fatal error

Wow fascinating. This is not limited to FCP 6.0. I am using FCP 5.1.4 and Compressor 2.3.1 and I think leopard 10.5.5 (could be 10.5.4 or 10.5.6). I have been using this combo for awhile and making lots of different quicktime movies. Got to be honest not sure what I updated in the last 2 weeks, perhaps 10.5.6 and/or some security updates. Did NOT update to 7.6 quicktime. Still using 7.5.5. This week, trying to use compressor, and poof! Compressor is crapping out on me with the "Failed: Final Cut Pro generated an error or unexpected quit" I just tried another format, same issue. It seems to be some problem with the handoff back to FCP... this is a big problem. Darn. Come on Apple, help us out on this one.

Same probleme here, with latest OSX on latest Macpro Nehalem 2009, with latest all patched FCP 6 + Compressor 3.
I can use compressor from FCP with 'this computer' or from the cluster if I have only one "service".
I can use compressor to compress any file directly.

I CAN'T use compressor at full speed by "exporting to compressor" from FCP and using a multi-service local cluster.

Reading all the forums I found, this seems to clearly be a bug !!

Anyone with a solution so far ?
Thanks.

If you are submitting to a virtual cluster (ie quickcluster w/multiple instances) you will get this error, as FCP cannot run more than one instance at a time. Qmaster will try to start FCP on every instance. FCP export should go to This Computer, or save as self contained and do it in Compressor.

Hey guys,

thanks for the help about the "fatal exception" error. I fix it with the tips of page 2. Thanks you all.

Guys, looks like you have found the solution but i'd like to give my contribution. I was having the same problem when I tried to convert MPG movies and noticed, after reading LAEXOTIC03 post, that the problem had something to do with concluding to write to disk because the error massage appeared only at the end of the compression process. During the processing I was able to watch the unfinished target video but when it was about to be finished then there came the error message and so the target disappeared. So I remembered that i was choosing a destination in a external HDD formated as NTFS (i have paragon installed here). I just reset the destination to my internal HDD (which is Mac formated) and the thing worked. As simple as that. There was no need to change Mobile Me settings, as someone here has suggested.
At least in my case worked.

That's it.

Wow! This thread has been going on for 2 years!?!?!

I JUST upgraded from my iMac to a Mac Pro (so I could export and render faster) and BAM, I've got this problem too.

I have used the work-around (export from FCP to QT, or whatever, and then bring that into Compressor), but agree, that's a pain!

Is there no DIRECT route to speed up exporting?

Has no one come up with a fix in 2 years?

Thanks for hanging in there gang.

Just wanted to say that I've been considering upgrading to a Mac Pro... But after reading this thread, then verifying the problem on my own MBP, I've really no reason to upgrade whatsoever. My MBP handles AVCHD editing and rendering just fine- if I can't use those extra cores for encoding, what's the point?

Plus, it was a little bit distressing to find out I haven't been utilizing fully even my (comparatively meager) dual core setup for the past year!

I do hope that Apple is aware of this issue. I also hope they know that though they haven't lost a customer, they have lost a sale. I'll keep my $2500 for now. When I can use the cores I would pay for in a Mac Pro, they can have my money.

Hello!!

I have the same problem try to export with coompresor a final cut sequence, i solved my problem exporting the same sequence in few parts (4 parts exactly), every part start when, the other end.

And u can merged this files in dvd studio pro put them in the same track, thats all
Y por si alguien sabe español (idioma materno) Lo que hice fue partir la secuencia en varias partes, 4 partes cada una de ellas empieza en donde termina la otra, y al final las uni en el dvd studio pro, todas en el mismo track y problema resuelto!!!

have a nice day
que tengan un gran dia

In my case, Tomas' answer worked ... I turned off 'Back to my Mac' and changed the target location to 'Cluster Storage' and it works fine now. Good luck!

Hello everybody

This problem still persists in FCS3

My Set up is a MBP 15.4, 2.4GHz (Late 2007) which is set up as "Services and Cluster Controller"
and a MBP 15.4 2.53GHz (Unibody) which is set up as "Services Only"

(Both Machines on Snow Leopard 10.6.2)
The are plugged via Ethernet cable ad-hoc

I've followed several tutorials online, re-read all the user manuals (Compressor, QMaster, QAdmin...)
even followed this quite simple but effective tutorial:

http://vimeo.com/1799266

But still if you submit a Job to Compressor from Final Cut going the way:
File Menu > Send to > Compressor

I get this error
"com.apple.FinalCutPro generated an error or unexpectedly quit"

Workaround as mentioned before on this thread is to go from Final Cut Pro:
File Menu > Export > Quicktime Movie
and uncheck "Make Movie Self Compressed".

Then drag this file into Compressor

hope it helps

Hey i saw your post where you wrote:
Hello all, I too am having this problem. So there are definitely some truisms to this problem:
It's happening with Leopard, FCP 6, MacPros and multi-cores
If you export a QT movie and then process it in compressor with the cluster, there's no problem
If you send to compressor from FCP 6 and use "this computer" you won't have any problems
If you send to compressor from FCP 6 and try to use your personalized cluster (taking advantage of those expensive cores!) it won't work.
AND AS SOME OF YOU HAVE SAID...and this is a huge flaw for me!
It won't work AND it won't go away, you can't stop it nor cancel it and when you close compressor and re-open, it's still there, this goes for both "this computer" batches and otherwise, if there's an error in one of your submissions, it won't go away, there's no way to delete it
Now, I really hope some kind Apple FCP guru sees this and helps us all out because we're trying to find a solution and these discussions are one of our only resources and judging from these posts...THIS IS DEFINITELY UNRESOLVED and extremely FRUSTRATING "


Are you still having this issues with using your virtual core? Did you fix it. I am using Final Cut Studio 3. Thanks

Virtual Clustering works by launching multiple copies of the Compressor encoder, each of which needs access to the source media that you are compressing. This is fine if you are compressing from a source movie clip, as they can just open the file multiple times.

But when you export from Final Cut Pro, FCP can only communicate with one copy of the encoder - it cannot launch multiple copies of itself. Consequently, you cannot export to a virtual cluster from the Send to Compressor command.

A common misconception is that exporting to a QuickTime movie is slower. This is wrong - it is actually faster for two reasons - 1) it is faster to read the file directly than to request each frame from FCP and 2) you have access to virtual clustering. If your timeline is completely or partially rendered, deselect Make Self-Contained and the QuickTime export will be quicker.

Another issue is that you are using up all of your virtual cores, leaving nothing left over for the operating system. There are varying schools of thought on how many to choose, ranging from the total number of cores minus one to half the number of cores (the latter being Apple's official suggestion). Also remember that each instance requires at least 1 GB of RAM, and remember to leave some extra for the OS and running applications.