When there are a large number of MP4 videos in a folder, it's difficult to quickly judge the video content based solely on file names, and opening them one by one to view is very time-consuming. This article introduces how to use the "Generate video preview" feature in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to create 3x3 grid JPG previews for multiple video files at once. The article combines before/after effects and operational screenshots to explain the complete workflow of importing files, setting the number of horizontal and vertical images, choosing a save location, and starting the process, suitable for scenarios such as organizing video materials, archiving course data, reviewing short videos, and checking files before delivery.
In daily office work, material organization, course production, or project delivery, a common problem often arises: a folder contains many MP4 videos, but the file names provide only very limited information. To confirm the general content of each video, you usually need to double-click to open them one by one, drag the progress bar, close the player, and then open the next file. It might be acceptable when there are only a few videos, but with dozens or hundreds of files, this repetitive operation can significantly slow down work efficiency.
A more efficient approach is to batch generate a preview image for each video. The preview image can combine frames from different time points into a grid, such as a 3×3 nine-grid. This way, by just looking at the JPG thumbnails after opening a folder, you can quickly determine the video content, visual style, and whether further processing is needed. This article will introduce how to use the office software " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool " to batch generate nine-grid preview images for multiple MP4 videos, reducing the time spent on repeatedly checking videos.
Applicable Scenarios: When is it suitable to batch generate video nine-grid preview images
Batch generating video preview images is suitable for many office scenarios related to video file management. For example, when organizing a video material library, a single folder might contain different types of footage like landscapes, people, products, and meeting recordings, where file names like Video test 2.mp4, Video test 4.mp4 alone are not intuitive. After generating nine-grid JPGs, you can quickly identify the content through the image thumbnails.
If you are responsible for archiving course videos, training recordings, or project materials, you can also generate preview images for all MP4 files first, and then check the visual content for duplicate files, incorrect files, or materials that need renaming. For short-video teams, operations personnel, and designers, video preview images can also be used for internal review and communication: instead of opening and playing every video, a quick look at the corresponding JPG image gives a general idea of the video's content.
From a work efficiency perspective, the common characteristics of these needs are "large number of files, many repetitive actions, and time-consuming manual viewing." HeSoft Doc Batch Tool is positioned for the batch processing of documents, images, videos, audio, and other files, helping users to delegate repetitive tasks to the software.
Result Preview: Multiple MP4s before processing, corresponding JPG preview images after processing
Let's first look at the state before processing. There are multiple MP4 video files in the folder, with names similar to Video test 2.mp4, Video test 4.mp4, Video test 5.mp4, Video test 11.mp4, etc. At this point, you can only see the names, modification times, and file sizes from the list, and cannot directly determine the specific visual content of each video.
After processing is completed, multiple JPG image files are generated in the folder, with file names corresponding one-to-one with the original videos, for example, Video test 2.jpg, Video test 4.jpg, Video test 5.jpg, etc. Each JPG is a preview image stitched together from multiple video screenshots. From the screenshots, you can see it creates a nine-grid effect with 3 vertical and 3 horizontal cells. Users do not need to open the MP4s one by one; browsing these JPG thumbnails allows for a quick understanding of the video's general content.
Operation Steps: Using office software to batch generate MP4 nine-grid preview images
Step 1: Enter "Video Tools" and select "Generate Preview Image for Video"
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select "Video Tools" from the function categories on the left. The interface will display multiple batch processing functions related to video, such as separating video and audio, deleting audio from video, deleting image from video, and converting video to MP4. Based on this requirement, you need to select "Generate Preview Image for Video."
The purpose of this function is to batch generate grid preview images for video files. The description on the function card in the screenshot says "Batch generate grid preview images for video files," which perfectly matches our goal of generating 9-grid JPGs for multiple MP4 videos.
After selecting this function, the software enters the corresponding processing flow. The top usually displays the current progress in steps, including selecting the records to process, setting processing options, setting the save location, and starting the process. This flow design is suitable for batch file processing because it allows users to confirm the input files first, then set parameters uniformly, and finally execute centrally.
Step 2: Add MP4 files or import files from a folder
After entering the "Generate Preview Image for Video" page, the first step is to select the records to be processed. The top right of the interface provides two entry points: "Add Files" and "Import Files from Folder." If you only need to process a few specific videos, you can click "Add Files"; if many MP4 videos are already centrally stored in one folder, it's more suitable to use "Import Files from Folder" to import all the videos from that folder into the list at once.
After importing, the software lists the pending files in a table. The screenshot shows that the table includes columns for serial number, name, path, extension, creation time, modification time, and actions. Nine records have been imported, all with the mp4 extension, located in the D:\test\ directory. Through this list, users can check if the files are imported completely and if any incorrect files were selected before formal processing.
If you find a file that doesn't need processing, you can remove it using the delete icon in the action column; if imported incorrectly, you can also use the "Clear" option in the interface to reorganize the list. After confirming the list is correct, click the "Next" button at the bottom to proceed to the processing options setting.
Step 3: Set the nine-grid parameters, 3 vertical, 3 horizontal
The second step is to set the processing options. There are three key parameters in the interface: Number of Vertical Images, Number of Horizontal Images, and Small Image Size Percentage in Cell. To generate the common 3×3 nine-grid preview image, set the "Number of Vertical Images" to 3 and the "Number of Horizontal Images" to 3. This way, each video will be sampled and stitched into 9 image cells, ultimately forming a single grid preview image.
The "Small Image Size Percentage in Cell" is used to adjust the display scale of each small image within its cell. The screenshot shows this item presented as a slider. Generally, if you want some visual spacing between images, you can use the default or a moderate setting; if you want the images to fill the grid as much as possible, you can adjust it based on the actual effect. For most video material management scenarios, 3 vertical and 3 horizontal is intuitive enough, as it can show frames from multiple time points without making a single preview image overly crowded.
After completing the settings, click "Next" again. The software will then enter the save location setting step. Although the screenshot doesn't show the save location page, the top flow clearly indicates that the subsequent steps are "Set Save Location" and "Start Processing." It is recommended to save the output JPGs to the same directory as the original videos or a separate preview image folder for easy future search and archiving.
Step 4: Set the save location and start processing
In the "Set Save Location" step, choose the output location according to your management habits. If you want the videos and preview images to be placed together in a one-to-one correspondence, you can select the folder containing the original videos; if you prefer to keep the material directory tidy, you can also create a dedicated preview image folder. After confirming the save location, enter the "Start Processing" step to execute the batch generation.
After processing is complete, go back to the output directory to view the results. The processed screenshots show that a corresponding JPG file was generated for each original MP4 file, and the image content is presented as a grid preview. The file names retain the original video name, with only the extension changed to .jpg. This naming convention facilitates corresponding searches, for example, Video test 14.mp4 corresponds to Video test 14.jpg.
Common Problems and Precautions
1. Why is a 3×3 nine-grid recommended
A 3×3 nine-grid is a balanced preview method. Compared to capturing only one cover image, a nine-grid can show frames from more time points in the video; compared to generating too many small images, 9 panels won't make the JPG too large or difficult to browse. Therefore, for batch viewing of MP4 video content, 3×3 is a very practical default choice.
2. Will the file names maintain a corresponding relationship
Judging from the processed results, the output JPGs retain the same main file name as the original MP4s, with only the extension changing from .mp4 to .jpg. This result is conducive to subsequent sorting, searching, and verification, making it especially suitable for batch file organization.
3. What should you pay attention to before importing files
It is recommended to first gather the videos you need to process into a single folder and confirm that the files can be accessed normally. After importing, check the quantity, extensions, and paths in the list to avoid adding videos that do not need processing to the task. The screenshot shows the software displays the record count, allowing users to quickly judge if the import was complete.
4. Is it only suitable for MP4 videos
The examples in this article use MP4 files, as MP4 is the most common video format in office and short-video scenarios. The video tools in the software interface also include various other video-related functions, but the specific extensions supported for preview image generation should be based on actual import results and software prompts. For the common requirement of batch generating preview images from MP4s, the flow shown in the screenshots can be fully covered.
Summary: Reduce the time spent on repeatedly opening videos with batch processing
Batch generating nine-grid preview images for MP4 videos essentially solves the problem of "too many files, content is not intuitive, and viewing them one by one is inefficient." With HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , users can first import multiple video files, then uniformly set the number of vertical and horizontal images, and finally centrally generate the corresponding JPG preview images.
For office personnel who need to manage a large volume of video materials, this method can significantly reduce repetitive labor. After generating the preview images, you can directly judge the video content through thumbnails in the folder for screening, archiving, renaming, reviewing, or delivery checks. It is recommended that when processing the next batch of video materials, first use the "Generate Preview Image for Video" function to create a 3×3 nine-grid, and then proceed with subsequent organization. This will make the entire video file management process clearer and more efficient.