Quote Will PD16 projects load properly in PD17?

Yes with no problems. Since the newer editor will have more features, you'd normally open the older project with the new editor and just start working.

Please be aware, however, that projects are ALWAYS able to be opened by newer versions of PowerDirector, but once you save a project from the newer editor, you will not be able to open it in the old version again!

If you ever think you'll need to do that, the best thing to do is save a copy of the project with a new name (like Project-PD17) so your original project is still usable in the older version. Of course, the projects will diverge as soon as you make any changes in the PD17 version, so please keep that in mind.

YouTube/optodata

DS365 | Win11 Pro | Ryzen 9 3950X | RTX 4070 Ti | 32GB RAM | 10TB SSDs | 5K+4K HDR monitors

Canon Vixia GX10 (4K 60p) | HF G30 (HD 60p) | Yi Action+ 4K | 360Fly 4K 360°

Quote

Yes with no problems. Since the newer editor will have more features, you'd normally open the older project with the new editor and just start working.

Please be aware, however, that projects are ALWAYS able to be opened by newer versions of PowerDirector, but once you save a project from the newer editor, you will not be able to open it in the old version again!

If you ever think you'll need to do that, the best thing to do is save a copy of the project with a new name (like Project-PD17) so your original project is still usable in the older version. Of course, the projects will diverge as soon as you make any changes in the PD17 version, so please keep that in mind.

Love the advice on creating a new project name for PD 17. I've never had to open an old project in the previous version of the software once the new version came out but it's better to be safe than sorry as long as you have the haard drive space. Subscribe to PowerDirector University on YouTube.

Subscribe to PDU Mobile on YouTube.

Quote Will PD16 projects load properly in PD17?

Highwinder, I can't speak specifically for PD17, but my previous experience in nearly all versions of PD updates has been no. They always open, that has not been a problem, your specific wording is "properly". What I've experienced is some subtlety in some feature, for instance, a different picture assortment in a slideshow so some title you may have added for a particular scene is no longer correct as the pic in the canned slideshow sequence was changed. Just minor stuff like that, when noticed, can often be corrected easily.

I have also had to revert back some pds files as it was simply easier than edit fixing. So yes, it's often possible with a little manual pds file editing. A case of doing it successfully for a fellow editor was here, PD15 back to PD14 as he had invested a significant amount of editing time: https://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/49811.page#post_box_262060

Creating a duplicate pds file is always a good idea. Most users pds files are much smaller than 50MB, yes MB, so if you've got storage problems for duplicates of that you've got much larger editing problems. Probably not a issue for most, but I often have to work in the present with stuff I created several yrs ago so I've been in the habit of adding PD version to my file names so I have a quick visual clue, example1_PD15.pds as I reopen in different PD versions and potentially edit/save again.

Jeff

Quote

Highwinder, I can't speak specifically for PD17, but my previous experience in nearly all versions of PD updates has been no. They always open, that has not been a problem, your specific wording is "properly". What I've experienced is some subtlety in some feature, for instance, a different picture assortment in a slideshow so some title you may have added for a particular scene is no longer correct as the pic in the canned slideshow sequence was changed. Just minor stuff like that, when noticed, can often be corrected easily.

I have also had to revert back some pds files as it was simply easier than edit fixing. So yes, it's often possible with a little manual pds file editing. A case of doing it successfully for a fellow editor was here, PD15 back to PD14 as he had invested a significant amount of editing time: https://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/49811.page#post_box_262060

Creating a duplicate pds file is always a good idea. Most users pds files are much smaller than 50MB, yes MB, so if you've got storage problems for duplicates of that you've got much larger editing problems. Probably not a issue for most, but I often have to work in the present with stuff I created several yrs ago so I've been in the habit of adding PD version to my file names so I have a quick visual clue, example1_PD15.pds as I reopen in different PD versions and potentially edit/save again.

Jeff

Thanks, I appreciate it. I do in fact create copies of my project files as I proceed through a project. i don't just keep hititng "save". I make 4 copies of each of my projects as I proceed due to the time I invest in editing:

1. Copy that just contains all video clips and images
2. Copy with just the edits.
3. Copy with transitions and effects added.
4. Finalized copy ready to render to BluRay image.

I have been burned badly too many times, which is why I now follow this very rigid project saving process. It needs to be said that PD16 appears to have the project corruption problem fixed. Previous versions were horrible though. I know that's a different issue than compatibility, but relies on project file backup copies nonetheless.

Evaluating PD17 trial, I realized that it is not possible to open the project created in this, in the previous PD version, even making a change in the project file.
The project opens and closes PD, before being added to the timeline XEON-E5-2680 v4 / Mem. 16GB DDR4
M.2 NVME 512Gb / 2-SSD Sata3 1TB
AMD RX570 / Display Philips 272V8
Windows 11_64Pro / PD22/365

No. It is not compatible. I opened a PD16 project with chromakey in PD17 and I had to redo all my tracks chromakey and mask. It's boring to pay for so little improvement

Yes, I was afraid of these issues. This is why I still always use the original version of PD to open an older PD project. Upgrading a project to a newer version of PD is a gamble, so I never delete my installation media for older versions of PD.