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efficient_person1243
Known Participant
January 31, 2025
Question

What is the "Consolidate Duplicates" workflow? Because I can't find anything that works.

  • January 31, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 427 views

Does "Consolidate Duplicates" even work? Has anyone had it work? I'm reading forum posts from 2020 and 2021 featuring the exact issue.

Same drive, same file name, location, structure, etc... I've even removed all links to the files, relinked all files to the same original files and yet can't consolidate. You're telling me I have to go down my list one-by-one, finding the duplicate file names between all 548 of these mixed up 20-digit filename files, and do it by hand?

 

What's the workflow here? This can't be it. It seems every single day is another basic error within Premiere that should have been dealt with years ago. I am not the first, and the continued failure of finding solutions of the constant barrage of missteps and workflow incongruencies all the way into 2025 is pretty asinine and frustrating. This is not professional.

    2 replies

    R Neil Haugen
    R Neil Haugen
    Legend
    February 1, 2025

    Premiere creates file ID metadata in the project file each time a file is imported. It is not "connected" to the original clip, simply an identifying bit within the project file. It has been a necessary thing, especially in the past if you needed to work with a file in two different color spaces. Premiere needed different "instances" of the file to be able to sort which instance got what treatment.

     

    But for some reason, there isn't really a process for us users to clean up this sort of multi-import file references. And so it can be an immense hassle.

     

    There are multiple Idea posts requesting this be fixed. PLEASE search the Idea section, and upvote every blessed one of them!

    Everyone's mileage always varies ...
      E
      efficient_person1243Author
      Known Participant
      February 8, 2025

      My main workaround I found viable was: uncheck "File Extension" and try relinking, OR to rename a main folder to relink the media under a new file structure tree. Both options are applicable but still frustrating when this issue occurs so often, but it requires an exploration of the forums to learn of.

      Kevin-Monahan
      Community Manager
      Kevin-MonahanCommunity Manager
      Community Manager
      January 31, 2025

      Hi @efficient_person1243,

      I read your note. It sounds like you're having trouble with this function. I had this trouble when working with a Production. Are you also in a Production? Have you imported items from previous projects into the Production or project?

       

      In my case, I had to create new projects within the Production, and then import them there. I couldn't merely import the project or I would have the issue you describe.

       

      Let the community know a bit more about the history of this Production or project. That may help the community and Adobe Experts looking at your case. I hope we can help you. Sorry for the hassle.

       

      Cheers,
      Kevin

       

      Kevin Monahan - Sr. Community and Engagement Strategist – Adobe Pro Video and Audio
        E
        efficient_person1243Author
        Known Participant
        February 8, 2025

        Thank you Kevin! I had some luck with disabling the "File Extension" setting, and I also copied and pasted the entire folder within the original file structure under a new name, whereby I found one matching file and the application was able to relocate the rest. I believe if I rename a folder it may also work but I haven't tested this as the first change wasa a positive result. This is a pretty unfortunate workaround of the issue though.

        In terms of production workflow:
        We are multiple cam-ops running multiple file types and clips to where I am the one DITing and editing off of several SSDs connected to my computer. My computer connects each SSD to its own Drive Letter (C:, D:, F,: etc.) but when removing or reattaching drives I may not always align to the same drive letter, forcing this issue with Premiere to identify each file.

        When these projects get into the terabytes of data sets, I can't be copying and pasting entire folder structures. Renaming is more possible but truly should not be needed.

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