Q: Can't delete projects in iMovie 10

Others have reported this problem, but I am not aware of a solution.  There was a long thread on it a little while back.  Suggestions included

deleting iMovie preferences (open iMovie while pressing the option and command keys), and reinstalling iMovie.  Deleting preference is simple so you might try that first.

Here's another thought:   Create a new back up library and move the project there and see if you can delete it from there.   You could even delete the whole

new library containing the project if you wanted.  See Working with Multiple Libraries in the help menu for instructions.  If this works it might not cure the underlying glitch, but at least it will get rid of the project.

Good luck with this.

Not sure of the idea being proposed.  I create a new library, using the iMovie menu.  correct.  I name it whatever I want, such as "Delete library".  Then I use the iMovie menu to move the project.  Once I have got the project into the newly created library, I then try to delete it from there?  Sounds good, but wouldn't the problem (whatever it is) exist in the new library?  Plan B is to delete the newly created library?

Yes, that is what I am thinking, in the event that the issue is caused by some glitch in your main library.  If it still won't delete from your newly created library, then just dump the new library and the project would go with it. 

It may not work, but nothing to lose if nothing else you have tried is working.  

Though not a great workaround, I suppose you could delete the media in the project, leaving a blank project.    That would leave a black square in your projects screen. 

As a note to my previous post, I just now created a blank project (by deleting the media from it) on a project that I couldn't delete (same as you), and I thereafter renamed the blank as a deleted project and to my surprise I was able to delete the blank project.  You could try that and see if it works for you.  I haven't had the deletion problem on other projects, though.   So for you it seems to be a more global issue.

I just talked to Apple regarding this and learned it is a known problem and is in engineering.  Here is the workaround they provided that worked for me.  Create a new temporary ( I called mine TEST) catalog by clicking File... then Open Library... then New.  Then from the Projects screen, click on the 3 dot circle and chose "Copy to Library" and chose TEST.  Then go back to Media library, click on the temporary catalog (TEST), and from File, click Close Library.  You can then go into Finder and move the TEST catalog to Trash.  What this does is move the undelateable project into a new catalog which is then deleted and that removes the unwanted project from your display.  Care should be taken to not close and delete your good or your primary catalog.

Hi,

So, the solution is to move the project to a newly created Test library, and then trash the Test library to throw out the undeletable project with it. Sounds like what I was saying in my previous posts, but you have actually proved that it works.   Nice work.  

For clarification:  Did you mean "move to library" instead of  "copy to library" to the get the project into your Test library?  If you just copy it, the original will remain back in your old library after you trash your Test library. 

-- Rich

I'm a little embarrassed that I had not read or absorbed what you had written, but yes, it as just as you stated.  Also you are correct it is a move, not a copy.  I had been looking for a solution for a couple months before I decided to contact Apple and was so impressd with the response and success I was a little too quick to share :-)  Thank you Rich for you involvement with helping other.

-John

John,

I'm just happy that you found a solution to a frustrating problem for many.

Best to ya,

   Rich

I tried moving the project but nothing comes up when I click 'Move to' ... I confirmed I can click on the 3 circles next to any other project and move to TEST but nothing comes up with this virulent project. Also, when I try to rename it, iMovie crashes.

Thanks!

Kathleen

Be sure you have multiple libraries defined or 'Move to Library' under 'Projects' will be Grayed out. 

Viewed from 'Media':

Viewed from 'Projects':

I realize Mac don't need to be rebooted a lot, but if I'm having problems, especially App crashes, I'd reboot before moving forward.  Just a thought. 

Actually, I can save any other project to another library, just not these 2 rogue files. When I click on the circle with three dots, all the options come up. I can 'delete', I can move to ... but on these 2 files only, the other libraries don't appear to the right of 'move to'. If I choose Delete, it says 'blah blah' continue -- and when I click on continue, it doesn't delete. Both files are still there even after a restart.

This is a know bug Apple is working on and the variances seem unpredictable.  I don't know the answer but I can share steps I had taken prior to calling Apple.  In my case, the old un-deletable projects were created prior to iMove 10.1.2, I think  3 or 4 years ago.  I had gone thru My Media in my iMove Library and insured that all the related events and all audio and video, etc had first been deleted there.  Additionally, I found the file locations in Finder of all related Project/audio/video media and moved that to Trash and emptied the Trash.  This was an attempt to ensure there was no vestige of the projects left on my iMac.  Apple also had me run the following terminal command to ensure all my permission were correct, but doubt that was a factor.  I’m not suggesting you run this but here it is:   diskutil resetUserPermissions / `id -u`     Hopeful this may help, if not I hope Apple will soon get a fix published.

John

Just simply double-click the project to open it in Library, and delete the whole thing in Library. Then you can delete the empty project!

Hi! Thanks for the suggestion but I'm afraid double clicking on the project does nothing. It won't even open. As mentioned above, I can choose to delete the project, it asks me if I want to continue, and then nothing happens. Attempting to rename the project causes iMovie to crash the minute I hit enter on the renamed project.

So frustrating!

Kathleen