Hi,
There is no simple way to resolve what you've done.

When you opened the pds a popup displays requesting you to locate the missing files... if you know where they are, you have that as one option to find them.

Now the second method is perhaps as complicated and involves identifying all the names of the media you used in the project.
1. Open the pds file using a text editor.
2. Look for the local addresses* in the pds of where the media files are located - you will need to look for jpgs, mp3's, mp4's etc. Once you've identified the file names and gone through your folders (where you moved the media to) you can then place copies of those media into one location.
*Use the text editor's search capability and use the file extensions of the media files, jpg, mp4, mp3 etc.
3. Back to the pds file, double click on it and PDR will open. When asked to browse, you should head for the new folder with your copied media.

Now if you've messed up the pds file previously by failing to browse etc. There is the Auto-Save back up pds file you can still use. C:\Users\ComputerName\AppData\Roaming\CyberLink\PowerDirector\14.0\AutoSave

It's a lesson learnt and not one you'll want to repeat.

Dafydd

Dafydd,

Thanks for the quick, and detailed, reply.

I do not get any pop up box asking to browse for files. The production opens as though it is as it should be; straight into the titles, transitions and with background music, then fades (my favourite transition) to the video files which just appear as black time spans.

Great minds think alike regarding moving the video clips to where I think I originally had them: Desktop? My Videos? Video Editing folder? None of them worked.

In other software, like Pinnacle, you can go to Settings and view the file path where the various aspects of the production are situated. I was hoping this was the same in PD? I will check your file path to the auto save suggestion you've supplied when I next log on.

I completed my production with a 28 minute video from circa 190 short video clips which took me about 6.5 hours of editing. As I still have in my mind, and a digital copy as well as the inspiration of the finished production and the framework of the titles, music and transitions in place I reckon I can put it back together in half the time?

Once again thanks for the advice.

Karl.

Did you manage to find your files, do you know how to do a wildcard search of your computer?

Hi Karl -

Quote: In other software, like Pinnacle, you can go to Settings and view the file path where the various aspects of the
production are situated.

If you right click on any media in PDR & select Properties, you'll see the file path. Right click in the Media Library & you can "Open File Location".

If PDR is opening without alerting you that media cannot be found, you must have saved it in its current state... in which case you need to find where you moved it & get it back into the project.

In future, the best way to avoid this is to Pack Project Materials for archiving. That way, all your stuff will be in the same place. Check out these two Project Management tutorials:





Cheers - Tony
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Quote: Did you manage to find your files, do you know how to do a wildcard search of your computer?

Hi Longedge, I always had my files, my problem was that I thought I'd finished my production so started to tidy up all the files and then needed to make a change so opened up the project again and all seemed fine as though all files were as they were. I then edited and then re-produced and thought it was all well but the video files were not included because I may have archived them.

My only real question was how can I see where the original files were located so that I could move them back and the project would then navigate to them.

No I don't know the term "wildcard search"

I have started the project again and am half way through it again, lessons learned from poor housekeeping. Thanks again for reply.

Quote: Hi Karl -

Quote: In other software, like Pinnacle, you can go to Settings and view the file path where the various aspects of the
production are situated.

If you right click on any media in PDR & select Properties, you'll see the file path. Right click in the Media Library & you can "Open File Location".

If PDR is opening without alerting you that media cannot be found, you must have saved it in its current state... in which case you need to find where you moved it & get it back into the project.

In future, the best way to avoid this is to Pack Project Materials for archiving. That way, all your stuff will be in the same place. Check out these two Project Management tutorials:





Cheers - Tony

Tony, thanks for the links. I watched them both, they do the trick in making me feel like a complete twonk for not following my usual strict controls over a project.

I think that maybe right clicking on the media as you suggested would not show me where I originally located the files, but maybe I'll check that next time? I have been editing videos for perhaps upwards of 20 years and was a big fan of Pinnacle which had a far better range of menu items. The most useful was the ability to check each individual item's location.

Discipline in not wanting to tidy up all the large files must be adhered to in future!

Once again thanks for reply.

Karl.