Shotcut missing ALL MLT LINKED FILES on project open

Windows 10 Professional
version 21.01.29
Can you repeat the problem? Yes. Every time I open a previously saved project (File>Open file>select saved .mlt file) this occurs
Log file attached Application Log - Missing file error (ALL of them) on Open mlt flies every time.txt (63.1 KB)
The behavior is: All files are missing when I open a previously saved project. This is extremely basic functionality that is still broken. Other editors have absolutely no issue with this kind of forgetfulness crap. I have to manually go and select the requested file(s) in their folders to repair the missing link(s), which amounts to every single file involved in a project. This is a deal-breaker in the latest update of Shotcut. Hopefully there is a simple solution.

Unable to reproduce unless I choose to by moving files. This is normal even for other editors unless they offer to take control over your files and copy and manage them; Shotcut does not. You must do that, and you might be mis-managing them. All of your missing files are at J:\2021 Lucas Oil Late Models. What is the status of that drive and folder?

See also

Same here.

I created 3 identical projects with 3 different video editors then moved the media to another location.

When re-opening the projects:

  • Olive and MiniTool Movie Maker opened the project with a blank clip where the missing file was supposed to be. No File missing notification.
  • Kdenlive gave a File missing notification, asking to manually locate the file. Similar as what Shotcut does then.

So, including Shotcut, that’s 4 editors that doesn’t keep track of your files when you move or remove them.

EDIT: Oh well, make that 5. Also tried with OpenShot: Missing file notification, then opens Explorer so you can show where you moved the file(s).

I have not moved the .mlt file from it’s original save location. The drive used is a portable USB 3.0 SSD. Maybe I’m missing something. When a program cannot recall the original save location where it was commanded to save a file, which has not been moved, something is very wrong. None of the media files were moved from their folders assigned to the project. I simply selected File - Open File, pointed it to the original saved .mlt (which was right where I left it) and the Missing Files dialog appears. What should my workflow be otherwise? This is a large headache.

Using a USB hard drive is a common problem because not only is it slow for editing, but it may not be mounted the next time you want to edit. Or, it is mounted with a different drive letter. That is what it looks like from your log. The project says the files are in J: but then you tell it to look for them in F. I also see you made a project folder: F:\2021 Lucas Oil Late Models\Files
However, your video files are in F:\2021 Lucas Oil Late Models\Saturday - NOT the project folder.
Read the link I gave you above again about project management relative vs. absolute. You did not store your video files in the project folder; so, it saved full paths to the media files since Saturday is not under Files. This is not a bug, and I am not going to change anything.

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