Anything you downloaded such as effects, particles, menus, etc, should be saved to a folder on your hard drive so that you can find them and you can backup those downloads.

Powerdirector has an option to export projects into a single folder. for archival purposes. It is called Pack Projects. Those can be saved to an external hard drive. Pack Projects puts the Project file and all material on the Timeline into a single folder.

Powerdirector does have files all over the hard drive, most are temporary and have no need to be backed up.

So if you have backed up your downloads and your original material, with the project files, you should be good.

The main thing to backup is Downloads, projects and original media.
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.

PD sure does some strange and perhaps unconventional file keeping. I think the Library concept needs some more work. It's way too easy to get cluttered up with items that have nothing to do with the job at hand.

Yeah, duplicate files everywhere. Vista doesn't help matters either.
I found that pack thing and gave it a try. Took a look and all items used were in the folder.

Seems to me that the Packed project is the way things should be saved anyway.

Clarification Please:

In a normal PDS file does PD make a copy of any imported photo's, etc from other places OR does it just remember the file address?

Packed Project: Same question.

Thanks

In a normal PDS file does PD make a copy of any imported photo's, etc from other places OR does it just remember the file address?

Packed Project: Same question.

A PDS file is a set of instructions of what you did to edit the video. It stores a pointer to the location of the actual files. It does not contain the actual files.

Packed Project: Copies the actual video files to the Pack Folder and saves the current PDS file and fixes all addresses to point to the Pack Project folder.

In other words, when you pack a project all the material you have on the Timeline is copied to the Pack Folder.

Once you have a Packed Project you just open that PDS file and everything is back on the timeline ready to edit.

That Packed Project folder can be stored anywhere and can be opened and edited from anywhere.
I store my Packed Projects on an external hard drive.
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.

One more point I would like to make:

If you have a downloaded program from Cyberlink, burn a DVD of the downloaded files and the Email confirmation with your Product Key.

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.

Thanks Carl,
That was as I suspected. Been through that file address thing before with other creative programs. Not a cool thing.
For me it's packed projects from here on out.

I really think they should rethink how they do their file system.
With the pack deal I have to go into the file system ahead of time and create a folder for each packed project.
They don't give an option to create a new subfolder to keep each project clean and in their place.
All the packed stuff is currently dumped into one folder and that's just a messy way of doing things.

I learned to download and save the effects, etc rather than have PD do it and not be able to find where they put them.

All this was because I keep a good backup program to a separate drive. Been hammered before. Never again.

Want to save all those registration codes, passwords, etc. securely in one spot?
I have used this program for several years. Never lose your PD codes again. http://www.accessmanager.co.uk/

really think they should rethink how they do their file system.
With the pack deal I have to go into the file system ahead of time and create a folder for each packed project.
They don't give an option to create a new sub folder to keep each project clean and in their place.
All the packed stuff is currently dumped into one folder and that's just a messy way of doing things.

You can create a new folder in the Pack Projects dialog.
There is a minor trick to creating the new folder.
See the attached picture,
First select the drive or folder you want to create a sub-folder in. (D:\)
Click the New folder button, type the name of the new folder in the folder rename on the top window. Press enter. That completes the creation of a new folder.

BUT, that is not the folder selected yet for the Pack Projects files.
Click on any other folder in the top window, then click on the newly created folder. NOW that is the folder that is selected for the pack project files.

Click OK, the files from the timeline and project file will be copied to your new folder.

And yes, you can create the folder before you Pack Project, seems to be easier. But you can create a new folder in the Pack Project dialog BEFORE you click OK.

If you do not follow that procedure, when you click New Folder, that is the name of the folder that is created and the Pack project files will end up in "New Folder".

Yes, that dialog window could be fixed better. But it does work.


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.

If you use custom, (user defined and saved), titles, menus, on and on the above suggested methods above do not save and capture those details. Many are contained in %HOMEPATH%\My Documents\CyberLink

Jeff