DaVinci Resolve - Project Management - Export, Import, and mobile database/library
This wiki intends to cover how DaVinci Resolve manages project data. Including how to Export and Import a Resolve project to use on another workstation, and also how to create a mobile database/library that you can connect to on another workstation.
DaVinci Resolve keeps and stores all project data inside a Database, also called a Library.
The Database is a structured hierarchy of folders used to hold all of your editing, timeline, media clips, color grades, etc. information.
Unlike Avid Media Composer and Premier Pro it requires more steps to move a timeline, project, or database from one workstation to another.
***IMPORTANT***
For this you will need an external hard drive to be able to move the exported project file to another workstation.
You will also want to know where your source media is and make sure that your next workstation will have access to that media also. In other words, you will need the media on that external drive also. If your media is on the internal drive of the computer you are working on you will not have it available on the next workstation.
EXPORTING A PROJECT FILE
This first section will go over Exporting a project from one workstation and Importing it on another workstation.
Start by launching DaVinci Resolve.
Once at the Project Manager window you can create a new project or open an existing project and complete your work.
For this wiki I’m going to select the existing project OMO PROMO.
Once done working and ready to export the project, go to the bottom right corner and click on the house icon that will open the Project Manager window.
In the Project Manager window right click on the project you want to export.
A dropdown will open, then select Export Project.
This will open a Save File window.
Navigate to where you want to save the project export file, most likely on a personal external hard drive or a network location that the next workstation you are at will be able to access.
I like to append the file name with the date to keep them straight.
Click Save.
This will create a .drp file in the selected location. (drp stands for DaVinci Resolve Project)
You can now take your external drive to another workstation and use the next section to Import the project file. It’s pretty easy.
REMINDER - MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE MEDIA AVAILABLE ON THE OTHER WORKSTATION ALSO.
IMPORTING A PROJECT FILE
This section will cover how to Import a .drp (DaVinci Resolve Project) file into the Database or Library on another workstation. Seriously, if you got through the export process then this part is REALLY easy. You may have to relink the media, and we will go over that.
Launch DaVinci Resolve.
Once you get to the Project Management window you will see a button labeled Import in the lower left corner.
Click on it.
This will open a window for you to locate your .drp file that you exported previously.
Once you find it, select it and click the Open button.
This will import the .drp and add the project to the Database Library of the workstation you are now at.
Select that project and open it up in Resolve.
Depending on a few different factors your media may be all online, or it may be offline. It really all comes down to if the media is in the file path that the project expects it to be.
It if is not then you will need to relink the media.
The easiest way to do this is to go to the EDIT page in Resolve.
In the upper left corner of the Edit Page is a Link icon (looks like chain links). If it’s red then click on it and it will open an window that you will use to find your media.
Select the Locate button.
In the window that opens you will need to navigate to the folder that has all your media in it. This can be an upper folder that has other folders in it. This locate function should search through all the sub-directories.
Chose Open and it should locate all your media and bring you clips and timelines back online.
If it does not then your media may be in a different location or missing all together.
You can try doing a more extensive system wide search for media.
If you continue to have issues then contact Tech Services for assistance.
MAKING A DATABASE LIBRARY ON AN EXTERNAL DRIVE
Another option is to create a Database Library on your personal external drive.
The advantages of this are that you won’t be exporting then importing then exporting etc. and possibly end up with a dozen copies of the project on multiple workstations.
Having a Database Library on your portable drive will allow you to add the database to any workstation you choose to use have access to all the projects in that database.
It is best to have your portable database on the same drive as your media.
Start by launching DaVinci Resolve.
Once it gets to the Project Manager window you will see the projects available to you.
In the upper left it should say Projects and to the left of that is an icon that will open up a side panel to access the Databases.
You will most likely be on the Local Database.
At the bottom of the side panel is a button to Add Project Library, click on that.
This will open a window with two options, Create and Connect. For right now, choose Create.
In the Name section enter a name for how the Database will appear in the side panel.
For this wiki I’m going to name mine SSD Drive_01. (just don’t name it Resolve Projects, that’s a name Resolve uses and it’ll just confuse things later)
Once done with that you can click the Browse button.
This will open a window. Navigate to your external drive.
If you have not already made a folder for the new Database then choose the New Folder button and create of folder for the Database.
Once selected click Open.
This will add the folder path.
Now click Create and be patient while Resolve does its thing and makes a new database.
It should now be added to the Database side panel. You can now create new projects in this database, or import projects, or even go to the Local Database and copy a project then paste it into your now portable database.
CONNECTING TO AN EXTERNAL DATABASE
So, you have your new fancy portable database on your external drive, and now you want to access it on a different workstation? Well, that’s quite easy.
Launch DaVinci Resolve on a new workstation.
Once at the Project Management window you will need to go to the upper left corner where it says Projects and click the icon to open the Database side panel.
Once the Database side panel is open, down at the bottom is the Add Project Library button.
Click on that.
In the window that opens are two options, Create and Connect.
This time you will choose Connect.
Then enter a name of how you want the database to appear in the side panel.
Then click Browse.
In the window that opens you will navigate to the folder that you made on your external drive.
Do not pick the folder inside of it that’s named Resolve Projects. Pick the folder above that.
Click Open.
This will add the folder path to the window.
You can now choose to Connect.
Give the system a minute to add the database and projects.
This will add the database to the side panel and you will now have access to all the projects in it.