VS X9 projects won't load in X7

[blacktooth]

I had been using VS X7 for the last couple of years. I just bought a new computer, and I wanted to have VS installed on that computer as well as on my older computer. Since it seems that you can't install the same version of VS on two computers, I bought X9 and installed it on my new computer. I wanted the flexibility of being able to edit projects on both computers, as my teenager often uses the new computer for gaming, and I have to bounce back and forth between computers.

A few days ago, I used X9 on the new computer to do some editing of a project I had started in X7. Then later on I tried to open up this same project in X7. It will not open. Other projects edited exclusively in X7 will still open in X7. All of my X7 projects will open in X9. I then made a test project using X9 and tried to open it in X7. The test project will not open in X7. The problem then seems to be that projects edited and saved in X9 will not open in X7.

If I open the test project (or that other project I mentioned) from the start menu in X7, what happens is X7 begins to load up and appears on the monitor and then disappears before the timeline gets filled up. Also, if I start up X7 without a project and then load up the test project, X7 crashes.

My X7 has service pack one installed, as well as that hotfix from earlier in the year. Both X7 and X9 are registered products in my account with Corel.

If anyone has any similar problems or solutions, I would love to hear about it. Thank you for any help you can provide.

[asik1]

Why should X7 open X9? But...
You can save X9 vsp's as X7 one. just look at the save as menu.
But you might have problems on things that are not in X7.

[Ken Berry]

To expand a little on asik's reply, Video Studio has never had the automatic ability for projects made (or saved) in a later version to be opened in an earlier version. Only projects made in earlier versions can be opened in later versions. So though you successfully opened your X7 project in X9, when you saved it in X9, it became an X9-format project and thus no longer capable of being opened in X7.

However, when you have it open in X9 you can go to Save As, and in the dialogue box where you give the project a name, under that you will see a drop down menu which (as per the red arrow in the attached image) if you click on it, will allow you to save it either as an X9 project, or as an X8 or X7 project. In other words, you can save projects to have backwards compatibility, but only for a maximum of two versions prior to the current one.

But as asik also indicated, if the X9 project has something in it done with, say, a filter or plug-in which X9 has but X7 doesn't, then when you open it in X7, it may no longer fully work.

[blacktooth]

Yes, there is an option in X9 to 'save as' in either X9, X8, or X7. I'm not really sure why, as a chat with technical support at Corel has revealed that saving as an X7 file while using X9 does not mean a file will still work in X7. A few simple tests that I have since done confirms this.

I just want to be able to edit my family videos with VS on either of my two computers. That's all. Unfortunately, I can't install a purchased VS on two computers. So I decided to purchase a second version of VS. Logical plan, right? But I still can't get what I want, because one version is X7 and the other is X9. I have complained to Corel, but they have basically told me to go pound sand. I realize that I'm basically venting, but if anyone has anything to add, I would love to hear it.

[RobertOZ]

Yes, there is an option in X9 to 'save as' in either X9, X8, or X7. I'm not really sure why, as a chat with technical support at Corel has revealed that saving as an X7 file while using X9 does not mean a file will still work in X7. A few simple tests that I have since done confirms this.

I just want to be able to edit my family videos with VS on either of my two computers. That's all. Unfortunately, I can't install a purchased VS on two computers. So I decided to purchase a second version of VS. Logical plan, right? But I still can't get what I want, because one version is X7 and the other is X9. I have complained to Corel, but they have basically told me to go pound sand. I realize that I'm basically venting, but if anyone has anything to add, I would love to hear it.

Nowhere in the license agreement does it state that you can only install the program on one computer only. What it does state is that you can only access the software on one system at a time. The software is licensed per Household or per single address and by purchasing one license, you can only have the program open on one computer at a time, meaning that you can install VSX7 on 2 computers, PROVIDED that you do not have the program open on 2 computers at the same time. Many users have the program installed on the desktop as well as the laptop

[Ken Berry]

Robert, the EULA for VS is different from that of PSP. The latter allows installation on up to three computers, but limited to one playing at a time. However, for VS it is limited to installation on only one computer. We have gone over this several times in the past. The difference appears to lie in the licence fees that Corel has to pay providers of third party features like codecs, filters and other plug-ins which have to be paid on the basis of installations. So Corel says limiting installation to one computer means only one licence fee, but if they said it could be more than that they would be hit for more licence fees regardless of how many users actually installed more than once.

That being said, it is by no means clear how or even if Corel can know how many installations per user have been made, apart possibly from the number of registrations. So if someone doesn't register a second or third installation, I don't believe Corel have a technical way of knowing which computer or computers are receiving the installation. In other words, I have never heard, in my twelve or thirteen years on this Board, of anyone having a loud knocking on their door at midnight by the Corel licensing police!!

But as a lawyer, please do not take this as suggesting users should beach the EULA....