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Reopen project and select dedicated files manually causes playback issue
Artefaktum [Avatar]
Newbie Location: near by Frankfurt, Germany Joined: Jun 14, 2009 09:19 Messages: 26 Offline
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Since I use an external harddisc drive to store the film and the projects, I get an error when the drive letter in Windows has changed and I'm attempting to open a project. After selecting the appropriate folder and pushing OK, PD opens all necessary files from that directory. So far, so good. But during I am playing back the film, I experience, only the first file works fine. The others - sometimes not all of them - are replayed very slowly. You hear people speak very slowly. Though this is a nice feature, I did not intend to have it. If the files are accessible in the appropriate folders, there is no problem. It is the same with PD 7.

As a workaround in PD 7 I stored the project first and afterwards again in the same folder with the export function. Then I could open the files from every directory path (requires files in the same folder). This does not work any longer, since PD 8 duplicates die sourc files in case of export into the same folder.

The only idea I do have is to manipulate the path stored in the PDS file.
Carl312
Senior Contributor Location: Texas, USA Joined: Mar 16, 2010 20:11 Messages: 9090 Offline
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The way to get around the files in the original folder, is to create a different folder to pack the files into.

Then you can save the packed folder to any drive or Data DVD. All files will then open correctly. Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

Artefaktum [Avatar]
Newbie Location: near by Frankfurt, Germany Joined: Jun 14, 2009 09:19 Messages: 26 Offline
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Yes of course, but that's what I already know. It is a solution, if you know your work ist finished. But in the meantime...? If there are more than 2 GB of source files altogether, it may take some time to store them elsewhere. And you have to do plenty of Explorer management, too. And if one afterwards intend to change something, it has to be done again. That's what I tried to point out. In PD 7 it was stored in the same folder and the clip files stayed untouched. Thus it worked quickly. The functionality has been worsened in PD 8. If that bug with reopening project (and missing files) would have been solved, it were nevertheless ok . Can you confirm the reopening bug?

Dafydd B [Avatar]
Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 26, 2006 08:20 Messages: 11973 Offline
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No the functionality of PD7 and PD8 in Exporting a Packed Project is exactly the same.

When you want to save a pds file you have a choice. Either Save project as (Ctrl+Shift+S) or Save as. The former is the choice I have recommended for years. In edit > preferences you can set the location for exported projects. Perhaps you should look to this method.

the re-0pening bug is or could be to do with what you're saving to and your operating system. If for example you have pulled files from an external usb drive you may not have sufficient bandwidth to copy/replicate data correctly. I suggest you Export initially to a HHD and then save to an external device.

Dafydd

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Aug 26. 2010 13:05

ynotfish
Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline
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Hi there Artefaktum -

Just a couple of things to add to Carl's advice...

1. If you want to save yourself grief, keep all your media (clips, images, music etc) on the same drive as PD - for the duration of your project. While the project is being worked on, don't move them around or rename them. Shorter file directories are best.

2. If you already know about packing a project, you'll understand that PD makes copies of media in the timeline & stores them in a folder.

3. PD8 & PD7 function the same way in terms of packing, exporting etc. PD8 has not "worsened" in this regard.

4. There is no re-opening bug... there is a problem when media files are moved or re-named. That's it. Easily overcome by following #1 above.

5. Packing the project is a good way of keeping media together (a) while you're working on a project, (b) to transfer to another PC or (c) for storage.

Cheers - Tony
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Artefaktum [Avatar]
Newbie Location: near by Frankfurt, Germany Joined: Jun 14, 2009 09:19 Messages: 26 Offline
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Quote: No the functionality of PD7 and PD8 in Exporting a Packed Project is exactly the same.

the re-0pening bug is or could be to do with what you're saving to and your operating system. If for example you have pulled files from an external usb drive you may not have sufficient bandwidth to copy/replicate data correctly. I suggest you Export initially to a HHD and then save to an external device.

Dafydd

Maybe the duplication of files is linked to Win7 (previosly XP). But the bandwith of USB (2.0) drive is not too small. It happens on local disc too.


Quote: Hi there Artefaktum -
(...)
4. There is no re-opening bug... there is a problem when media files are moved or re-named. That's it. Easily overcome by following #1 above.
(...)
Cheers - Tony

In fact there is bug. Let me try to describe, what I figured out:
I copied the files to a local disc directory. When I opened the project, the search window appeared. I selected the appropriate directory. The error occured. Then I only removed a single file to a separate folder. The others stayed at the original location. The error did not occur! That's the first result.

The second result is the way the movie is built (see screenshot). If I do not move the (first) title parallel to the first clip, e. g. parallel to a black card in front of the first clip, the error does not occur likewise. If you see, there are two black cards, with two masking at either card in the movie.

The description of the anomaly is: the first clip is ok, the second clip is slow and the last clip is too quick.

The clips are of MP4 (AVC/H.264). Perhaps it is a little bit a codec issue, too.

Last but not least: thanks to you all for your efforts to help me!
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