How to keep AME from _1'ing all my files?

[khomthepreditor]

Hey everyone, I've been dealing with this annoying "feature" in AME for quite a while, and I really want to figure out how to avoid this. Basically, sometimes when I try to create proxies through Media Encoder, it'll auto-rename my output files to "FILENAME"_1. In the past, I've been fine with just renaming every file after they process so they can relink to full-res media in Premiere based off of name, but I really just want to figure out what I might be missing that's causing this.

I'm running AME v13.1, and here are my system specs (although I have noticed this on older versions of AME, and on my PC at home):

Let me walk you through my process...

Right now, I'm working with footage from a Sony FS7 footage shot in 4K AVCHD, trying to create 1080 DNX LB proxies. I've imported my footage from my media onto my hard drive, and then I want to create proxies on that hard drive, so I created this ingest preset...

...with the default destination set to my desired folder on that hard drive, which is a different folder from where the full-res footage is stored. From there, I'll load the footage I want to transcode into the Media Browser window. I select all the clips, and drag it down to the preset that I just created. It adds them all to the queue, and as you can see, the output files all look fine (no _1's on any of them)...

...buuut, sometimes, I have needed to change the destination folder for the clips after they've been added to the queue, so I select them all and click on where it says "1080 DNX LB Proxies" on one of the clips to make changes to the preset. It gives me the warning, "You are about to edit encoding settings for multiple outputs. The settings of all selected outputs will be replaced. Do you want to continue?" and I hit OK. I browse to "change" the destination folder, but for the sake of troubleshooting, I just reselected the same folder as before. Keep in mind I haven't exported anything from AME to this folder at this point, and yet, once I confirm that "change" in destination, all my output files have been _1'd...

I tried starting back from loading the files into the queue, then editing the preset on all clips, and changing the destination folder to a folder on a completely different hard drive, and it still _1's my clips:

Is there any way to prevent Adobe Media Encoder from adding a _1 to my clip names when I change the transcoding destination of all clips in my queue? Or is there a better way to change the destination folder without tweaking the preset? Clicking the output file path only opens the destination folder in Finder.

Can't wait to hear what you all think!

[Warren Heaton]

Hopefully this points you the right direction:  AME appends the "_1" (or "_2" or "_3" etc.) to avoid duplicate filenames.

Also, if you're using the Proxy workflow, it's highly recommended that you allow the proxy files to have the same name as the high resolution original with "_Proxy" appended to the end of the filename should you ever need to re-attached the proxies in the future.

-Warren

[khomthepreditor]

Unfortunately, I already knew that, which is why I noted...

with the default destination set to my desired folder on that hard drive, which is a different folder from where the full-res footage is stored

Why would AME need to avoid duplicate filenames if it isn't even saving to the same directory?

I can see why _Proxy'ing your proxies would be useful, but I tend to try and keep my file names matching as I've had bad luck syncing created proxies to their full res media when the timecodes don't carry over, so I opt to do it by name instead.

[Warren Heaton]

Is the proxy also the same video file format as the high resolution file?  So, you're winding up with filename.mxf and filename.mxf or filename.move and filename.mov?  That is probably enough to trigger the "_1" suffix.

As far as settings not transferring to proxies, have you read up on Adobe's Proxy workflow? 

Adobe Premiere Pro Help | Ingest and Proxy Workflow in Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Another thing to remember (if you're not already doing it): never edit the proxy files directly in your project.  Your project should always have the high resolution clips in the project with the proxy files attached.  While it's tempting to use the proxy files directly (and also a workflow that you'd use in Final Cut Pro classic or with Avid Media Composer), it's not something supported in Premiere Pro.  Of course, this makes for some extra work when it comes to taking the high resolution files offline and working from storage media that has just the project file and the proxies, especially if adding more media later.

-Warren

[LindyHop1943]

I have a similar problem, when I use the duplicate function.

To export a bunch of clips from the timeline(s) in different versions, it is not efficent to export each version from the timeslines and change the preset every time. It is much more efficient to render all in one format, because the settings for Strg+M stay the same. Then I duplicate all clips in the queue and just change the presets for the duplicated files. Since AME adds on every duplicated filename _1 I have to go through every extra file and delete the _1. This is very annoying.

It would make sense if AME would add _# during write time if a setting tells AME not to overwrite, but it makes no sense when I just use the duplicate command. It is obvious that I will either change the folder or the format. Why would I use duplicate otherwise.

Marcus

[ISA_VIVAR]

I figured it out!!!!

[donbarrum]

oh thank you isa_vivar ! This have been anoying me for years. 

[markfrancombe]

THIS... is the correct answer... Thanks so much!

2 things... THIS... being able to specify the output from the queue, and
Please please please... let me SAVE the queue as a FILE that I can save with my project. I CAN go and find the EXL thats hidden away, but a good old SAVE AS button with be best!

[Cosmotl]

Thanks! Just what I was looking for

[khomthepreditor · Accepted solution]

I figured out a workaround. In your Ingest Preset, check the box marked "Rename Files" and then leave the dropdown on <none>. It'll ask to make sure when you hit ok, but it keeps AME from adding a _1 to the end of the transcoded file! Hope this helps anyone with the same issue.

[GreenArt NG · Accepted solution]

Hey @khomthepreditor, this seems to  do the trick. Uncheck "increment output filename if file with the same name exist" in your preferences . However, be sure to change the "Output folder" to a different folder to aviod errors and maybe wrongful overiting of the original files.

[StephenFoged]

Looks like it's solved in media encoder.
BUT.
How can i Prevent premiere Pro from adding the _1, _2 etc. when I export from the timeline.
I WANT to overwrite.
I do not need a warning.