
  • Keep source files separately managed in Finder or your normal storage system.

A faster restart makes every contact sheet workflow feel lighter. Sequence Pro gives Mac users import history, frame sampling, visual indexing, canvas-based composition, and PNG/JPEG export in a focused native app. Buy once for Sequence Pro 1.x with a one-time license, no subscription.