Replace Image/Clip, Keeping Transitions/Timings

Zephyr28

Newbie Location: Michigan Joined: Apr 17, 2016 23:13 Messages: 3 Offline

Solved by

Apr 17, 2016 23:19

Hello, everyone. I've been using PowerDirector 14 for a couple of months now and love it, but have run into a pretty big snag for me.

Here's the scenario: I have a project with several tracks with video/still images with transitions between them. They're currently laid out on the timeline in a very specific manner and timing is everything. I want to replace or rearrange some of those clips. I can not find a way to do this without needing to readjust every clip on all tracks.

I have tried the process of just adding an image to an empty track, adjusting the duration and then copying over the old image, choosing "Overwrite." This does replace the image, but removes the transitions and messes up the timing for every other image on the track.

SO, is there a way to accomplish this without having to rearrange my entire project just to change a couple of clips?

Dafydd B

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 26, 2006 08:20 Messages: 11973 Offline

Apr 18, 2016 03:33

Hi Zephyr28,
I'm not sure what you're after but you could try to:
1. Pack Project Files
2. Import the replacement files to the folder containing the packed project and
3. Change the file names of the ones you want to replace and rename the newer files with the original file names.
It's a simple file substitution.

There is another method and that's opening the pds file in a text editor and changing the file names with the newer ones.

Always create a backup and have a fall back copy if you mess up.

I'm not sure this'll help ...

Dafydd

CS2014

Senior Contributor Location: USA-Eastern Time Zone Joined: Sep 16, 2014 16:44 Messages: 629 Offline

Apr 18, 2016 08:32

Either do what Dafydd says or.... consider this -

When you go to change an image or clip - note the image or clip length of time it takes up in the timeline. I think if you go into clip attributes (set duration) you would see the time-duration of the clip/image. Also note the transition duration(after selecting the transition and going into the transition settings window) - on both ends of the image/clip.

Delete the image/clip and pull a new one down into the same spot - obviously the new image/clip has to be the same duration as the one you just deleted. 'Re-introduce' the transitions at the beginning and end of the clip/image making sure the duration of the transitions are the same as those that you just removed when you deleted the targeted image/clip.

Is this what you are asking about? I don't know of any easier way to do this to multiple clips at the same time - just one at a time.

CS

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Apr 18. 2016 08:33

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ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Online

Apr 19, 2016 04:01

Hi Zephyr28 -

The suggestion Dafydd made about substituting files could work very well in your circumstance.

Here's a visual description of how to go about it...

► There can be some complications doing this, but it essentially preserves the original project but with substituted media files.

If you're interested in having a play with it, I've uploaded the packed project used in the tutorial along with the substitute media files. You can download them here - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzD79pmECp2nQlMwNmVpY0gzYVE/view?usp=sharing

Cheers - Tony
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CS2014

Senior Contributor Location: USA-Eastern Time Zone Joined: Sep 16, 2014 16:44 Messages: 629 Offline

Apr 19, 2016 08:17

On 'first read through' I thought you, 'Zepher' wanted a little more on the 'how to' change out a clip/image. Thus my info. Dafydd and Tony have responded though - I think more to what you are looking for perhaps.

Good luck and let us know if this helped.

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Zephyr28

Newbie Location: Michigan Joined: Apr 17, 2016 23:13 Messages: 3 Offline

Apr 20, 2016 11:43

Thank you for your replies and help! This just seems like such a convoluted and potentially destructive method for such a simple process. I want to swap the order of two pictures in my timeline. That's it. But I can't do so within PowerDirector without having to rearrange the entire project again? The only solution is to either rename the files or edit the .PDS file directly?

Sorry, just a bit frustrated. There's no other way to just swap the order of photos in the timeline?

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Apr 20. 2016 11:45

Zephyr28

Newbie Location: Michigan Joined: Apr 17, 2016 23:13 Messages: 3 Offline

Apr 20, 2016 11:57

The "pack and rename" method worked for me. And thank you for the video tutorial on it; that actually really helped.

I still think this should be a built-in option. But disaster averted for now

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Online

Apr 20, 2016 14:54

Hi Zephyr28 -

Quote: I want to swap the order of two pictures in my timeline

Well - that could have been achieved fairly easily by duplicating media in the timeline - copying and pasting keyframes - then replacing A with B & B with A.

Cheers - Tony
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