Undo Action in Project After Closing iMovie

Question

Undo Action in Project After Closing iMovie

I'm working on a very long and complex project, so I decided to export each chapter separately. I copied one chapter, deleted everything, pasted that chapter, exported it, then command+z'ed my way back to where the full project was still there. I repeated this processes with all chapters until I'd exported them all. Then, once the final chapter was exported, I closed iMovie, forgetting to command+z back to where the full project was there. Now I reopened iMovie and can't go back any further, but I need to access the full project, because the parts I exported weren't finished and it would be a lot of work to start over and re-edit them. Please tell me there's some way to retrieve them!

(I don't have Time Machine active)

Posted on Sep 22, 2020 4:46 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Rich839

Level 8

48,156 points

Sep 22, 2020 10:02 AM in response to ninjaphrodite

Not sure what you mean. After clicking on an item in the file path, you scroll down and click on the next item. For example, when you click on "Library" a folder will open and you scroll down and click on "Containers". Another folder will open up and you click on "com.Apple.iMovieApp". And so on until you get to "iMovieBackups".

-- Rich

Reply

Answer 2

Rich839

Level 8

48,156 points

Sep 22, 2020 8:39 AM in response to ninjaphrodite

Hi, ninjaphrodite,

Try looking in the iMovie Backups folder. To get to the iMovie Backups folder, follow this file path from the Finder menu:

Go/Home/Library/Containers/com.apple.iMovieApp/Data/Library/Caches/iMovieBackups

When you get there you will see a list of previous backups of your iMovie library. Click on one dated just before you closed iMovie. iMovie will open in that library. Navigate to your projects browser (where your projects are displayed as icons) and see if your projects are intact. They should be.

When you are cutting and pasting from a master project it is best to duplicate the master project and work with the duplicate. That way if anything goes wrong you always have a completely intact master project.

-- Rich

Reply

Answer 3

Sep 22, 2020 10:23 AM in response to Rich839

On Windows, you can just paste the file path into the finder and it'll take you there directly. Guess that's not an option with Mac. I can have a file pulled up in the finder, then go to upload it and have to manually go through all the folders again to find it, because I can't just copy/paste the file path.

Reply

Answer 4

Sep 23, 2020 1:21 AM in response to Rich839

That worked, but there's no Library folder showing there. I was able to find it through searching "Library," so I guess it was hidden. From there, I was able to find the file path without any more issues and luckily the backup was still there - thanks!

Reply

Answer 5

Sep 27, 2020 7:26 PM in response to Rich839

I clicked on Get Info on a file and under General it says Where. There I copied the file path - Macintosh HD > Users > [name] ... etc. When I paste it here or into the Go to Folder search, it shows /Users/[name]/ ... etc. and it worked to pull up the correct folder, so I guess that's how you have to start the file path.

Reply

Answer 6

Sep 22, 2020 9:09 AM in response to Rich839

Hi Rich! Is there a way to enter the file path without having to search each folder manually? Never figured that one out since switching to mac.

Reply

Answer 7

Sep 22, 2020 10:47 AM in response to Rich839

If I go to Macintosh HD, then Library, I don't see Containers listed. That's the closest I can find to the path you described.

Reply

Answer 8

Sep 22, 2020 12:23 PM in response to Rich839

I have no idea how to find Home or Go.

Reply

Answer 9

Rich839

Level 8

48,156 points

Sep 22, 2020 12:44 PM in response to ninjaphrodite

Reply

Answer 10

Sep 25, 2020 2:04 AM in response to Rich839

Hmm yea, not working for me either. Shame, would be so useful!

Reply

Answer 11

Rich839

Level 8

48,156 points

Sep 27, 2020 8:58 PM in response to ninjaphrodite

Helpful if one has a file to do a Get Info on.

— Rich

Reply

Answer 12

Rich839

Level 8

48,156 points

Sep 23, 2020 9:26 AM in response to ninjaphrodite

Great. Glad it worked. :)

What steps did you take to search for "Library"? Even though the Library item shows up for me under Go/Home/Library I was not able to reveal it from a Spotlight or Finder search. I have an app called Find Any File and that app did locate the library. So I am wondering what search method that you used. It might help others who aren't able to locate the Library.

-- Rich

Reply

Answer 13

Sep 23, 2020 9:35 PM in response to Rich839

I just did a Finder search and somehow it showed up. Funny how it worked for Library, but it didn't work when I searched for Container. I had already checked that location looking for the Library folder before posting, actually. It wasn't until after I found it that I realized I must've remembered it being there from before, when I had all hidden folders set to be permanently revealed. I must've never entered the command after the last time I reformatted, which is why the folder wasn't showing.

Reply

Answer 14

Sep 23, 2020 9:38 PM in response to Rich839

After you showed me how to find Go/Home, I realized I'd never noticed the Finder menu bar before. I took a closer look at it and realized the answer to this question was there too. Under Go, all the way at the bottom, it says Go to Folder. There you can enter in the direct file path, just like on Windows.

Reply

Answer 15

Rich839

Level 8

48,156 points

Sep 24, 2020 9:18 AM in response to ninjaphrodite

Thanks for posting that. Some time ago I recall checking out the Go to Folder item but never have used it so completely forgot about it. Looks pretty handy, particularly when one is working with a long file path.

-- Rich

Reply

Undo Action in Project After Closing iMovie

Similar questions