<BUMP>

So no one else has experienced this?

I also tried reinstalling PD10. No joy.

etr,
Please supply some more information:
1. Screeenshots of the Edit Workspace - showing your project insitu.
2. Please provide x2 diagnostic files.
3. You may be asked for additional sample files.
4. TEST and just curious:
a) Please add ALL the sample files to your project - which has the problem.
b) now remove all the previous content from the project.
c) Can you save the altered project with these sample files?

I am very interested in seeing the screenshots of the Edit Workspace content, please ensure the images are of full screen resolution.

Guide info: http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/7958.page
PART A,B and E&F to follow.

"BUMP" I don't blame you for this. Please be aware of the time of year and the holiday period.

Dafydd

Thanks for the response, Dafydd. Regarding your test, that did result in a successful save.

Version Info:
PD Ultra 10.0.0.1129a
SR number; VDE111019-02

Requested screenshots attached.

Additional screenshots...

Hi,
Thanks for the attachments.
1. Where are you attempting to save your project to?
2. Have you "drawn" media data from more than one harddrive.
3. What hard drive do the images, video and music files come from? Please be accurate with your reply.

Please inform me of what happens when you carry out the following:
1. Create a NEW folder on your desktop - label it: Test001
2. In PD10 and with your project available, select:
File > Export> Pack Project Materials> Browse to the NEW "Test001" folder you've created.
3. Are the files from your project (the one you've been working on) now packed into the folder or did an error message display again?

I am concerned at where you are storing your data, hence the questions and the test. I would like to know the results.

Observations: You appear to be editing 16:9 SD video and 4:3 still images - which is OK. Your graphic's card (gpu) and CPU (Central Processing Unit) being insufficient for HD video editing. Just adding the info.

Thanks

Dafydd

Continued thanks!

All media retrieval and saving is occurring on my primary hard drive, i.e.--

Video Files located at C:\Users\Public\Videos\DVD Creation\Ryan Family\2011\Vids

Image Files located at C:\Users\Public\Videos\DVD Creation\Ryan Family\2011\Pics

Saved PD10 files located at C:\Users\Public\Videos\DVD Creation\Ryan Family\2011\

In case you were wondering why "archive" was in the file path, I save previous versions of PD10 files at--
Saved PD10 files located at C:\Users\Public\Videos\DVD Creation\Ryan Family\2011\Archive

No matter where I try to save I get the same error.

As expected, the pack project option causes the exact same hang.

Why do you say that I'm using 4:3 pics? Other than the occasional cropping, all pics are 16:9.

Hi,

The images in the media library, JPG's, are not 16:9.

Last questions.

The mp3, where's the source?
What happens when that music file is removed?
Removal, does it allow you to save?


You've found that removing the project content has resulted in a save situation only when all has been removed. You have also found that using a set of sample media, the program saved the project and you were able to re-open it.

This leads me to wonder about the contents, the make up, and the selections made.

I'm concerned you have also a possible failing harddrive unable to cope with the strain placed on it. Video editing software will show up a weakening computer.

All I'm doing is trying to make a best guess here.

Dafydd

Hi Erin -

As has been pointed out, your PC is underpowered for the task you're setting it.

CPU: http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_lookup.php?cpu=AMD+Athlon+II+X2+240
GPU: http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/video_lookup.php?gpu=Radeon+3000

You've been able to save a project using the sample files, which are almost certainly lower res than the ones you're using in your "real" project. What's the format & resolution of your video clips?

One of the screenshots attached shows 5 other programs running at the same time, including a Roxio product. This is putting unnecessary strain on your PC & it's possible the Roxio product is somehow in conflict with PD. The first thing I'd try is running PD on its own.

Cheers - Tony
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Dafydd-

I see what you mean by the picture ratios. It so happens that I received a handful 4:3 pics from another member of my family, and based on the naming format, they're showing up at the top of the project. If you look closely, though, you can see 16:9 pics in the library as well. These are the majority of pics. But I digress...

The audio files are located in the same basic place--
C:\Users\Public\Videos\DVD Creation\Ryan Family\2011\Soundtrack

I should have mentioned that one of the first troubleshooting steps I took was to delete all the non-picture and non-video files (i.e., audio files, overlays, effects). That made no difference either.

I agree with you that there is something wrong with the project itself, or as you put it, "the contents, the make up, and the selections made." I'm just running out of troubleshooting ideas.

As for it being a hardware problem, I suppose that's possible, but it seems pretty unlikely. I've run all the diagnostics I have and everything is nominal.

I have noticed one additional oddity that I will look into tonight. For some reason, a large number of the media files in the project are no longer showing up in the library pane. Strange.

Thanks for the reply, Tony.

I could certainly benefit from some improved hardware, but I don't think its reasonable to attribute this error to hardware. Here is why I say that--
(1) I have successfully completed two previous projects that were at least as large (both in terms of number of media files, as well as total project duration) with no problems whatsoever.
(2) This project fails in the exact same manner regardless of how many media files I have in it. Even a solitary picture in this project fails to save. The fact that the hang occurs at precisely the same point regardless of project size or content is not consistent with a hardware problem.

To answer your question, the video files I'm using are mostly DV AVI at 720x480.

The reason you see the Roxio product in the screenshot is that I was using it save off the screenshots in JPEG format. Good point on isolating the app, but I have tried running PD10 on this project with no other users logged into the computer, and no other apps running. Same error.

Having said all that, I am in the market to upgrade my video card. Do you guys have any recos for the best value? I do intend to start HD editing in the coming year.

Erin -

You're right, of course. PD shouldn't be falling over in the middle of saving a project.

Knowing that you're editing SD video clips makes the hardware comments above less critical. They'll put far less strain on your GPU.

Are you saying that if you
1. Open a new project
2. Import & insert a single image
3. Go to save the project...
PD crashes??? That's a sure sign that it's not a huge hardware issue.

Have you tried giving PD a complete uninstall/re-install? Maybe I missed that.

Cheers - Tony

P.S. Yes - your graphics card is a very weak link in the chain. Here's how it compares to some of the big guns http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=Radeon+3000 Any advice would be governed by your budget, in the first instance.

Here's a bit of a guide to some high end GPUs http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html - the prices are obviously not absolute.
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Quote: Dafydd-

I see what you mean by the picture ratios. It so happens that I received a handful 4:3 pics from another member of my family, and based on the naming format, they're showing up at the top of the project. If you look closely, though, you can see 16:9 pics in the library as well. These are the majority of pics. But I digress...

The audio files are located in the same basic place--
C:\Users\Public\Videos\DVD Creation\Ryan Family\2011\Soundtrack

I should have mentioned that one of the first troubleshooting steps I took was to delete all the non-picture and non-video files (i.e., audio files, overlays, effects). That made no difference either.

I agree with you that there is something wrong with the project itself, or as you put it, "the contents, the make up, and the selections made." I'm just running out of troubleshooting ideas.

As for it being a hardware problem, I suppose that's possible, but it seems pretty unlikely. I've run all the diagnostics I have and everything is nominal.

I have noticed one additional oddity that I will look into tonight. For some reason, a large number of the media files in the project are no longer showing up in the library pane. Strange.

OK, we're stuck on the pds not saving and yet it should have saved already.

Please go to: C:\Users\PC-NAME-HERE\AppData\Roaming\CyberLink\PowerDirector\10.0\AutoSave

Let's see if the AutoSave gives us a route out.
1. Copy the last 5 Auto-Save files to your desktop and place them in a NEW Folder - to keep things a little tidy.
2. Now we need to ascertain these are the right pds' and hopefully you'll recognise them by the AutoSave name.
3. Duplicate the files (Make copies and clearly ID them as copies. We are going to work on the copies.).
4. Open the pds/double click on it.
5. Is it opening correctly and is your project viewable?
6. the aim here is to
a) find the right pds
b) one that hasn't been opened,
c) test to see if it'll save
d) make duplicates of the pds to reduce the contents in the project.
7. If the project opens successfully please make duplicate pds' from the original AutoSave pds. Simply use Copy and then use paste a number of times to the same location.
8. I want you now to reduce your project down in size in each of those copied pds' and attempt to save each.

At the moment I feel like I'm clutching at straws to work out what the problem/solution is other than simply saying: Open the project and delete part and produce it. Repeat the procedure and see if you can create a lot of short Produced videos. the aim would be just to have a lot of videos you can bring back into PD to add more to and complete.

Dafydd

Hi etr

Quote: I have noticed one additional oddity that I will look into tonight. For some reason, a large number of the media files in the project are no longer showing up in the library pane. Strange.

Some screenshots of that showing the timeline content with you playing over those sections would be useful please. I'm looking for a display or hang situation to occur.

Dafydd

Okay, gents, problem solved. But what an odyssey this was...

Here's a step-by-step account of what happened and how it was resolved:
(1) Whenever I tried to save my project, it would hang at the at the 20% point of the "Saving Chapter Thumbnails" window
(a) This hang would only occur during saves, and occurred for both manual and autosaves
(b) This hang would also occur if I opened up an earlier iteration of the project and tried to save it
(c) No matter how many files I removed from my project, as long as there was one original file remaining, it would hang when attempting to save
(d) I could successfully save if I deleted all media content (as well as if I added content back)
(e) A complete uninstall/reinstall made no difference[/list]
(2) I noticed that most of my project media files were missing from the library pane. The fact that they were missing appeared to have no effect on the project, i.e., I could play and edit the files in the timeline normally. Via the properties option, I also confirmed that the path to the actual file was valid in each case.
(3) I reimported all the missing media files back into the library. Curiously, none of the thumbnails had the green check mark in the corner to indicate they had been added to the project even though they were in fact already included in the project
(4) I appended all the restored media files from the library into the project timeline, such that there were two copies of each of these files in the project, the original modified (panning, placement, corrections, etc.) versions and the newly re-added versions at the end of the project. The green check marks for the corresponding thumbnails in the library pane were restored.
(5) I deleted all the newly added media files. The green check marks for all the subject media files remained! So now every file in my project existed in the library pane with a corresponding green check mark on the thumbnail, and my project was exactly as I intended it to be.
(6) I was able to successfully save!
(7) HOWEVER, after doing more editing on the project, the hang would occur again in precisely the same manner as before. To correct the problem, I would again have to reimport all media into the library, insert it into the project timeline, and then promptly delete it. This was a painful workaround, but it at least got me through the project enough to produce it and burn it.

But here's the kicker. I downloaded and installed Cyberlink's latest patch from a few days ago (i.e., 1129b). Since that time, the problem has gone away entirely. Which means that they either corrected this problem in the patch, or the act of patching, per se, replaced a corrupt program file.

Very strange. I sincerely appreciate your help in trying to resolve this issue.

Erin

Quote:

P.S. Yes - your graphics card is a very weak link in the chain. Here's how it compares to some of the big guns http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=Radeon+3000 Any advice would be governed by your budget, in the first instance.

Here's a bit of a guide to some high end GPUs http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html - the prices are obviously not absolute.

Any reason why I wouldn't just go with the Radeon HD 4870? It seems sufficient, and is by far the best value: http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=Radeon+HD+4870

Erin

When I go here (www.cyberlink.com/downloads/support/powerdirector-ultra/patches_zh_CN.html) for updates it won't let me download any patches! It keeps saying "Unable to install the patch update. Your system must have a non-trial version of PD10 installed. The installation will abort. Please contact customer service for assistance" The saving problem is SO ANNOYING! I have to re-edit things multiple times just to get some progress and then it won't save again. Most of the time it won't recover it.

It's 2 and a half years later, I have a much newer version, and this same exact thing is happening to me.

Yes, I'm with Keglined: this happened to me, too, during "Pack Project Materials", at same stage.

I've just bought PD 12 (12.0.2420), first time user. The program crashes often.

For this particular crash, I restarted the PD and deleted an existing file in the folder I had chosen in the pop-up dialog. This time the "pack" command worked, don't know why.

In any case, the folder selection dialogue is primitive, from some earlier century version of Windows. This part of the code seems ripe for a little attention by a programmer?? Hopefully the fruit of this can be included in an update to PD 12.

Nick111,
welcome to the forum.
If you are having an issue, perhaps you'd like to start your own thread (in the v12 room), and provide for us some basic information.
http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/29701.page
At the very least we need Part A and Part B.
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