@Can-Dive

Hi,

Easier. File, Load Project, Open button. In Explorer that opens, *.dip, *.mvp, *.mvy are in the list of file types. Open the dropdown, select *.*, navigate to the folder with the MVD files and select the MVD file that you want.

Et voila, you now have a project with just one Movie - from the MVD file. Save the project with a new name or the name of the Movie.

OR

Start a new project. Under Import, navigate to the folder where you have the movie and drag the MVD file onto the timeline. You'll now have that movie in your project. Save the project with a new name or the name of the Movie.

OR

If you want to load from Windows Explorer, double-click on the MVD. You may have to select the program the first time. When VPX opens, click on the X to remove the request to Create Project. Your Movie is now open in your project. Save the project with a new name or the name of the Movie.

I see that Al beat me to it. Yes, his method is easiest if you are still in the project with the movie. I suggest Save As first, then delete the movies.

John CB

@AAProds, @browj2,

Thanks guys for the quick response!😀

Just to be clear, when I save a project with multiple movies, it saves one file (MVP). It doesn't also save the individual movie files (MVD) in some hidden folder (which I can access). I need to first export the MVD before importing it or as @AAProds suggested, just delete the other movies and save the one you want as a separate project.

I only ask because John CB's first suggestion is to; File, Load Project, Open button. In Explorer that opens, *.dip, *.mvp, *.mvy are in the list of file types. Open the dropdown, select *.*, navigate to the folder with the MVD files and select the MVD file that you want. So John may have assumed that I already exported the specific movie MVD file.

Or it may be the case that the system automatically saves individual MVD files in some directory(?) when the main project is saved. I don't think that is likely since there is an export function, but who knows? You guys know the system better than I do and have probably discovered all its peculiarities.

@Can-Dive

Hi,

I guess that you didn't see my Edit. Al got it right with the most obvious solution, Save as and delete unwanted Movies. Better would be Save, Save as, delete unwanted Movies. Reason: between deleting movies and save as, there could be a backup saved with 1 or more of the movies already deleted. You may not want that if, for some reason, you have to open the last backup.

And, as Al pointed out in his edit, if you want to import a Movie, you don't need to be in a blank Movie. Importing a Movie just adds the Movie.

Or it may be the case that the system automatically saves individual MVD files in some directory(?) when the main project is saved. 

No, you have to specifically export a Movie to get an MVD file.

As you can see, there are various permutations, depending on what you want to do, and various reasons to do so.

One reason is that I export template movies to an MVD file and I also save as a normal project. When I start a new project, say, as tutorial, I usually forget to open the template project, get started, then realize my error, import the template movie, copy/paste from one movie to the other, delete the first one, and change the name of the Movie to be the name of the project. If I haven't done anything in the project, dragging in a Movie replaces the unused blank Movie.

Note that importing a movie does not put its contents into the Project Temp Folder (PTF). Same with opening another project into the current project. So long as the project is blank or has not be saved, opening another project into the already open project brings in all of its Movies if more than one, but nothing goes into the PTF except the Movie name.

Another thing, when you delete unwanted Movies from a project, their contents does not get removed from the PTF. Of course, the little red light turns off, showing that the object is not used in the project.

Remember, you can open a Project into an open project. Just try to open it or D&D to the timeline and the program will ask if you want to add that Project to the current Project, or close the current Project. If you add it, if it has more than 1 Movie, they will all open in that project. So, if you have a multi-movie project and you think that you might like to be able to open a Movie into another project with having to bring in all Movies, then export just that Movie for future use.

A Movie imported into a project becomes part of that project. The original MVD is not touched...unless, of course you export a Movie and purposely overwrite the MVD file.

A Project opened into another project also becomes part of that project along with all of its Movies. The original MVP is not touched...unless, of course you purposely overwrite the MVP file.

Most of this should be intuitive once you have the basics down.

Thus, there is no need to have 2 instances of VPX open to be able copy objects from one project to another. That is just one of the many benefits of a multi-timeline video editor.

Bonus 1

Learn how to use the PTF. You can create subfolders and when a subfolder has focus, any imports are also copied there. Or, you can Import directly to the PTF (right-click in the Media Pool, Import to Project Folder) or drag & drop.

Ex.: drag in a bunch of photos, video clips, trimmed video clips, to be used later.

You can drag & drop objects in the PTF from the main folder to a subfolder or the other way.

The PTF can be saved and imported into a separate project, extension is .PBI. A PBI file can be dragged & dropped into the PTF.

Ex.: I have the arrow image and an animated brush that I use in my tutorials. Both have been resized. If I want these in another project, I can import/D&D the PTF into my current project PTF to get my two objects.

The image below shows a folder with MVP, MVD and PBI files.

There are more features with the PTF than I have described.

I hope that I haven't confused you too much.

Bonus 2

OT, little known but may be of interest. In the Project/Movie Settings (E), Movie Information tab, there is a listing of used files - for the current Movie, not for the overall Project. Unfortunately, you can't copy the contents of this or export it. However, if you do want to get an output file of the contents of a Movie, go to File, Manage Project, Export Movie File, Edit Decision List (*.edl) (Alt+D) and export. Open the resulting file with a text editor, like Notepad and the first table will be the listing of the contents.

The second table is the EDL of the tracks and their contents, etc.

John CB

@AAProds @browj2

John CB, thanks for the clarification that the movie needs to be exported first.

I'm currently reviewing my current workflow and have decided to use VPX's capability of having multiple movies within one project. And while a movie isn't a project itself, it can be converted into one if so desired. Because VPX has a Project Bin known as a Project Temporary File, (PTF) there is one additional step I need to do when adding multiple movies into one Project and that is creating separate folders (bins) in the PTF for each movie so the media objects don't get mixed together. Movie Studio doesn't have this issue because it does not have a PTF.

Therefore if I desire to create a single Project from one of the movies in a multi-movie Project, I will follow @AAProds advice and delete the movies I don't need. Also I will delete the related media folders (bins) in the PTF. I export the movie and save the PTF.

When I create the single project from the movie I exported, I'll also import the saved PTF from that movie and then save the duo as a project. The project will have the movie on the timeline and the related media objects in its PTF.

Al and John CB, thanks again for all your help.
PS: thanks for bonus tip #2
 

@Can-Dive

Wrap your socks around this! 😀

@AAProds

Wow, that is a lot of movies! Is there any particular theme that you kept them all together? My plan is to use this feature when I go on a scuba dive trip. Say a three day long weekend; 2 dives per day for a total of six dives. Each dive will be a movie within the one project and if I combine the 6 dives into one long movie, I'll use VPX's nesting function to achieve the desired full length feature.

Cheers!🙂

@Can-Dive

That's half of a bunch of cine rolls I've digitised for a mate; I find it easier to manage them all in the one project. It also enables batch encoding the lot overnight. Works well!

@Can-Dive

Hi,

Remember the thread with the back and forth with Tony about multiple Movies:

Here is what I wrote about uses for Movies:

I use this multi-movie capability for various things:

1. The most common use for me is when I am creating project that has multiple subjects on the same theme, like the wedding project. Also, for trips, separate movies for Day 1, Day 2, etc. and then export each individually as I get one done, and probably create a BR of the entire trip. I can quickly use the resources, like intros/outros, titles, effects, etc., by copying from one Movie to another.
2. For just parking material to be used later.
3. For playing around with effects or something without doing this on the main timeline.
4. For importing template material to be copied into the main movie when and where needed. Example, I have an outro that I made of smaller size windows with effects for each character in the video, along with their name, followed by a standard outro scrolling text. Just change the material and copy paste into the main movie. Delete the no longer needed movie.
5. For importing material from digitized sources like Super8 film, VHS and others that contain multiple separate subjects. Create separate movies per subject and move the material to the pertinent subject movie as I go through the source material. Example, VHS with a segment on subject 1, then something else - subject 2, then back to subject 1, subject 3, subject 1 and so on. Do it in one shot while going through the content, then export the Movies to Movie files (MVD) to be opened later.
6. And, of course, for nesting in VPX.

And, like @AAProds, I used it for 8mm and S8 movies as per the image in the linked thread.

I have one project underway of my sister's visit, with one movie per day if we actually did something, like sight-seeing. I started off the project and have done a few days, one at a time when I feel like it. I export and publish one day at a time. At the end, I should be able to burn a BR with the entire trip. The workflow part is that I reuse certain elements from one movie to the other and I can quickly see what I did in the finished movies to be able to continue on consistently over a long period. And, everything is in one project.

Each dive will be a movie within the one project and if I combine the 6 dives into one long movie, I'll use VPX's nesting function to achieve the desired full length feature.

Looks like a good work flow. I'm sure you'll find other uses for having multiple movies and your workflow and use of the PTF will develop with use. Remember, you can move the material in the PTF to any subfolders that you create by D&D. Also, you can remove any unused material in one shot:

File/Project Folder/Cleanup project folder (Alt+Shift+X)

One drawback of multiple movies is that the more you have, the more material in the project and the longer it takes to start up, find everything, then save. Automatic backups take longer. If you watch closely, you'll see that a save or automatic backup will make several passes, one for each movie and one for the PTF.

I did a little research to see what other programs have multiple movies and found that both Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve have them. Premiere Pro calls them multiple sequences. They both have a feature that would be nice to have in VPX - two windows open with different movies. Thus, you can copy or move from one movie to the other by dragging.

John CB

@AAProds @browj2

Cleanup Project Folder

Thanks for the following tip John CB, that will become very useful:

...Also, you can remove any unused material in one shot:

File/Project Folder/Cleanup project folder (Alt+Shift+X)...

Projects, Movies & Project Bins (PTF)
As for converting 8mm and Hi8 tapes, I too went through that process years ago. For each tape, I  created one digital file. The dilemma I faced was that each tape had a number of unrelated events such as birthdays, Christmas, vacation trips, Easter etc. The challenge was how to "virtually" cut up the tape file into these separate events. Using Pinnacle Studio at the time, I was able to utilise its built in Library system. I was able to break up the tape file into scenes and move these scenes into Project bins or Collection Bins and sub-bins. I essentially had different categories of Collection bins; Birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Vacation Trips, Scuba diving...So for example, every Christmas video; regardless of the source type or file location; ended up under the Christmas collection. If I wanted to create a feature movie of Christmas' 1990 to 1995 I could go to the Christmas collection and source that media for each year.

Movie Studio does not have Project or Collection bins, but you have ingeniously used Projects and Movies to segment these tapes. You could do the same with VPX but because VPX has project bins called Project Temp Files (PTF), an alternative to creating movies, the tape file could be trimmed and these trimmed movie scenes could be stored in the PTF and saved. So each tape could be represented by a PTF. As an example, part of my workflow is to rough cut my videos in the VPX Source window and store these cuts on the PTF before moving them to the timeline. I even created a specific VPX window for this task.

Using my Christmas example; if Movie Studio was the program, each tape Project 90 to 95 would be opened and the Christmas movie exported. A new project would be created (call it Xmas 90-95) and these movies would be imported and merged to create the exact same feature movie I listed above.

Likewise, with VPX, each tape PTF 90 to 95 would be opened and the Christmas movie scene dropped onto the timeline or into a movie. With VPX you could merge the movies or nest them.

There was a number of reasons why I was attracted to VPX; like Pinnacle Studio it had Project bins, a Source editor and nesting. You tend to go with what you are familiar with. The only issue was track order but I also used Video Studio so that wasn't a major issue for me (but it was a personal preference). And it looks like they may be addressing that issue in the near future.

So in conclusion, different programs with different features but the net result is the same. While my personal preference is VPX, those who use Movie Studio can still achieve the same result; just through a different workflow.
 

@Can-Dive

Hi,

I do believe you've got it!

Now, if Magix would kindly fix the PTF trimmed clip bug...

EDIT: One more thought, you can add in a description in the PTF. You can also change the name of the object in the object properties. This does not affect the actual filename.

John CB

@browj2

Now, if Magix would kindly fix the PTF trimmed clip bug...

I'm aware of that bug but it doesn't really impact me because I don't tend to move trimmed objects from the timeline to the project bin due to my workflow. You could not do this in Pinnacle Studio (PS) either so this is probably why I got into the habit of trimming in the Source monitor (and Corrections monitor in PS). Interestingly, its easy to do in Video Studio.

Do you recall what VPX version this bug appeared? 

EDIT: One more thought, you can add in a description in the PTF.

Yes the description field can be very handy. Also you can add Scenes and Takes and are able to sort the data using these fields when you select the PTF's details view.

You can also change the name of the object in the object properties. This does not affect the actual filename.

I think you actually found a bug. Usually I mouse right click to rename the object and I would expect the same if I changed the name in its properties.
 

@Can-Dive

Hi.

You can also change the name of the object in the object properties. This does not affect the actual filename.

I think you actually found a bug. Usually I mouse right click to rename the object and I would expect the same if I changed the name in its properties.
 

I think the danger in that is if the file was used in more than one project earlier or by more than one program. Then the file could go 'missing' from those projects and would not be recognised as the correct file and probably goes against the ethos of being non destructive editing.

Ray.

Hi @CubeAce

I don't think there is a danger. The actual media source name is never changed so it is non destructive. Anything in the Project Bin (PTF) can be renamed and will not change the actual source. In Properties, there is a Name field along with Comment, Scene and Take fields. If you look at the Details view, you will see Name but this refers to the name of the object in the Bin (which you can change), It doesn't refer the the Name field in Properties. The Name, Comment, Scene and Take fields all appear in Details - but not the Name field in Properties. There seems to be a disconnect between the Object's Name and the Name in Properties. They should be one and the same.

In your signature, it indicated that you have VPX14. See if this is an issue in that version.

@CubeAce

Hi Ray,

I should have been more precise. I'm talking about objects on the timeline (or in the PTF). In MMS/VPX, open the properties (Ctrl+E) of any object, say, a video clip. The name field, at the top, is a display name and is the filename by default. The filename is further down. Change the Name field, Ok. The display name of the object on the timeline change, not the filename.

John CB

@CubeAce @browj2

Hi Guys,

In VPX16, if I go into Properties and change the display name (which by default is the filename), the name of the object does not change. And if you update the object name with a mouse right click, it does not update the Name field in Properties. I just want to confirm that others are experiencing the same thing and if this issue existed in previous versions.

@Can-Dive

Hi

. . . . change the display name (which by default is the filename), the name of the object does not change . . . .

Works fine for me.

Did you press the Enter key, after typing in the new name, then OK? If not try it.

John EB

@browj2 @Can-Dive

Hi John.

I was really replying to CanDrive's concerns. I understood your post.

I have used the change file name in the past for objects on the timeline as well as changing its colour for easier identification purposes on a busy project but I've personally had no use for the bin and normally I have it minimalised as much as possible.

I was just surmising that a change of a file name for those that use the same video clips on multiple projects or in different programs might find that caused problems. I'm glad this is not the case.

It's good to know that the program is flexible enough to allow for different workflow styles though.

Ray.

@johnebaker @CubeAce @browj2

To clarify what I am experiencing in VPX16, I created two videos. Let me know if you are experiencing the same issue or if its a problem on my computer only.

@Can-Dive

Hi,

Yes. There is a disconnect between Properties and Rename in the PTF. Why, I have no idea.

There are other problems and quirks, mostly minor.

1. Make a copy of your clip on the timeline. Change its properties name and add in a comment. Ok. Right-click, Insert objects into Project Folder. You'll get that object name in the PTF along with the description, but the original entry for the video clip itself also gets the same description. You can change the description of the first one. Do so.

Copy the clip on the timeline and do the same thing - changing the description at least does not change the description of the other two. So that works.

2. With nothing selected on the timeline, in the PTF, select the copied clip entry and right-click, Select associated objects in movie. The object on the timeline should be selected/highlighted. Depending on how you set up the copied clip and sent it to the PTF, Select associated objects in movie may only select the audio part. Strange.

3. Add a video clip to the timeline. In the PTF, select this new clip entry and right-click, Select associated objects in movie. In some cases, nothing is selected on the timeline, in other cases it is. Add in the same video clip but trimmed first - drag onto the timeline. In the PTF, select this new clip entry and right-click, Select associated objects in movie. In some cases, nothing is selected on the timeline, in other cases it is. Strange.

4. Rating field in the PTF does nothing that I can find. You can't access the field in the PTF. Putting a rating on a clip in Windows Explorer and adding it to the timeline shows nothing in the rating field. I raised this issue with Magix long ago and nothing was done.

5. Scene and Take - with the same clip twice in the PTF - once with the filename as the name, and the second as the same file but trimmed that gets _001 appended, Edit the Scene and Take fields. Both objects get the same entry. Edit the second one. This will modify both entries. I raised this with Magix and nothing was done. At least you can modify the Description for each and it will stick.

6. In the PTF, change the object colour in the Properties. Send that object to the timeline. Default colour. Reopen the properties of that entry in the PTF and the colour has gone back to the default.

It would seem that Properties of entries in the PTF does nothing as you have pointed out.

John CB