Simplifying a Library??

"I think it's because you didn't follow steps 1 to 3 that I showed you. Ben created a new event in the original library and copied the project, right? This is a step you don't have to do. I simply instructed them to "select an event."

"Ben then created a new library. →Maybe you manually dragged and copied the event you created earlier? I simply instructed the selected event to "right-click and copy to new library." I think Ben failed because he didn't understand the steps correctly and worked his own way."

LocoAlicia - Not exactly. I had to create a NEW Event because I only wanted half a dozen small projects (from an Event that contained scores of projects organized with Keyword Collection). I didn't want to create a NEW Library with all those Projects, I wanted to downsize the number of Projects I had to handle in the NEW Library.

"Do you mean the red frame? Does Ben misunderstand this check as "copying original media"?

It doesn't mean copying. This item means "Do you want to inherit the storage location information of the original media?"

LocoAicia -- your explanation and phrase "Do you want to inherit the storage location information of the original media?" is soooooo much clearer than Apple's. Which is unclear, unless one has done this before, and memorized the distinction.

Thank you for that ... Ben

This is how I'm copying the Event over. I'm assuming that I don't want to 'copy' the Media. Maybe I'm misunderstanding how this works? I don't want to double the Media, it would take up way too much drive space. I want the NEW Event Projects to still be linked to their Original Media.

See attached ...

That's what's weird Luis; the media is NOT in the First Library. It's in an external Media folder (Final Cut Original Media). I very rarely store Media in the Library (rightly or wrongly I find the Library takes longer to load and backup etc.).

If I 'Show Package Contents' of the original Library there is NO 'Original Media' folder ... which is where FCPX is telling me the 'clips' are stored when I try to do a re-link media.

I see Events, Folders, Keyword Collections - each in its own folder (see attached screenshot) and each folder with a single file, 'CurrentVersion.fcpevent' in it.

I have a Media folder that has all the FCPX standard auto-folders in it, such as 'Final Cut Original Media'. It's on the same drive as the Library ... but in a completely different folder structure. I can see all the unlinked files there, though in a various collection of dated folders. It would be a real nightmare to relink all the files.

LocaAlicia, terrb, and Luis ...

I'm going to do as both LocaAlicia and Luis suggest, and terryb confirms: create an event, then move the event to the new Library. And make sure I don't have any dangling original media in weird places.

Going to do it right now. Will report back when done. Than you most kindly team ... B

Something not working right.

Following Luis' & LocoAlicia suggestions: I create a new Event in the original Library. I copy over a number of Projects to this new Event. I create a NEW Library. I move this new Event into the NEW Library.

I close the Original Library. I open the NEW Library. All the projects are there, but they are un-linked from the Media. When I do a Re-link-Files > Original Media ... the Pop-up box gives me the Folder chain to locate the Original Media. BUTTTTT! In this case the chain goes straight to the Original Library, and to a Folder IN the Original Library called 'Original Media'. Duh?

I do a Show Package Contents on the Original Library, and there is NO 'Original Media' folder.

I know, and can see, that the missing media I want to link to is IN the Final Cut Original Media folder on the external drive. I can link it there, and it works ... but I've lost the Effects/Colour Grade etc. I had installed in that clip.

And as there are 8 Projects I need to work on ... the relinking would be wretched nightmare.

I'm wondering if anyone can see what I might be doing wrong here? Why I'm losing the link to the media?

I am 'copying' (not moving) the Projects into the New Event, then 'copying' that NEW Event to the NEW Library.

Did you see my screenshot Tom?

What I don't want to happen is the 'copying' of the actual Media. I just want the clips in the Projects in the NEW Event, now in the NEW Library, to be still linked to the Original Media. Is it actually possible? I think it is; I just noticed I did this a few weeks ago with another Project ... but I can't for the life of me remember how.

See attached screenshot. Should I click 'Copy Original Media' instead of just the Event? I think you are suggesting that if the Media is on an external drive only the links will be copied, but not the actual Media. It's only if it's contained in the original Library itself will the media itself actually be copied over to the New Library. Have I got that right?

Meaning if I click Copy Original Media ... it'll just be linking the clips in the NEW Events, NEW Library, to the Original Media stored on an external drive?

L.,

Check my most recent other post below -- I'm pretty sure my original media is NOT in the original Library. It's on the same drive that contains the Library file, but all the media is in its own folder.

B.

Both the original and the new library are on the same drive in the same folder. The media for the original library is also on the same drive, but in a different folder.

I rarely put media in a library unless it's a very short film.