This article describes the "Write Protocol File" option that is available in the QuickTime MPEG-2 Encoder.

When exporting a QuickTime movie in the MPEG-2 format from an application such as QuickTime Player, the QuickTime MPEG-2 Encoder can write a protocol file. The "Write Protocol File" checkbox, shown in Figure 1, controls this feature.

Figure 1 QuickTime MPEG Encoder Dialog Box

"Write Protocol File" is an option you can select to create a log of the encoding process. When it is enabled, a text file is written to the same directory as the encoded audio and/or video. The text file contains information in the following format:

NEW SESSION
#############################################################
START:  current date : 3/5/01  current time: 6:56:45 PM
Message: current file: Sample Movie.m2v
Message: size of sourcemovie:  200 x 240
System:            NTSC
Aspect Ratio:    4:3
Audio:            yes
Bitrate:        5400000

available space on target volume: 3.8 GB estimated filesize video: 1.9 MB
estimated filesize audio: 562 KB

User settings for field order:  auto
Used field order: upper
Field order detected by Scaled
Video  -> completed successfully
Audio -> completed successfully
END:  current date : 3/5/01  current time: 6:56:58 PM
#############################################################

The file is named for the date in which the encoding occurred. For example, "3_5_2001.pro" indicates that the encoding occurred on 2001-03-05. If another encoding happens to the same directory, the same protocol file is appended with information about the second encoding, and so on. If you encode to a different directory, a new protocol file is created in that directory.