Trim control buttons greyed out final cut pro x

This is not something that I’ve seen reported here before.

Start by deleting preferences. As always, corrupted preferences can cause all sorts of problems. To delete preferences, hold down command and option while starting FCP X and click Delete Preferences. The application will start in a default state, and open an “Untitled” library.

Reopen the library you were working on, set the preferences the way you like them, and try again.

If the problem persists: Please run Etrecheck and post its full report here.

Use the “additional text” button and paste the report into the text box.

I don't see anything notoriously bad in the report, but you are running Monterey 12.2.1.

There were many updates of Monterey, up to 12.6.6 (I think), and Ventura is now at 13.4.

Make an up to date Time Machine, and consider updating to at least the most recent version of Monterey, if you are not ready to go to Ventura.

Tom, I think the OP is running FCP 10.6.5, which requires Big Sur 11.5-ish or later.

Tom Wolsky wrote:

I don't know how you updated. The minimum requirement is not 12.6 or later.

You might have a Time Machine backup.

That’s correct behavior. You don’t select the clip; you put the playhead or the skimmer (as in my images) where you want to trim the clip. You tap the button, and the clip under the playhead/skimmer is trimmed either from the beginning or end depending on which button you tap.

If you want to trim the clip on the primary when there’s a connected clip above it, select the clip on the primary and move the skimmer where you want to. If you move the skimmer the buttons will become active.

Your photo does not show the viewer or inspector.

So not “as we can see” since the trim does not appear in the image. Not doubting your word, but trying to understand what you mean by “trim buttons”: do you mean the ones under the viewer (trim/crop/ken burns) or in the inspector?

Press Command-Shift-4 and drag to select the area for your screenshot. It saved to your desktop. No need to use your phone for this.

And since there are other problems, we need that Etrecheck report to try and look for software conflicts.

Etrecheck is a diagnostic utility by etresoft, a frequent contributor and respected member of this community.

It produces a report so others have more information - like OS version, mac model, drive space, and system modifications (like extensions and daemons) that may be installed. This how we can often figure out the cause of problems.

Etrecheck reports do not include any private information. Even the drive names are obscured.

You can download Etrecheck from its website.

I don't have a Touch Bar MBP, but does doing any of this help? Maybe changing some button assignments might help? From Customize the Touch Bar on Mac - Apple Support

Change Touch Bar buttons for apps

1. In an app, choose View > Customize Touch Bar.
2. Add, rearrange, or remove buttons in the Touch Bar.
3. To switch between changing buttons for the current app and the Control Strip, just tap the Touch Bar. (You can’t customize buttons for all apps.)

• • Add buttons: Use the trackpad or mouse to drag a button from the screen to the Touch Bar; buttons in the Touch Bar jiggle slightly.
  • Rearrange buttons: Use your finger on the Touch Bar to drag a button.
  • Remove buttons: Use the trackpad or mouse to drag a button from the Touch Bar to the screen.

1. When you’re finished, click Done on the screen (or tap Done in the Touch Bar, if it’s shown there).

C_Blurg wrote:

The issue came about from updating FCPX... Is there a way to roll back to the previous version?

Not unless you made a copy beforehand or have one in your Time Machine backups.

FCP Touch Bar docs:

Touch Bar shortcuts in Final Cut Pro for Mac - Apple Support

"Trim Start: Trim the clip start point to the skimmer or playhead position."

"Trim End: Trim the clip end point to the skimmer or playhead position."

This is for 10.6.6 but this docs page look the same for 10.6.2 and 10.5.3.

I don't know why the touch bar buttons are greyed out. I agree that they shouldn't be.

Is it just the touch bar buttons, or is the trim functionality disabled at that moment?

I mean, when that happens, do the option-[ and option-] keyboard shortcuts work to trim the clip?

This is to try and understand if the issue is really with just the touch bar (and the key equivalents work) or if the touch bar just reflects the error situation in which trim itself is wrongfully disabled.