Recently a Premiere Elements 12 Windows user selected the program's Project Archiver Copy Project option to archive a project which included a customized Adobe disc menu. The intent was to use the project on another computer which had Premiere Elements 12 Windows installed. When this archived project was opened on the second computer, his project's disc menu was gone. If he selected Tools Menu/Movie Menu in the archived project, what opened was the display of Movie Menu theme choices and not the Movie Menu customization area displaying his customized Adobe disc menu. The answer to this situation was for him to download the Premiere Elements 12 Content for his disc menu theme (which he had not) in the second computer before opening the archived project in Premiere Elements 12 Windows second computer. The dynamics of this incident are the focus of this blog post.
ISSUE
The Project Archiver's Copied Folder and Trimmed Folder contain a copy of the project file (project prel) and an assortment of project items. But how is the disc menu of the archived project represented in these folders?
- The disc menu theme is embedded in the project.prel file.
- Still, audio, or video linked to audio file used as replacement for menu background is found in the Copied and Trimmed Folders as a copy of the individual file . (In the Copied Folder only, audio background replacement file as well as the audio in a video background replacement will present accompanied by conformed audio files.)
- The audio that Adobe built into some of the menu themes is embedded in the disc menu which is embedded in the project.prel and is not found in either the Copied or Trimmed Folders as an individual audio file with its conformed cfa and pek companions.
SOLUTION
There are numerous variations to consider including
Scenario 1: If Premiere Elements 12 archived project containing disc menu (Content Download Required Type) is to be opened in Premiere Elements 12 on a second computer
Solution: In Premiere Elements 12 on second computer (Tools Menu or Tools Tab/Movie Menu/Movie Menu display of choices), assure that the Content download was done for the disc menu theme which is embedded in the archived project.prel file.
Completing the disc menu theme folder with the Context download in the Movie Menu display of choices area in the second computer was an easy enough solution for the user who ran into the "lost disc menu" cited at the beginning of the Introduction. But, what is the Premiere Elements user to do if the disc menu is one created from scratch by the user for use in the first computer and wants to use the project with this menu in Premiere Elements on a second computer?
Scenario 2: If Premiere Elements 12 archived project containing a user created disc menu is to be opened in Premiere Elements 12 on a second computer.
Solution: On the second computer, place a copy of the folder containing the folder with the disc menu theme files in the same directory/hard drive location as existed on the first computer.
If the archived project's disc menu theme named Special Menu traced backed to the save location*
Local Disk C\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Premiere Elements 12\DVD Templates\Common\My Special Menus\Vacation Menu in the first computer, then before opening the archived project in the second computer, in the second computer, place a copy of the My Special Menus Folder containing the Vacation Menu Folder with the Vacation Menu disc menu theme files in the Common Folder of the path cited.
Scenario 3: If Premiere Elements 9 archived project containing a user created disc menu is to be opened in Premiere Elements 12 on a second computer.
Solution: Same principles as applied to Scenario 2.
The specifics details would include...
Computer 1, Premiere Elements 9 archived project's user created disc menu (Family History) had been saved in the path Local Disk C\Program Files (x86)\Adobe Premiere Elements 9\DVD Templates\Common\My Special Menus\Family History.
Computer 2. The My Special Menus Folder is copied/pasted to give
Local Disk C\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Premiere Elements 12\DVD Templates\Common\My Special Menus\Family History.
COMMENTARY
Copying the disc menu folder containing the folder with the disc menu files and pasting it in Copied or Trimmed Folder was convenient for transfer purposes between computers. But, this copy of the disc menu folder followed by paste in the Copied or Trimmed Folder was not a fix for "lost disc menus".
Also of note, projects created in an earlier program version can often be opened in a later version (no guarantees, but possible). But, once the earlier version project is edited in the later version of the program, it cannot be edited again in the earlier version. The same is holding true for opening an archived project file.
Archiving of a Premiere Elements project which includes disc menu has the potential for lost disc menu in that archived project opened on a second computer. "Immediate future" maneuvers are possible to resolve the issue in the second computer, but are likely to fail as Premiere Elements and its versions and features change with time.
See Footnote** for detailed example of Copied and Trimmed Folders contents when a Premiere Elements 12 project with a variety of assets is archived with the program's Project Archiver, Copy Project and Archive Project (Trimmed) options.
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*Preferred save location here for user created disc menu is
Local Disk C\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Premiere Elements 12\DVD Templates\Common\
instead of
Local Disk C\Program Data\Adobe\Premiere Elements\12.0\Online
Please refer to:
http://www.atr935.blogspot.com/2013/05/pe11-no-content-disc-content-downloads.html
**Detailed Example of Project Archiver's Copied and Trimmed Folder Contents
Premiere Elements 12/12.1 on Windows 7 Professional 64 bit
Project: NTSC AVCHD Full HD1080i30
Expert Workspace Before Archiving and Rendering of the Timeline Content
 | |
| Figure 1. Premiere Elements 12/12.1 Project. NTSC AVCHD Full HD1080i30. Project Assets And Timeline Content Before Archiving. |
- IMG_209.JPG and Kalima.mp3 disc menu background replacements were automatically copied to Project Assets when applied to disc menu in the Movie Menu customization area.
- Title and New Item/Color Matte were automatically placed in Project Assets when they were selected for use in the project.
- Maid In the Flaxen Hair.mp3 was imported into Project Assets, but never dragged to the Timeline.
The Copied Folder is expected to contain copies of the media that were imported into the project whether or not they used in the Timeline.
 | |
| Figure 2. Copied Folder Content For Archived Project With Disc Menu Seasons/Pink Tulips With Replacement Still Background and Replacement Audio Background |
Only visible presence of Disc Menu in the Copied Folder are the files used as background replacements in the disc menus.
The project audio (standalone or audio linked to video) presented with its conformed audio files.
- CIMG3227.AVI with audio a part of the video/audio file on Video 1, CIMG3227.AVI 44100.cfa and CIMG3227.AVI 44100.pek
- Maid With The Flaxen Hair.mp3 file (imported into Project Assets but not used in Timeline), Maid With The Flaxen Hair.mp3 44100.cfa and Maid With The Flaxen Hair.mp3 44100.pek
- Kalimba.mp3 file (used in disc menu audio replacement), Kalimba.mp3 44100.cfa and Kalimba.mp3 44100.pek.
- Sleep Away.mp3 file (used in Soundtrack), Sleep Away.mp3 44100_1.cfa and Sleep Away.mp3 44100_1.pek.
- Narration_1.wav file (narration clip created with Premiere Elements 12/12.1 Narration Tool and used in Narration Track), and only the Narration_1.wav 48000.pek.
And, the Adobe Premiere Elements Preview Files Folder was included in the Copied Folder.
Trimmed Folder Content For The Archived Project with Disc Menu Seasons/Pink Tulips With Replacement Still Background and Replacement Audio Background
The Trimmed Folder is expected to contain copies of just media that were imported into the project and used in the Timeline.
 | |
| Figure 3. Trimmed Folder Content For Archived Project With Disc Menu Seasons/Pink Tulips With Replacement Still Background And Replacement Audio Background |
CIMG3227.AVI presented but without any conformed audio files for its audio portion.
Maid With The Flaxen Hair.mp3 was not present in the Trimmed Folder since it was never dragged to the Timeline for use. No conformed audio files for this .mp3 seen in the Trimmed Folder.
Kalima.mp3 (used in disc menu audio replacement) was present but without any conformed audio files.
Sleep Away mp3 (used in Soundtrack) was present but without any conformed audio files.
Narration_1.wav (narration clip created with Premiere Elements 12/12.1 Narration tool and used in Narration Track) was present but without any conformed audio files.
The copies of the jpg photos on Video 1 were present in the Trimmed Folder.
The Adobe Premiere Elements Previews Files Folder was not included in the Trimmed Folder.
September 03 2014 Add On
Also see blog post
PE: Disc Menu Folders/Files Locations
http://atr935.blogspot.com/2014/09/pe-disc-menu-foldersfiles-locations.html
ATR
