Blackmagic Forum

Hello,

I don't know exactly how the Automatic Backup in 18.5 Beta works, but I lost the Backups of a Project.
The Backups of the timeline are still there in a "subfolder".

It was always possible to restore backups by renaming the Project.db.202305#### into Project.db
even if they were not shown in Davinci.

But how can I restore a Timeline Backup?

If you right click the timeline in the media pool there is a "Restore Timeline Backup" menu

Not always.

@Jim: Not sure what you are attempting to show with your screen shot?

But for sure, there won't be any timeline backups if you don't have that option enabled in Resolve Preferences - User - Project Save and Load - Timeline Backups

But to answer Amato's question, the timeline backups are not intended for disaster recovery, and you can't play tricks with them, like you can with the project backup Project.db.xxx files.

If you lose the project that the timeline backups go with, they are of no value to recover things with.

Dwaine Maggart wrote:@Jim: Not sure what you are attempting to show with your screen shot?

But for sure, there won't be any timeline backups if you don't have that option enabled in Resolve Preferences - User - Project Save and Load - Timeline Backups

But to answer Amato's question, the timeline backups are not intended for disaster recovery, and you can't play tricks with them, like you can with the project backup Project.db.xxx files.

If you lose the project that the timeline backups go with, they are of no value to recover things with.

Dwaine, take a look at the context menu for timelines located in the special bin produced by the settings Jim highlighted - that timeline context menu is messed-up. It lacks certain operations that present for a timeline showing up in the smart bin (or elsewhere without the special timeline bin). In particular, the restore timeline backup is missing as is the transcode audio option and a few others, I believe. Please confirm and report back here if you get a chance. Thx.

Dwaine Maggart wrote:@Jim: Not sure what you are attempting to show with your screen shot?

That when one uses the original (and in my view, superior) method of creating a Timelines Bin, there is no option to restore it, even with the Preference to create such backups enabled.

Thanks for the additional details. I use the "smart bin for timelines" option, so did not notice that.

I see that if you have both enabled, the smart bin timeline shows the restore option, and the media pool timeline does not.

I'll report to the dev team. Seems like something that can be addressed.

Thanks Dwaine. Your observations match mine. Cheers.

sorry for my late reply..

but it really messed up to save the project and did non project backups.
but the timeline were backup-ed... (the Saving Time was "newer")

I reloaded the timeline from the backup and it was back.. .

apfilm wrote:sorry for my late reply..

but it really messed up to save the project and did non project backups.
but the timeline were backup-ed... (the Saving Time was "newer")

I reloaded the timeline from the backup and it was back.. .

Hello Amato, could please explain me how you recover the timeline Backup?

Because i have the same issue here, i have a not so much updated Project backup, i had only the Timeline Backup checked in Preferences but i can't recover it, because Davinci don't find anything.

In attachement there's the Timeline backups.
Please someone help me.

Checking this again in 18.5b4, it seems Jim's issue has been addressed. With the "Use timeline bin" option enabled in Project Settings - General Options (and not Smart bin for timelines in Prefs - User - Editing) you now see the Restore Timelines Backup menu when you right click a timeline in the Media Pool - Timelines area.

@Antonio: If you have a project loaded that had the Timeline backups option enabled, and you right click a timeline in the Media Pool area, either on the Media, or Cut or Edit pages, you should see a Restore Timeline Backup menu. Are you using Resolve 18.5 Beta 4?

Dwaine Maggart wrote:Checking this again in 18.5b4, it seems Jim's issue has been addressed. With the "Use timeline bin" option enabled in Project Settings - General Options (and not Smart bin for timelines in Prefs - User - Editing) you now see the Restore Timelines Backup menu when you right click a timeline in the Media Pool - Timelines area.

@Antonio: If you have a project loaded that had the Timeline backups option enabled, and you right click a timeline in the Media Pool area, either on the Media, or Cut or Edit pages, you should see a Restore Timeline Backup menu. Are you using Resolve 18.5 Beta 4?

restore_timeline_backup.png

Yes, 18.5 beta 4.
Anyway i was lucky, I solved my issue. I'm gonna to explain my resolution for anyone will need.
It was much easier than i thought, maybe it's not the correct way to that but it works. I restore a part of my project with an old backup file, than with only the timeline backup option activated i made a change on my project in this way was created the Timeline file related about that, then i picked up my Backupped file and on the media pool section i found the timeline backup (with the currently time
& date) and that's it, i relinked my media files and jobs done!

I hope this will be helpful.

Hello, did some of you backuped a timeline and ended up with a "red" timeline with all media offline but no possibility to reconnect the media ? As explained in my post here : viewtopic.php?f=21&t=189953&e=0

Hi everyone,
Thanks in advance for your help.

I imported a .drt timeline into my project (long story short, it was the only way to recover an editing work as my .drp backup was too old and my database got disconnected with no recovering options).
My timeline is fully red, "media offline" everywhere, but there's no relink options.

You can see on the image that I have my old (.drp backup) timeline working well, the media is linked. Pasted next to it (on the left), the editing work from my .drt timeline with the same media, which appears red and "offline".
Did someone here had the same issue ?
Any lead appreciated, thanks !

Hi all and greetings from Jakarta,

I have been trying to follow the information in this thread but need some help please.

In short, I have a backup timeline file from the folder USER > Resolve Project Backups > project code > Timeline.20230809094012

I do not have a project.db file.

Is it still possible to open the Timeline.20230809094012 file?

I have tried:
- to add .drt to the extension, it did not work
- to make a new folder and change the name of this file to Project.db, it also did not work
- I tried to directly import the file - not successful
- Also I tried to pull the file into my media pool, I got the green + sign like it was ready to accept, but nothing happened.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Also, if you would like to see the file I have wetransferred it to this link:

https://we.tl/t-DQFaiZpsYd

all the best

Unfortunately, timeline backups are only useful in conjunction with the project they were created from.

Hi Dwaine, thanks for the quick reply, much appreciated.
I ended up re-editing the whole thing which went faster because I know where I wanted everything to go but it was still a hassle.
I have also checkmarked all the auto backup settings in preferences so looking forward to this never happening again.
Enjoy the rest of your week, edwinp

just_baffo wrote:

apfilm wrote:sorry for my late reply..

but it really messed up to save the project and did non project backups.
but the timeline were backup-ed... (the Saving Time was "newer")

I reloaded the timeline from the backup and it was back.. .

Hello Amato, could please explain me how you recover the timeline Backup?

Because i have the same issue here, i have a not so much updated Project backup, i had only the Timeline Backup checked in Preferences but i can't recover it, because Davinci don't find anything.

In attachement there's the Timeline backups.
Please someone help me.

I found out how to do this!

I still had the project, just had accidentally deleted and couldn't undo far enough back to get the part i needed back. if this is you issue and you have timeline backups turned on, simply right click the timeline in media pool --> restore timeline backup --> and it will show you options of different timeline time's available to re-load. hope this helps, peace.

seanii wrote:I found out how to do this! I still had the project, just had accidentally deleted and couldn't undo far enough back to get the part i needed back. if this is you issue and you have timeline backups turned on, simply right click the timeline in media pool --> restore timeline backup --> and it will show you options of different timeline time's available to re-load. hope this helps, peace.

I'll say again that it never hurts to do manual backups, and just export a DRP project file and keep it somewhere safe. DRPs are actually very small, and they can mean the difference between life and death. We do that for pretty much everything, even projects I'm going to finish in 3-4 hours. You never know.

And we never delete projects for any reason. They take up so little space in the database, we just keep them there. Every year, we start a new database (sometimes new ones for new clients or large projects), and the old ones just get archived and disconnected. But we could always go back if we had to.

read this whole thread, still having issues.

I'm editing in Resolve on a PC. Timeline Backup is activated in User Prefs, and when I right-click on timeline, I have the option to view/restore timeline backups. Great.

But I'm working with a colorist that's on a Linux. When he right-clicks on the timeline, there is no option to see previous Timeline back-ups. I even tried creating new paths on Linux for the auto-saves.

We're sharing the database and project. We're not actually using Collaboration mode, so that can't be the issue.

I tried with and without using Timeline smart bins, still nothing. On Linux-side, we can't seem to access the backups.

I had the strange issue of the disappearing timeline - but the timeline is just gone. Vanished.
It's as if I deleted it somehow between closing Resolve and re-opening it.

I can see it in the backup / saved folder but it won't help when I drag it back into Resolve, it does nothing.

travismpls wrote:I had the strange issue of the disappearing timeline - but the timeline is just gone. Vanished. It's as if I deleted it somehow between closing Resolve and re-opening it. I can see it in the backup / saved folder but it won't help when I drag it back into Resolve, it does nothing.

I have no advice except to always, always export a manual backup when you get to the end of a workday. The DRPs take up very little room, and they're extra insurance in case a drive fails or the Project Manager gets crunched or any number of things.

You figure if you work 2-3 days on a project (or god forbid, 15-20 days on a project), having 20 backups will ensure that no matter what, you will be able to recover most or all of a project, no matter what. I do have "automatic timeline backup" engaged and Live Save turned on in my projects, but the individual project backups are great if catastrophe strikes, or I need to see what we did last Tuesday (vs. last Thursday).

Reading through this post, Option to select 'Use timeline bin' is grayed out in Project Settings > General options.

How do I activate this option?
Thx.

From the Resolve 18.6 reference manual:

Use Timelines Bin: This option is only available to be changed before you add clips to the Media
Pool; after you’ve added clips, it’s no longer available. Turning Use Timelines Bin on creates a
dedicated Timelines bin in the Media Pool, at the top of the Bin List. When enabled, the Timelines
bin contains all timelines in a project, and you’re prevented from putting timelines into any other
bin in the Media Pool. Whenever you create or import a new timeline, it automatically appears in
the Timelines bin. You can add subfolders to the Timelines bin for more specific organization.

I will also note, that some Linux systems may not be creating timeline backups. And if no timeline backups have been created, you won't see the "Restore timeline backup" menu.

This is being investigated.

Was there any further remedy to this? Working on a Mac Studio and there is no 'Restore timeline' option in the menu when right clicking on a timeline. I'm in a world of hurt after changing a clip in fusion, then closing the project. The edit history won't change fusion clips from the edit page, and in fusion there is no history? So I went to restore timeline as I have that set in my main settings, and there is no option.

On Mac, the only reason the menu would be missing is if there are no timeline backups.

Is the option enabled in Resolve Preferences - User - Project Save and Load.

And is the backup location in that same area a valid path?

I had a timeline disappear, I did a right click restore timeline and everything was there. I ended up doing a ctrl z and now when I right click my timeline, I only have 1 option and it's not the correct date, the previous date was the right one that I can't recover anymore.



I don't have auto back ups (lesson learned) but I did have live save and timeline backups enabled.

I do have a bunch of timeline files like Timeline.20241108231351
and also some Project.db.20240920145921

I am in the original project itself I'm in with all my clips, just the timeline I need for some reason has disappeared, how can I fix this?

I also did a recent time machine back up if I can restore from there

jessi-poo wrote:I am in the original project itself I'm in with all my clips, just the timeline I need for some reason has disappeared, how can I fix this?

If it's literally not there in the project, I don't have a solution. One thing we routinely do every day (particularly for long-term projects that go for a week or more) is to manually back up a DRP session file every day and give it a date. If we need to go back and get Thursday's session on a Friday, we can import that into the project manager, get whatever is missing from the Friday session, and move on from there.

In general, I've never seen anything suddenly disappear from any Resolve sessions (in almost 15 years), but I have run into situations where I was tired and accidentally deleted a dozen or more clips from a timeline without noticing it. Then when I notice the problem the next day, I'm screwed until I check the backup session. Then and only then, I can fix the missing clips. It's only happened maybe 3 or 4 times to me in years and years -- most recently, it happened to me back in January -- but I was glad the backup was there when I needed it.

Resolve is generally very reliable and this kind of thing should not happen. I don't doubt you're seeing that in your session, but rather than point fingers, I'd say you've got to move forward and try to find a way to continue and rebuild what you lost.