FILE SAVING WOES

[n-noxon]

I am a new Corel user (Video Studio Pro X 4) working on a giant compilation of family videos dating back to 1983. Thats a lot of material (at least 50 hours!) most of it on Digital 8 tape and some on DVD's made from earlier analog sources VHS, Video 8, & etc. The large family documented in the videos is waiting eagerly for what I've promised will be a highly entertaning "feature" of an hour or more -- maybe ready by Christmas. But at this rate I'll be lucky to hit Christmas 2012!

The problems are many but they all boil down to not understanding the file system and how to properly save and manage files. So I have not one question but many and I've had no luck finding a clear and complete explanation of the filing process with (preferably) a step by step explanation of precisely how to do things.

I have carefully studied the Marc Bech book and have scoured the knowledge base with key words like "file format mismatch" "Original file doesn't exist" "relink" "no preview available" and etc. -- samples of the roadblocks I'm running into more and more. I'm certainly doing something very wrong.

Its hardly reasonable to ask anyone to explain all this but I'm hoping someone can tell me where a helpful document or documents might exist. Off the top of my head are a few things I'd like to know...

What is the file data at the extreme top right of the edit window? Often it indicates an open(?) "untitled" file. sometimes but not always a file I am working with. Does it indicate the file being saved, or must a file be indicated here in order to be saved?

What indicates the "active" file being auto saved and which will be saved if I simply click "save" -- not "save as."

I understand that EDLs are created as I edit material and these bear a VSP extension, where is the content itself and what does that file look like? I should keep the two together but have I split them by mistake? Does saving a project simply update the exsiting VSP file or create a new one?

Bech says that auto save goes to the "My Projects" folder under VideoStudio Pro in My Documents in the C drive. When I go to open several of these I get "doesn't exist", "no preview.." and other disturbing error error messages. How do I react to them? When asked to relink I'm taken to the My Projects library file with the file name blank. It seems to be saying the link you need is in here somewhere. But nothing I enter seems to work.

And while I' m at it. my files have many single clips that look like this "uvs110903-001-.avi", sometimes they are from the project I am looking but I don't know what to do with them.

This is certainly enough to show my ignorance (not to mention stupidity) and I apologise. Any suggestions where I should turn to get educated? To tell the truth I would probably give the whole thing up at this point and perhaps try another editing program. But the stakes are pretty high and I' determined to complete the project with Corel if at all possible.

Sorry to rave on so long. Many thanks... n-noxon

[Ron P.]

Welcome to the forums,

First, the extreme right hand corner has 3 icons. Going from left to right are, orange circle with a down-arrow surrounded by dots. That is the Corel Guide. Click on it to open the guide, and you will find video tutorials. Next is the Minimize icon, minimizes the program just like you do with any windows program, and the last one on the right is the X, to close the program.

In the upper left you will find the words Corel VideoStudio Pro - Untitled. Program name -Project name. VS allows opens with a project. If you open a project that you have saved, providing a name, then the project name will be there. By default, until you save your project, the default is Untitled. Close to it are the Menus: File, Edit, Tools and Settings.

Now a project file, which uses the extension *.vsp is nothing more than a glorified text file. It's full of instructions, telling VS what and where the video clips, photos, audio files, are located, the editing, like cuts, transitions, filters, effects, to be applied, and so on. VS is the only program, aside from DVD MovieFactory, that can open a VSP file. When you "import" media (video, photos, audio), you are not really importing them. VS creates thumbnail links to your actual source clips. You'll find that if you move or delete any of them, VS will ask if you want to re-link.

EDL, I've been using VS for a long time, and you have me with this one. Where do you see these?

And while I' m at it. my files have many single clips that look like this "uvs110903-001-.avi

Corel uses this worthless naming convention. If you look at the file name it is a date. In the example you provided it would tell me that this video file, was created (on your computer, not the video recorder), on Sept. 03, 2011, correct? We've complained and requested that Corel do something different, like letting us choose what to name the clips, but, nothing there yet. So after using VS to capture or import clips, and you want to provide a meaningful name, you will need to do this manually. I would suggest importing them into the Library/Folder of your choice, then renaming the (thumbnail) clips inside the library.

Don't worry, you're not ranting, just trying to understand how the program works. There's much more to learn. Try visiting the General Discussions, and Tutorials sections of the web board. In fact have a look all around. By all means don't hesitate to post questions. One thing that we do ask, is that if you post questions about having specific problems you post information about the clips, like the properties, how they're imported and with what devices, the project properties of your project, ect. There is a sticky at the top of this forum called Please Read This First Before Posting. It provides an outline or template if you will of the information that we request, so will be better able to help you..

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

And welcome to the forums

It may be quicker to talk to you unfortunately the forum doesn’t support audio calls.

Ok
When we first launch Video Studio we see the workstation, you are looking at a VSP a Video Studio Project.
At the moment it has no content, the timelines are empty.
To the top left we see the words Corel Video Studio Pro—Untitled
The Untitled is the name of the default project, go to File - Save to give it a proper name relating to your movie.

Your video files. Avi Mpeg etc
These will be saved on your hard drive, you don’t say if you have already captured / transferred the video to your pc. If you have used Video Studio to capture the files will be in the “Working Folder” aka “Capture Folder”

If you right click the timeline , select Insert Video, browse the hard drive for a video file.
OR
Drag a video file from the library to the timeline.
Your video file is now represented as a virtual clip, a thumbnail showing in the timeline

The editing is known as non-destructive, so you can do anything to the timeline content without changing the actual file on the hard drive.

The virtual file on the timeline being Linked to the file on the hard drive.
Re-name or move the file on the hard drive and the Video Studio Project will not be able to find it, you will get a Re-Link request. Browse the hard drive for the files last know location, shows on the re-link window. (did you delete it, renamed or moved it?)
---------------------------------------
Save the project again File –Save and the timeline content is preserved in the VSP, ready to use again at a later time.

Files

The file uvs110903-001-.avi has been created by Video Studio, probably during capture, the name format shows the date 3rd Sept 2011 (11-09-03) and 001 as the first in sequence.
From the timeline , right click a file choose properties, the file name will indicate the location of the file on the hard drive.

A lot going on here…………….

[Ken Berry]

One other thing you mention was the location of your project files. Now I have never seen the book you mention, so I don't know if Mark suggests somewhere earlier in that you create a My Projects folder. But for all the versions of Video Studio I have used (7 to X4), the Working Folder -- which includes Project files (VSP) -- are always stored (in Win 7 at least) in C:\Users\[Your Name]\Documents\Corel VideoStudio Pro\14.0\ uneless you have designated another folder. And you do this in Settings > Preferences > General > Working Folder.

Note that there is a second working folder in the Burning module, and normally this is the same as the above one -- again unless you have changed it. But you check by clicking on the first icon in the bottom left of the burning screen and selecting Preferences. Note further that changing one or the other working folder only changes that one, and the other will remain as it was unless you changed it too.

[n-noxon]

I'm very pleased and grateful for the quick and helpful responses received. I'm digesting them and will answer each quite soon with thanks and perhaps a few further questions for clarification. What a wonderful system this is! NN Noxon

[n-noxon]

I'm going to be gone for a week starting Sunday and plan to get back to you on my return--hopefully with a clearer head.
In the meantime....

Ron P. Very helpful... I should have explained that EDL is a generic term for "edit decision list" used by Marc in his book.
I will try to be real specific with future questions and to supply relevant background. What I have learned here will make that a lot easier. I have
a context to frame my questions. Thanks again.

Trevor. Most of my files have been captured from my Sony D8 camera with DV selected as the desired format. Am I correct in assuming the original file on the hard drive will be unaltered? I could have moved or re named it but not altered or deleted it. right? This is comforting since I know what I seek is, indeed, somewhere. Does VS ALWAYS designate original files with the uvs "timecode" designation? Many thanks for your detailed explanation.

Ken. According to Bech the default choice for VSP files is; .....Corel Video Strudio Pro/My Projects and that is where most of mine have ended up. There is just one project in "40" and I don't know how it got there. I'm working in Windows 7 too.

Burning module? Burning screen? Don't know these terms but am dying to go there...sounds exciting. Am a big NZ fan and spent a couple of weeks there recently...Not long enough! Thanks again. N Noxon

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

You are capturing to DV format this produces a DV-Avi file at 13 GB per hour.
This type is probably the easiest and best to edit.
I have a Quick Guide to DV Avi that may prove useful, simply a list a workflow.
http://lata.me.uk/video_studio/guides/q ... de_avi.htm
Written for earlier versions but relevant for all versions.

The Working Folder
The default working folder is here:-
C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\My Documents\Corel VideoStudio Pro\14.0\ (for XP)

You can however create and allocate any other folder, most users will create a separate folder for each project.. I generally use a separate drive for my video files.
-----------------------------------
Capturing using Video Studio will create a file using the date format uvs110903-001-.avi
For the time being that’s the way it works.

If you wish to define a unique name then you will have to capture using Win DV, a small free program that allows you to set the capture files name. That’s assuming you are connected via Firewire.

--------------------------

Re-Link
Once you have added the clips to the library or timeline then you should refrain from changing them on the hard drive, otherwise VS will lose their location and request a re-link

As a test try it for yourself.
Start a new project……..
Add a video to the timeline, note its location on the hard drive, now rename the file on the hard drive from say uvs110903-001.avi to uvs110903-001a.avi.

The clip in the timeline will show as black and white
Video Studio will prompt you to re-link.
Note the file location from the top of the re-link panel
Browse to find the uvs110903-001a-.avi. file

-----------------------------

[Ken Berry]

And just on the default location of the working folders once again, I am glad Trevor has given the XP location, which is essentially identical to the one I have above for Win 7. |I don't think I have ever had a 'default' My Projects folder anywhere on any of my computers associated with Video Studio. That is why I speculated in passing above whether Marc had specified earlier in his book that you could set up such a folder yourself.

Speaking of the book, the confusion over what EDL meant -- which I shared with Ron -- is a good little indication not to assume that everyone has read a particular book or article or use terms used only in some other piece of software. The book may have been read by, and helped, many users. But there are probably more people out there, me included, who have never read it. Moreover, it does not necessarily represent any "officially approved" set of instructions...

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

There seems to be two folders being talked about here

1 / The Working Folder aka Capture Folder, this has always existed in all and previous versions of VS.
Your captured files will be saved here. on the C: /drive
Most users allocate another folder on a dedicated drive for these files.
Creating a separate folder for each project is just good housekeeping.

2 / The My Projects folder seems to have been used by X3 and X4, being chosen as the default location when saving your project files (VSP’s). This would keep your projects in the same location. I always save my project VSP files to the Working Folder associated with that particular project.

Basically the My Projects folder is new to me, but I don’t use it any way.

Saving Project automatically, I don’t rely on this function and prefer to File Save or CTRL + S
Auto saving does not create another project file in My Projects but updates the open project.

[Ken Berry]

Ron's post causes me to eat my words above. On doing a search, I found that there is in fact a My Projects folder under Corel Video Studio in Documents. But like Ron, my practice is always to create my own sub-folders in the default working folder for files, and to save my VSP files there as well to keep everything together. Thus I have never had cause in the past to look for a My Projects folder, and it remains empty on my computer...

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Ken
Hmmmm…..
Now I know that I get confused and have in the passed mixed you and Ron.

Even now I have to think twice when replying to you / Ron or is it Ken.

It was me Trevor, i think?

[Ken Berry]

Whoops!! Yes it was *your* post, Trevor, not Ron's...

[n-noxon]

In haste--leaving for Alaska in the morning. Thanks for the latest posts. I'll respond as soon as I get back. N Noxon

[n-noxon]

Back to the drawing board, so to speak, and after viewing all your responses want to thank you again for your help.
Still having difficulty with relinking files etc but have decided my problems are too elementary to trouble you here.
Basically I need one-on-one instruction in person or via the "take over" assistance function on my computer. Any ideas
where I could find someone who would do this? I'd gladly pay for the help. n.noxon

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

I am willing to help, but knowing where you live would help in deciding.
Other forum users may be in your time zone, so where are you? and when are you available?

Not 100% sure how to connect having XP to W7. in the past I have used Windows Live Messenger to create a link.

My fees, well a trip to Alaska would be very nice, would have to bring the wife as she has the money.
Hope you enjoyed yourself.

Send me a PM.