Maintain folder structures on import

[davisbot]

Add an option to preserve empty folder structures on import!

Often I or an assistant editor will create a folder structure in the finder with empty folders to be populated with media later on in the production workflow (i.e. Final mix stems, color files, graphics). Currently if you import empty folders or folders with only one item in them, those empty folders disappear on import and the single item that was inside them is left outside any folder. This prevents planning and proper organization, and I'm not sure what the benefit of it is? Fewer folders? But I wanted those, that's why I made them.

Just leave the folder structures as they are, don't change them. If some users want an option to "automatically remove empty folders on import" then add that, but don't make removing them the default.


Importing empty folder structures is an essential organizational tool for any medium to large scale professional production. I made this same request in May of 2018 and have never gotten a response or seen it addressed, I really I hope I do this time!

[ryans37093456]

This is ridiculous.

Infuriating work around:

Drop a small media file in each folder, when Premiere imports it should delete duplicates while maintaining folder structure.

[aTomician]

Debatable that it "should" delete duplicates, but I like the thought process. My preference is to have all these methods as options so everyone can choose their own preference.

I do as much work as possible in the folder and file management as this is the easiest way to maintain projects for the long term. By managing projects using the standard Windows folder and file structures, I have the advantage that this can be reproduced anywhere. I can back up or replicate that folder structure onto cloud storage such as dropbox, box.com, or onto a BlackMagic cloud storage or other NAS, server, hard drive etc... and in every case my folder structure is respected. I can easily navigate to the same project in any of those places, because I know exactly where I'll find it.

So as you can guess, it's pretty annoying when Premiere Pro doesn't respect my folder structure. It's the spanner in the works. As usual, would be nice to see lots more options**. (**caveat: options that work I mean)

[Mariana Valente]

They need to do something about this ASAP

[Logan22768228jy67]

Extremely infuriating. The new import screen feels very amateur. This needs to be fixed.

[ajwazzer]

I struggle to believe that this bug has persisted in v23.0. This is absolutely pathetic by Adobe – PLEASE listen to your users. I must have wasted hours restoring folder structures by now – this never used to happen. You ACTIVELY made PP worse for pro users!

[Anthony Dean]

This is Crazy! What are you doing Adobe?? You've now ****** the most basic function in the application!

[Chris__K]

For big Productions essential!
Like AVID, where I can create or copy a folder structure outside and copy it on the project level/finder level, and it is recognised the next time I open that project.
Or, like in DaVinci Resolve where I can Import the folder and subfolder structure.

[Alex24885658oq4d]

This is a must fix immediately!

[WILLIAM COONS]

Bert has hit a bug that really bugs me! I would love to be able to import all of my project folders even if they were empty, instead of building them in PP. But any folder imported through the media browser - ESPECIALLY if it only has one file in it, should not discard the folder. I try to mirror my hard drive in PP - other editors in the shop may have to deal with my project. Loose files in the project are the bane of my existence.

[eron otcasek]

Vote Critical. lets get this going Adobe.

[macdavid777]

Just because I have One file, or I bring in Multiple Folders of media with similar names, DO NOT combine and/or REMOVE the Folder and only import the file. I'm sick of applications creating improvements that create MORE CLICKS for me. Thank you for repairing this "feature".

[Henry Cakebread]

I've now started to use Kyno to send the folder structures across to Premiere pro but this still feels like adding an extra step to something that shouldn't even be an issue

[Drazzamatazz]

Yes, either this is a completely silly oversight, or this is a bit of counterintuitive design based on some designer's idea of what's best rather than on how people actually intend to use it. It's irritating, time-wasting and mystifying.

And no, we shouldn't have to faff around with Media Browser. This simple thing should be possible using file>import, and drag and drop import.

[jebusrodriguez]

I don't understand how Adobe keeps going backward.
Import a folder in 2021 and you keep your folders, now they disappear, why?

[Bennett Killmer]

Yes this is so essential.

[Mark Valentine]

Yes! Definitely!

[Nweyland]

This would be extremely helpful right now as I work to ingest and organize files from multiple cameras, multiple days. PLEASE

[Moozer]

Please fix this, this is bloody awful.... editing a dance recital, 3 cams across 2 nights - let me keep my raws in the folders where I've named them, arrrghhh!!!

[jamesb46343365]

How many votes does this need to get fixed?

[Ariel_Brener]

Devs Team: Please add an option under PREFERENCES > MEDIA:
Called: "Maintain file structure on import (including empty folders)"
and it should be checked as default.

This way, users will have the option to choose.

When I start working on a project I download \ create the first asset and place it in a folder. For example, I create a folder called "Music", I download the first song (knowing that later I will put in that folder more files as the project progress).
But when I import the Music folder to premiere - it imports only the music file without the containing folder.(!)
So I need to do unnecessary extra steps
1. creating a new bin in premiere
2. Call it Music
3. find and place the song in that folder
Multiply that for all the other folders I create during the project (SFX,VO,AE RENDERS, GFX. 3D renders etc)

Do you understand how much wasted time goes on these unnecessary steps?
Please fix that major flow - it is really not a big deal to add this option to the prefs as I suggested

Thanks!

[Somhairle]

This has been bugging me for ages now as you used to be able to drag+drop folders and their sub folders into Prem but these latest updates it now gets rid of a folder if there's only one file in it. So annoying. Please fix it Adobe!

[Chris Lyon]

This always feels so unprofessional. I have folder structures for a reason. Bringing a pre-made structure into Premeire always requires going back to ensure that my structure is maintained because I know that Premiere has been written to assume that I don't really need the folders I've imported.

[JM VOA]

Please Adobe, bring us back the import of a folder with 1 items;
it is irritating to create each time a new folder and rename it... too many unnecessary clicks..
when PP had it at some point!!
Thanks in advance.

[Pierre Louis B.]

1000x YES to this request! It never ceases to surprise me how Pr can ***** up even the most basic things.

I organize my footage in folders/subfolders like this:
YYYY.MM.DD - Short description of content
-Camera name (filed with shots from that camera)
-Camera name (filed with shots from that camera)
-Camera name (filed with shots from that camera)

EVERY single time I import my footage from a shoot date that only has footage from a single camera, rather than create a bin with the date and description of contents, Pr only creates a completely nondescript bin named 'GoPro 11' or 'Panasonic GH6'.

This is ANNOYING AS F!@#$%!@#$!!!!!!

Pr team, do you take some kind of sick pleasure in messing up every little thing you can at the expense of your users? When will you finally show your users some respect by fixing what needs to be fixed rather than dumbing Pr down with horrible new interfaces that nobody ever asked for (such as the new Import & Export interface abominations).

Please don't let this be another of your 'Under Review' requests that remains as such for years on end. Paying users deserve better than that.

The lack of even the most basic functionality that is being requested here is like a bathroom with no toilet paper. Fixing things like this should take precedence over every pet project your team may have!

[jasonk54312862]

Yes please. This is so annoying and should be an easy fix