Error message when trying to overwrite file on export

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Error message when trying to overwrite file on export

When I export a sequence and want to overwrite a previous export I get an error message: "File Error: The specified file is open and in use by this or another application".

Spotlight indexing is disabled for the volume.

Any ideas?

Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Oct 30, 2008 7:02 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 30, 2008 7:24 AM in response to niklasl

Delete the old file in the finder before you try to export the new one.

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Answer 2

Oct 30, 2008 7:24 AM in response to niklasl

You must physically find it and delete and empty the trash. You're trying to overwrite a file on a server and you Mac's OS cannot perform that function from within the application. it must be done manually. Happens to me all the time.

bogiesan

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Answer 3

niklasl Author

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Oct 30, 2008 8:09 AM in response to niklasl

Having to delete the file manually totally defeats the purpose of "replace".

I've filed a bug (6331812) on the issue.

I urge you to also file duplicate bugs if this bothers you.

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Answer 4

Oct 30, 2008 9:18 AM in response to niklasl

niklasl wrote:
Having to delete the file manually totally defeats the purpose of "replace".
I've filed a bug (6331812) on the issue.
I urge you to also file duplicate bugs if this bothers you.

Doesn't bother me in the slightest. You're up against an issue that is directly related to your read-write privileges within the Macintosh operating system and how that specific drive is set up. This is not a problem with FCP at all.

Do you have the file attached to ay other application that is open? Maybe Compressor or Motion or After Effects? If so, it cannot be overwritten.

Another thing that can cause this error is the way you have other open windows set to view. If you have the preview column active and the file is selected, QT has the file open to create the preview movie display.

bogiesan

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Answer 5

niklasl Author

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Oct 30, 2008 10:08 AM in response to David Bogie Chq-1

Fair enough if this doesn't bother you. Everyone has got a different workflow and this bothers me. If the replace option is there it should work.

I export the file to my desktop. The exported file is not open in another application. It's not shown in a finder window, other than the desktop. I have read and write privileges on the file. And can not export the file again and overwrite the previous one. I can restart my machine and only fire up final cut pro first thing and reproduce this every time.

If it was a permissions problem I wouldn't be allowed to export any files or save anything on my desktop. Since we're talking about my desktop, I'd have a whole bunch of other problems if this was the case. So, this is not a permissions problem or a problem with the drive set up.

I believe this is a bug and thus I've filed it as such.

Let's not spend more time on this now, let Apple have their say on the bug and I'll use the manual deletion workaround for now.

Cheers.

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Answer 6

Nick Holmes

Level 7

30,018 points

Oct 30, 2008 10:22 AM in response to niklasl

I export the file to my desktop.

Where the file is being displayed by default with a preview icon.
The preview icon is being generated by QuickTime, which needs to access the file to do this.

It's still not a bug. You are trying to overwrite a file that is in use.

From the Finder menu bar: View > Show View Options. Disable the checkbox for "Show Icon Preview".

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Answer 7

niklasl Author

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Oct 31, 2008 2:55 AM in response to Nick Holmes

I get the exact same error message with icon previews turned off.

The file should not be in use. Here's my impression of what happens, with icon preview on.

1. FCP export of sequence.
2. Finder wants to show a preview, invokes QT to do so.
3. QT opens file and generates preview.
4. Later FCP fails to export again because QT (or Finder) still has the file open for no apparent reason, the preview has been generated long ago.

Why would the file still be "in use" after the preview has been generated? I still think it's a bug/defect/problem worth reporting.

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