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FCP X Storyline bug or feature

Anyone else seeing this? I nudge a clip and the other clip moves out of its way. Right. But then I zoom out and all of a sudden the clips no longer overlap.


That's a BIG problem!!! Am I missing something here?



https://vimeo.com/44908772

Posted on Jun 28, 2012 7:56 PM

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24 replies

Jun 29, 2012 12:22 AM in response to dpsicose

I have tried to replicate your problem with a 2 frame overlap but cannot do so.


However, I am using 10.0.4 and therefore cannot be sure about 10.0.5


Assuming it isn't a bug in the latest version, it appears there is probably something wrong with your installation of FCP X.


This sounds like classic misbehaviour caused by corrupt preferences, so before you do anything else (assuming you have not done it already), trash the preferences with this free app:-


http://www.digitalrebellion.com/prefman/

Jun 29, 2012 12:54 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

Please post the screen capture of how you tried to replicate the issue. I've tried this on numerous 0.4 and 0.5 systems and they all behave this way. Even after trashing preferences. I've changed tons of settings hoping this was a user error but so far it points to the software. How far out did you zoom? I'm reproduced this bug with clips attached to different primary clips, attached to the same clip, above the primary storyline, below the primary storyline. 5 frames seem to be the threshold. Here's the latest video from a totally different system, different project and after trashing preferences again. https://vimeo.com/44917516


thanks

Jun 29, 2012 1:04 AM in response to dpsicose

My apology, it is now doing it.


Originally I simply hit Shift-Z and nothing untoward happened.


However, now I have used the zoom slider under the timeline and something even stranger occurs.


As I move the slider to the left, the 2 clips jump into line and back out again half a dozen times . . . . . it looks as though they are dancing up and down!

Jun 29, 2012 2:37 AM in response to dpsicose

It's just pixel rounding... when you get regions so small that a few pixels become, basically: subpixels, there's no way to represent that on the screen; and the timeline/storyline is "magnetic" (a *feature* touted since long before FCPX was even released). Apple obviously didn't feel the need to maintain region relationships outside of clip connections.


You could assign your clips Roles (maybe even one called "overlap"?), then you'd be able to see at a glance everything on your storyline that belongs together, no matter where they were positioned (toggle in the timeline index).


Or wrap adjacent overlapping clips into compound clips. Sooner or later you have to zoom in if you're working with audio alignments and compounds would make that significantly easier because 1) they are easy to spot; 2) they generally open up in a "fit" view and 3) once you've backed out of the compound you'll be back in your extreme zoomed out view.

Jun 29, 2012 2:54 AM in response to fox_m

Fox, take a look at Ian's video and you will see your explaination doesn't hold water. If it was a pixel rounding issue once it snapped it wouldn't snap back. His example clearly shows the interface unable to resolve how to display the relationships between those two clips. That's a bug.


There are a ton of ways I can work around it but none of them are solution. Your suggestions would work fine once the edit is done, but during the process of adding, shuffling, nudging clips I don't know what will remain overlapped or even remain on the timeline. I could also "fix" it by never zooming out but that's not very practical either.

Jun 29, 2012 2:56 AM in response to dpsicose

indeed, in max. zoom, a two-'track' project beomes single-tracked.


dpsicose wrote:


Tom, let's say you open a project and the view is fit to window. How will you find the 2 frame overlap that should not be there? …


but, to feed a beginners curiosity: why should one doing so?


you/me judge the editing in the viewer on playback - and when the cut comes two frames too early, it doesn't matter because of bad trimming of two clips in a single track or because of overlapping in two tracks.


Doesn't it?


And when I like to correct it, I will zoom in anyhow ....


but you are correct: the number of 'tracks' should be independently of display factor ....

Jun 29, 2012 3:52 AM in response to Karsten Schlüter

Karsten,

It may seem like a non-issue but where this comes into play for me is in the audio more than the video. I'm sure some would say I shouldn't be editing audio in FCP but that's what I need to do.


So imagine you have a 5 minute song and you need to cut that down to 60 seconds. You cut the guitar riff and loop it a few times, then throw in the main hook from the chorus and then end with 2 loops from the reprise. When you have that number of small edits that you may have to overlap by a few frames to lock beats and mask cuts it is essential to be able to look at the entire edit and have it be consistent. If i nudge until the interface tells me i have a one frame overlap (denoted by 2 tracks created) then i zoom out and suddenly have 1 track. That's bad. But then what makes it worse if that if I nudge again the interface again indicates I have just caused a 1 frame overlap (when in fact it is two frames).

Jun 29, 2012 4:20 AM in response to dpsicose

dpsicose wrote:


Karsten,

It may seem like a non-issue but where this comes into play for me is in the audio …

ahh, ok, audio, understood ... // that white area on my map-of-work //


and as mentioned above:

independently of zoom-factor, it should NOT affect the numbers of tracks, indeed.


(when you add a 1-2 frame track (a lightning, my example), and zoom out, it doesn't vanish either, whatever magnifaction, so, 'sub-pixel'-resolution' is no issue)

Jun 29, 2012 4:36 AM in response to dpsicose

Having given it long and serious contemplation, I have come to the considered opinion that this phenomenon is indeed an aspect of your second postulation . . . . a feature.


I am certain that Apple technicians designed it to complement the other attributes of the app.


First we had the Magnetic Timeline and now as a tour de force it demonstrates the Dancing Timeline!

FCP X Storyline bug or feature

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