FCPX Original Media - Image Updates?

That's because there is no Motion project bundle with managed media. All the media is always left in it's original location so you're updating the original file. Managed media makes this a more complex process.

If you’re working with files stored inside the library select the image in the Browser and use Reveal in Finder. That will take you to the image inside the library bundle. That’s the one you want to edit, not the original image that was in a folder somewhere. Right click on the library image and select Open with Affinity. Edit the image and save it.

One more thing to add. Editing like this in Affinity works for simple editing of the image. This may not work correctly if the image has layers, and you alter the layers, remove layers or add layers, and of course only works with bitmapped content. (I've not used Affinity Photo much so I don't know its capabilities.)

The Affinity document is a file format that's not recognized by FCP, which only works with bitmapped images. The same happens with Pixelmator. The file has to be exported or saved as an image file. AFAIK Motion can't import an Affinity file either.

Tom Wolsky wrote:

The Affinity document is a file format that's not recognized by FCP, which only works with bitmapped images. The same happens with Pixelmator. The file has to be exported or saved as an image file. AFAIK Motion can't import an Affinity file either.

All good points, of course. FCP cannot use these applications' native formats.

I don't have Affinity Photo, and in my use of Pixelmator Pro I was exporting a png file, and just saving over the previous version.

That worked well.

Pixelmator Pro can export as psd files, with layers.

I have yet to test how well updating those works; it may be trickier.

As a side note, about Motion: whereas indeed Motion cannot import Pixelmator Pro files, Pixelmator CAN export a layered file as a Motion project. This is a very neat feature introduced a few months back.

The process with Pixelmator is a little tricky if you're working with managed media. The way I've found is basically relinking to the updated file outside the bundle and then consolidating to get it into the library with the rest of the media.

How exactly are you accessing the image in Affinity?

I prefer to leave media in place, and when i edit an image in Pixelmator Pro the changes reflect in FCP immediately.