Projects: create, rename, copy, delete
A project is a set of settings and a list of imported videos. Everything you set up in a tab belongs to the project, not to the app as a whole. You can have as many projects as you like. One project opens in one tab. This page covers all actions with projects step by step.
What a project is and where it is stored
A project is a record in the app data file, not a folder on the disk. All projects are stored in one projects file in the app folder. A project has no folder of its own.
This has two consequences.
First: renaming a project changes nothing on the disk. Neither the save folder nor the names of already created videos change when you rename.
Second: to keep your projects safe, copy the projects file. Read about the backup copy on the Where your files are page.
What a project stores
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Unique. Letter case matters |
| Card cover | A frame of the last imported video |
| List of imported videos | Paths to files on your disk. The videos themselves are not in the project |
| All uniquification settings | Light and tone, color correction, noise, grid, watermark, text, template, audio, metadata |
| Export settings | Save folder, export type, number of copies, codec, number of threads, where to process |
| Similarity check settings | Threshold and mode |
| Project integration settings | Including keys, passwords and proxy addresses |
| Source groups | Links, selection conditions, list of what has already been downloaded |
| Creation time and last save time | Service marks |
Video creation results are not stored in the project. The results table is cleared at every new run.
How to create a project
You are not asked for a name. The project is created and opened right away.
- Open the tab with the project selection screen. If another project is open, click the "+" service tab.
- Press the "Create project" button.
The app sets the name itself. The first project is called "Project", the next ones "Project #2", "Project #3" and so on. The number goes up until the name is free.
A project is created in two more ways. On the first launch with an empty list, a project is created on its own together with the guided tour. The "Guided tour" menu item also creates a new project.
The "+" service tab does not create a project by itself. It only opens a new tab with the project selection screen.
How to open a project
A single left click on the project card in the grid. A double click is not needed.
If there are no projects yet, the grid is replaced by the text "You have no projects yet. Create one with the button above."
The same project cannot be opened twice. On a second attempt, the "Project already open" window appears:
Project 'My project' is open in tab No. 2. Close that tab or duplicate the project.
How to save changes
Project settings are not saved on their own as you edit. Saving happens in three ways:
- with the save button in the left column of the tab, under the rail icons;
- with Ctrl+S;
- on its own when you start video creation and when you create a preview.
Ctrl+S saves the project. The other keyboard shortcuts work in the preview panel: space, arrows, Shift with arrows and the M key.
While there is something unsaved, the save button is highlighted, and a blue dot is lit on the project tab.
How to rename a project
There are two ways.
- Double-click the tab of the open project.
- Right-click the project card and pick "Rename project".
Both ways open an input window titled "Rename project" with the field label "New project name:". The input window is a system one, so its buttons are labeled in English.
Name requirements:
- an empty name is not accepted, including a name of spaces only;
- spaces at the edges are trimmed;
- the name must be unique;
- letter case matters: "Project" and "project" are two different projects;
- there are no limits on length or on the set of characters.
A long name does not spoil the interface. The card label scrolls, and the full name is shown in a tooltip on hover.
Refusals:
The project name cannot be empty.
A project with this name already exists. Try another name.
How to duplicate a project
Right-click the project card and pick "Duplicate project". There is no confirmation; the copy appears right away.
The copy's name is the original name plus _copy. If that name is taken, the app adds a number: _copy1, _copy2 and so on.
Everything goes into the copy: the cover, the whole set of settings, all source groups, all links and the whole download history.
There is one caveat, and it matters. The copy is made from the saved project, not from the screen. The exact text of the tooltip:
The copy is made from the saved project: changes that are not saved in the open tab will not be included.
So press Ctrl+S before duplicating.
How to delete a project
Deleting is available only from the card's context menu. There is no delete button inside an open project.
- Close the project tab if it is open.
- Right-click the project card.
- Pick "Delete project".
- Read the question and press "Delete".
The question looks like this. The window title is "Confirm deletion", the buttons are "Delete" and "Cancel". "Cancel" is selected by default.
Delete project "My project"?
Deleted along with it: 2 source groups, 14 sources, 320 records in the downloads list.
This action cannot be undone.
The middle paragraph appears only if the project has source groups, sources or download records.
What is deleted. The project record, all its settings, the cover, source groups, links, check history and the daily counter.
What stays on the disk. Source videos, the save folder and all created videos, downloaded files, saved settings files. Deleting a project does not touch any of your files.
There is no recycle bin for projects. There is no way to undo a deletion.
After deletion the data file is compacted. This needs free space of roughly the size of the file itself. On a full disk, deletion may fail.
The project card context menu
The menu opens with a right-click on the card in the project grid. There is no other way.
| Item | What it does | Works with the project open |
|---|---|---|
| "Delete project" | Deletes the project after confirmation | no |
| "Rename project" | Opens a window to enter a new name | no |
| "Duplicate project" | Creates a copy of the project | yes |
| "Save settings to file" | Saves the settings to a .csv or .json file | no |
| "Load settings from file" | Loads the settings from a file | no |
With the project open, four of the five items are not hidden but grayed out. The reason is in the tooltip on the item itself, and it is not visible without hovering the cursor:
The project is open in tab no. 2. Close it to delete the project.
Read about the last two items on the Moving project settings with a file page.
What happens to tabs
A tab is closed with the cross. Before closing, the app may show up to three questions in a row, always in this order.
The first question is about video creation. The title "Video creation is running", the buttons "Close" and "Cancel".
Video creation is running in the project "My project". If you close the tab, it will stop.
Close anyway?
The second question is about downloading. The title "A download is running".
A video download is running in the project "My project". If you close the tab, it will stop. The videos already downloaded will stay in the save folder.
Close anyway?
The third question is about unsaved edits. The title "Unsaved changes", the buttons "Save", "Don't save" and "Cancel".
Save the changes in the project 'My project'?
If you do not save them, the changes will be lost.
Two more things about closing a tab.
Closing the last tab immediately opens a new tab with the project selection screen. The app is never left without tabs.
Closing a tab deletes its temporary folders next to the app. The names of these folders start with temp_videos_ and temp_thumbnails_.
FAQ
How many projects can be open at the same time?
There is no limit. The practical limit is your device's memory. Each tab takes about a second to build.
Can one project be open in two tabs?
No. The app shows the "Project already open" window and offers to close the tab or duplicate the project.
Why are the card menu items gray?
The project is open in a tab. Hover the cursor over a gray item: the tooltip names the number of the tab you need to close.
Where did the results of the previous run go?
Results are not saved anywhere. The results table is cleared at the start of every new run and deleted together with the closed tab.
Are there project templates?
There are no templates. You can repeat a set of settings in two ways: by duplicating the project and with a settings file.
The "The project was deleted" window appeared. What is it?
This project is no longer in the list. Most likely it was deleted in a second Video Unique Booster window under another Windows account. Changes cannot be saved into it. Create a new project and move the settings there.
Can I get a deleted project back?
No. The app has no recycle bin for projects and no undo for deletion. If you have a backup copy of the projects file, the project can be restored only from it.