Automatically splitting files into 50MB chunks

I don't know an in-Compressor way, but you can run a split in Terminal. Put your file in a new folder, then cd into the folder and use:

split -b 47m yourfile.mov newfile_

The "-b 47m" tells split to cut the file at that byte count (effectively gets to 49.3MB). It creates multiple files prefixed "newfile_aa", "newfile_ab", etc. You can then transfer them, and reconstitute them using

cat newfile_* > yourfile.mov

(need to be on a Mac or Unix to do this). If you're not successful, you may need to ZIP each split file and try again. It's not a great way to transfer a movie. Each part is not a playable movie in any sense. But it does make for a quick reconstitute at the other end.

Matt

I would break the larger sequence into chapters, export the chapters (self-contained or reference) as a batch, then do the encode in compressor as a batch.

This way, each block is independently playable. You are not dependent on ALL the blocks coming through unscathed and being successfully relinked before you can see ANYTHING.

If this is something you will regularly do, you might be able to automate most of the process. For example, you could set up a watched folder that will be the FCP export target. When a file shows up, Compressor starts and encodes it and puts the outcome in a second folder. That folder is set up to FTP anything that shows up in it to your client's site. It may take some time and effort to set up the process but once it is in place, it is something that can run unattended overnight.

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