Quote Hi- I'm new to PD16. I was creating a video highlight of my daughters vball matches. ALL source video was contained on an external hard drive which I had connected to my laptop. Yesterday I finished going through most of her matches and my video was approx 6 min of at least 50 clips. This morning I decided I would learn how to add a preview/cover slide to the video. I did this without connecting the external hard drive. Once I created the preview/cover slide, I saved the file (just saved it). I think this was my mistake since the external hard drive was NOT connected.

Now even with the hard drive is connected, the video clips are gone from the Highlights video file I had created. The placeholder for each clip is shown in the timeline mode, but each clip is just solid black and when you play the video, the video runs but its just a black screen. Ugh!! Hours of work. I tried to look to recover recent files but I have not been successful. I think I have learned my lesson (always have my external hard drive connected if its the source) but is there anyway to get those clips associated and back into my file?

I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Thank you!!!!

First of all don't panic, those files are somewhere, we just need to find them.

In PD, and with the external drive connected, go to EDIT-PREFERENCES-FILE where it says "import folder" browse to the folder where your pics are. With that folder selected try to re-open the project.

Good luck

Robert Panny TM10, GH2, GH4,

Hi kchill0730
Welcome to our forum.

Whew, been there a few times, it's an awful feeling, all the work gone down the plug hole !
Maybe not.
However, I'll start by saying that I can't believe that you were able to do any editing at all with out your video rushes present !!

When you try to edit your latest timeline, does PowerDirector inform you that it can't find the video clip?
If so, there should also be an option displayed that offers you the chance to search for the video clip.
Now this can be a bit annoying as ( on my PC at least ) not all the file name is shown.
Don't worry about this, as you should know which folder and on which drive you've saved your video rushes.
If your rushes are a straight import from disc, the file should be easier to locate.
Click on the search for video link, go to your external drive and select your video file. PD will then re-associate your rushes with the timeline.
If, you've selected the wrong file, just select GO Back icon OR a Control Z to undo, then select anothe file to see if that is the correct file.

You've learnt a valuble lesson, always keep your video rushes online when editing. I can ( almost ) guarantee, that you'll never do that again.
Are you sure you've selected the correct setting for saving your Projects as well !

I'm sure someone else will suggest another way to do it but you can gives this try for now

Cheers I just want to edit and make pictures, walk my dog and go fishing.

Thanks all for the quick replies. I'm working to do what you suggested, but @Kyle, where is the "Search for Video link"? Excuse my ignorance.

As an FYI, the external hard drive contains 3 master folders from 3 tournaments. Each folder contains subfolders of each match during that tournament, and then each match has the actual video clips within it.

So am I just selected the external hard drive, or which folders am I selecting? Is there a way to just select everything thats in the external hard drive?

So confused.

Thank you again.

Quote Thanks all for the quick replies. I'm working to do what you suggested, but @Kyle, where is the "Search for Video link"? Excuse my ignorance.

As an FYI, the external hard drive contains 3 master folders from 3 tournaments. Each folder contains subfolders of each match during that tournament, and then each match has the actual video clips within it.

So am I just selected the external hard drive, or which folders am I selecting? Is there a way to just select everything thats in the external hard drive?

So confused.

Thank you again.

I've had another read of what you said and I think the AUTOSAVE facility will help you.

Try going to LOCAL DISK>USERS>YOUR NAME>APPDATA>ROAMING>CYBERLINK>POWERDIRECTOR>16>CACHE>AUTOSAVE. select the autosaved project you need and it should open. Keep the external drive connected

Robert Panny TM10, GH2, GH4,

Quote

Quote Thanks all for the quick replies. I'm working to do what you suggested, but @Kyle, where is the "Search for Video link"? Excuse my ignorance.

As an FYI, the external hard drive contains 3 master folders from 3 tournaments. Each folder contains subfolders of each match during that tournament, and then each match has the actual video clips within it.

So am I just selected the external hard drive, or which folders am I selecting? Is there a way to just select everything thats in the external hard drive?

So confused.

Thank you again.

I've had another read of what you said and I think the AUTOSAVE facility will help you.

Try going to LOCAL DISK>USERS>YOUR NAME>APPDATA>ROAMING>CYBERLINK>POWERDIRECTOR>16>CACHE>AUTOSAVE. select the autosaved project you need and it should open. Keep the external drive connected

Robert

Panny TM10, GH2, GH4,

Quote

Quote

Quote Thanks all for the quick replies. I'm working to do what you suggested, but @Kyle, where is the "Search for Video link"? Excuse my ignorance.

As an FYI, the external hard drive contains 3 master folders from 3 tournaments. Each folder contains subfolders of each match during that tournament, and then each match has the actual video clips within it.

So am I just selected the external hard drive, or which folders am I selecting? Is there a way to just select everything thats in the external hard drive?

So confused.

Thank you again.

I've had another read of what you said and I think the AUTOSAVE facility will help you.

Try going to LOCAL DISK>USERS>YOUR NAME>APPDATA>ROAMING>CYBERLINK>POWERDIRECTOR>16>CACHE>AUTOSAVE. select the autosaved project you need and it should open. Keep the external drive connected

Robert

Thanks for this. I had googled this prior and tried it. The weird thing is that there was one saved file in there (AUTOSAVE), but it was from Jan 2nd...very soon after I had started the Project and it had about 15% of the work I had done on it. That was the only file saved. I extensively did most of the work yesterday, so why wouldn't a file from 1.20.2018 be in there? Frustrating.


Also, I understand the mistake I made, but why didn't it correct itself after I reconnected the externa hard drive? Nothing on the external hard drive changed, so wouldn't the project try to read again where those clips came from?

At this point I haven't rectified the issue, so please if anyone else has ideas, I would appreciate them.

Otherwise, I'm about to start basically all over on the project. Ugh.

Thanks again.

Hi,

I think you will have an unresolvable problem.

The logic is as follows:
When you "import clips" into the media library, the file locations are used to allow PD to allocate your editing instructions to each file and are hard coded into the instruction file which is your project file, say, Project 1.pds
Note that when your project is produced, your original files are unaltered but the editing instructions are made on copies and then into your production. This is non-destructive editing.

So in this case, you imported your files to the library, worked on them and then saved the project as Project 1.pds.
As I understand it, you then did some additional editing for an cover slide, but without connecting your hard drive.
You then saved your project - presumably again as Project 1.pds.

In this case, you have:
overwritten the original file
and
overwritten it with no file locations, as the HDD was not connected and the placeholders were therefore blank.

Unless you have another project file - often in the autosave folder, there is no way to recover the original file.

This could be checked by reading a COPY of your project file (to make sure you don't corrupt the original) in a plain text editor like Notepad.
If you scroll through you will find a section where the file names and locations are kept (see attached example)

If this is the case, you have 2 basic options:
re-do the project (most probably the easiest!)
edit the .pds file adding in the actual file names and locations on the HDD (probably not really worthwhile, it has been done but very rarely and then only in the case of, say, substituting C: with D: because a drive letter changed. I wouldn't contemplate doing it extensively and I've been using PD since 2008!)

3 lessons to be learnt:
editing from external cards and HDDs is possible but the logic needs to be appreciated
do sequential saves with different file names/numbers as often as possible
use the autosave facility as a backstop only

However, if you can locate a copy of the "original" Project1.pds file you may well be able to recover the project - but as I read it there isn't another copy, other than the early autosave copy?

Hope that helps to clarify the problem.
Adrian Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. (see below)
Confucius
AMD Phenom IIX6 1055T, win10, 5 internal drives, 7 usb drives, struggling power supply.

You actually can recover that deleted but not possibly overwritten yet file with software like recurva. You need to save the recovered file to a different drive/ partition or folder so as to not overwrite again your work. Chances are good for small files like the pds file if done quickly. Best to remove that drive from the pc. Mount it in a different pc. Install the software and use it.

Quote Thanks all for the quick replies. I'm working to do what you suggested, but @Kyle, where is the "Search for Video link"? Excuse my ignorance.

As an FYI, the external hard drive contains 3 master folders from 3 tournaments. Each folder contains subfolders of each match during that tournament, and then each match has the actual video clips within it.

So am I just selected the external hard drive, or which folders am I selecting? Is there a way to just select everything thats in the external hard drive?

So confused.

Thank you again.

Hi kchill0730

I've included a jpg file to show the typical warning/error message that PowerDirector will show when it can't find a file. The information will show the last file location that PowerDirector logged when your ext HD was connected. Just click on Browse then you can open any folder + any file to file the missing clip. If there are several clips in your timeline that are taken from the same video file then they should automatically be restored other wise you will have to keep looking for the rest of the missing files. At some point PD should get the idea that all the files ar from that folder and it will take over to replace the rest of the missing files. It does work, I've had to do it, erm .... a lot

Cheers I just want to edit and make pictures, walk my dog and go fishing.

Thanks to each of you who replied so quickly to my issue. I tried in some form or fashion each of your suggestions but unfortunately I have not been able to recover my Project (likely due to more user error, i.e. Me lol). (responses were very much appreciated.

Thus I think I will just start over. At least its video I enjoy watching again, my own kid playing vball. But flipside is hours of additional work. Ugh.

I think I have learned a few lessons here:
1) When using an external hard drive as the Source file, ALWAYS have it connected when doing any type of edit work.
2) When updating a Project, likely good practice to update the final name to a new name (Ex. “Filename V1; Filename V2, etc)
3) That this form is very proactive in helping out a newbie. Much appreciated.

*If there are any additional lessons learned I should take note of through this experience, please send my way!

Thanks again…good to know there is a group of folks in “Cyperlink Land” willing to help a new user. Definitely will lean on this forum as I work to learn to use PD16 better and more efficiently.

Well, better get back to the grindstone!

Quote ... The weird thing is that there was one saved file in there (AUTOSAVE), but it was from Jan 2nd...very soon after I had started the Project and it had about 15% of the work I had done on it. That was the only file saved. I extensively did most of the work yesterday, so why wouldn't a file from 1.20.2018 be in there? Frustrating. ...

also must change the settings in the Preference. attached is my PD12 preference project settings for autosave every 10 minutes...

happy happy joy joy

PepsiMan
'garbage in garbage out' 'no bridge too far'

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A very good point raised by vn800rider in saving your project and not giving your project a new name, overwrites the previous project information saved!
Funny, but it's something I've been doing for many years but didn't think to mention it in this thread! I have lots of Rough Cut 1, RC 2 etc., projects each starting with a specific name but only the RC # changes until I arrive at the Project Final Cut. Really does save a lot of confusion.

Many years ago, while working in London, I knew a guy who had very tight deadlines, so he stayed in his cutting room for several days and didn't go home. He felt that the autosave was taking too much time, so he switched off the auto save !! ( PCs were a lot slower in those days )
With less than half a day to go before transmission his PC crashed and he lost his entire half hour program........... I can't remember his exact words.. but it didn't go down too well.
Always use autosave and always change the project name when you finish your editing session and do a manual save. I even click on the save icon when I've done an edit that has taken a while to achieve even though PowerDirector can reboot with a saved timeline, but it won't be the one you want !

Suppose it's a bit like the expression where "You aint a joiner/carpenter until you've cut finger/hand/someother part of your body while working" ....... You ain't an editor until you've lost your timeline/media files

Cheers I just want to edit and make pictures, walk my dog and go fishing.

I've had the same problem with PD 17. I cant believe this is even possible in this age of computers. Ive lost days of work with the same issue. Im dumping PD and goingwith a different program, this is way harder than it has to be!

Quote I've had the same problem with PD 17. I cant believe this is even possible in this age of computers. Ive lost days of work with the same issue. Im dumping PD and goingwith a different program, this is way harder than it has to be!

You're posting on an old thread where OP mistakenly saved a project after opening it without an external hard drive attached. When that happened, PD kept the timeline contents and edits intact but set placeholders for all the missing clips. Going back to an autosaved version helped, but there are also ways to recover the entire project if autosaves aren't available.

What happened in your case? We can help but we need to know the details.

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