Exporting in 4:3 sometimes results in a 16:9 letterbox

[stebbinsd]

If I'm exporting a 4:3 aspect ratio into a 16:9 aspect ratio, it will usually just show a pair of 2:9 black columns on either side, like this:

https://i.postimg.cc/W4KhPK94/1.png

The red zone is the area where the actual video shows up.

However, sometimes I want to just export in 4:3. So ideally, it should look like this:

https://i.postimg.cc/qR3gBLYx/2.png

Sometimes, Videopad exports like that. But sometimes, for no discernable reason, it will (A) add the 2:9 black columns onto the sides, (B) export the subsequent 16:9 aspect ratio video in a 4:3 aspect ratio in letterbox format! So the resulting export looks like this:

https://i.postimg.cc/ZnznWNzt/3.png

Again, the red section is the section where the actual video can be found.

Now, if I were taking a video clip that was already 16:9 to begin with, and I wanted to export that clip in 4:3, then it should probably be in letterbox format, like so:

https://i.postimg.cc/CKZxJ7Fp/3.png

That at least makes sense. However, sometimes, even that's not what I'm trying to do. Sometimes, I really am just trying to crop out the two sides of the video.

How do I get VideoPad to consistently export in just 4:3 with no black area on any of the four sides?

[borate]

The variation is likely due to the nature of the individual clip.

In recent VP versions, select a clip and then open the effects window.  Scroll to ASPECT RATIO TRANSFORMS and click LETTERBOX.  In the drop-down menu, choose 4:3.

Or, during export, choose the CROP AND ZOOM button, and specify 640 x 480 (NTSC) or other 4:3 A/R such as 1280 x 960.