Your question makes me think that you might confuse video files and project files.

you start with a video file to input that into the media room, and then I assume you move this file to tHe timeline for editing work?
If you are done editing, it is good to save the editing work by saving it as a project. Once you have saved the project, you can open the project again, e.g. next day after you have opened PD. All the editing into the time line you did before saving the project, is available again upon the opening of the project.
Mind you, the original video file is still untouched, nothing has change in there, PD has kept your editing activities separately and stores all those typically in the project file.

Only after you have produced a new video file, using PD production you have (in a new file) the result of all your editing. THIS video file can be shared with others e.g. on DVD or online, or .... as I assume you may be doing.... for the next editing you still may want to do on the video. In that case the new produced video file is again IMPORTED into the media room, and moved to the timeline lie for editing, likely after you have started a new project or have cleared the timeline as required.....


so the project file with all the savings is only for the next time you want to edit the project. It contains editing instructions that only PD understands. Distributing the project file (.PDS) does not make sense to the happy viewer of your editing results.

Hope that the difference between importing a clip and opening a project file is clear and helps you as an answer to your question?

Suggest that have a look at the many tutorials on Powerdirector on YouTube, which may strengthen the explanation above. There are some very good tutors out there!!

Quote Your question makes me think that you might confuse video files and project files.

you start with a video file to input that into the media room, and then I assume you move this file to tHe timeline for editing work?
If you are done editing, it is good to save the editing work by saving it as a project. Once you have saved the project, you can open the project again, e.g. next day after you have opened PD. All the editing into the time line you did before saving the project, is available again upon the opening of the project.
Mind you, the original video file is still untouched, nothing has change in there, PD has kept your editing activities separately and stores all those typically in the project file.

Only after you have produced a new video file, using PD production you have (in a new file) the result of all your editing. THIS video file can be shared with others e.g. on DVD or online, or .... as I assume you may be doing.... for the next editing you still may want to do on the video. In that case the new produced video file is again IMPORTED into the media room, and moved to the timeline lie for editing, likely after you have started a new project or have cleared the timeline as required.....


so the project file with all the savings is only for the next time you want to edit the project. It contains editing instructions that only PD understands. Distributing the project file (.PDS) does not make sense to the happy viewer of your editing results.

Hope that the difference between importing a clip and opening a project file is clear and helps you as an answer to your question?

Suggest that have a look at the many tutorials on Powerdirector on YouTube, which may strengthen the explanation above. There are some very good tutors out there!!

Warry,
Sounds like I did the wrong thing. I saved the first output work file by simply clicking on the X close symbol in upper right of edit work screen. System automatically puts a question out if I want to save or not save and I clicked on save. So it seems nothing should have been lost at that point. Will do future saves as Project Saves.

Just to clarify: Where you say ".....or have cleared the timeline as required". Is there something I need to click on to clear the timeline before exiting with the X Close?

Thank you for the help!

Gene

The program 'knows' whether you have done some editing or made changes when you press the X and thus askes whether you want want to save that work or not. When you say save, it will either ask you the name of the project to be saved, or uses the name that has already been given previously....
You will notice at the top in the middle the project name and an * appears when something has changed that has not been saved.

When you make a New project, the time line willl be cleared (PD may ask you to save what has not been saved...) and when you open a project and thus load it, PD will ask you whether or not to add to what you already have in the media room and/or the time line should either not be empty. So to your question, NO! You don't have to clear anything, even so, if you do clear the time line, then THAT will be saved in the project: a cleared timeline, and I guess that is precisely what you don't want....
have fun.

Maybe have a look at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx_5NJs8Mx0
or at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqSOYH8bWOU
and at
https://www.cyberlink.com/learning/powerdirector-video-editing-software?category=2