Error while collecting files in AE CS3 - You do not have permission to open this file (-54)

Question

I've got a rather large project that I'm attempting to collect.  35,000+ files to collect (lots of image sequences as footage), totaling near 80GB.  The collect process starts and copies files for a while, but inevitably errors out during the copy procedure with the error "You do not have permission to open this file" -- a different file each attempt.
I'd read some complaints of a similar error last year due to QT 7.4, but I'm on the current Quicktime (7.6.4).
Anyone seen this before?  What can I do!?  Thanks in advance for any ideas.
--Rob LaRose
  Imaginary Forces

Answer 1

Well, we're just a small shop, but since it usually falls upon me to administrate, here's a few general tips:
Hide all resources that are not meant to be accessed by certain people. This can be done easily by using different sub-nets on your network and defining access privileges. Write down the network MAC addresses and use a whitelist/ blacklist. A bit of work initially, but a lot safer than working with user names.
Forget about individual user privileges. At one point or another everyone will bump into situations where they cannot access stuff, but need it for their work. Simply ramp up all users to Power User status, but assign individual groups to them which only you can manage. That leaves it up to you to define who can access what, but without having to dig so deep that you always end up with individual adjustments. You merely add or remove users from groups (which is more practical for interns and freelancers, even)
Quota can do miracles for you. If a user only has x GB of storage available, he'll quickly learn to not create redundant data by copying files.
Prevent all local storage. Artists have a tendency to offline files at whim for experimentation and then forget about it. Give them a "garbage dump" directory on the server instead where they can store their private data and any non-persistent work files, but with quota. Use server-side desktops and user home directories, if possible, but unfortunately many programs cause problems with that (including Adobe's), so it's not always an option.
For each new project, create a pre-defined folder structure. We e.g. use number_clientname_worktype_year for the root, and inside have directories for compositing, 3D stuff, print, client data etc.. Define it so from the getgo, that specific structures like project directories for 3D programs with their sub-folders for textures etc. are in place, but users cannot create additional folders. When they are forced to use existing folders, they will be much more careful in naming their files.
Define versioning rules and naming conventions. Now "siginificant milestone" is a matter of view, but I at least try to create new version files for that. So if e.g in the morning I open up a comp project and change a few things in it that take more than 10 minutes to reproduce, this is significant and a new version is safed. I don't care much for simple things like adding effects - I can reproduce them in a wee in case of crashes or data loss - but complex masking, elaborate 3D modeling, dynamics simulations etc. qualify.
Of course back up every day, at least incrementally. If following the above rules, this can be as easy as copying the project folder to an external disk.
As for the rest - simply be hard-nosed. Your artists will whine and complain for a while, but they will get used to it and eventually see the wisdom in a regulated system. It's also up to you to brief them accordingly and remind them from time to time.
Mylenium