Starting Over - Inadvertent PDS Encounter

Anonymous

Solved by

Oct 04, 2021 14:08

About four weeks ago started my first video editing experience. The goal is limited. Input will be thirteen avi format source files. All of them forty minutes to one hour in length. Will be edited to 1) delete unwanted video frames, 2) delete unwanted sounds, 3)stabilization of some segments 4) limited texts to be added 5) completely edited files limited to twenty minutes 5) no source files will be combined 6) no other input files 7) completed output files will be mp4 format.

Problem: Hit a snag in attempting to delete unwanted sounds on first edit work file. Community forum advisor found the problem. The format of my editing output work files was pds. Always noticed that but "partitioned data set" meant nothing to me. Knowing now its effect I think the editing program should have provided a cautionary notice for the benefit of inexperienced users.

Start-over Question # 1. Apparently my error in the opening steps. Input source files are all avi format. Should they stay avi thru the editing steps until at final point the mp4 is applied? Or is there a format other than pds normally used by edit pgm?

Start-over Question # 2. There seems to be multiple opens. "Open Project". "File Open". "Import" option (which I always used). Apparently should have used something else first. What and when?

Gene Lenz

tomasc

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 25, 2011 12:33 Messages: 6464 Offline

Oct 04, 2021 22:10

The best advice has already been given and answered in your previous two posts. Use Open Project instead of Insert Project or import another project to the timeline. See this tutorial. You can open any nested project already on the timeline by double clicking on it to be able to edit it. This tutorial explains it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy2iNPQRams .

Start -over question #1. Yes. No.
Start -over question #2. Use File/Open Project. Import assets like video clips, images, audio clips to the media library. Don’t import projects to the timeline at all unless you view and fully understand the tutorial. Don’t import projects to get out of the situation created here and it will be okay!!!

Hope this helps...

Anonymous

Oct 05, 2021 00:22

Quote The best advice has already been given and answered in your previous two posts. Use Open Project instead of Insert Project or import another project to the timeline. See this tutorial. You can open any nested project already on the timeline by double clicking on it to be able to edit it. This tutorial explains it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy2iNPQRams .

Start -over question #1. Yes. No.
Start -over question #2. Use File/Open Project. Import assets like video clips, images, audio clips to the media library. Don’t import projects to the timeline at all unless you view and fully understand the tutorial. Don’t import projects to get out of the situation created here and it will be okay!!!

Hope this helps...

Thanks for answers. Will try them tomorrow. See response to opening nested project below.
1. Response to double-clicking on timeline. Tried that already. Didn't work. Double left-clicking only caused a brief display at center of edit work area saying only "updating thumbnails". Whatever a thumbnail is. Also tried double right-clicking which produced a menu in a flash to fast to read. Single right-click stayed the menu but the only usable options were "cut", "copy", "remove", "select all", "edit clip alias", and "dock/undock timeline window".

tomasc

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 25, 2011 12:33 Messages: 6464 Offline

Oct 05, 2021 10:03

Try this: Go to Preferences/Editing and change the set insert project behavior from Nested to Expanded and click OK. Close PD19. Reopen PD19. Do a File/Open … and choose that project. You should be able to open each of the nested projects on your timeline by double clicking on them. In your previous post screenshot it appears that all your nested projects tabs have the same exact filename. That is something I have never done and have no experience on it so you may have to double click say 20 times waiting for each nested loop inside another nested loop of the same name to open first. Be patient.

You can also click on the name tab of each nested project that appears on top of the timeline ruler to open it but only one at a time. You should delete each nested loop that you don’t need.

Anonymous

Oct 05, 2021 12:13

Quote Try this: Go to Preferences/Editing and change the set insert project behavior from Nested to Expanded and click OK. Close PD19. Reopen PD19. Do a File/Open … and choose that project. You should be able to open each of the nested projects on your timeline by double clicking on them. In your previous post screenshot it appears that all your nested projects tabs have the same exact filename. That is something I have never done and have no experience on it so you may have to double click say 20 times waiting for each nested loop inside another nested loop of the same name to open first. Be patient.

You can also click on the name tab of each nested project that appears on top of the timeline ruler to open it but only one at a time. You should delete each nested loop that you don’t need.

My preference is your second option "click on name tab of each nested project appearing on top of timeline.....". Maybe as many as thirty or forty by now because often did multiple saves in one day. Will proceed as stated below.
1. Will import one more time just to get the current edit work file pds from Windows File Explorer into Timeline1.
2. Starting with the second name tab above Timeline1 will delete all of them.
3. When only one name tab remains I will click on "Close" in upper right corner of screen.
4. System will ask if I want to save before closing.
5. Will respond yes and provide the same work file name but with ".avi" format instead of pds.
6. Will use File Open for all remaining edits of this work file and the remaining source files.

Will await your response before proceeding.

tomasc

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 25, 2011 12:33 Messages: 6464 Offline

Oct 05, 2021 21:46

It is good that you decided to stop inserting those nested projects. Saving the project in PD19 means a script (text) .pds file of your edit is saved.

Saving an avi format file means to Produce a avi file which is different from the term ‘save’ that you are using. Don’t get these terms confused.

You really don’t need to save any project files at all as you claim to do multiple saves each day. Why not just produce each avi file after you edit them. Produce them so that you have all your work saved as avi files the way you want. There are users in this forum that do exactly that.

Here is a tutorial on explaining the difference between the terms save and produce: https://youtu.be/0NFIp0obN94 .

Anonymous

Oct 05, 2021 22:19

Quote It is good that you decided to stop inserting those nested projects. Saving the project in PD19 means a script (text) .pds file of your edit is saved.

Saving an avi format file means to Produce a avi file which is different from the term ‘save’ that you are using. Don’t get these terms confused.

You really don’t need to save any project files at all as you claim to do multiple saves each day. Why not just produce each avi file after you edit them. Produce them so that you have all your work saved as avi files the way you want. There are users in this forum that do exactly that.

Here is a tutorial on explaining the difference between the terms save and produce: https://youtu.be/0NFIp0obN94 .

Actually I didn't insert those nested projects. The pds thing was an automatic format chosen by the edit system because I didn't start the project with File Open. I erroneously started with the choice of "importing media" because of statement I read maybe in a printed tutorial. Don't recall.

Not sure what you mean in your "Saving an avi format file....". My source files are all avi format from years past. I'm continuing with that format on each editing work file until no more editing remains on it. Then I will change the format from avi to mp4 which is a more recent format.