How can I best get...

[Chuck Engels]

I would recommend checking out some of the tutorials, there are quite a few for versions 2 and 3 still in there.
Those will give you a better overall idea of how thing work. The Premiere Elements 2 In A Snap book, written by Steve Grisetti and me, is a great help as well

[Mark1x]

I'll try!!

I imported video from camera using get video and stop which left me with lots of clips. These clips must by default all be in the timeline as I was able to play/edit all the footage. Which I did. I then saved these changes using the same name as the project name and in the same location. I am able to export to dvd or any other output. But, if I go to the location where I saved the project/edited footage it is all broken up into bits. I think because I used the stop and get video a lot. The .prel file is tiny so clearly that is not the actual video, but next to it are the ten video files that make up my footage. I was hoping there would be one video file that I could paste onto a portable hard drive and take to another PC.

Hope that make sense!

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

So, the process becomes:

1) capture your input video footage to a folder
2) place the clips from (1) on the timeline as you wish, perhaps making additional cuts, adding transitions, etc.
3) save that project (the .prel file) in the same folder
4) output to whatever format you desire, creating a new output file, or in the case of a DVD image a set of files appropriate for writing to a DVD (or writing the DVD directly).

Mark, I think that you are nearly there if you have followed Bobby's (and Bob') directions:-

1) capture your input video footage to a folder
2) place the clips from (1) on the timeline as you wish, perhaps making additional cuts, adding transitions, etc.
3) save that project (the .prel file) in the same folder

From your posting I think this is where you are up to. Now, to get at that single file, with the project still open, click on File>Export>Movie check that the directory displayed is the one that you want to file to be saved to (otherwise navigate to the directory that you want it to go to) give the output file the required filename then click 'Save'.

[Bobby]

Mark, you are still probably missing the point that when dealing with PRE that there are input file and output files. The file pieces you are referring to are the input, and how many doesn't matter to PRE as long as you arrange them on the timeline. You then create an output from the timeline which would be the single file you want.

I think you are of the belief that you are using PRE only to capture the video and your files are "done" then. You can certainly use PRE just to capture, although you are missing an awful lot in making your videos look professional. But, yes, if you stop during capture, it will break each segment into a separate file.

[Mark1x]

Thanks guys, I where I was having the problem is that I didnt realise that I would be dealing with two versions of the video. For example as described the folder containing the prel file with project at its current state and for what I was trying to achieve another folder with just the single file that is the movie which would allow me to simply copy and paste as often as I liked to other drives. Which means I would be keeping for example 2gb of files for one movie that is 1gb in size on my PC if I chose to keep both the project and output on my PC. Thanks for everyones input, I do understand it now, I was confusing the saved project with being also an output file.

[Chuck Engels]

Glad to know you have it figured out Mark, if anything isn't clear just ask

[Bobby]

Glad to help!

[Mark1x]

Well thanks again....

I'm just waiting for you all to "duck" when I start asking about editing and effects!!!

[Bobby]

Well thanks again....

I'm just waiting for you all to "duck" when I start asking about editing and effects!!!

Don't bet on it Mark - this is a very unique place.

[Mark1x]

It certainly is!! I love it