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Disappearing project files
CeriRees [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Dec 23, 2011 16:49 Messages: 20 Offline
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I have over 3,000 pds project files and I never know when I'm going to need an old one. But I notice that PD20 (and quite possibly earlier versions) are deleting any over a month old. Does anyone know why this might be? I keep a backup folder full of them but it is a pain in the butt to hve to keep bringing them back from there to my regular project file folder.

They sit there nicely in the folder until I go into PD. Even if I do no work with PD, when I come back out, thousands have gone and just the last month's remain. This seems most odd to me. Why would any program delete project files? I have looked at 10+ pages of the forum and seen no mention of this. So is it only me?

Just curious to see if anyone else has experienced this.
CeriRees [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Dec 23, 2011 16:49 Messages: 20 Offline
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Actually, on reflection, this must be a new problem with PD20. My project files by default are saved in my OneDrive folder so they are also backed up in the cloud. It is only since PD20 that I now get a message from OneDrive after I've left PD saying "You've deleted x,000 files, do you also want to delete them from the cloud?" I would have definitely noticed this if it had been happening before.

And this isn't an issue with OneDrive in case you're thinking of saying that, it happens when OneDrive is enabled AND when it is completely disabled. It could, I suppose, be a Win11-related issue but I don't see how.
optodata
Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline
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The behavior you're describing means that for some reason PD is seeing all of those projects as temporary files, and since PDS files are being targeted I'm wondering if they're in the same folder as the auto saves.

I would make sure that nothing important is stored in the autosave folder (or subfolders) and that all your individual project output folders (Preferences | File | Export folder:) are nowhere near where you store your main project files.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Sep 17. 2021 23:10

CeriRees [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Dec 23, 2011 16:49 Messages: 20 Offline
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Quote The behavior you're describing means that for some reason PD is seeing all of those projects as temporary files, and since PDS files are being targeted I'm wondering if they're in the same folder as the auto saves.

I would make sure that nothing important is stored in the autosave folder (or subfolders) and that all your individual project output folders (Preferences | File | Export folder are nowhere near where you store your main project files.


I will check that. But I definitely have the "autodelete temp files after 30 days" disabled so if it that, it is still a problem for CL. I'll take a look.
Ricky Bobby [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Feb 16, 2022 16:04 Messages: 13 Offline
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If this is true........


What utter Bison Excrement.

Are these the same guys who got fired from Pixar after the Toy Story 2 fiasco?


WHY WOULD ANY PROGRAM DELETE A SAVED PROJECT?
(As, arguably, versus an auto saved project.)



So, Cyberlink, some questions.


1) Are all project files temporary?

2) Is it necessary to create a safe zone for projects to be retained for more than 60 days?
(I think that's the auto-delete maximum time.)

3) Can a project more than 60 days old be loaded and re-saved without being deleted?

4) How long are projects kept in the Cloud?

5) Doesn't this all sound like a back-handed way to get me hooked on the Cloud?

and..........

6) Is there anyway, other than thru specefic medium data recovery to recover auto-deleted files?
PowerDirector Moderator [Avatar]
Senior Contributor Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan Joined: Oct 18, 2016 00:25 Messages: 2104 Offline
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Hi,

Quote If this is true........

So, Cyberlink, some questions.



As this is a user-user forum, CL does not directly monitor the forum, so you won't get an answer from them. However I shall try and answer and maybe others will offer some thoughts.

Quote

1) Are all project files temporary?



No, only autosave files are temporary. Properly saved files to a user defined location are not treated as temporary.

Quote

2) Is it necessary to create a safe zone for projects to be retained for more than 60 days?
(I think that's the auto-delete maximum time.)



No, as above. I have project files in their defined locations going back to 2008.

Quote

3) Can a project more than 60 days old be loaded and re-saved without being deleted?



As above, however any version of PDR will save a project file in that version's format. Newer versions are not backwardly compatible, which means that, say, PDR8 cannot open a PDR9 and onwards file. Newer versions will always be able to open previous version files. This means that opening a - for example - PDR10 file in PDR20, working on it and saving it as the same file will make it unopenable in PDR10. Saving it as a new file will retain the original in the original PDR10 format.

Quote

4) How long are projects kept in the Cloud?



Not sure which cloud you are referring to - the OP was referring to OneDrive?

Quote

5) Doesn't this all sound like a back-handed way to get me hooked on the Cloud?



As above - but, if you are referring to CL Cloud, I don't think so since, other than experimenting and testing I have never used it and my use of the varied versions has never been hampered by non-cloud use.

Quote

6) Is there anyway, other than thru specefic medium data recovery to recover auto-deleted files?


Would'nt have thought so, the auto-delete temp files does not appear to involve the Recycle Bin. I assume that any auto-deleted files are "removed" by marking the MFT entry as free (as in any permanent deletion) but the disc space is not immediately re-allocated so other techiques may enable recovery.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
PowerDirector Moderator

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Jun 12. 2022 13:05


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Ricky Bobby [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: Feb 16, 2022 16:04 Messages: 13 Offline
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Thank you. Your response was intricately and adequately descriptive.


(But, Yes, I've lost months of work because my 'saved' projects were automatically deleted.)


Please don't take any of this as being unappreciative. You obviously know your s**t.


My complaint is the counterintuitive presentation and use of the words 'save' and 'temporary'.

The constraints in language of - 'Properly saved files to a user defined location are not treated as temporary' begs the question because the location is determinent and not the file type. All the file extensions are the same and thus, all the files in the targetted location will be deleted. They are not temporary files, they are made temporary by being placed in a location marked for deletion.
Meaning - 'Saved files to a properly defined location are not treated as temporary' would be more accurate. None of which is conveyed in the menu prompts.
(It sure would've been nice to know this before the recent carnage.)

Perhaps if the 'Auto delete temporary files every:' ,,, setting was put on the same Preferences - menu page as the 'Auto save project every:' ... setting and to be so bold, clarity can only be achieved by replacing the word TEMPORARY with ALL until the addition of a Browse/pull-down for 'Properly saved files' is added. At least then, the apparent potential for carnage would get a 'Hey, Wait a Minute...'

I appreciated your input.
tomasc [Avatar]
Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 25, 2011 12:33 Messages: 6464 Offline
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Ricky Bobby - Try this: Go to Preferences/File/Export to: and post the full file path. Go to Preferences/Project/Browse and post the full file path. We can see if the path is in a volatile location.
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