Trouble with offline media in premiere elements 7

[Murph Kautman]

After opening a project, a box pops up asking, "where is the file?" After clicking on the file another box pops up reading, "this type of file is not supported, or the required codec is not installed". And when I click skip, the project opens up with most clips missing original footage, in place of the footage is a red backdrop reading media offline in 6 languages. The effects are still operable. Has this happened to anyone else?

[ATR]

After you open a new project in Premiere Elements, import Media, bring Media to Timeline, work on project,etc. and then save it, you CANNOT move the location of the source Media that went into the project. Because,if you do, when you go to reopen that project .prel file, you will get the type of message(s) and symptoms that you describe. Those messages usually attempt to help you reconnect the source media with the project (if it can).

If you can guarantee that you have not moved any of the source media under the conditions that I just described, then I would ask you this. Are you storing your source Media that went into this project .prel on an external hard drive and is the letter of the drive moving around?

Please let us know if any of this applies to your situation.

ATR

[dlash]

I'm seeing the same issue and as this previous post. I am using an external drive and I've moved from working on my laptop to using a new rendering desktop. I am using an external hard drive which is assigned as the "E" drive on both machines. Is there a work around for this?

Thanks,

[ATR]

dlash

What version of Premiere Elements are you using?

Do I understand this correctly, Premiere Elements (v?) was installed on your laptop. I am assuming that you had saved project prel files as well as source media on an external hard drive (NTFS formatted) connected to the laptop (USB)?

Then you installed this Premiere Elements (v?) on your Desktop and attached the external hard drive to this Desktop?

If you we OK with the details so far, what happens when you open one of these project .prel files in Premiere Elements installed on the Desktop? Do you get missing media messages? If so, have you used the message dialog to browse/reconnect the media to the project or have you let the program try to do that automatically? Also, in these cases, typically you have to right click the Organizer thumbnail and select Update Thumbnail to get that part of the situation corrected.

Please fill me in on some of the details, and we will see what needs to be done.

To be continued....

ATR

[dlash]

I am running Elements version 7 with the latest and greatest updates.

That is correct. I have Elements 7 on my laptop where I've been creating the movie. I have installed Elements 7 on a desktop as well and i'm using an external drive for storage of all relative files.

I can still open the project on my laptop however when I try and open the project on the desktop I get the audio clips and video clips appearing in both the timeline and under the 'edit' tab. There is nothing displayed under the 'Organized' tab. Under the the 'edit' tab I can see the video files, i.e. "Clip32.dv".but there is a thumbnail of a red and green arrow circling each other instead of a thumbnail. Also, the 'media Type' shows as "offline".

If I go to the 'Organize' tab and select the folder then try and open one of the files individually it tells me "This type of file is not supported, or the required codec is not installed".

In the timeline view I can still see that the edited length of the video files is still there.


Your help is GREATLY appreciated!

Dave.
dlash

What version of Premiere Elements are you using?

Do I understand this correctly, Premiere Elements (v?) was installed on your laptop. I am assuming that you had saved project prel files as well as source media on an external hard drive (NTFS formatted) connected to the laptop (USB)?

Then you installed this Premiere Elements (v?) on your Desktop and attached the external hard drive to this Desktop?

If you we OK with the details so far, what happens when you open one of these project .prel files in Premiere Elements installed on the Desktop? Do you get missing media messages? If so, have you used the message dialog to browse/reconnect the media to the project or have you let the program try to do that automatically? Also, in these cases, typically you have to right click the Organizer thumbnail and select Update Thumbnail to get that part of the situation corrected.

Please fill me in on some of the details, and we will see what needs to be done.

To be continued....

ATR

[ATR]

dlash

Can you do the following ?
1. Go back to your laptop, open your Premiere Elements 7 project, and then use File Menu/Project Archiver/Copy option there to archive your movie WITH its source media in place on the Timeline and in the Media Panel as well. You can designate the external hard drive as the save location for the Copied Folder.

2. In the external drive, you will end up with a folder named Copied. In that Copied Folder is the project .prel with all its linked media. Go back to the Desktop and plug in the external hard drive. In My Computer, browse to the external hard drive location, right click it, select Explore, go to and open the Copied Folder and then open the project .prel file by clicking on it there.

3. Then let me know the results.

ATR

[ThaConqueror]

Hey guys, new user here. I've also been having problems with the 'media offline' dealie, but I haven't moved the original clips into a different folder. My display driver was having major spasms yesterday, so I thought that was the problem. However, today I opened up the program, added a new clip, saved it as a different file (as per my Dad's suggestion in case the entire file got wiped for whatever reason), closed the program, opened it, and the new clip was showing that blasted 'media offline' crap. What's wrong with the bleeding thing?

[ATR]

ThaConqueror

What version of Premiere Elements are you using?

Where are you saving your source media that is going into the Premiere Elements Timeline....C: local drive, like folder in My Videos or folder external hard drive (formatted NTFS, not FAT32)??

If you are saving this source media to an external hard drive, is the drive letter for the external hard drive changing by itself??

Where are you saving the project .prel file...the default My Documents/Adobe Folder??

Where do you have the Premiere Elements Program Files saved...C: local drive or external hard drive (formatted NTFS, not FAT32)??

If you open one of your project.prel files with the media offline problem, you should be getting a reconnect message. Do you get the reconnect message? And, if so, do you follow up with the program that will then give you the option of letting it find the missing media or you browse to where you know the media is and reconnect it yourself??

I will await your details...

RX for now..put your source media in a folder on the Desktop...open a new project .prel in Premiere Elements (v??)...use Get Media/Files & Folders to bring the media from the Desktop to the Premiere Elements Media...drag the media to the Timeline...name, save project in My Documents/Adobe Folder....reopen the project.prel by clicking the project.prel icon there. Is your media missing again when the Premiere Elements workspace opens?
(Also make sure that the Premiere Elements Program Files are stored on the C: local drive in the computer's Program Files.)

ATR

[ThaConqueror]

What version of Premiere Elements are you using?

7.0

Where are you saving your source media that is going into the Premiere Elements Timeline....C: local drive, like folder in My Videos or folder external hard drive (formatted NTFS, not FAT32)??

There's two separate folders on my Desktop which contain all the files (video and audio), all the ones I have put in so far have worked, but everything since my display driver had a fit hasn't.

If you are saving this source media to an external hard drive, is the drive letter for the external hard drive changing by itself??

No external hard drive

Where are you saving the project .prel file...the default My Documents/Adobe Folder??

My Documents/My Videos...just straight in there

Where do you have the Premiere Elements Program Files saved...C: local drive or external hard drive (formatted NTFS, not FAT32)??

Local drive

If you open one of your project.prel files with the media offline problem, you should be getting a reconnect message. Do you get the reconnect message? And, if so, do you follow up with the program that will then give you the option of letting it find the missing media or you browse to where you know the media is and reconnect it yourself??

The 'find missing media' only happened once, and that was with a .bmp i had in my USB that wasn't connected. Every other time it's just been the red screen without a 'where's the media' message dealie.

I will await your details...

RX for now..put your source media in a folder on the Desktop...open a new project .prel in Premiere Elements (v??)...use Get Media/Files & Folders to bring the media from the Desktop to the Premiere Elements Media...drag the media to the Timeline...name, save project in My Documents/Adobe Folder....reopen the project.prel by clicking the project.prel icon there. Is your media missing again when the Premiere Elements workspace opens?
(Also make sure that the Premiere Elements Program Files are stored on the C: local drive in the computer's Program Files.)

That's what I've been doing, just with the .prel file in My Videos, which worked for the clips before the display driver had a fit and worked for the other video which I've done.

ATR

My responses are in bold. Thank you.

[ATR]

What was your remedy for the display driver?

Did you replace it? If so, are you sure that you have the latest version?

Did the display driver go bad for the first time even before you worked with the Premiere Elements project? Describe the very first signs that the display driver displayed to make you say that it went bad.

I will think about this some more tomorrow. I will check in early to see if you left me any further details.

ATR

[ThaConqueror]

What was your remedy for the display driver?

Did you replace it? If so, are you sure that you have the latest version?

Did the display driver go bad for the first time even before you worked with the Premiere Elements project? Describe the very first signs that the display driver displayed to make you say that it went bad.

I will think about this some more tomorrow. I will check in early to see if you left me any further details.

ATR

I didn't do anything, but my Dad did. He got the most recent display driver, and it still spazzed. For clarification, 'spazzed' in this case means 'computer suddenly froze, blanked and somehow reverted to the lowest resolution and screwed-up colours'.

The driver started to freak out when I was halfway through the current project, and that was the first time it had done so. It hasn't freaked since Dad got the latest driver, but Premier Elements hasn't worked properly since. Which is annoying, as the project is a video for a school assignment, and it's due at the end of next week.

[ATR]

Please check out the following link for troubleshooting freezes and errors in Premiere Elements 7:
http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/404/kb404997.html

A complete uninstall/reinstall of Premiere Elements seems in order.

Double check with your father (diplomatically, of course) to make sure that there are no compatibility issues with this new display driver. In your playback settings, are you set for Compatible, Standard, or the GPU options....(Right click Monitor, select Playback Settings, check out settings)?

Also, what is the source, format, and duration of your source media (I am looking for video and audio codec, not just file extensions? If you do not know, please tell me brand and model of camcorder from which they came. I will then check out those details.)

ATR

[ThaConqueror]

I have no idea what most of that means, but I sent it to my Dad (who knows computer stuff), and hopefully he'll have an idea. Thanks for the help!

[ATR]

Let me know how this all turns out.

If you father is busy and cannot get to this right away, let me know and maybe I can explain what I would like you to do step by step.

The first time for working through these things looks awesome, but once you slow down and take a good look, piece of cake.

ATR

[ThaConqueror]

Okay, the program has been uninstalled and reinstalled, and the 'media offline' is still having spasms. Will I have to start the whole project from scratch? Cuz that's what my Dad is suggesting.

In addition, I don't know the codec whatever dealies for my clips, and the guy from whom I borrowed the video camera doesn't know what brand/model it is.

[ATR]

ThaConqueror

Will Premiere Elements let you save the project? If so, unless you changed the default settings for the Adobe Folder, it should be found in a folder in My Document/Adobe/Premiere Elements. When you uninstall Premiere Elements, that default folder does not uninstall. So, your project prel should be safe there. And, if as you said, you are not moving the source media for the project around on drives after the save, you project should survive the uninstall and be there in that Adobe Folder after you reinstall the program.

After the reinstall, open a new project and do some mini test runs before you try to work with the problem project and/or starting a new grand project from scratch..even if you just bring in jpegs photos and/or DV AVI clips.

You are running with a User Account with Administer Privileges? Did you and your father work through the Adobe troubleshooting guide in a systematic way?

Determine the source, video/audio formats of the problem video by download the free gspot software.
http://www.headbands.com/gspot/v26x/quick_start.html
It is not prefect, but it is possible that it may name the codecs and their status. Who has the camera now?

ATR

[ThaConqueror]

ThaConqueror

Will Premiere Elements let you save the project? If so, unless you changed the default settings for the Adobe Folder, it should be found in a folder in My Document/Adobe/Premiere Elements. When you uninstall Premiere Elements, that default folder does not uninstall. So, your project prel should be safe there. And, if as you said, you are not moving the source media for the project around on drives after the save, you project should survive the uninstall and be there in that Adobe Folder after you reinstall the program.

After the reinstall, open a new project and do some mini test runs before you try to work with the problem project and/or starting a new grand project from scratch..even if you just bring in jpegs photos and/or DV AVI clips.

You are running with a User Account with Administer Privileges? Did you and your father work through the Adobe troubleshooting guide in a systematic way?

Determine the source, video/audio formats of the problem video by download the free gspot software.
http://www.headbands.com/gspot/v26x/quick_start.html
It is not prefect, but it is possible that it may name the codecs and their status. Who has the camera now?

ATR

As I said before, i've been saving my recent projects in My Videos, not My Documents/Adobe/Premiere Elements. However, my first project's in there, so I'll save my new project in there and see if it works.

I've sent the link to my Dad, as he prefers it when we check things like that with him before downloading. And Jamie (the guy I borrowed the camera from) has the camera. As revenge, I still have his USB.

[ATR]

The important thing is that the source media stays where the project .prel knew it existed before the project .prel got saved.

Do you know about using the File Menu/Project Archiver and using it to save the project .prel and its source media together in a special folder so that you should be worry free with regard to reconnect issues in times of troubleshooting distress?

My main point about that Adobe Folder was that should not be uninstall when you uninstall the program.

Tell you father that I am eager to rule the source and format of the project source media in or out. Formats such as XviD and DivX can create major problems for Premiere Elements. Those JVC MOD files also are very problematic.

ATR

[ThaConqueror]

Well, I finally finished the bleeding thing. Seems that saving it in the My Documents/Adobe/Premiere Elements/7.0 folder actually helped. Yay!

One more question: how would I save the finished film so that it will fit onto a 700MB or so CD? Last time I had to do this annoying thing involving Windows Movie Maker, and even then the titles screwed up and I don't want to do that with all the titles that I have. How would I do this?

[ATR]

I have had your last question at the back of my mind all day.

I can offer several scenarios for eventually getting your Timeline content on a CD, but you would make it so much easier for me if you told me:
a. what your project preset (new project dialog) was set at when you started (would give me an idea of the frame size you are thinking about)
b. what the format is of the media on the Timeline..at this point, I would settle for standard, standard widescreen, or high definition.
c. the length of the movie and disc capacity needed (CD 700 MB/80 min; DVD 4.7 GB/120 min; DVD double layer 8.5 GB/240 min)
c. how you want to play back your movie...computer, TV/DVD player.

Are you thinking:
a. your Timeline eventually on a CD in VCD format so that you can play it back on many DVD players (but not all)...that VCD format has NTSC frame size 352 x 240 which is not the greatest resolution by far
b. your Timeline exported to a file format which you would save/store to a CD disc for further work, possible playback via appropriate computer program if necessary
c. have you thought about burning your Timeline to DVD disc in DVD-VIDEO format so that you could watch it on TV/DVD player or a computer program that supported DVD-VIDEO playback? That would give you NTSC 720 x 480 standard or widescreen.

In my next post I can go into each possibility in depth, but you would make it easier for me if I knew the fate of your Timeline that you have in mind.

Above all else, focus on the difference between burning a file to a disc type versus burning a file to a format on a disc (where you author a VCD or DVD-VIDEO). Each of these formats has a specific file structure when you look at it in My Computer/and explore the drives. The source file needs to be structured (authored) file wise before burning to disc.

Do you have Nero software? I can tell you how to burn a Premiere Elements export with Windows Movie Maker, but you are just going to get a file burned to disc, not burned (authored) to a format that can be played back on the TV. More on my exploration of that another time.

Please give me a little bit more to go on, and I will write you a novelette on the how to.

ATR

[ThaConqueror]

The film clips are all standard format, and the finished film clocks in at 6 minutes 10 seconds and needs to fit onto a 700MB CD and should be able to run on a computer. My film is for a school assignment, so I don't need it to play as a DVD or on the TV or anything fancy like that.

For the second set of questions, I'm thinking b.

[ATR]

I prepared the following before I saw your last response.

It is geared for VCD...which ends up giving you a resolution of 352 x 240 (NTSC) and 352 x 288 (PAL).

I am trying to keep the threads moving along, so I am posting this information for you to check out for possible workflows:

Scenario 1.
Premiere Elements 7 Timeline content is ready for export, and you are determined to put it on a CD, assumed your Timeline content in VCD format on a CD disc so that you can play it back with a DVD player that supports VCD as well as on the computer.

Go to Share/Personal Computer/MPEG and set the preset at NTSC VCD or PAL VCD depending on your location. Be sure to write down the name and save location before you hit Save. Then hit Save.

Then open Nero, specifically its NeroVision Express application, go to Make CD/Video CD, and, when asked what you want to do, click on Make Movie. You will browse to the save location of your Premiere Elements export (it will have the name that you gave it with a .mpg file extension) and bring that to the NeroVision Express filmstrip. From there follow the instructions, and you will end up with your Premiere Elements Timeline content on a CD in VCD format.

If you explore the CD, you should see the typical VCD structure, several folders (CDI, EXT, MPEGAV, SEGMENT, and VCD). One way to play the VCD on the computer is to double click the MPEGAV folder to see the AVSEQO1.Dat file inside. You right click that .Dat file, select Open With, followed by Window Media Player.

Scenario 2.
If all you want to do it put the Timeline content on a CD disc for computer playback, then you could consider taking the named.mpg export from Premiere Elements and burning it to a CD disc using Make Data Disc. That should play back with Windows Media Player. And, you will have it ready if you want to make a VCD later. But remember, the DVD-VIDEO (your Timeline content in DVD-VIDEO content on a DVD disc) will looks better than the VCD.




Scenario 3.
In view of your last post which I just saw...if your have standard video 720 x 480 (NTSC) or 720 x 576 (PAL), try exporting the Timeline content Share/Personal Computer/DV AVI (alternate route: Edit Section/File Menu/Export/Movie/making sure that you are set for Microsoft DV AVI. Again, make sure that you write down the name and save location so that you can find the DV AVI and burn it to a CD disc with your computer DVD/CD burner (using Make Data Disc).

Scenario 4.
Create a DVD-VIDEO. Share/Disc/Disc, setting for either NTSC or PAL.

Please let me know if any of the above helps.

ATR

[rhinoflyer]

I am also having trouble with what appears to be a random occurrence of the MEDIA OFFLINE message. It appears in my monitor and as my project icon, however the video icons on the timeline show the appropriate photo.

I did not move anything nor has it moved. I am using a PC and not an external drive. I do have a C: and E: drive however not in a raid setup.

The only things that happened while working on the video were a few error messages that the video card display returned an error and sometimes ELEMENTS will freeze, or go into a locked audio clip loop.

The crazy thing is...no matter what I highlight or follow the ADOBE help instructions my LOCATE MEDIA will not be highlighted in my EDIT drop down list. I've never seen it available. Additionally, I have gone over each clip in the timeline and edited the effects which makes the video appear in the monitor, and the MEDIA OFFLINE message go away. Weird.
ATR, you out there? Forgive me if this should be a POST and not just a REPLY. I am new.

[ThaConqueror]

Well, I'm new and I replied and got help, maybe you'll get help too!

(And if anyone cares, my problem is solved, so now I'm gonna find the 'unsubscribe thread' button).

[ATR]

ThaConqueror

I care and always have. I was wondering how things turned out with your project. Sounds like "mission accomplished". Congratulations. Thanks for letting me know the outcome.

I hope the project that you just worked through was not your first and last. So, please do not liquidate us from your contact list so soon.

Continued success.

ATR

[ATR]

Tomorrow I am going to do some house cleaning on this thread which appears to have been started by Murph Kautman and which was tacked onto my dlash, Tha Conqueror, and rhinoflyer.

Please, start your own thread in the future to avoid me losing track of your specific issue. You may think that you have the same problem as someone else, BUT, although a problem may present with the same symptoms, it can have different causes.

We will straighten things out tomorrow to make sure that those who involved themselves in this thread get the appropriate troubleshooting suggestions to get things moving for them.

Until tomorrow.....

ATR

[rhinoflyer]

Upon further meddling I remembered that my computer shut off (wife's 20000000Watt blowdryer) during editing the project in question. I am not hooked to the internet nor have an anti-virus program....however I did run an AV program to search for any possible viruses...found none. I again changed each and every clip in the timeline in order to see the video in the monitor. Then I exported the entire movie as an AVI to my projects folder. All seems fine as I've watched half the video. Doesn't solve the problem with my Elements prel file but at least I can get my customer their wedding video. Now, I just have to find a way to burn to dvd...will reinstall NERO or something....still interested in your thoughts ATR...especially how to post! Thanks all.

[ATR]

rhinoflyer

Again I got to this post late. I am going to try to remember to start here tomorrow morning.

Do you have Windows Vista? If so, which version. Certain versions of Vista include a Windows DVD Maker besides a Window Movie Maker. We may be able to put that to our advantage.

But, tomorrow morning we will attack the burn to disc issue head on.

ATR