Premiere takes way too long to link files (NAS or external drives)

Question

While I can blame some of the tardiness on my NAS, it is still very odd that I can open an After Effects projects with hundreds of files and everything snaps right open - yet Premiere takes so long. If the files' paths have not changed and no relinking is required, what exactly is Premiere doing? Why is it doing anything?

It reminds me of sending files to AME to create proxies. If you select a bunch of files and choose "Create Proxies", Premiere slllllowwlllyyy sends them over one at a time to AME. What exactly takes so long? It's just a list of known files combined with a general instruction to apply the same preset. It feels like the code is insisting to do one file at a time when sending over a list all in one would be so much more efficient. If I grab a bunch of files in the finder and drag and drop them into AME then - ZIP! - they get added right away.

I think Premiere is forcibly relinking files because some code in there has to verify the location of EACH and EVERY file, one at a time. But they should just be linked. I challenge the programmers to make it much faster to relink and remove any roadblocks. Perhaps go the route of Avid Media Composer and drop small database files in the media folders so Premiere has a quick reference of what's there. Or maybe at least have an option to not relink and instead have Premiere assume the media is there and if we play a timeline and something is missing, then we can "refresh" the media.

My two cents.

FPS_Fish · Accepted Answer

Just an update: I recently came across a ProVideo Coalition post which explained to me (for the first time) that the hierarchy of Adobe Premiere Pro files must be that the project's source materials be in the same folder at PremierePro’s project. Since 2020 I’ve been storing projects in ADJACENT folders, which I believe is the reason why my files would keep unlinking. Not only did this appear to solve the linking problem, but linking files happens much faster now and automatically (!) should I choose to move a file between subfolders. I’m posting this here as a naked admission of ignorance and mild stupidity in the hopes this helps other people.

https://www.provideocoalition.com/tool-tip-tuesday-for-adobe-premiere-pro-dont-bury-projects/

Thank you

Bruce Bullis · Answer

Hey Jeffrey,> I think Premiere is forcibly relinking files because some code in there has to > verify the location of EACH and EVERY file, one at a time.Correct!> If the files' paths have not changed and no relinking is required, what exactly is Premiere doing?PPro is confirming that the file paths have not changed, and that no updating/relinking is required. Yes, they should just be relink-able, but PPro can't proceed without confirming that happy state of affairs. >I challenge the programmers to make it much faster to relink and remove any roadblocks. Good news: Such efforts are already underway, though I doubt we'll implement your "just let me run with scissors, and assume all media is exactly the same as when you last saw it" suggestion; too many opportunities for failure.

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