Crashes when importing sequences from another project & PPHeadless Error

Report · Oct 13, 2021

Hi folks, I am having issues with PP 2021 v15.4.1.

I was until recently in PP v.14.8 but since my editor's Premiere got automatically updated to v.15.4.1, I updated to the same version thinking that I would solve my problems.

My editor is working with a clone drive and we know we are 100% identical contentwise. We both now using Mac with Catalina 15.4.1. She has a laptop, I have an iMac.

I have two problems that may be related or not but the effect is the same:

1) The editor sends me a sequence and I am trying to import it to my own project but it crashes via the Media Browser or even when I am copying and pasting the sequence as a last resort. I tried with different sequence lengths and got crushes.

2) I get a "PPro Headless" error message (and a report I can't see in detail, only partially, neither I can save the report). This happens when I open the project and try to import a 40 min or 75 min sequence. Media Browser fails and the project crashes. Since this has been going for some days, I also tried to just copy and paste the desired sequence into a brand new project but it crashes too. Sometimes this happens when seeing the PPro headless error but sometimes the PPro headless error is not showing up. My editor assures me that she is not seeing the PPro Headless error on her own computer but I do in my imac.

I have rebuilt the cache files + reset Premiere + reset the Workspace to Saved Layout and I still have the issue with crashing at import. The PP project files are small in size.

I can't work this way and I need to find a solution asap. I would love to have your help please.

Thanks!

Report · Oct 14, 2021

Hi Mabel,

Sorry for this. First of all, these days, large docs are done using "Productions" which helps simplify and streamlines projects so that they are not as laden with assets and are more nimble and less apt to hang or even crash.

1) The editor sends me a sequence and I am trying to import it to my own project but it crashes via the Media Browser or even when I am copying and pasting the sequence as a last resort. I tried with different sequence lengths and got crushes.

By "crushes" do you mean a hard Crash occurs (with a dialog box that says you crashed) or just the Spinning Beachball of Death appears starts spinning (we call that a "hang"). Let me know. if you are having a crash, you should have logs available you can share with engineering to get to the root of the problem.

For the first problem, I would definitely try the following to troubleshoot.

Update Settings so they are not list in step 3: Premiere Pro > Account Name > Sync Settings.
Delete media cache (some do this incorrectly by not closing all projects first. Very important!): a) File > Close All Projects and b) Premiere Pro > Preferences > Media Cache - then delete all media cache (the second option). Quit Premiere Pro.
Press Option, then start Premiere Pro. When prompted delete preferences.
See if you have the same problem with opening the assistant's sequences.
If this is not working, try importing the sequence into a brand new test project. Does that work?
If not, it's possible your project is corrupt and the advice is to build up a new one.

2) I get a "PPro Headless" error message (and a report I can't see in detail, only partially, neither I can save the report). This happens when I open the project and try to import a 40 min or 75 min sequence. Media Browser fails and the project crashes.

Usually PPro Headless can refer to an interaction with AME, but it might also have something to do with any dynamic linking you have going on with After Effects. Are there any After Effects compositions in this sequence you are exchanging? If so, do you have the same version of After Effects installed as your assistant?

Hope that advice helps.

Thanks,
Kevin

Kevin Monahan - Sr. Community & Engagement Strategist – Pro Video and Audio

Report · Oct 14, 2021

Thank you so much @Kevin-Monahan for coming to the rescue!

For 1) I get the spinning wheel, a "hang", not a hard crash. But since the spinning wheel is there for a very long time, over an hour, I Force Quit.

The first troubleshooting step, how do I find that? Premiere Pro > Account Name > Sync Settings. It is not in the Premiere Pro app and not on my Adobe Account. I am on a Mac.

Before this post, I have done proper Media Cache deleting all media cache, and I have deleted my preferences with Option+Shift on my Mac.

For 2) I have no After Effects compositions in any sequences and we are not using it in this project.

However, (and I think this is normal) when importing throught the Media Browser, at the moment of opening the project that has the desired sequence, a message says "connecting to the Dynamic Link Server". Then, I see the sequence I want to import. In my case, I don't get to successful import the sequence because it just "hangs" with the wheel of death.

My assistant created proxies for some footage but we aren't using them so not sure if this is why I see"connecting to the Dynamic Link Server".

Any further thoughts?

Thanks very much again Kevin!

Report · Oct 14, 2021

Hi Mabel,

Sure.

For 1) I get the spinning wheel, a "hang", not a hard crash. But since the spinning wheel is there for a very long time, over an hour, I Force Quit.

I have done proper Media Cache deleting all media cache, and I have deleted my preferences with Option+Shift on my Mac.

Great. Thanks!

The first troubleshooting step, how do I find that? Premiere Pro > Account Name > Sync Settings. It is not in the Premiere Pro app and not on my Adobe Account. I am on a Mac.

For me, it's the third thing down on the Premiere Pro menu, it's basically my Adobe ID (an email address). Perhaps you have to sign out of Creative Cloud, then sign back in.

For 2) I have no After Effects compositions in any sequences and we are not using it in this project. However, (and I think this is normal) when importing throught the Media Browser, at the moment of opening the project that has the desired sequence, a message says "connecting to the Dynamic Link Server". Then, I see the sequence I want to import. In my case, I don't get to successful import the sequence because it just "hangs" with the wheel of death.
My assistant created proxies for some footage but we aren't using them so not sure if this is why I see"connecting to the Dynamic Link Server".

I see. I just tried the whole process myself and it worked as expected (yes, you are correct about the dialog box and progress bar indicating dynamic link server is in play). Sometimes certain security or firewall software or hardware can interfere with dynamic link, but that's probably not your issue.

The advice is to never update an existing project file and that is the problem you are facing, I think. I would start a new project file and import the current assets and sequences you are working on. Make sure everything is up and running well in that new project and I think you'll be able to exchange project files once more.

I like to use "Productions" so that most of the assets I use are not held in the same project I have my sequences in. I have many of my clips in other projects. Music assets in another project, etc. It's pretty great and you might try it once you have your new project up and moving.

See if that works for you.

Thanks,
Kevin

Kevin Monahan - Sr. Community & Engagement Strategist – Pro Video and Audio

Report · Oct 18, 2021

@Kevin-Monahan Thank you so much for your help and for reassuring me that there is a way to find a solution.

I will definitely give it a try... and also explore Productions.

For Productions, is it necessary to have a shared storage solution?

My editor and I have been working remotely and each one has her own external media drive.

I have watched some videos on Productions and read Sofi Marshall's article, but for projects like mine, if I understand correctly, Sofi suggests that one single editor sets up and organizes a Productions project, then and only then, to clone this on a drive and send it to the second editor. Is there other way to do this since we already have the media stored in our own cloned external drives? If we were starting to edit the Productions route makes a lot of sense, but we are more advanced. I am concerned about potential issues. Any suggestions?

Or perhaps Teams makes more sense for editors working remotely on a feature doc?

Thank you so much!