A VEG file works as a non-destructive project outline used by VEGAS Pro to capture editing choices without embedding any video or audio, relying instead on references to the original media plus metadata and every adjustment made on the timeline, which keeps the file small and dependent on accessible source files; when loaded, VEGAS Pro recreates the timeline if those files exist but reports missing ones otherwise, and real output isn’t produced until the user renders the project.
Rendering is the single step that generates real output, with VEGAS Pro pulling from the original media, applying every project instruction, and saving an MP4 or MOV, while deleting the VEG file doesn’t erase the source footage but does eliminate the ability to reopen or alter the project, meaning the VEG file works as an editable project outline rather than a finished video, and it cannot function as one because it only supports temporary previews until rendering locks everything in.
Here is more information about VEG file compatibility visit the site. Rendering is when the editing directions are executed and turned into a true video file, as the software processes each frame in order, applies every cut, transition, effect, color fix, and audio tweak from the VEG file, and then encodes everything into formats like MP4, MOV, or AVI, producing a self-contained file that plays anywhere without relying on project paths, leaving the VEG file editable but not deliverable, while the rendered file is deliverable but not editable in the same way, and deleting the VEG loses all edit decisions but keeps the video intact, whereas deleting the video still allows re-rendering as long as the VEG and media exist, making the VEG file the master document and rendering the irreversible step that creates the final product.
Opening a VEG file triggers VEGAS Pro to read the encoded editing structure that captures the last timeline state, without importing footage, detailing tracks, clip positions, effects, transitions, and settings before checking all referenced file paths so it can rebuild the timeline when files are found, or request manual relinking if they are missing since the VEG file holds no media copies.
After the media connects properly, VEGAS Pro renders a live preview by interpreting instructions in real time, combining raw footage with effects, transitions, color adjustments, and audio tweaks as you move through the timeline, which relies heavily on hardware strength, while no actual video is produced and all changes remain reversible, meaning opening a VEG file only rebuilds the editable workspace, not a completed output.
