Hi,

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Then cyberlink crashed and since then I have been unable to access Cyberlink. When I try to open the app, it crashes when it tries to load any content (even before I try to open any projects or videos).

Can you clarify what you mean "it crashes"- any error messages, splash screen or does it just disappear or.... ?

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I worked for ages on my project, and unfortunately I did not produce it, it is still only a .pds file. If anyone could help me salvage my file too I would be very greatful. I have tried to convert my .pds file to mp4 or wmv but this is giving me an error too.

Your .pds file is a proprietary file that cannot be handled by anything other than PowerDirector. It only holds the information required for PDR to interpret and handle the editing instructions that you have given during your project. It cannot be converted to any other format.

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EDIT: Also, if I tried to install a trial version of a different version of PowerDirector and attempted to open my pds file there... would this work?

I wouldn't recommend that course until you have sorted out the current issue.


Your .pds file should be still in it's saved location and hopefully not been damaged in any way. Personally I'd take a copy for safety anyway. You might also take note of any Autosaved copies - default location is C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\CyberLink\PowerDirector\20.0\Cache\AutoSave\

Have you tried uninstalling PDR and then re-installing? This may reset things and allow PDR to open. For example: if you have Preferences>Project>Autoload last project when PDR opens checked, and there is something major wrong with that project, then PDR may fail trying to open it and you are stuck in a loop. Not saying that is the case, just an illustration of how a reset might be beneficial.

Cheers
PowerDirector Moderator

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Quote Hi,



Can you clarify what you mean "it crashes"- any error messages, splash screen or does it just disappear or.... ?






Your .pds file is a proprietary file that cannot be handled by anything other than PowerDirector. It only holds the information required for PDR to interpret and handle the editing instructions that you have given during your project. It cannot be converted to any other format.




I wouldn't recommend that course until you have sorted out the current issue.


Your .pds file should be still in it's saved location and hopefully not been damaged in any way. Personally I'd take a copy for safety anyway. You might also take note of any Autosaved copies - default location is C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\CyberLink\PowerDirector\20.0\Cache\AutoSave\

Have you tried uninstalling PDR and then re-installing? This may reset things and allow PDR to open. For example: if you have Preferences>Project>Autoload last project when PDR opens checked, and there is something major wrong with that project, then PDR may fail trying to open it and you are stuck in a loop. Not saying that is the case, just an illustration of how a reset might be beneficial.

Cheers
PowerDirector Moderator

Hi,

Thanks so much for your reply.

By "it crashes" I mean that it simply fails to load up anything in powerdirector. I open the app, I see the surfboard or whatever cyberlink pre-screen, then when it would normally load the automatic content that comes up in the workspace, it just fails to load and I get the "program is not responding" reaction where I then have to terminate the program by going into my task process screen.

Thanks for the information regarding the .pds file. That is really disappointing as I am desperate to keep the file preserved.
I am currently trying to search for the autosaved copies... so far I cannot see anywhere that leads to a 'cache\autosave\' directory but I will update if I find it.

Regarding uninstalling and reinstalling, I have been wary of trying that, as I have assumed that this would cause my existing project to be erased... would this be the case?

Many thanks again for taking the time to help,

C

Quote Thanks for the information regarding the .pds file. That is really disappointing as I am desperate to keep the file preserved.
I am currently trying to search for the autosaved copies... so far I cannot see anywhere that leads to a 'cache\autosave\' directory but I will update if I find it.

Regarding uninstalling and reinstalling, I have been wary of trying that, as I have assumed that this would cause my existing project to be erased... would this be the case?

Many thanks again for taking the time to help,

C

The AppData folder is a hidden file that you can make visible and see if you configure File Explorer to view it. Follow the PDM instruction. Do a sort in the right directory and you’ll see the latest autosave .pds on top.

Uninstall and reinstall may cause one to lose all the previous custom templates as some users may claim. Check with the PDM to see if it may or may not be true for some users.

You may want to backup the contents in that autosave folder before an uninstall and reinstall of PD20/365. You have to take risks and move on.

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The AppData folder is a hidden file that you can make visible and see if you configure File Explorer to view it. Follow the PDM instruction. Do a sort in the right directory and you’ll see the latest autosave .pds on top.

Uninstall and reinstall may cause one to lose all the previous custom templates as some users may claim. Check with the PDM to see if it may or may not be true for some users.

You may want to backup the contents in that autosave folder before an uninstall and reinstall of PD20/365. You have to take risks and move on.

Thank you, I have found it

I will make a copy of that autosave folder and save this folder and its contents to my Documents folder. Before I uninstall and reinstall it, do I need to make a copy of any other folders?
Also, presuming that the reinstallation works OK, how should I tell powerdirector where this autosave folder is? As I guess that powerdirector wont know where to locate it. I presume that simply pasting that folder back into the cyberlink folder in the directory I originally found it will work?

Many thanks,
C

Quote Thank you, I have found it

I will make a copy of that autosave folder and save this folder and its contents to my Documents folder. Before I uninstall and reinstall it, do I need to make a copy of any other folders?
Also, presuming that the reinstallation works OK, how should I tell powerdirector where this autosave folder is? As I guess that powerdirector wont know where to locate it. I presume that simply pasting that folder back into the cyberlink folder in the directory I originally found it will work?

Many thanks,
C

Please read this sticky: https://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/85748.page#post_box_354916 and attach the DxDiag.txt on your next reply. This will allow users to see what may be wrong with the drive space.

The backed up autosave allows you to open any backed up .pds file from that folder without having to open PD20/365 first. You don’t need to tell PowerDirector the location of the autosave as it will either create a new one or keep the old one. Why should it matter at all? You can always buy an external drive and back up the whole computer to be extra safe if desired.

Be sure to save that current .pds file somewhere else too as a backup.

Quote

Please read this sticky: https://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/85748.page#post_box_354916 and attach the DxDiag.txt on your next reply. This will allow users to see what may be wrong with the drive space.

The backed up autosave allows you to open any backed up .pds file from that folder without having to open PD20/365 first. You don’t need to tell PowerDirector the location of the autosave as it will either create a new one or keep the old one. Why should it matter at all? You can always buy an external drive and back up the whole computer to be extra safe if desired.

Be sure to save that current .pds file somewhere else too as a backup.

Thanks for your reply. I have attached a snip image of the dxdiag results to my reply.

I am asking as I only recently brought my new laptop (my new laptop is where I have experienced powerdirector crashing) and I had transferred all of my folders on my old laptop to my new laptop using my external drive, which included the Cyberlink folders.
But when I had tried to open an old cyberlink .pds project file on my new laptop, my new laptop with the new installation of cyberlink was not able to open the file. Instead it opened my project and showed me the placement of all my video clips in the project, but they were greyed/faded out, and I interpreted that as cyberlink not being able to locate the video clips which formed the project. Fortunately I had 'produced' what I had of the project so far, and so I opened the produced file instead and continued working on my video that way.
Hence my confusion about how I am able to prevent this happening again to my project, as I never produced this particular project,, only had the .pds version.

Quote Thanks for your reply. I have attached a snip image of the dxdiag results to my reply.

I am asking as I only recently brought my new laptop (my new laptop is where I have experienced powerdirector crashing) and I had transferred all of my folders on my old laptop to my new laptop using my external drive, which included the Cyberlink folders.
But when I had tried to open an old cyberlink .pds project file on my new laptop, my new laptop with the new installation of cyberlink was not able to open the file. Instead it opened my project and showed me the placement of all my video clips in the project, but they were greyed/faded out, and I interpreted that as cyberlink not being able to locate the video clips which formed the project. Fortunately I had 'produced' what I had of the project so far, and so I opened the produced file instead and continued working on my video that way.
Hence my confusion about how I am able to prevent this happening again to my project, as I never produced this particular project,, only had the .pds version.

Use the feature File/Packed Project Materials to a folder on the old computer so that you can move or take the same project to another or different computer to open it.

I believe that you have gotten good help in the meantime as this is not what you stated as the problem in your initial post. A packed project allows you to transport the project with all the necessary assets to any pc with the PD20/365 correctly installed and be able to open it.