Timeline Disappeared

"Timeline disappeared bug" hit a project when using blade and inserting part of a long clip as overlay (not using gaps specifically).

Could you explain this a little more. You bladed a clip, in the primary storyline? You inserted it. Not sure how and insert into the primary storyline is an overlay. Maybe a step-by-step of what you're doing so it can be reproduced would be really helpful.

Hi Tom

It was a long clip of speech which required some continuous (pan) filming to be removed. Cut a short section of clip from primary timeline (storyline) with blade, then using "Option drag" placed above timeline as connected clip/overlay (cutaway/fill-in). Would then have deleted out cut section from storyline... but cannot recall.

Saw no gap on this occasion, and normally use gaps with "option W".

Of the five variants of FCPX, ie versions 10.0.0 through to 10.0.4, my MacPro v1.1 has struggled with all of them. It had issue with that appaling memory leak that was fixed in last update, but not before i had added a massive amount more RAM which resolved the issue to extent (in Activity Monitor watch the memory being devoured before imminent crash).

With FCS 2 (FCP7) i could go through compressor straight from the timeline with occasional failure, but with current FCPX, a complex project will not encode to elementary stream. So I now have to export media as native XDCAM EX (35Mbps), create the massive file, then compress resultant file in compressor in order to write to disc.

There are many functions in FCPX that are a dream compared to the old FCP7. I appreciate what apple have achieved with this APP, but would appreciate more some PRO attention. And yes I have forked out the £145 for phone help with the old version when a project had a "corrupted" clip. It seemed like good value at the (deadline) time.

All the best and thanks for your trouble.

Anybody has tried the new update 10.0.5 ?

P Tremblay wrote:

Anybody has tried the new update 10.0.5 ?

No, but I downloaded and installed it instantly, before you posted this. And it just so happens that I am starting a new project tomorrow, so this is a VERY timely update for me. I will see if I can trigger the problem on purpose, as I would like to have the confidence that it is fixed. Will report back.

I have been purposefully trying to reproduce this bug in version 10.0.5 but can't seem to trigger it. Looks like Apple has fixed it, as best as I can tell. *fingers crossed* Thanks to Apple for pushing out this update.

My FCPX open now, but crashes when updating projects from the back

Can someone help me?

I have 10.0.5 and had the same issue. I had copied a chunk of multicam from one project and tried to paste it into another project. It worked at first but then I started moving clips around for a montage and the timeline just vanished.

I used your xml export strategy and it worked great. I lost a little of the work that I'd done earlier but it saved me half a day. Thanks for the great advice.

It would really help if you could describe exactly what you were doing when the timeline disappeared. Were you doing anything with gap clips?

I have exported the XML file and then I clicked on the XML file to open it up. I see the new Event in the Event Library but its not located in the Project Library. Is this OK or does the new XML need to be in the Project Library? If clicking on the XML file is the wrong way of importing it into FCP how do you do it exactly?

PLEASE FIX THIS!!

I have a solution for this issue

Firstly, I had been working on a project for a big client for three weeks and then ran into this problem. I couldn't afford to lose everything so I spent the last week trying to work around this issue and I managed to find a solution that worked for me.

It seems to happen when a certain clip gets corrupted in some way. It has something to do with compound clips, but I'm still not sure how exactly it happens.

1. You might find that you're still able to play through the project. It just can't be edited and everything appears grey in the timeline. Play through it and see if it stops at a certain point. Remember this point (it may also be where you were last editing)

2. Open up the project and open the timeline index. This should appear grey like the rest of the timeline. However, you can still cycle through the clips using the arrow keys. Cycle down to the where your project stops playing or around the area you were last editing. If you start ending up with black clips that is where you want to focus.

3. The last few clips that appear and the next few black ones after - Delete these.

4. Restart Final Cut Pro.

5. When you open it back up the project should be viewable in the timeline once again while just the few clips you deleted are gone.

This worked for me. I hope it works for everyone else too. If there any more questions or anyone is in need of screenshots for further help then let me know.

Good luck!

A SIMPLER SOLUTION. Here the problem was the disappearance of the project from the project library, leaving only a project folder with the same name and no timeline (on which I'd worked for weeks). The initial FCPX phone support person suggested locating the CurrentVersion.fcpproject and putting it in the root directory of the Final Cut Projects folder. I suggested that it should go in the folder of the project with the same name but she insisted it should go in the folder above that. When that didn't work she brought on a supervisor who instructed me to put it in the folder with the same name, at which point the project's timeline appeared and everything returned to normal.

I should add that both of these tech support people were entirely helpful and had a great attitude. The Austin incident described above is unlike anything I've ever experienced with Apple Tech Support and Apple Care. The company's willingness to help me even though my copy of the program was outside its 90-day free support period is another sign of many I've seen that Apple does want to stand behind its products to an outstanding degree.

Thanks a ton, BionicFog!

For me, this has been the best workaround. It worked 100% and saved my day!

Cheers!