Quote Unfortunately I don't have PD18 anymore since my subscription automatically upgraded me to PD19.

I understand that, which is why I wrote out the specific steps to pack an older project in PD19 and then overwite the newly created PDS file with the original one from PD18.

I'd like to work specifically with your projects so it's a true apples to apples comparison from PD18 to PD19, but I can only do that if you're willing to share an older project.

Quote

I understand that, which is why I wrote out the specific steps to pack an older project in PD19 and then overwite the newly created PDS file with the original one from PD18.

I'd like to work specifically with your projects so it's a true apples to apples comparison from PD18 to PD19, but I can only do that if you're willing to share an older project.

Oh, my apologies, I didn't read through that correctly. I'll see about doing that.

Quote I would wholeheartedly disagree with your statement that "The selection works as normal." .

Hi,
Apologies, lazy writing. I should have been more specific.

As far as I can ascertain on my systems, the handling of canvas and timeline selection changed with PDR17. In PDR16 and previous, the selection of clips on the canvas and timeline was as you have outlined.

From PDR17 that seems to have changed and the selection of a lower precedence track on the timeline, followed by a click and drag method on the canvas, but in a region overlaid by a higher precedence track, made the higher precedence track active, both on the canvas and on the timeline.

I have re-created a basic version of your project in PDR14 onwards as a test and can confirm that from PDR17 onwards, a click and drag on the canvas, in an area overlaid by a higher track - transparent or not - does activate the highest precedence track in that region, irrespective of what track was initially selected on the timeline.

If others can confirm my findings, it would be useful in reaching a solution for you.

Cheers
PowerDirector Moderator

Perhaps clicking on the canvas itself resulted in the higher layer being selected, but what about clicking on the + in the center of the selected layer? That always resulted in being able to move the selected layer. Except in PD19.

Quote Perhaps clicking on the canvas itself resulted in the higher layer being selected, but what about clicking on the + in the center of the selected layer? That always resulted in being able to move the selected layer. Except in PD19.

Hi,

Sorry, seems like from 17 on doesn't work like that.
Tried again, as you suggested, but as soon as the centre mark is activated the tracks change on the canvas and on the time line.

Lets see if anyone else can replicate your findings.

In the meanwhile, best bet is to use the PiP designer as others have suggested.

Cheers
PowerDirector Moderator

So here's why I believe this is a bug. As you suggested, I tried using PiP Designer to move the clip I want. The problem is that I NEED the overlay over top of the video I'm moving so I can see WHERE to position it. In PiP Designer, my selected clip is on top of everything and I can not see the overlay in order to properly position the layer.

There's an easy way to do that in the PiP Designer:

Thanks guys, I appreciate your giving me workarounds for this issue, but these are just bandaid solutions to a problem in the software. Bottom line, this is a bug in PowerDirector. This isn't how we should be forced to work on our layers. As I said before, any layer-based software is about selecting a layer and working on it. The software should never auto select a layer you didn't outright specify.

I feel like there some new hidden setting somewhere that is checked to make this happen.

I have no idea if this is a bug or if it's the way PD19 is designed. How other software works isn't the criteria, although I completely understand that it would look like a flaw if you're used to working with other apps.

Without a sample project from you from PD18 there isn't anything else I can do to help diagnose the difference between PD18 and PD19. You're free to report the issue directly to tech support as they don't normally monitor what's going on here in the user forum.