Media Encoder exporting to wrong output folder

[Jean Carlos30478276sjs6]

My problem is very simple:

In Premiere, when I export a video using Media Encoder, I want it to automatically set the output folder to same folder as my project. Right now, it always set the output folder to last location I exported a video. 

To be clear, I don't want no manually choose the output folder everytime I export a video. I work with multiple projects in different folders. I also don't want to set the option to "export to a single location", in Media Encoder preferences.

I want it to be the same behaviour as in After Effects. In AE, when I export a video using Media Encoder, it always set up the output folder to the same location as the project. I never understood why Premiere does things diferently.

[eckiAMETeam]

Asking our friends over at Premiere Pro…

[Larry Sullivan]

Hi Jean Carlos, thanks for the feedback!   We've had other requests about making the default export location logic more intuitive so I've added your suggestion about matching AE's behavior to our existing list. 

[unique_person4993]

I'd like to second this, having it automatically default to the previous project's location is silly, if I'm working on a new project now, why would I want it to export to the old location?

[R Neil Haugen]

That came about because many workers never export to the project, they export to the drive where all exports go, for quick access to send out that deliverable.

Such as a folder that is named for this, and located specifically, on all machines in that post facility. Anyone in the shop can always check for the more recently finished programs.

There are some places and workers, like you, that wish to export into the same project file as the sequence was built it. And it's a fine process if it works for your needs.

But it's not nearly as common as having that single, obvious export file.

In other words, a valid workflow, just not nearly as common as the other way. That's why the other way is the normal default.

[unique_person4993]

Okay, but if people are exporting all of their projects to the same folder like your example, they would use the "export to a single location" option, wouldn't they?

I'm talking specifically about having that option turned off, and it still defaulting to the previous place instead, like the OP specified as well. 

[R Neil Haugen]

I understood that, I was just giving information in response to your comment wondering why that is the default.

[unique_person4993]

Ohkay, sorry I thought you completely missed the point, hah. I specifcally meant it was silly to assume I would want to save to the previous folder if I specifically have 'save to a specific folder' disabled, since it would seem to make a lot more sense to save next to the project file in that case rather than somewhere likely completely unrelated to the project.

Though personally I can't imagine exporting everything to the same folder, it sounds like a mess when you're in the drafts phase, or working on multiple projects at once. XD

[R Neil Haugen]

Everyone works differently, which is one of the more fascinating things about video post.

And yet, nearly everyone assumes most people work like they do. Also a fascinating human trait. But which causes no end of frustration and pain.

For instance, you mention doing multiple exports of apparently the same sequence at different stages or something. That's probably totally logical to you, and to some others, but utterly bizarre to many others in video post.

Which is why I never assume anyone works like I do.

Many UI things that have been commented about here, as incredibly stupid and supposedly hated by all real professionals, are actually the result of other professionals pushing for such changes.

I have long realized that many of the things I want are not high on the list ... or even ever thought of! ... by probably the vast majority of users.

So I am always very aware of the difference user to user.

[unique_person4993]

Okay, I'm really curious as to how people would avoid having draft exports throughout the project. Unless you're only making a video purely for yourself, how do you share your progress with whoever you're making the video for? Genuine question.

I get your point for people complaining about changes that other people wanted, but I don't think completely dismissing the people who are upset at the changes is the correct way to go about it, yet that's what Adobe frequently decides to do.
Especially when it's taking away a feature that used to be present, like the current FX indicator colors issue. By trying to update it in a way that pleased some people, they took away an essential function for others, when they easily could have implimented it into the new design as well instead of discarding it, just giving an option to disable it if it needs to be for some people. 

In this case I don't really think "well other people do it differently" matters at all, because the easiest solution is to just add an additional option for people who work like the OP and I do.
Plus, since it's different in After Effects, they really should have their two video programs work in the same way for something like that anyway, imo. No matter how different people use a program, there should be consistancy in things like that?

[R Neil Haugen]

I'll give one example.

For a lot of groups now using the Productions (which your group probably should also ...) you do not have a single project that everything 'goes' to.

So the exports going to the same folder is rather normal and necessary, and you name them accordingly. And while this makes it easy to move them to where they need to be, everyone in your system always know where they start.

As anyone else, being notified the file is 'out', can go grab it and move it as per whatever protocol the group has. That is often done.

There are other specific steps, all sorts of ways to handle this. And in fact, those used to working in such an environment, would find your practice simply horrifying.

I totally agree about the process that we both feel should be used ... simply giving users an option for the new way or the old. And have argued for that as a design default over a decade, but in practical terms ... well, it doesn't seem to have been adopted, does it?

The inverted audio waveforms, not so good for some, not at all an issue for many. Why not simply allow a bit more choice about their appearance? And the changes to the FX badges were not an improvement for me and for many, but apparently aren't an issue for a large majority of the several million daily users.

Ah well, can't win 'em all.

[RonFred]

My maddening experience: Adobe Media Encoder remembers some old project directory, and only once in a "blue moon" does this default project directory change on its own. So, new and other projects being edited require me to do a deep directory walk in Mac Finder to get to where my current edit project is located. Crazy.
I want a pull-down option to offer "remember this directory".

[EckiAME]

What do you mean with "remember". The start location of AME's media browser? 

[Jean Carlos30478276sjs6]

Media Enconder has a option to export to the same folder always, wich is aligned to what you said. The problem arrives when I want to export the file to the same folder as my project, how do I do that automatically? Currently I have to manually choose the folder.

After Effects does that automatically, so obviously is not such "an uncommon workflow".

[Jean Carlos30478276sjs6]

I think you are experiencing that for the same reason as I:

- Premiere sets the export location to the previous folder you exported a file using Premiere, then you have to manually change to the correct folder.

- After Effects sets the export location automatically to the same folder as the project.

That's probably why sometimes Media Encoder sets the export location to the folder you are expecting and sometimes not.

Two softwares from the same company, used in the same pipeline, that do things in different ways.

[Krissan22629116vr2m]

Hey everyone. Sorry for the late reply on a really old post, but this would have helped me if I stumbled across the answer.

I've found a work around after so much testing and time wasting:
- Export a video out of Premiere Pro directly to the new folder you want to set as the default export location. (just do 1 second or something, so you don't waste too much time rendering)
- Now everytime you send your jobs to media encoder thorugh Premiere, it will default to the folder that you exported to out of Premiere Pro. Now you don't have to keep navigating from an old project/clients' export folder to the folder you actually want to export to.

Note: Everytime you start a new project for a new client, you will have to repeat this process to start exporting directly to the correct folder.