New to iMovie 11 questions (I'm quite handy with iMovie HD, 6.0.4)

Question

Hi,
I'm trying to use iMovie 11 (9.0.4) after being so used to iMovie HD (6.0.4). Worked on a project yesterday which didn't work out well. All I want to do with it is to split it into segments, no need to cut anything out,  export them so they look good and aren't too big file-size wise and then I'll upload them to YouTube. (I might want to raise the audio level of two of the segments, or parts of them, all from one clip but I'll worry about that later.) Here's what happened.
My source footage was two .mov files,  1.7 gb and 1.12 gb, ~26 minutes of footage. They are H.264, 1920x1080 (29.97 fps). I imported them into iMovie 11, chosing to optimize at Full original size.
I split the first clip and exported the first part of that one using the Quicktime option default settings. (H.264, high quality, key frame 24, multi-pass encoding, 960x540 were the current dimensions (I have my monitor set to 1024x768 stretched.) Prepared for internet streaming - fast start.)
The clip was surrounded in yellow (but this all happened yesterday so I can't confirm.)
My finished clip turned out to be ALL of the footage, 26:07 worth, 1.38 gb, The info window on QT says it is H.264, 960x540, 29.97...
What happened?
1) Why did the entire project get exported when only one section of one clip was selected?
2) Is the exported clip 960x540 because my monitor is set to 1024x768? Why wouldn't it be 1920x1080?
I think my original footage is 1080i. iMovie 11 only does 1080p, doesn't it? Is that an issue?
Additionally, it took a LONG time to import the two clips into iMovie 11, 20 minutes or so. It also took 2 HOURS to export. (I now know why the export took so long as it exported the whole movie.) With iMovie HD you could get around long import times by opening the project package and drag and drop the files into the Media folder. Then, when you start up iMovie again, it tells you you've got some things in the trash. You take them out and put them into the clips pane. That saves so much time and clips are ready to be used right then and there. Is there a similar process for iMovie 11?
I also tried editing the original footage in iMovie HD (6.0.4). I exported using the the QT - For CD ROM version. I ended up with ~30 mb files (which is what I am used to for a 6 minute segment.) They are H.264, 320x180 (current size 478x269), 14.98 fps. They are too blurry so I may try again with some different settings. (My exports of SD content using the CD Rom export version have been fine for my purposes, uploading to YouTube and not ending up with large file sizes.) They were brought into iMovie HD as a HD 1080i project. (iMovie HD does 1080i and iMovie 11 does 1080p? and neither does the other?)
Many thanks.
John L
PS For those who may have noticed my other post about getting an HD camcorder and how to edit with it, that camcorder should arrive today, a Panasonic HCV 100K. This project is from someone else's camcorder but is in HD.

Answer 1

Everything in your project will be exported when you use the share menu.
If you want to export only half, I suggest that you
1) Select the project in the Project Library.
2) Click FILE/DUPLICATE PROJECT
3) Give the duplicate a name, like Project A snippet.
4) Open the duplicate project in the Project editor and delete the segments that you do not need.
5) Then Share.
You mentioned surrounding a portion of the clip you were editing in Yellow. Once you do this, you should right-click and then select either DELETE SELECTION, TRIM TO SELECTION, or one of the other options available. That is a key tool in editing.
You mentioned MPEG Streamclip. I agree that MPEG Streamclip is a great tool.