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Chet Hedden
Chet Hedden Calculating status...
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CS3 How to archive finished projects and erase all draft materials without losing final versions.

Apr 25, 2011 1:16 PM

I have two questions, both related to system management. The first is simple and the second is more complex.

 

First, I hate that every time I open a Premiere Pro project I have to remember to reset the scratch disc settings because they are carried over from the previous project rather than being project-specific.

 

Is there a workaround so that the scratch disc settings can be attached to each project so they don’t need to be reset each time one reopens a project?

 

Second, I presently distribute my work over four (4) 1-TB drives as follows.

 

Drive D contains my Premiere (prproj and related) files as well as Encore (ncor DVD/BD burn files).

 

Drive E contains all captured files (transferred from tape).

 

Drives F and P are scratch drives where all the preview files are stored, both audio and video.

 

Presently, scratch drives F and P are full, project drive D is nearly full, and I am finished editing the projects which occupy these drives. Drive E, however, still has plenty of unused space.

 

What I want to do now is to archive the finished projects, along with associated preview files, source clips, and burn files on the E drive, which has plenty of free space remaining. Then I want to delete the project and associated assets from Drive D and erase both scratch drives F & P so that I can reuse those drives for new work.

 

To do that I have tried using the Project Manager to “collect files and copy to new location” to collect and copy each project to its own folder on the E drive.

 

The problem is that, having done that, and removed the preview files and project files from their original locations, when attempting to open the now relocated projects from their new locations, the relocated projects continue to look for the associated preview files in the old location (drive F or P), even though all the files associated with each relocated project now reside on the same drive in the same folder. It appears that the Project Manager does not associate the preview files and source clips that it relocates with the project files that it relocates.

 

Can someone explain this and how best to accomplish my goal of relocating and archiving finished projects along with their associated previews and source materials so that the originals can safely be deleted?

 

Thanks.

1169 Views   14 Replies   Latest reply: Jim Simon, Apr 26, 2011 8:40 PM
 
Replies
  • Jim Simon
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    1. Jim Simon,
    Apr 25, 2011 1:46 PM   in reply to Chet Hedden
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    Is there a workaround so that the scratch disc settings can be attached to each project so they don’t need to be reset each time one reopens a project?

     

    Yes.  Upgrade to CS5.5.  (This feature first showed up in CS4.)

     

    What I want to do now is to archive the finished projects

     

    You can safely delete everything on the F and P drives.  Previews can simply be rebuilt.  No need to waste space trying to save them.

     

    Save the project files on the D drive.  Delete the media on E (you can always recapture if you need to rebuild).

     

    Do not use the Project Manager.  Premiere Pro is an NLE.  Use it for it's intended purpose.  Use a real file manager (Windows Explorer on the PC, Finder on the Mac) to execute file operations.

     
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  • Chet Hedden
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    2. Chet Hedden,
    Apr 25, 2011 4:28 PM   in reply to Jim Simon
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    Jim,

     

    I'm confused when you say "Do not use the Project Manager . . . Use it for its intended purpose." What is its intended purpose, if not, as described on page 506 of the manual, to "gather a project's source media files when they are stored in various locations, and to prepare a project for sharing or archiving"?

     

    In general, I'm unclear about what files PP creates during the editing process, which ones are really necessary, and how it decides where they should be saved. Since I don't know where every file related to a project is stored, or what its function really is, it seems reasonable to let the program that created those files collect and consolidate them.

     
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  • Paul Mc Bride
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    3. Paul Mc Bride,
    Apr 25, 2011 5:05 PM   in reply to Chet Hedden
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    Chet,

    Not quite sure where Jim is coming from either - regarding Project Manager.

     

    I have used Project Manager in the past to archive projects on an external drive and have no problems in re-opening them now on

    a totally different PC.

     

    It is some time since I used it and would have to revisit it to advise you of the specific settings.

    .

    From memory you certainly have to set it to save all assets.

     

    If you need more info, I will look into it although I have moved up to CS4 and there may be marginal differences.

     

    What I can say for certain is that it does what it says on the box.

     
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  • Jim Simon
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    4. Jim Simon,
    Apr 25, 2011 11:56 PM   in reply to Chet Hedden
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    "Do not use the Project Manager . . . Use it for its intended purpose." What is its intended purpose

     

    I see the confusion.  The "it" in the above quote refers to Premiere Pro, which is an NLE, and not to the Project Manager feature.  Use 'it' (Premiere Pro) to cut your video.  Use a proper file manager to manage your files.

     

    None of the files PP creates are necessary for archive.  If you ever rebuild the project, PP will simply recreate the files.  Saving them is simply a waste of space.

     

    As for Paul's endorsement, the Project Manager doesn't always do what it says for everyone.  A search of these forums will turn up plenty of problems using the Project Manager.

     
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  • Chet Hedden
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    5. Chet Hedden,
    Apr 26, 2011 9:49 AM   in reply to Jim Simon
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    Jim,

     

    Surely some of the files PP creates must be necessary. Else, why would it create them?

     

    I'm assuming the project file would be necessary (prprog) and the source video and audio clips (mpeg, avi, wav, jpg/bmp). Otherwise, you wouldn't have a movie.

     

    The Project Manager collects and saves together prprog, prproj.mvrt, mpeg, wav, jpg, bmp, cfa, pek, and avi files.

     

    Do you consider any of these essential for archiving a project? If not, how would one go about rebuilding a project if all of these are deleted?

     
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  • Bill Hunt
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    6. Bill Hunt,
    Apr 26, 2011 10:41 AM   in reply to Chet Hedden
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    Well, the necessity of those files is just when editing, and as Jim points out, will be recreated, should they not be available. These will be files such as the CFA (Audio Conforming files), PEK (Waveform Display files), Render files, etc. Other than requiring some time, when that Project is first Opened, there is no reason to archive them.

     

    Now, when I Archive a Project, I do include the CFA's, PEK's, and others, but not my Render files, as I can just recreate those, as is needed with the Enter key. Others, do not include the CFA's, and PEK's, because of the recreation.

     

    Good luck,

     

    Hunt

     
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  • Chet Hedden
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    7. Chet Hedden,
    Apr 26, 2011 11:39 AM   in reply to Bill Hunt
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    Okay, thanks, everyone for clarifying this. I think I mostly understand what to do now.

     

    When someone says you can rebuild the missing files, etc., it brings up unpleasant memories of opening projects that have been relocated and the program asks "where is such-and-such a file?" Then I have to do a search, find the file it is asking for, locate the directory it's in, then browse to that directory, select the file, and tell PP to open it. In a complicated project, that is a lot of pointing and clicking. Sometimes the file it can't find is a source file like an mpeg or jpeg; more often it is a render (preview) file. If the entire project has to be re-rendered, that can somtimes take a very long time.

     
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  • Bill Hunt
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    8. Bill Hunt,
    Apr 26, 2011 12:16 PM   in reply to Chet Hedden
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    With Render files, you WILL see that dialog, but can ignore it. If you do need to Render, you can either just hit Enter, or can limit the Rendering to a portion of the Timeline, with the WAB (Work Area Bar).

     

    Good luck,

     

    Hunt

     
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  • Jim Simon
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    9. Jim Simon,
    Apr 26, 2011 2:46 PM   in reply to Chet Hedden
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    In a complicated project, that is a lot of pointing and clicking.

     

    Not if you plan your project appropriately ahead of time.  For example, putting all video clips into one folder before you import them into PP.  Maybe have a second folder for audio only sources and a third for any still images like JPG's, PNG's and such.  That way, if you ever need to rebuild the project, you will be asked only once per folder.  If you organize properly before you edit, you will have a minimum of folders and a minimum of asking

     

    Plus, it makes archving/deleting a whole lot easier when you're done.

     

     

    more often it is a render (preview) file.

     

    Click on Skip Previews when asked.  Like I said, these can always be rebuilt.

     
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  • Paul Mc Bride
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    10. Paul Mc Bride,
    Apr 26, 2011 4:59 PM   in reply to Chet Hedden
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    Sorry guys - now I am confused.!

    The scenarios where you save your project as Bill and Jim suggest,  seem to me to be based on the assumption that the all the original source files are still held somewhere on the PC and you can refer/relocate back to them

     

    Bill/Jim, if I was to  follow your suggestions for backup and if for whatever reason or another you have to rebuild or buy a new PC, are you saying that premiere will rebuild the missing files such as Chet mentions AVI's JPG's, PSD's WAV etc???

     

    Apologies if I am misunderstanding something here but I think if you want a fully functional backup which you can take to any PC x years down the line then you are going to have to back up everything - render files excluded.

     
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  • Bill Hunt
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    11. Bill Hunt,
    Apr 26, 2011 5:16 PM   in reply to Paul Mc Bride
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    Paul,

     

    In my case, I always work with Copies of Assets, and the originals are on my NAS. That said, when I finish a Project, I use the Project Manager and gather my Assets (the Copies in the Project), and usually go with the Un-trimmed versions.

     

    Hope that helps,

     

    Hunt

     
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  • Paul Mc Bride
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    12. Paul Mc Bride,
    Apr 26, 2011 5:29 PM   in reply to Chet Hedden
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    Thanks Bill,

     

    I just thought that Chet might have been misled about having a genuine backup project with all assets and was beginning to think I was losing the plot somewhere.

     

    I use project manager as you describe.

     

    Thanks for clarification.

     
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  • Bill Hunt
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    13. Bill Hunt,
    Apr 26, 2011 5:31 PM   in reply to Paul Mc Bride
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    Most welcome, and if there was confusion, I hope that your question helped clear that up.

     

    Hunt

     
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  • Jim Simon
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    14. Jim Simon,
    Apr 26, 2011 8:40 PM   in reply to Paul Mc Bride
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    are you saying that premiere will rebuild the missing files such as Chet mentions AVI's JPG's, PSD's WAV etc???

     

    No.  Those are media assets generated elsewhere.  They are not Premiere generated files.  Those need to be saved if you ever want to rebuild.  The Premiere generated files (such as previews, aka renders) are the ones you don't need to archive.

     
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