Updated to 10.4.9 and my plugins (titles) have disappeared.

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Level 1

12 points

Updated to 10.4.9 and my plugins (titles) have disappeared.

Hi all,

Looking for clarity on the new FCPX 10.4.9 update. I am running on macOS Catalina (10.15.6), macbook pro 16 inch, 2019.

I have done the unforgivable, and updated FCPX halfway through a project (accidentally- no harsh comments, please. I have learned my lesson and will make back ups of my back ups in the future).

The new version of FCPX seems to have completely wiped out my plug-ins for my Titles specifically. I have a few different packs downloaded from Envato Elements and Marketplace, and they seem to have completely disappeared. I looked in the container folders where I had installed them previously (FCPX>Show package contents>plugins>Media providers>MotionEffects.fxp>Contents>Resources>Templates>Titles) and they are just gone. Does anyone know what happened to them? And is there a way to restore them without re-downloading + installing?

I went through the process of re-downloading + installing hoping that if installed the same pack in the same place, it would restore my titles, but it didn't. In fact, now I'm seeing the missing data image on the preview of the titles, even though I just installed the content. And I tried to replace the content on my project file, but it is acting as though I have to rebuild the formatting of each of the titles individually.

So, all that being said, help! Is there a way to restore the old Titles?

Is FCPX wiping out any external plugins for the future, too? Will I have to re-install and recreate all my old titles for any project I have done in the past?

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Aug 27, 2020 6:07 AM

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Answer 1

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,777 points

Aug 27, 2020 6:19 AM in response to Victoria_Sm

Third parties don't install inside the application. Did you put them there? Most third party effects are titles are stored in Motion Templates in the Movies folder. When the application is updated the old application is replaced. You might look in a Time Machine backup and see if you still can find the previous version. If not you'll have to download them again. You should check with the developer how they expect their software to be installed. Could you let us know if they tell you to install it inside the application?

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Answer 2

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,777 points

Aug 27, 2020 6:38 AM in response to Victoria_Sm

If these are Motion created titles you should be able to install them in the correct location in Motion Templates. You don't need Motion for that. If they're Motion titles they're stored like this.

This is inside the Motion Templates folder. If you don't have Motion you should add the extension .localized to the Motion Templates folder and the Titles folder, not the other folders inside there. In this case Elements is the category for the title, Sports is the theme used in that category, and Red Stats is the title.

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Answer 3

spherico

Level 2

474 points

Aug 27, 2020 7:05 AM in response to Victoria_Sm

As Tom said - NEVER install anything into the application bundle.

To create a Motion Templates folder you can use a free AppleScript of mine

http://www.spherico.com/filmtools/Utilities/FCPX/globalTemplateFolder.dmg

This 'prevents' you from making typos ;-)

The bad thing for you: none of your old projects which used templates you installed your way will work without major manual actions.

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Answer 4

Victoria_Sm Author

Level 1

12 points

Aug 27, 2020 8:59 AM in response to Victoria_Sm

Solution! I was able to access the older version of FCPX from a time machine backup I had made a month ago. Made a copy of 10.4.9, then brought over 10.4.8. Opened up an auto-backup of my project file, and voila! Confirmed it was all there, renamed it (and confirmed it was in the correct location) and success! When I complete this whole project, I'll go back to 10.4.9 and put my titles in the correct place. Thanks for the tips!

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Answer 5

spherico

Level 2

474 points

Aug 27, 2020 7:38 AM in response to Victoria_Sm

It's not that easy.

You can export an XML from the projects affected.

Open the XML with a text editor - like the free version of BBEdit .

Then search for the exact effect name for example "/Title 20" – add a slash before the name.

You'll find 2 entries for them, each describing a file path. One starting with "uid=", the other with "src=".

Delete the latter. For the first replace the path in the XML with the actual path of the title.

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Answer 6

Victoria_Sm Author

Level 1

12 points

Aug 27, 2020 6:30 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Yes, I put them there per the third parties' directions. I have used a few title packs like this, and they have all said if you don't have Motion installed (which I don't), then to put them in the folder I described.

I'm concerned about the re-downloading process, because even with them reinstalled, they aren't restoring what I have previously created.

Thanks for your quick response!

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Answer 7

Victoria_Sm Author

Level 1

12 points

Aug 27, 2020 6:59 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thank you! That has eliminated the preview problem I was having at least. Do you know if having these installed into the Motions folder instead of the Final Cut folder I had previously keep them from getting eradicated by future FCPX updates?

And do you know if there is a way to reconnect my previously created titles with the new location I just created?

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Answer 8

Victoria_Sm Author

Level 1

12 points

Aug 27, 2020 7:20 AM in response to spherico

Thank you- lesson learned, and the titles have been re-installed in the proper location. It would have been beneficial if the third party apps would have told me a different way, but alas, now I know.

So, I'm guessing there isn't a way to re-route the source of the title... For example, if I move footage around on my computer that FCP was linking to previously, I can Relink through the software to the new location. Is there a way to do that with titles?

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Answer 9

Victoria_Sm Author

Level 1

12 points

Aug 27, 2020 7:59 AM in response to spherico

I gave this a go, but even though I changed the file path, I still had to recreate the content inside of the reconnected text, and make tweaks to the formatting, etc. At that point, it would be a quicker route to just recreate what I've already done. Thanks for the tip, though. I learned something new!

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Updated to 10.4.9 and my plugins (titles) have disappeared.

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