Critical Error Saving Project

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Marco Quaglia Faccio

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Critical Error Saving Project

PostTue Jan 18, 2022 2:00 pm

Today 2 very frightening situation has occurred.
What happen.

1 Case
On PC 1 (windows 10 Davinci Resolve Free 17.4 build 12)
I rename the Project from the Project Manager.
Export the Project from the Project Manager.
Then i open the project. Before i close the project i save but i was not able to save.
It has appeared a message box that give me 2 options (reload Current) and (Export change and Reload)
neither option works.
I try to randomly open others project (not all) and the are ok.


2 Case
ON PC 2 (windows 10 Davinci Resolve Studio 17.4 build 12)
I just open a old project, made in 2017.
check some footage without any changes. And before i exit i save.
Unfortunately i get the same error message of case 1

I try to randomly open others project (not all) and the are ok.

I am very worried. I have big project, with hundreds of timeline.


Somebody can help me to recover those project and give me some logic explanation of what happen.
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Last edited by Marco Quaglia Faccio on Tue Jan 18, 2022 3:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Andy Mees

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Re: Critical Error Saving Project

PostTue Jan 18, 2022 2:56 pm

Did you have Dynamic Project Switching enabled and did you copy and paste any timeline from a different project version into this current project version before the error occurred?

Only time I have seen this (and I can reproduce) is when working as above. Specifically, if copying a timeline from an older project version where the older timeline contains nested and/or compound and/or multicam timelines*, and then pasting it into the new project. The new project will then throw up this 'critical error when saving' message. The solution for me was to export the timeline needed from the first project as a DRT file and then import that DRT into the second project. The timeline plus new master instances of source content is then created in the new project without issue, albeit that the timeline is linked to the newly created media references and not the already extant media references.

If you are having similar trouble then, if no other options present, as a last resort you might try exporting drt's from the faulting project and using those to rebuild in a new empty project.

* Note: I'm not sure if its any or all of these combined that specifically cause the problem, but I don't recall ever getting this error when copying and pasting simple timelines without such references between projects.

EDIT: Removed unexpected URL tag from the post.
Last edited by Andy Mees on Tue Jan 18, 2022 4:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Let's have a return to the glory days, when press releases for new versions included text like "...with over 300 new features and improvements that professional editors and colorists have asked for."
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Marco Quaglia Faccio

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Re: Critical Error Saving Project

PostTue Jan 18, 2022 3:47 pm

[quote="Andy Mees"][url]Did you have Dynamic Project Switching enabled and did you copy and paste any timeline from a different project version into this current project version before the error occurred?

No in this 2 specific case i did not copy any Timelines.
In both case the "Dynamic Project Switching" was not enabled.
In both case i did a Export project.

In the first case i renamed the project, then from Project Manager i Export with still and LUTs, then open the project, when i went to save without changes it appears this Critical Error.

In the second case from Inside the project i Export the project, no modification was made then save.
As the first case i had the Error.

The only common thing i can see is Davinci Version (17.4 build 12).

After the Error i can't Export the project.
I try from the Project Manager (with the project close) and
i try from inside the project with export project.
I also try to "Save Project as". In all case i cant export and cant Save.
Resolve Studio 17 | Fusion Studio 17 | Win 10 Enterprise (64-bit) |
X99-A II | i7-6800K CPU @ 3.40GHz | Memory 32GB
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Andy Mees

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Re: Critical Error Saving Project

PostTue Jan 18, 2022 4:42 pm

Marco Quaglia Faccio wrote:from Inside the project i Export the project, no modification was made then save.
Are you able to open and use the exported project without error?
Marco Quaglia Faccio wrote:After the Error i can't Export the project
Are you are to export timelines (DRT files)?
Let's have a return to the glory days, when press releases for new versions included text like "...with over 300 new features and improvements that professional editors and colorists have asked for."
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Dwaine Maggart

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Re: Critical Error Saving Project

PostTue Jan 18, 2022 10:28 pm

Logs could be helpful.

Would also recommend going forward, that for any critical multi-days/weeks/months/years long projects, that you make a Project Export .drp at the end of each workday, and keep copies of those off the main system drive. Then if anything happens to the drive or the Resolve database, you have backups.

Are the projects in a Disk or PostgreSQL database? If its a Disk database, where is the location? Is it on a removable drive?
Dwaine Maggart
Blackmagic Design DaVinci Support
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Marco Quaglia Faccio

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Re: Critical Error Saving Project

PostWed Jan 19, 2022 5:42 am

Dwaine Maggart wrote:Logs could be helpful.

i will send privately
Would also recommend going forward, that for any critical multi-days/weeks/months/years long projects, that you make a Project Export .drp at the end of each workday, and keep copies of those off the main system drive. Then if anything happens to the drive or the Resolve database, you have backups.

I believe that if only a bit in the DB file is corrupt all the DB will not work.
in my case only some project.
My C drive is a SSD with 117 GB free . I run a check disk andis all ok
My footage are on a HardDisk
Also keep in mind that i had the same issue on 2 different PC with 2 different project.
Are the projects in a Disk or PostgreSQL database?

Disk
If its a Disk database, where is the location?

C:\ProgramData\Blackmagic Design\DaVinci Resolve\Support\Resolve Disk Database
Is it on a removable drive?

No

Other Test
FROM Davinci Studio 17.4 build 12
(1) from Project Manager i Export Project..., Davinci just close without any warning, no message of crash was show.
(2) From Project Manager i Export Project Archive..., Davinci just close without any warning, no message of crash was show.
(3) Reopen Davinci an then the Project. It open.
But if i save i have the "Critical Error Saving Project"
-> if i select Reload Current i get the message "Unable to Open the Project"
-> if i select Export Changes & Reload i get the message "Unable to Export Project"


From inside the Project i Export Project, message box give me 3 options:
-> (Cancel)
-> click on (Don't save ) i type the name and presse Save, then i get a message "Unable to Export Project"
-> click on (Save ) i have the "Critical Error Saving Project"
--> if i select Reload Current i get the message "Unable to Open the Project"
--> if i select Export Changes & Reload i get the message "Unable to Export Project"
Resolve Studio 17 | Fusion Studio 17 | Win 10 Enterprise (64-bit) |
X99-A II | i7-6800K CPU @ 3.40GHz | Memory 32GB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 | Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB | CT240BX500SSD1 | WDC WD30EFRX-68EUZN0
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Andy Mees

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Re: Critical Error Saving Project

PostWed Jan 19, 2022 7:53 am

Marco Quaglia Faccio wrote:From inside the Project i Export Project, ... message "Unable to Export Project"
Hey Marco
Asking once more, just in case there's any misunderstanding.
What about Export > Timeline? Not Export Project. As you are able to open the project (but not save it), maybe try to export just the timeline (ie a DRT file). Does that work or does that also give an error? How about Export Bin? I realise testing this doesn't explain or fix your issue, but if these functions work then it might be wise to see if you can use them to rebuild a new (working) version of your project.

Screenshot 2022-01-19 at 07.47.49.png
Screenshot 2022-01-19 at 07.47.49.png (167.32 KiB) Viewed 7317 times

Hope it helps
Andy
Let's have a return to the glory days, when press releases for new versions included text like "...with over 300 new features and improvements that professional editors and colorists have asked for."
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Marco Quaglia Faccio

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Re: Critical Error Saving Project

PostWed Jan 19, 2022 2:27 pm

[quote="Andy Mees"][/quote]
I follow your suggestion.
The first Time i try to export 3 TimeLine. I was able to process the export operation without issue.
I was also also able to import them on a new test project, but only 1 timeline was with clip, the other two were just black, no video and audio. I delete all the timelines from the test projet.

I went again back to the original project and i again export the same 3 timelines, no errors.

Then back to the test project and in this case i was able to successfully import them with video and audio and text.

Thanks for your help, i appreciate, but the problem is that this thing they should not happen.

I don't think is a corrupt file (i may be wrong). In all my life it never happen that i lose a single bit and in Davinci resolve it happen (to now) 2 times in 2 different computers.
Resolve Studio 17 | Fusion Studio 17 | Win 10 Enterprise (64-bit) |
X99-A II | i7-6800K CPU @ 3.40GHz | Memory 32GB
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Andy Mees

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Re: Critical Error Saving Project

PostWed Jan 19, 2022 2:59 pm

Marco Quaglia Faccio wrote:i was able to successfully import them with video and audio and text.
That's great news, at least you have some immediate options to move forward with your project.

Marco Quaglia Faccio wrote:the problem is that this thing they should not happen.
Yes, I agree, but sometimes things go wrong. The trick is to be able to deliver regardless!


I don't know why this happened to your two projects. Whatever it is, the conditions that cause this error must be quite rare, I think, as Resolve has a great many users but I don't often see this message reported (and I've been hanging around here for a few years now). The fact that it just happened to you on two different computers is certainly very strange, assuming you are using separate disk databases and separate storage for both. Either way, hopefully your logs and sys info files will help Dwaine diagnose so that BMD can implement a solution, if it's a product issue.

Good luck
Andy
Let's have a return to the glory days, when press releases for new versions included text like "...with over 300 new features and improvements that professional editors and colorists have asked for."
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floh79

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Re: Critical Error Saving Project

PostThu Feb 24, 2022 2:43 pm

Hi. I found out. Maybe the filename (including the path :!: ) you tried to use is too long :!: NTFS only allows max 255 characters for full path.

See:
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=155869&p=827523#p827523

Try with shorter filename and directory names. Does it help?

Best regards
Floh
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Marc Wielage

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Re: Critical Error Saving Project

PostFri Feb 25, 2022 12:32 am

floh79 wrote:Hi. I found out. Maybe the filename (including the path :!: ) you tried to use is too long :!: NTFS only allows max 255 characters for full path. Try with shorter filename and directory names. Does it help?

As a best practice, we usually aim for abbreviated session file names of no more than about 36 characters, sort of like "ClientName_Project_Name_Season_Ep_Date," so it'd be "Netflix_StrThings_S3Ep01_2-24-2022." That will always fit, plus it's easy to understand and all the characters will show up in the window. You could even eliminate the client name if it was going into an entire database devoted to just that show and just that client, so just the Show name, Season number, Episode number, and date could work. If it were me, that's what I would do.

I'm used to the standard Linux thing of never having spaces in file names, so I always use underscores instead. Punctuation is frowned upon, but I've found that dashes are acceptable and don't cause any issues. No high-ASCII characters, though.
marc wielage, csi • VP/color & workflow • chroma | hollywood
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Uli Plank

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Re: Critical Error Saving Project

PostFri Feb 25, 2022 2:29 am

Same here, old habit from UNIX days with SGI workstations. No umlaut or anything fancy.
I'm convinced it has saved me some hair at my age ;-)
No, an iGPU is not enough, and you can't use HEVC 10 bit 4:2:2 in the free version.

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floh79

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Re: Critical Error Saving Project

PostFri Feb 25, 2022 7:46 am

Don't understand me wrong, I'm not using over-100-chars-project-names. It also depends on Windows username (which is also in path!), subdirectories (which appends to path to projects too).

@Marc: So you suggest, not to use subdirectories :?:

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