Not sure what happened, perhaps the file is corrupt. Have you looked to see if there is a backup file that you can try to open? Just remove the .bak from the 'filename.pds.bak end of it (ideally rename so that you know which is which) and see if it will open? If it does, then I would do a few different saves just to make sure???

Hope this helps a bit.

Hi!

This is the second time this has happened.........after spending hours editing the file and making the changes to the original captured VDO.

The original file is around 42.6 megs so I would think the edited file should be around that number but it comes in as 105 kb.

I'm at a loss.


RC

It is odd, the first thing I would do is see if you can open your back up file and then (my thought would be that there is something corrupt in there).

Have you been using PD for a while? Have you had this same issue with other projects or just this one.

If it is this one, and you haven't updated (or upgraded windows, power director etc) so that the configuration is exactly the same as it was for your last project that did not crash/break/corrupt. Then I would wonder if you having something in the file that is corrupt.

If, you have used PD for a while and have been successful and there have been updated patches OR updates on windows etc. It could really be anything. I'm afraid its a Sherlock Holmes affair.

It really depends upon how curious you are to find out (detect) what and where the error is.

PD is a great program (I have used it for quite some time) so I would investigate to find out what the issue is.

There is a thread here that gives you an idea how to put together a test file so that someone can help. Not sure if this will help, but it's a thought too.

http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/2405.page

Some thoughts:

Saved files (.pds) are small compared with the original footage, so 105KB is not unusual.

After you saved the file did you move any of the original footage to another part of your computer - if you did Power Director won't be able to find it for your next editing session.

Robert

It is true that the pds file won't be the same size as your processed file. As an example i just did one where the pds was 165kbs but the processed file was 260mb and the files that I used to create this project all put together, was a larger number again.

It's true that moving the files around can create problems, but it's been my experience that Power Director will allow you to browse for the files. Has that changed? I know Power Producer doesn't allow you to browse for moved files, but I was pretty sure Power Director did.

Thank you for all your responses,

I'm new to the program

I'll try the test file routine and will investigate all your suggestions and get at the root of this.


Until next time

RC

Quote:

It's true that moving the files around can create problems, but it's been my experience that Power Director will allow you to browse for the files. Has that changed? I know Power Producer doesn't allow you to browse for moved files, but I was pretty sure Power Director did.

Yes, PD7 does allow you to browse for "lost" files.

Robert

Hi Scope,

Just to clarify and echo what everyone else has stated with regard to pds files.

Pds files are not a container that holds all your video, image, and audio files for your project. It is just the road map to where all the image and video files are stored on your computer, so that when you re-open Power Director with a pds file, the pds can facilitate the finding and re-loading of all these files back into PD again. Also, pds files save and retain all the transitions, effects, and general editing moves that you have applied to your project so far.

If you re-open PD with a saved pds, and some video clips, images, or audio files are missing from your project, it is most likely that you moved those files from their original location from where you originally loaded them into PowerDirector. That’s where the pds file expects to find them again. But once moved, PD, may not be able to find them or load them to your new session with the latest saved pds file. If you move them, the pds road map now leads to an empty place where the files used to be. So now Power Director is stumped.

This is why it’s best to always create a folder for each project, and put all your media (video, image, music, etc.), for that one project in that one folder. Then don’t do any maintenance to that folder till you are sure your project is completed to your satisfaction and is “in the can” as they say. But you can delete files from the library to keep things uncluttered.

You can also use the “pack project” feature for saving an entire project for posterity.
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