Movie Maker Relative paths

[j17sparky]

We are starting to use movie maker between our school and the CLC. This is causing a problem as when you insert a picture for example it takes the absolute path to the pic ie g:\movies\pic1.jpg

Then when we move to the other system, as the drive letter changes the pic cant be found ie d:\movie\pic1.jpg

Is there anyway to make movie maker use relative paths rather than absolute?

:beer:

[Geoff]

Movie maker is really shoddy. We just gave up on it and got a site license for Serif Move Plus instead.

[j17sparky]

Unfortunately thats not an option as we dont have enough money and it would meen asking the CLC to buy the same software too.

[Geoff]

Ok, don't say I didn't warn you though.

[j17sparky]

Hey atleast its better than pinnicle!

[plexer]

Whats the CLC?

When you move stuff are sending them the contents of g:?

Can you not keep the same drive letter?

Ben

[j17sparky]

City Learning Centre - sorry thought everywhere had them now. Its just like library/computer building where the kids go to work


No i cant keep the same drive letter .

[Ashers]

Try this site, we've found a couple of solutions here.

http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/

[eean]

How about making a little script that maps a drive just for the movie maker session? If you are trying to save locally on one system, you could use the subst command to emulate a drive letter.

[Jose]

Windows Movie maker has two key very important files.
1. The project file *.mswmm, this file is your project file that saves all work done on your timeline, example if you've edited clips and added titles this file holds this information.
2. The collections database file, this is stored here
C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Movie Maker\mediatab0.dat
this file is usually called either mediatab1.dat or mediatab0.dat.
This file contains information that is used to divide imported video into smaller/shorter clips in the collections part.
The collections database is stored in the local profile and does not follow the user if he/she logs onto a different pc.

This is what I do to get my pupils to use it properly.
create a folder called video project in their " My Documents" area make sure everything to do with movie maker is put in this folder that is in their network area, this means putting video files and mp3s in there before importing into Movie Maker.
The *mswmm file will work fine as the all files are in the video project folder in a networked area.
The collections will not be shown as the database file mediatab1 or mediatab0 will not be the same as the file that was used on the previous pc. You have two ways round this, the easy way is to get the pupils to reimport all files needed, this is easy if everything is in the one folder video project. 2. Copy the database file from the old pc to the new pc, this is slightly tricky because when you put the file into your profile it has to be given the same name as the file that was last used by Movie maker on the new pc. example if the file currently being used is called mediatab0 then you have to rename your database file mediatab0 and copy it into C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Movie Maker\
This can be done with a batchfile but you have to remember to run it after shutting Movie Maker and then before opening Movie Maker on the other pc.

I realise that some of this info is no good to you as you may not have networked areas.
but the principle is the same that the location of the folder and files must be the same on both pcs,
if you create your video project folder on the the desktop and make sure everything goes in this folder then just as long as students backup the whole folder and then copy the whole folder to the desktop on whatever pc they use it should work fine. unless their usernames different ofcourse.

[j17sparky]

^ :beer:

Well thats that then... I dont have control over the other system so id doubt very much that the kids will be allowed to run batch files at the CLC and access the C drive.

[Jose]

try placing your folder in the shared video folder
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\ shared video
then run everything from your video project folder that has been placed in
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\shared video

[ssoman]

It was stated earlier that the collections database is here.

C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Movie Maker\mediatab0.dat

At our school we normally reroute "My Documents" to H:\ which is, of course the user's home directory.

Isn't there a way to have a registry key to point this to the user's network (H) drive so the collections can move along with the user?

Thanks
SSoman
NWHS

[ssoman]

If the collection database is stored at

C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Movie Maker\mediatab0.dat
this file is usually called either mediatab1.dat or mediatab0.dat.

As I said earlier, we re-map "My documents" to H:\

Is there a way to re-route the app

C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Application Data\
to the user's H:\ drive?

That way all application settings follow a user?