Dr. Dave
Level 2 (153 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Lost project

I don't know how I did it, but I lost a whole project. The name of it appears in the top left of the window but nothing is in the timeline but an Import Media box. How did I get here? I had a project called, for instance, XX. I Command-C a section of XX to copy to new project but could not find a way to close XX. With no part of XX selected, I was exploring the various opportunities in Project, Events, New Projects, etc. In no case, I'm pretty sure, did I click any delete or anything resembling delete. I did create a new project, YY, and tried to Command-V the section of XX but that did nothing. I exited iMovie and relaunched. Now I cannot find XX. The XX name appears in the library but it has an empty timeline. What a mess. What to do? Thank you

iMovie 10, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Sep 15, 2016 5:54 PM

by Jim Wanamaker,Apple recommended
Jim Wanamaker Jim Wanamaker
Level 4 (3,919 points)
iLife
A:

If you have time machine set up then you can restore the iMovie library from before the problem occurred. You can not restore individual events, projects etc, Only the entire library can be restored.

Posted on Sep 19, 2016 4:38 PM

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Dr. Dave

Q: Lost project

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Jim Wanamaker,

    Jim Wanamaker Jim Wanamaker Sep 15, 2016 8:39 PM in response to Dr. Dave
    Level 4 (3,919 points)
    iLife
    Sep 15, 2016 8:39 PM in response to Dr. Dave

    Since you have project xx showing at the top left then you still have the project. Do you have an event in the library list called xx? If so that is your media. If not then you have deleted the media. To do what you wanted to do then select the section of the movie in the timeline you want to copy into a new project. Use command-c to copy. Click on project tab and in project window create a new movie. It will open in the edit window. Click in the timeline to activate it and command-v to paste your copied clips.

  • by Dr. Dave,

    Dr. Dave Dr. Dave Sep 16, 2016 1:59 PM in response to Jim Wanamaker
    Level 2 (153 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 16, 2016 1:59 PM in response to Jim Wanamaker

    XX = "Korea and Japan" The events to support it appear to be there but all the editing appears not to be there. Further, where is the timeline? It went away and I can't find it. Obviously, I'm an iMovie newbie but, before I hit this forum, I check Help (Good luck there) and The Missing Manual. Thanks for your help

  • by Dr. Dave,

    Dr. Dave Dr. Dave Sep 16, 2016 2:06 PM in response to Dr. Dave
    Level 2 (153 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 16, 2016 2:06 PM in response to Dr. Dave

    Screen Shot 2016-09-16 at 4.55.49 PM.png

  • by Jim Wanamaker,Helpful

    Jim Wanamaker Jim Wanamaker Sep 17, 2016 6:45 PM in response to Dr. Dave
    Level 4 (3,919 points)
    iLife
    Sep 17, 2016 6:45 PM in response to Dr. Dave

    Looking at your screen shot you have no project. When you were trying to do your copy/paste actions you said you were trying to close the project. What you did somehow was delete the project. When you delete a project iMovie creates an event in your libraries list that contains the media from the deleted project. That appears in the library list that I see from your screen shot. So bottom line is you have your media but no project thus no timeline. What you need to do is go to the project tab and create a new xx project. then recreate your timeline using the media from your Korea and Japan event. In the future if you want to copy/paste from the time line into a new project follow the instructions I previously posted. By the way you do not close projects. Just go to the projects window and open another or create a new one.

  • by Dr. Dave,

    Dr. Dave Dr. Dave Sep 19, 2016 8:46 AM in response to Jim Wanamaker
    Level 2 (153 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 19, 2016 8:46 AM in response to Jim Wanamaker

    Bummer! All my editing is/was stored in a discrete file, if I understand the system. All my stuff is backed up to a Time Capsule. If I know the name of the editing file, can it not be located and restored from the TC and integrated into the present-time iMovie project? Failing that, I lose some days of work. Double bummer!

  • by Jim Wanamaker,Apple recommended

    Jim Wanamaker Jim Wanamaker Sep 19, 2016 4:38 PM in response to Dr. Dave
    Level 4 (3,919 points)
    iLife
    Sep 19, 2016 4:38 PM in response to Dr. Dave

    If you have time machine set up then you can restore the iMovie library from before the problem occurred. You can not restore individual events, projects etc, Only the entire library can be restored.

  • by Dr. Dave,

    Dr. Dave Dr. Dave Sep 19, 2016 8:14 PM in response to Jim Wanamaker
    Level 2 (153 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 19, 2016 8:14 PM in response to Jim Wanamaker

    I'll give it a shot. Thanks