Final Cut Pro + Dropbox

Are you using iCloud Desktop and Documents feature?

If you're using iCloud for Documents, then your Documents folder is not a "local" folder anymore and likely why FCP complained.

The copy paste function into a library bundle sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

All the productions I’ve been connected with don’t sync libraries but use transfer libraries to swap relevant portions like projects or events with projects and multicam. They’re much smaller and can be moved around very quickly with WhatsApp or email or Dropbox if you like.

Just to support the OP and other comments about encountering this issue, I'm having exactly the same thing on my end. Have been using FCP with DB seamlessly for well over a year. I recently replaced my old MBP with a new MBA M2 running Ventura 13.2.1. Everything still worked seamlessly when I setup the new machine via Time Machine. This morning, I was working happily on FCP projects stored on DB. DB then asked me to update, which I stupidly did. Immediately after doing so I could not longer open my FCP library files.

Also, I tried reinstalling earlier version of DB, but this didn't change the location of the DB library, and FCP still won't load my libraries.

And even when I copy the files onto my local drive manually from DB, I get the same error. Super frustrating. I guess I'll rebuild the libraries and projects, but what a hassle, and it completely screws up my workflow.

Hope either DB or Apple figures out how to fix this, I'm sure this is a problem for a lot of users.

I called Dropbox after my post and they confirmed this is well-known issue. They also said it is an entirely Apple created problem to simultaneously require cloud services folders to be in a library subfolder then not allowing FCP to work with library folders. Utterly absurd.

Thanks for the FCP feedback link. I'll go there next.

Have you tried LucidLink in place of DropBox. Brilliant - no delay in accessing media uploaded to LucidLink it streams the footage you need as you need it so does not need to take up excessive space on you local Computer as DropBox does. You can control how much it caches on your local computer.

[Edited by Moderator] 

Correction: when I copied the files to an external SSD, it works in FCP. So, when I'm copying from my "local" DB to my Documents folder, it's somehow confused.

Try creating a sparse disk image and put your FCPX library in it. It allows you to sync your FCPX library over dropbox still.

I have been evaluating LucidLink. There is no download delay for media to sync as with DropBox as LucidLInk downloads small packets of the files meaning you can start editing as soon as the media is uploaded to LucidLink. LucidLink is designed for video, currently with 45,000 users. 5 users 1Tb storage $80.00 per month.

Have not solved it. I moved my library and associated files/folders to a local SSD. I'm hoping Apple/DB figure out how to play nicely together in a future release. It's a major pain.

This is a user-to-user forum. We're all users just like you. Send Apple your feedback via via Final Cut Pro->Provide Final Cut Pro Feedback...  or use this link Feedback - Final Cut Pro - Apple

Have exactly the same problem.. I've been working with FPCX and Dropbox happily for 3 years.. no problems.. I just make the files available offline and I open them and work without any issues with all my changes being synced in realtime. This is a big blow.. I'm dealing with huge libraries and having to copy back and forth is a major workflow hindrance now. Once again, "progress" results in loss of functionality, convenience, productivity and time.. I just spent a whole hour with dropbox live chat support to see what the issue is and the conclusion we came to was that this is a problem from Apple and not dropbox. They've forwarded this issue to their tech department to see if there's a workaround.. but for now this really throws a wrench in the works. I thought Macs were all about productivity.. Imagine how many people work directly from synced files on google drive or dropbox. I regret doing the dropbox update yesterday but I guess this was inevitable. I can't be stuck on an older dropbox version inevitably. Any suggestions for alternatives to dropbox that don't have this issue? I wish Apple would address this.. So many professionals use such workflows..

The problem of Final Cut Pro calling locally stored Dropbox files "cloud-based" is wrong. If you have files synced offline in Dropbox then they are indeed stored on the INTERNAL drive.

Apple- fix Final Cut Pro!!!

This is happening to me too and I've used FCP and dropbox. It started after I updated Dropbox.

Any online resource you can send me to explain how this works? Keep in mind, the footage is shot in another country, added to the library by the person who shot it and then i let it sync at my end and then i can open it from here. Also, often when i finish working on a project, the person at the other end will open the library to make some adjustments etc. before exporting. I'd like to read up about the solution that you're suggesting. Any links you can send me?