Exporting my library contents to VS pro 2018

[Mike Warren]

Can all the contents in my video studio 8 library be successfully imported into the VS pro 2018 library? I need assurance of this before buying this latest version, for my library is quite full with many categories. Does this newest version give a way of doing this? Regards, Mike

[lata]

Hi Mike

I just ran a quick test to export my X8 library, then import to CVSX 2018 no problems doing that.
The library was small having approx. 6 library pages, but all imported without issues.
It did create another Triple Scoop Music, but I was able to delete that.

From X8 I assume you will qualify for the 75% off deal, a guestimate would put that about $20+
That in itself is worth purchasing.
You can of course download and install the trial version, that should function OK giving you the reassurance that all will be ok.
Then you can export the 2018 library to use when you purchase the full version.

The import Export feature has not changed from X8 to 2018.

[Mike Warren]

Hi Trevor, as usual a quick and outstanding reply. Thanks for testing that for me. What convinced me to move to the 2018 version was that X8 "auto ducking" lacked fine tuning which made it almost useless (music does not begin fading early enough... but part way into narration). X2018 seems to make correcting this possible by giving you 2 extra adjustments... at least, I hope they will.
Regards, Mike

[Mike Warren]

Well I installed VS 2018 Ultimate and tried Importing my big VS X8 library. But when I did nothing happened and everything froze. I had exported my X8 library to my C drive. Then under Settings on VS 2018 I went to Library manager and selected import library. I waited and waited but nothing. It seemed to crash. I had to restart computer to get out of it. Tried again but same. Could it be because my X8 library is too big? In it's folder on my C drive it says over 200 mg. Any idea what problem is? Regards, Mike

[lata]

Hi

When we import the library there is a long delay where nothing happens, seemingly the program has froze.
With a large library this period could be substantial.
All I can suggest is to give it time, a long time.
If there were a problem i would expect a warning / error message.

I don’t use the library as a permanent storage besides the content being virtual clips not actual clips.
I will have clips from my current projects although they are not always necessary.
I rely on my Windows Explorer to create my folders, one for each project.

Anyway, give the import process a lot longer to complete.

[BrianCee]

to me it is far easier to use file explorer and set up as many folders as you want containing the various categories of images/videos that I need - then you can delete library panes inside Videostudio at will knowing all is safe in file explorer - when you upgrade simply create new library panels inside Videostudio and only import the libraries you currently need - also if you want to bring one back use the same procedure - I've done that for the last 10 versions or so and never had a problem

Also important for me to set up a new folder for each project I am doing - importing the original videos etc. into that - knowing it will all get backed up automatically by my Windows system - originally just to an external hard drive - then to a NAS - and currently to a NAS and a cloud - should anything unfortunate happen to my computer I can be up and running again in jut an hour or so - if you are just relying on Videostudio then a system crash may well destroy all your library system

Some libraries - such as titles and color blocks are not quite that easy but a .vsp created in a previous version containing all the titles in the timeline can be easily opened in the latest version and the titles dragged back up into the titles library


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[Mike Warren]

HI again. I like that idea of having library folders stored somewhere else outside of VS 2018. But not sure where to find what you call "file explorer". I have "Explorer" in my bottom tool bar and inside it is what's called libraries in which you can store folders and things (this is all new to me). But I have not been able to import selected thumbnails from my VS Pro X8 library and put into the explorer library. It keeps resisting when I try to drag or cut and paste them in.

Also, I have 30 categories of thumbnails in my X8 library. How do I import just two of its categories or panels of thumbnails into the VS 2018 library? Under Settings the library manager seems to import only a whole library. Regards, MIke

[BrianCee]

OK - sorry did not note you are still on Windows XP - I believe it was just called 'Explorer' back then - - does VS2018 run on that ???

I am not using "Import Library" at all -- far to many problems and restrictions for me

when you want to make a new library in Videostudio open up the library panel and select the 'ADD' at the top of the name panel (see image below) this will create a new library panel and put the name 'folder' in the name list - double click on the word folder and type a suitable name for your library

now in the top left corner of the library panel click on the 'add media' icon (see image below) explorer will now open so that you can browse to the folder containing your clips - click on the first one you want to import and 'shift+select' (standard Windows multi-select procedure) all to be imported will be highlighted - click OK and your library will be populated - repeat again if you want to add more clips to that same library

repeat for adding and populating other libraries

click on the image to see it bigger

[Mike Warren]

Hi again and thanks. Sorry, I'm running Window 7. It was not updated. In any case, in my old version VS X8 I need to transfer one of the categories in its library which has 380 thumbnail photos in it, would you believe. I want to transfer all these photos to a folder on my hard drive. And then import them into my new VS pro 2018 using its media import to the right of ADD +. I think that can be done. I just don't know how to get all those photos in VS X8's library into a folder on my HD, for they are just a small part of X8's library which contains 30 categories. So I don't want to export it's whole library, just the 380 photos. Is there a way to do this?

I got into this mess when I tried to export X8's huge library from a folder on my hard drive into VS pro 2018's library. It ran all night. When I restarted my computer in the morning I found that the import was about 90 % finished. So I'm now trying to transfer the 10 % that is left, which is a lot, (another 3 other categories), by doing the above. Regards, Mike

[BrianCee]

All of your clips photos etc are already on your HDD - what you see in the library inside Videostudio is just a thumbnail containing a link to the actual file -- you can remove / move / delete any of them without affecting your originals - RIGHT click over a thumbnail in the library and choose "locate on computer" that will tell you exactly where the actual real file is and what folder within Explorer - you can then move them all Within EXPLORER into one sensibly named folder and then import the contents of that into a library panel as I explained above

Get into your mind that EVERYTHING inside Videostudio is virtual - nothing is real - even if you cut a video it is a virtual cut - nothing happens to the original .

Your experience with the Export/import library function is exactly why I do not ever use it


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[Mike Warren]

Thanks Brian for the understanding. However, seeing how all 380 photos in my library category are from different places in my computer, it sounds like I will have to right click on each photo and find where each photo is located, etc. which is out of the question. Yeah, I see why you don't fool with the import/export way. So then, there is no way of getting those 380 photos together in one folder on my HD without spending the entire day doing it? Regards, Mike

[BrianCee]

I doubt if it is such a daunting task as you assume Mike - it sounds a bit as though you were a little bit lax in populating the libraries - so there is a very good chance that the majority of your clips are all together in the default working folder location and just need moving to a new folder in Explorer - which since they are all on the same drive will take seconds for each file - you can drag and drop between folders in explorer - 380 is not such a big number I would expect to move that number in around an hour - but once you have done it - it will be done forever

just a bit more info about your files on the HDD - they are not placed around in the folders and locations shown in explorer - think of your hard drive as being similar to a DVD - as you add files to the disk they are just added in the first available space (or spaces even) on the drive so each file is all over the place - sometimes in more than one place and if speed of operation is important to you when using files you need to 'defrag' them occasionally to join some of the files back together and save your computer from having to search for all the bits to present to you as one file

but really of course it's up to you whether you want to do it or not

another way I have sometimes used to transfer files (especially some of the system ones like 'Titles' is to open up the previous version of Videostudio and drag and drop all the thumbnails from the required library down into the timeline - you can use the Windows standard multi-select option to drag sensible numbers of file down at one time - then use "File >> Save" and create a .vsp called *something like* - 'transfer vsp'. Close the old version of Videostudio and open the latest one - then open the transfer vsp and create a new library panel and drag and drop everything from the timeline up into it - again you can use the standard "select - - - shift+select" to drag multiple files up at the same time

again up to you - but spending a little time now will almost certainly save time when you eventually upgrade to VS2020 or VS2025


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[lata]

You could open X8
insert all images to the timeline
Save the project
launch 2018
open project file and drag all images to Library.

another option
If you want all images in the same folder on the hard drive
From X8
insert all images
Now Create a Smart Package that will copy all files to the same folder.
Then import from that folder to 2018

Hi Brian -- Upps seems our posts crossed in cyberspace
I think we sent at the same time, my post did not go? has to resend.

[Mike Warren]

Thank you, Gentlemen. As always, I appreciate your help. And Trevor, always glad to hear from you. Regards, Mike

[Candive]

I was trying to determine if I was able to export/import one library from VS (not the whole Library!) when I came across this post. I want to thank BrianCee for suggesting to move all the media to the timeline and saving it as a project file. Also Trevor's suggestion of creating a smart package achieves the same result with the added bonus of moving the actual files into a folder or zip file. I went with BrianCee's workaround since I didn't want to duplicate media already on my computer. Both of these are great workarounds for this problem. But the best solution, the more intuitive solution, is for Corel to allow users to export/import individual libraries!