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Any way to prevent dupes in Project file?
Hello –
Due to working with both PluralEyes as well as multiple editors on the same project, I deal with importing a lot of XML and PRPROJ files into existing project files that I’ve worked with.
This, on a large scale, becomes untenable because every time I import another editor’s work or a synced sequence, I get duplicates of all my media in the project. Is there any way to have Premiere check to see if the media is already imported, and reference that media in the imported sequence? If not, I will just keep getting larger and larger project files with multiple references to the same media, because both me and my other editors are working with the same media, but for different sequences.
Now that Premiere is getting into the spotlight, how it holds up in multiple-editor environments is going to start to be of utmost importance.
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22 Replies
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I don’t have an answer.
But I responded because I too have this issue and am keen for a workaround. I posted a similar question here a few weeks ago and got no response. Hopefully someone knows!
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I’m thinking about this….
but I want to make sure I understand your query…
right now you end up with multiple instances of master clips that all reference the same underlying media file?
So in your project panel, when you import multiple projects, you want One master clip reference that is used by all the merged and synced projects?
Alex
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I’ve been trying to find a good way to articulate Ryan’s problem in a feature request because this does get annoying fast.
Basically, when you import an XML, or even a sequence from another Premiere project, it creates new master clips for every clip used in the imported sequence. It does not recognize that you may already have a master clip that you’re using in another sequence that is referring to the same media.
So if you want to keep both sequences in your project, you need to keep both master clips. If you delete a master clip from your bin, it will not stay in the sequence(s) that refer to it, it will get cut out, leaving a big steaming crater where it once was. Even if the sequence is not currently open. This is one of the things I loved about FCP7. You could delete every single one of your master clips and your sequence would be totally unaffected. You could even recreate the master clips by dragging them from your sequence to the bin.
So you’ve got to stash your duplicated clips away somewhere each time you import a sequence. It’s not too bad with careful organization, but God help you if you’re frequently sharing sequences back and forth with other editors/apps. If you’re exchanging the entire project each time, it’s going to grow exponentially!
As far as I know, there’s no easy solution to this. I try to be careful and import/export only sequences, not entire projects, and take the time to figure out if there are duplicates created that I don’t need, and remove them before tossing the duplicates into a bin. This is not always possible or feasible, however.
For longer-term projects, I also make sure to continually create archive versions of my project, taking care to always include the date in my project file and sequence names. That way I can periodically go through the current project file and delete old versions of the cut and the associated outdated clips.
Haven’t looked into this problem in CS6. I know they made some improvements to how media is managed in the bins. Maybe this is one of the changes? If not, won’t you all join me in submitting a feature request?
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Awesome summary, Mike. It is a difficult issue to talk about, but one that really needs to be fixed in order to have any semblance of a collaborative workflow.
If this is important to you, please head over and request this feature. You could simply just copy and paste Mike’s writing. https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform
This problem also brings up FCP’s slight advantage that you are able to export JUST ONE sequence as XML, rather than the whole project. This enables much easier breakout of a project for multiple / asst. editors.
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Before I submit a feature request, I’m actually waiting to get home and test this stuff out in CS6, which is installed on my home/freelance system, not my work system.
What version of Premiere are you on? Do you know if they’ve addressed this issue at all in CS6?
I’m kicking myself right now for not having tried deleting clips from my bins in CS6 already. It’s one of the first things I tested in a trial of Media Composer 6, which has the slightly more elegant solution of replacing the clips with offline media in the timeline. Nowhere near as good as the way FCP7 handled clip connections, though!
This issue isn’t a show-stopper, it just requires vigilance and organization. And getting used to a different method of asset management (if you’re coming from FCP). In the FCP system, a master clip in the bin and a clip in the timeline are each dependent on only the link to the source media. You essentially create a new clip every time you cut a master clip into the timeline. In Premiere, your clip in the timeline is dependent on the master clip in the bin, which is linked to the media file. A second-hand link.
It’s a subtle difference, and very difficult to articulate. I doubt it will get fixed in the CS6 cycle since it requires a pretty fundamental rethinking of how clips are handled, but I’d love to see it addressed nonetheless!
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I am on Premiere CS6 and no changes have been made.
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Mike:
Really rocking summary of the problem. Let’s all submit a feature request.
I disagree about the severity of the problem though. This problem becomes so big so fast that it makes true collaborative editing very frustrating. In my office we might have three people on a project, all editing and revising segments and passing them back and forth. On FCP7 this was easy as pie – we’d just cut and paste between project files and use basic versioning best practices. In Premiere, our project files quickly become nightmares and work is often inadvertently deleted or lost.
I would like to see:
– Smart media handling when importing sequences and projects. Premiere should look at the filenames and file location and attempt to relink any duplicate media. If it stumbles, it should ask for help like FCP.
– A media consolidation inspection feature. I’d love to see an option for inspecting your project for duplicate media references. When found, Premiere should automatically consolidate.
– Streamlined sequence exporting. You should be able to export a single sequence. -
Yes, exactly Cassidy. You rock.
I agree that this is not a small problem – it’s a large problem for houses that rely on a multiple-editor framework for projects.
Given Adobe’s insistance that they are committed to professionals, and not just the middle-of-the-road prosumer market, I have hope that a workable solution to this should be implemented soon. Cassidy’s ideas are incredible.
Again, please help out and go submit a feature request if this is something that you are concerned about as well.
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Cassidy,
“You should be able to export a single sequence.”
While I agree….
you are talking about project merging here right?
The entire workflow for this feature set is based on an import mentality…
If you choose to import a Project, can you not choose an individual sequence?
(not meant as a flame….just confirming that I have this right in my head)
Alex
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Yes, you can grab a single sequence on import.
It seems, though, that it would be efficient to also be able to export a single sequence into a new project, so that when you’re sharing files you’re dealing with much smaller project sizes. Also, when importing, loading a large project (100mb+) into a new project takes a lot of time (4-5 mins on larger projects) for the dynamic link dialogue box to parse through the project and ask you what sequence you want. This waiting could be eliminated if I could just export one sequence into a new project and important that entire project.
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