Blackmagic Forum

I have just done a small project. I created a folder. Then created a database in it, then put all the media in a folder in the base folder. So everything is self contained and I can archive the whole lot later.
When I finished the project a week later I wanted to zip up the whole lot and archive it on the NAS.
So I disconnected the database as I would close a library in FCPX.
However now I can't see any way to re-connect the database

In FCPX I have 100's of libraries one per job (which are self contained) and archive these to the NAS complete with all the used and unused media and timelines etc. Therefore the only linraries shown are the current set I am working on.

Of course at any time I can fetch the FCPX library back to the local disk and reopen it. How do I do this with databases in Resolve? I don't want a lit of 100's of databases listed in resolve 90% of which I will never open again but I never know which 10% I will need to reopen

The biggest mistake I made after switching from Premiere Pro was thinking that my previous experience meant I could just jump into a new NLE without difficulty.

Nope. Resolve does things differently, and I had to adjust my work flow in many ways, including my backup and archive methods.

I think your first course of action should be to complete some Resolve training. The Beginner's Guide and Advanced Editing are an excellent groundwork to get you moving smoothly.

https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/produc ... e/training

Jim Simon wrote:The biggest mistake I made after switching from Premiere Pro was thinking that my previous experience meant I could just jump into a new NLE without difficulty.

True... I have used FCPX since it started and that was very intuitive so that no training was needed to get going. I am only moving to Resolve because FCPX is not on PC.

Jim Simon wrote:Nope. Resolve does things differently, and I had to adjust my work flow in many ways, including my backup and archive methods.

So I am discovering. My problem is I have lots of small projects, for many they are one day events. Others are 4 days * 8 hours of video in to 36 separate videos all to be uploaded to 3 different YouTube accounts withing 4 days. This is a breeze with FCPX.

Jim Simon wrote:I think your first course of action should be to complete some Resolve training. The Beginner's Guide and Advanced Editing are an excellent groundwork to get you moving smoothly.

https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/produc ... e/training

Thanks I will have to try that. The problem is finding time to do it when time is at a premium already.

It still doesn't answer my immediate question abut databases. (BTW the DVR manual is not the easiest to use unless you already understand the DVR language and know what to look for. At which point you probably don't need the manual. BTW there is no DVR17 manual in DVR17... only a "new features" which doesn't help/

jamedia wrote:This is a breeze with FCPX.

I think it is with Resolve as well. It's just done differently.

(And those training manuals are a gentle easing into the Resolve ecosystem. Not quite as intimidating as the full Reference Manual, which you noticed isn't yet available for 17 anyway. But the Beginner's Guide and Advanced Editing will apply nonetheless.)

So to point you in the right direction, don't disconnect and reconnect databases as you would Libraries.

Keep your databases online, and ideally located on their own dedicated, internal drive.

Copy all the media to your backup location as a first step. Copy it to your working Media drive as a second step. Even before you begin editing, you've got your 'archive' done.

Backup your databases and export your projects regularly.

Jim Simon wrote:So to point you in the right direction, don't disconnect and reconnect databases as you would Libraries.

Keep your databases online, and ideally located on their own dedicated, internal drive.

I have several 100 FCPX libraries but only half a dozen on my local drives. I don't want 100's of projects listed locally. Only the ones I am working on. Also the FCPX linraries are self contained. I can load them to any other computer (even one not on the network)

Jim Simon wrote:Copy all the media to your backup location as a first step. Copy it to your working Media drive as a second step. Even before you begin editing, you've got your 'archive' done.

not really, The FCPX has all the time lines projects etc. there is more to it than just the clips.

Jim Simon wrote:Backup your databases and export your projects regularly.

this seems more cumbersum than the FCPX method. I will have to read up on it.

jamedia wrote:I don't want 100's of projects listed locally.

So organize them with folders in the database.

jamedia wrote:I will have to read up on it.

Yup.

Jim Simon wrote:

jamedia wrote:I don't want 100's of projects listed locally.

So organize them with folders in the database.

That's starting to sound messy. an nothing like as sensible as FCPX
Are you saying that ALL my projects have to be listed in my Database? Including the archived ones? I can't just unload them (and potentially reload them later)?

I have a dozen external hard drives with archived FCPX libraries (apart from recent projects on the NAS and current ones locally) . It is as simple as moving word documents around the place and in the same way I can load them easily in to any FCPX on any of our Mac's just as easily as opening a word doc.

Have you tried clicking the Restore button under the database section of the Project Manager?

xunile wrote:Have you tried clicking the Restore button under the database section of the Project Manager?

Sorted!!!!
I could not for the life of me understand why there was a "disconnect" if you can't reconnect. (as the dialogue says wen you disconnect,)

Initially when I created the database I created a folder for it, created it and opened it. Then I copied the Media into the a new folder in the same root folder. So everything was in the same folder. see diagram, All the Media is in Bin1

What I just tried was in he database manager hitting "open database" and then (without first creating a database) pointing "location" at the root directory, gave it a name and it worked!!!! Sensible! but not possible according to the Database dialogue when you disconnect...

Yeah, also the default behavior when you select "new database" (only choice if you wan to reconnect), is to connect to existing one and not create a new one even though your intuition says it should be "create".

Mario Kalogjera wrote:Yeah, also the default behavior when you select "new database" (only choice if you wan to reconnect), is to connect to existing one and not create a new one even though your intuition says it should be "create".

Also when you disconnect a database the dialogue says this can't be undone. However as I have just proved it can be undone!

Confusing thing is that when you put in the path to the folder (not a file which initially confused me) you also have to name the database. It appears you can put anything here.... It does not need to be the same name as the database you disconnected. Neither does it pick up the original name when you re-connect.

The disconnecting and reconnecting of databases need to be looked at. I think Resolve is designed to work on one fixed use case that I suspect the majority of it's users are not using

It asks for a new name because you selected new database option, I suppose - a logic that doesn't extend to other options.

However, I think I don't get the warning massage that says it can't be undone. That's in 16.8.x. ,may be different in R17...

Anyway, "undone" seems to refer just to that current action at hand, doesn't imply you will never be able to reconnect.

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jamedia wrote:Are you saying that ALL my projects have to be listed in my Database? Including the archived ones? I can't just unload them (and potentially reload them later)?

Essentially, yes.

It's just the way databases work.

[quote= Simon""Jim]

jamedia wrote:Are you saying that ALL my projects have to be listed in my Database? Including the archived ones? I can't just unload them (and potentially reload them later)?

Essentially, yes.

It's just the way databases work.[/quote]

Actually no. I have found a way of disconnecting databases and then later reconnecting them.
So I have found a way or replicating the principal of FCPX Libraries in Resolve.

Well, editors choice, but...it's less than ideal.

Jim Simon wrote:Well, editors choice, but...it's less than ideal.

What is less than Ideal? The design of DVR? in which case I agree.