"Open Project" doesn't import music and images (this is an update with more background information)

Richmond Dan

Senior Contributor Location: Richmond, VA Joined: Aug 07, 2014 17:17 Messages: 673 Offline

Solved by

Mar 27, 2021 15:33

I moved from an older XPS-8700 (on which the project was created) to an XPS-8940 (details at bottom). I installed PD14 and PD19 on the new computer and I also copied all of the packed project materials to the new computer. When I try to open the project in either PD14 or PD19, it imports a lot of the transitions, effects, etc., but doesn't import any of the media into the library...it is empty. As as result, you can play the project but there are no images or music, just blank screens. All of the media are in the packed project file on the new computer.

As a test, I went back to the original computer. It loads the project and the media from the system C-drive and plays the video just fine, whether I'm using PD14 or PD19. What doesn't work, however, is when I try to load the project and the media from an external hard drive (to which I had copied the project and media). Apparently Power Director doesn't like it when I try to load the project and media from anywhere other than the original hard drive on which it was created.

I must be doing something wrong, because I can't believe that PD would restrict the editing of a project to the original machine on which it was created.

Thanks in advance...

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at Mar 27. 2021 17:10

Regards,
Dan
Power Director 21-Ultimate
v 21.0.3111.0
XPS-8940, Win-10 64-bit,
Intel Core i9-10900 processor
(10 core, 20M Cache),
32GB DDR4 RAM, 2TB M.2 PCIe NVME SSD, 2TB 7200 RPM SATA HDD,
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER 8GB GDDR6

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Mar 27, 2021 17:36

It's not entirely clear from your description, but I think you may have missed a step or possibly misinterpreted how to work with a packed project.

When PD packs a project, it copies ALL media clips from wherever they're stored on your computer to the packed project folder. It also "flattens" the entire project file so that it shows all media clips, custom titles, downloaded FX, etc stored directly in the packed folder.

In your original project, each timeline item has a path name pointing directly that item's exact drive, folder and all subfolder location, but in the packed project PD will only look for them in the packed folder. If you're not seeing that on your new PC, then it sounds like you aren't opening the packed version of the project.

Same goes for if you're seeing PD on your older system accessing meida on the C: drive. That's not the packed project.

Maybe if the explicit steps are listed it will make more sense.

On your original system, open the first project you want to transfer

From the File menu, select Pack Project Materials and choose a folder on your external hard drive

Wait for PD1x to copy everything, then disconnect the external hard drive when it's safe to do so

On your new system, connect the external drive and navigate to the packed folder

Double-click on the PDS file inside and the entire project - including all media files - should load

Richmond Dan

Senior Contributor Location: Richmond, VA Joined: Aug 07, 2014 17:17 Messages: 673 Offline

Mar 27, 2021 17:50

Quote It's not entirely clear from your description, but I think you may have missed a step or possibly misinterpreted how to work with a packed project.

When PD packs a project, it copies ALL media clips from wherever they're stored on your computer to the packed project folder. It also "flattens" the entire project file so that it shows all media clips, custom titles, downloaded FX, etc stored directly in the packed folder.

In your original project, each timeline item has a path name pointing directly that item's exact drive, folder and all subfolder location, but in the packed project PD will only look for them in the packed folder. If you're not seeing that on your new PC, then it sounds like you aren't opening the packed version of the project.

Same goes for if you're seeing PD on your older system accessing meida on the C: drive. That's not the packed project.

Maybe if the explicit steps are listed it will make more sense.

On your original system, open the first project you want to transfer

From the File menu, select Pack Project Materials and choose a folder on your external hard drive

Wait for PD1x to copy everything, then disconnect the external hard drive when it's safe to do so

On your new system, connect the external drive and navigate to the packed folder

Double-click on the PDS file inside and the entire project - including all media files - should load

That sounds exactly like the issue. I just copied the folder with all the packed materials from one hard drive to the other and tried to open it on the new computer. I'll try letting PD "do the packing" for me onto the external drive. I'll respond after I've had a chance to try it...tomorrow probably. Thanks!

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Mar 27, 2021 18:21

As long as you had PD create the packed project folder, even if you manually copy it onto your external drive everything should work. I just wanted to make sure that you're opening up the packed PDS and not a copy of the original file.

You can also easily check the packed folder on your external drive to make sure that all your media clips are present.

JL_JL

Senior Contributor Location: Arizona, USA Joined: Oct 01, 2006 20:01 Messages: 6091 Offline

Mar 27, 2021 18:33

Richmond Dan, be careful what you do after the step 5 listed. If you save your loaded pds project, PD will hard code the external drive letter in the saved pds file. This can be a challenge depending how you have your drive letters configured. Say next time you attached the external drive you have a usb flash drive inserted, the external may get for instance letter "F:" instead of prior "E:", PD will now have a issue as your pds file was saved with reference to all files in E:.

If you plan to edit off a external drive, it's often best to assign it a high drive letter like "Z:" so it's rather static.

Jeff