Where are libraries stored and how do I restore them?

[tanguero]

VS seems to delete libraries willy-nilly. Someone (Ken, I think) had reported that installing the 2Contents file wiped out his libraries. In my case, clicking on Instant Project for the first time went through a "Building Templates ..." progress bar process and also wiped out my (so far very small) libraries (the library name was there, but it was empty, and when I repopulated it, the check-boxes showing it was used in the current project reappeared).

So that I know what to back up, where are these library files stored? And is restoring them should they get corrupted simply a matter of copying known good versions of the files back to where they were? Or does VS need to be told to reload the libraries (and how is that done)?

[lata]

Hi

Please read this post relating to the Library Manager

http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php ... 30#p303691

There is a library manager via Settings, this allows you to export your libraries effectively saving a backup. Then the import option seems to add the contents to the existing libraries.
I think Corel have changed this function as the import used to replace the library, much better now.

The Reset should only be applied as a last resort should you wish to fix problems, it will wipe / purge your libraries back to as installed.

Installing Video Studio should be fully complete before creating your libraries, if you create your own library pages then install the VideoStudioX8_2Contents.exe it will overwrite the library removing your personal pages.

The actual Library files were named VS_Video.dat --- VS_Title.dat etc. within the
C:\Users\Trevor\AppData\Roaming\Ulead Systems\Corel VideoStudio Pro (x64)\18.0 Folder.
Since the changes in the library structure maybe from X5—saving these files as a backup has proved difficult, additional files called VS_MediaLib_Video and VS_AllMediaView have confused the matter.
Take care when messing with these files you may end up re-installing the program?

I no longer know of a way to manually back up the library, once it was sufficient to save the VS_Title.dat file, but not now, to complex.

Your best option is the Library Manager

I have worked with the Instant Projects library section for quite a while and it has never reset my library, at least I don’t think so, but will test that again.
I’ll get back on that.

[tanguero]

I have worked with the Instant Projects library section for quite a while and it has never reset my library, at least I don’t think so, but will test that again.
I’ll get back on that.

OK, but as I said, it seems to be related to the known problem that installing templates (the 2Contents file) will reset the library, as it only happened the very FIRST time after installation that I ever clicked on the Instant Project button. At that point, it looked like it was completing the installation of the templates as a "Building Templates" progress bar appeared and that process took about a full minute, before the Instant Project templates showed up. And that's when my libraries disappeared. So it seems like the full install of the templates is delayed until first attempted use, at which point the libraries get deleted. So you'd have to do a fresh install, then create libraries, and then click (for the first time) on Instant Project, to reproduce this.

Regarding the rest, thanks for the information. It's a shame that the library information is scattered around since that now creates an extra application-dependent backup step (I do regular backups with a backup program and all my other application data just get automatically backed up by inclusion of the appropriate folders). Seems like the whole library design is poor, between its (lack of) organization and tendency to get clobbered unexpectedly.

[lata]

I have worked with the Instant Projects library section for quite a while and it has never reset my library, at least I don’t think so, but will test that again.
I’ll get back on that.

So it seems like the full install of the templates is delayed until first attempted use, at which point the libraries get deleted. So you'd have to do a fresh install, then create libraries, and then click (for the first time) on Instant Project, to reproduce this.
.

Ok I understand, I will first re-install the Contents2.exe to see if that shows the problem. otherwise a full re-install.

[lata]

Hi

I have had a little time to test…Installing the Content 2 files purged my library of my personal folders / pages.
All add-ons provided with the Bonus files were intact as was the Bluray add-on.

I then created a few library folders just to identify the library.
It was now that I selected the instant projects icon, yes the database updated, but that only affects the IP library. All other library items remained intact.

I backed up my library prior to testing, now I Imported my saved Library, The program did its Not Responding, I was patient eventually the process completed.
My library folders were added to the existing library folders.

From my test the Instant Projects did not affect the main library structure.

[tanguero]

The actual Library files were named VS_Video.dat --- VS_Title.dat etc. within the
C:\Users\Trevor\AppData\Roaming\Ulead Systems\Corel VideoStudio Pro (x64)\18.0 Folder.
Since the changes in the library structure maybe from X5—saving these files as a backup has proved difficult, additional files called VS_MediaLib_Video and VS_AllMediaView have confused the matter.
...
I no longer know of a way to manually back up the library, once it was sufficient to save the VS_Title.dat file, but not now, to complex.

I believe that backing up the folders:
%appdata%\Ulead Systems\Corel VideoStudio Pro\18.0\
(value of %appdata% for your system most quickly determined by typing "echo %appdata%" in a command prompt window)
and
...\My Documents\Corel VideoStudio Pro\18.0\
(exact location determined by seeing where your working folder is from Settings > Preferences > General)
achieves what I want: The ability to go back to a known good version of my library, VS settings and plugins, etc., should they get corrupted by some VS glitch (as seems to happen more often than one would like). The MediaLib, AllMediaView files that lata mentions are included in these folders.

Aside from the media source files themselves, can anyone think of an exception, i.e., one where user data or library information could be lost, that is stored outside these folders?