I had similar issue last week, but what I did is a little turn-around, I open premiere pro project in Resolve 15 first, resave it as XML, then in Vegas Pro, open that XML.

@set a smart workaround for the issue, a fine example of "out of the box" thinking!

I had similar issue last week, but what I did is a little turn-around, I open premiere pro project in Resolve 15 first, resave it as XML, then in Vegas Pro, open that XML.

How to open Premiere Pro project in Resolve 16?

How to open Premiere Pro project in Resolve 16?

Although I am using Resolve 16, and I'm sure you are aware, just wanted to mention that Resolve 16 is the very first released public beta. I'm not having any major issues, but you may want to consider falling back to 15.3.1 which will be more stable than the beta, and may avoid additional issues to your project.

How to open Premiere Pro project in Resolve 16?

Although I am using Resolve 16, and I'm sure you are aware, just wanted to mention that Resolve 16 is the very first released public beta. I'm not having any major issues, but you may want to consider falling back to 15.3.1 which will be more stable than the beta, and may avoid additional issues to your project.

Yes I am aware it is a Public Beta, however I am not having any stability problem with it. But I could not figure out from where I can open Premiere Pro project as set suggested in his work-around! I can not see any option for that! Any idea about this?

I had similar issue last week, but what I did is a little turn-around, I open premiere pro project in Resolve 15 first, resave it as XML, then in Vegas Pro, open that XML.

How to open Premiere Pro project in Resolve 16?

According to the following video, you can not open Premiere Pro projects in Resolve 15!!! So how did you do it?

Yes I am aware it is a Public Beta, however I am not having any stability problem with it. But I could not figure out from where I can open Premiere Pro project as set suggested in his work-around! I can not see any option for that! Any idea about this?

@aboammar see if this helps you https://doddlenews.com/davinci-resolve-tutorial-part-9-importing-premiere-pro-timelines/

Interesting! The XML from Resolve 16 works flawlessly in VP13 and VP15, but in VP16 I get this error....

Guys .. thanks for sharing. I highly appreciate it but I already know the how to open Premiere Pro timeline with the XML methode .. my question was how to open the Premiere Pro project file (the *.prproj) directly in Resolve as was mentioned by set:

set wrote on 4/13/2019, 6:52 AM

I had similar issue last week, but what I did is a little turn-around, I open premiere pro project in Resolve 15 first, resave it as XML, then in Vegas Pro, open that XML.

Guys .. thanks for sharing. I highly appreciate it but I already know the how to open Premiere Pro timeline with the XML methode .. my question was how to open the Premiere Pro project file (the *.prproj) directly in Resolve as was mentioned by set:

I don't have Premiere Pro, so I cannot generate an XML. If @set or others do not reply I would reply with a how to, but would need you to upload a small simple XML out of Premiere Pro for me to work with.

Guys .. thanks for sharing. I highly appreciate it but I already know the how to open Premiere Pro timeline with the XML methode .. my question was how to open the Premiere Pro project file (the *.prproj) directly in Resolve as was mentioned by set:

I don't have Premiere Pro, so I cannot generate an XML. If @set or others do not reply I would reply with a how to, but would need you to upload a small simple XML out of Premiere Pro for me to work with.

My friend, it seems you did not get my point! I am not talking about XML files because I know it works fine just like AAF files. @set was talking about Premiere native format which has this extension *.prproj

Anyway I did an extensive search and find out that it is not possible to open Premiere project files in Resolve and only way is to open the Premiere timeline (or any other NLE timeline) in Resolve is to use XML and AAF workflow. So @set must be mistaken in this regards!

@aboammar yes, I made the correct assumption (I think) from @set reply, where you have taken what he said literally (more precise and correct), so with my assumption that he was talking about xml it is easy and works, the best and quickest way to get your cut footage back into Vegas. This is what I would assume when your project was returned, that they returned the PP project timeline in xml. As you have found from your research, the best way to go is xml. Is there any reason why you are trying to open a prproj in Vegas/Resolve other than using an xml?

@aboammar yes, I made the correct assumption (I think) from @set reply, where you have taken what he said literally (more precise and correct), so with my assumption that he was talking about xml it is easy and works, the best and quickest way to get your cut footage back into Vegas. This is what I would assume when your project was returned, that they returned the PP project timeline in xml. As you have found from your research, the best way to go is xml. Is there any reason why you are trying to open a prproj in Vegas/Resolve other than using an xml?

My dear friend, @set was very clear and talking about converting Adobe PRPROI format to XLM format using DaVanci Resolve so he can open the timeline in Vegas Pro. If the file format was already in XLM, you do not need to use Resolve in the first place 😉

@aboammar why not use xml?

@aboammar why not use xml?

I am using XML and normally use XML or AAF for round trip workflow between Vegas Pro and Resolve .. I was just wondering about @set suggestion whether it's possible or not to open Premiere projects in Resolve and apparently it is not possible. As a matter of fact, it is not possible for Resolve to open any NLE's native project formats and the only way is to use XML, AAF, EDL, and FCPXML workflow.

Vegas Pro supposed to be able to directly open Premiere native format for projects, but it doesn't seems to be working, at least in version 16!

Ok... I'm curious as I try recheck my previous project as to why I have to 'do the workaround', and found because of missing media file when opening the XML (even it is not used and only 'listed' in Project Media). If no file or alternate file can be used, no timeline is made. (still student, high school project)

So that's why I have to think with any possible alternative way. He also brought prproj file... just hoping that resolve can at least make 'media offline' for 'missing file'... so it's a bit trial and error when doing this.

Ok... I'm curious as I try recheck my previous project as to why I have to 'do the workaround', and found because of missing media file when opening the XML (even it is not used and only 'listed' in Project Media). If no file or alternate file can be used, no timeline is made. (still student, high school project)

So that's why I have to think with any possible alternative way. He also brought prproj file... just hoping that resolve can at least make 'media offline' for 'missing file'... so it's a bit trial and error when doing this.

".. resolve can at least make 'media offline' for 'missing file'"<< Resolve does exactly that for missing files.

I have the same issue with VP16:

Exception Message: startIndex cannot be larger than length of string.
Parameter name: startIndex
Stack Trace:   at System.String.Substring(Int32 startIndex, Int32 length)
   at VegasScripts.VegasCommon.GetImportMediaPath(String pathInImportedFile, List`1 mediaLocations)
   at VegasScripts.AEImporter.ReadChildren(XmlElement elt, MediaBin parent)
   at VegasScripts.AEImporter.Import(String fileName, Vegas vegas, Project project, LogCallback log, Action createUndoBlock, Action disposeUndoBlock)
   at VegasScripts.ProjectInterchangeImporter.HandleInvokedInternal(String openDialogName, String openDialogExt, String undoBlockName, IImporter importer)

As this error gives no metadata (the current value of any of the parameters at the point of the error) then I cannot fathom what might be required to fix it.

Please Note: premiere's prproj files are in XML format. They can be edited in NOTEPAD!

XML files come in an infinite variety of flavours. I doubt you will get a Premiere Pro project file to open nicely in Vegas. You could try the older FCP version 7 XML format. That's a bit better supported (more universal?) and works with Resolve OK for import / export.

Well I tried to figure out what might be wrong with the premiere project file. But in the end I came up with a utilty script to just print some useful details like this:

Processing Premiere Project file: premiere-test.prproj.xml
 >> PremiereData   Attributes: [Version:3]
   Track 0 Start: 0 End: 3820400640000 Name: Color Matte
   Track 1 Start: 0 End: 518192640000 Name: IMG_6102.JPG
   Track 1 Start: 518192640000 End: 1534256640000 Name: IMG_5890.JPG
   Track 1 Start: 1534256640000 End: 3180280320000 Name: images.jpg
   Track 1 Start: 3180280320000 End: 3820400640000 Name: IMG_6102.JPG
   Track 2 Start: 0 End: 518192640000 Name: IMG_6102.JPG
   Track 2 Start: 518192640000 End: 1534256640000 Name: IMG_5890.JPG
   Track 3 Start: 0 End: 518192640000 Name: Title 01
   Track 3 Start: 518192640000 End: 1534256640000 Name: Title 04
   Track 3 Start: 1534256640000 End: 3180280320000 Name: Title 05
   Track 3 Start: 3180280320000 End: 3820400640000 Name: Title 06

 Media File: IMG_6102.JPG / E:\FilmClub\Adverts\opticians 2018\IMG_6102.JPG : [Version:19, ObjectUID:11b0dd6f-04d2-4ce1-936d-d6a8e963df17, Index:4294967295, ClassID:7a5c103e-f3ac-4391-b6b4-7cc3d2f9a7ff]
 Media File: IMG_5890.JPG / \\?\E:\FilmClub\Adverts\opticians 2018\IMG_5890.JPG : [Version:19, ObjectUID:2752e137-5936-43e0-8001-f71012de67dc, Index:4294967295, ClassID:7a5c103e-f3ac-4391-b6b4-7cc3d2f9a7ff]

Adobe Title Version: 20080702 Media Atr: [Version:19, ObjectUID:38dfebd5-26c6-4f16-aab4-5f08de1b4c5e, Index:4294967295, ClassID:7a5c103e-f3ac-4391-b6b4-7cc3d2f9a7ff]
  Font: NuevaStd-BoldCond / Nueva Std
  Font: NuevaStd-Cond / Nueva Std
  Font: NuevaStd-Cond / Nueva Std
=== TITLE START ===
SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST
THE COMPLETE HEARING SERVICE
ò EARWAX REMOVAL
ò DIGITAL HEARING AIDS
ò HEARING PROTECTION
ò SWIM AND SLEEP MOULDS
ò SERVICE AND REPAIR
=== TITLE END ===

Save with name "prprojReader.groovy", install Apache Groovy (and a java) and just run it!

import java.util.zip.Inflater
import java.nio.*
import groovy.xml.*

def cli = new CliBuilder(usage:'reader.groovy <premiere project file.prproj>',
  header:'Extract key data from the project.',
  footer: 'MGB 2019')def options = cli.parse(args)
if (options.arguments().size == 0) {
    cli.usage()
    return 0
    //System.exit(1)
}
def theXml = new File(options.arguments()[0])
if (! theXml.isFile()) {
    println "${theXml} is not a valid file path."
    return 2
}

// An xml parser used later when extracting text from embedded Titles.
// I use extra settings here just to show how to refine the parser, but should work with defaults only too.
def tx = new XmlParser(false,true,true)
tx.setFeature("http://apache.org/xml/features/disallow-doctype-decl", false)
tx.setFeature("http://apache.org/xml/features/nonvalidating/load-external-dtd", false)
// The xml parser used for the main project file..
def pr = new XmlSlurper()
def prx = pr.parse(theXml)
def pp = new groovy.util.XmlNodePrinter()  // if needed - a 'pretty printer' to output formatted XML

// Titles are held as a huge Base64 encoded string - but when decoded we find they are still gibberish.
// But if we use the inflater feature (which uses an image comression algorithm rather than straight unzip)
// we find the title is wrapped in another mass of XML (in unicode).  Note that we start the inflation from byte 32, in chunks.
String decompress2(byte[] compressed) {
         // Decompress the bytes
     if (compressed.length <= 32)
         return new String(compressed);
     xmlout = new ByteArrayOutputStream (10000)
     Inflater decompresser = new Inflater();
     decompresser.setInput(compressed, 32, compressed.length - 32);
     do {
         byte[] result = new byte[1000];
         int resultLength = decompresser.inflate(result);
         xmlout.write(result, 0, resultLength)
     } while (!decompresser.finished())
     finalSize = decompresser.bytesWritten
     //println "   Final Length = $finalSize"
     decompresser.end();
     return new String(xmlout.toByteArray(), 0, finalSize as Integer, "unicode")
}

println "Processing Premiere Project file: ${theXml.name}"
println " >> ${prx.name()}   Attributes: ${prx.attributes()}"if (prx.name() != "PremiereData") {
 println "This xml file does not look like a Premiere Project file.  It is likely to error or not output anything here..."
}
println ""

// first, print the content of each video track
projData = prx.'**'.findAll { it.name() == 'VideoClipTrackItem' }
projData.each { vnode ->
  try{
  ti = vnode.ClipTrackItem.TrackItem
  print "   Track ${ti.TrackIndex.text()} Start: ${ti['Start'].text()} End: ${ti['End'].text()}"
  obj = vnode.ClipTrackItem.SubClip.@ObjectRef  sc = vnode.parent().'**'.find {it.name() == "SubClip" && it.@ObjectID == obj}
  if (sc) {
   println " Name: ${sc['Name'].text()}"
  } else {
   println " no name"
  }
 } catch (x) {
  println x
 }
}
//Now print the Titles extracted from those compressed Base64 unicode xml parts (together with the fonts used)!
projData = prx.'**'.findAll { (it.name() == 'Media') && (it['Title'] != "")}
projData.each { mediaNode ->
 println ""
  try {
    b64 = mediaNode.'**'.find { it.@Encoding == 'base64' }
    if (b64 && b64.name() == "ImporterPrefs") {
    bdat = (b64.toString()).decodeBase64()
        itemData = decompress2 (bdat)
        if (itemData.size() > 32) {
     txml = tx.parseText( itemData )
     println "Adobe Title Version: ${txml.Adobe_Title.Version.text()} Media Atr: ${mediaNode.attributes()}"
     txtml = txml.'**'.findAll {txtN -> txtN.name() == 'TypeSpec'}
     txtml.each { txtfont ->
      println "  Font: ${txtfont['fifullName'].text()} / ${txtfont.fifontFamilyName.text()}"
     }
     println "=== TITLE START ==="
     txtml = txml.'**'.findAll {txtN -> txtN.name() == 'TRString'}
     txtml.each {println it.text()
       }
     println "=== TITLE END ==="
    } else {
      println "  Short of Data"
    }
  } else {
   println ("  Media File: ${mediaNode['Title'].text()} / ${mediaNode['ActualMediaFilePath'].text()} : ${mediaNode.attributes()}")
  }
 } catch (x) {
  println x
 }
}
//println XmlUtil.serialize(prx)
return

I asked a freelancer editor to do the first cut of a TV ad and I am supposed to finish it in Vegas Pro. He used Adobe Premiere Pro and sent me all project files.

Any idea how to open the Premiere Pro project in Vegas Pro 16? I tried the Import Premiere/After Effect *.prproj files but it doesn't seem to work and all I get is an Export Log File that contains the following information:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Exception Message: startIndex cannot be larger than length of string.
Parameter name: startIndex
Stack Trace:   at System.String.Substring(Int32 startIndex, Int32 length)
   at VegasScripts.VegasCommon.GetImportMediaPath(String pathInImportedFile, List`1 mediaLocations)
   at VegasScripts.AEImporter.ReadChildren(XmlElement elt, MediaBin parent)
   at VegasScripts.AEImporter.ReadChildren(XmlElement elt, MediaBin parent)
   at VegasScripts.AEImporter.Import(String fileName, Vegas vegas, Project project, LogCallback log, Action createUndoBlock, Action disposeUndoBlock)
   at VegasScripts.ProjectInterchangeImporter.HandleInvokedInternal(String openDialogName, String openDialogExt, String undoBlockName, IImporter importer)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any idea what is going on and how to solve this problem?

The support for VEGAS Pro support for Premiere Pro projects coded for Premiere Pro CS 5.x, and hasn't been updated since then. It's out of date, so you may need to downgrade the project format to import it. I am not sure why it's still there (ditto for the FCPX XML support).

You'll also run into some issues with FCPX XML. Best interchange option to use is FCP7 XML, as that has been locked (due to FCP 7 being discontinued) since 2010/11.

You can also try Avid Media Composer AAF, but that may or may not export the video in a usable format (by default, but perhaps you can change that in Premiere Pro when exporting?).