Final Cut Pro X never finishes export (sharing)

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Final Cut Pro X never finishes export (sharing)

I am attempting to export my finished project to a .MOV file so I can burn it to BluRay via Toast. A process I have done multiple times with previous projects. However this time my Sharing progress bar freezes at 81% and never finishes. I have tried multiple times to export the file and it freezes at a different spot each time (37%, 78%, etc.) I let FCPX run over night to no avail, when I go to sleep it is at 81% and when I wake up 8 hours later it is still 81%, so I give up and silently curse the lack of error messages.

I have tried many of the suggestions from other discussions on here from people with similar problems, I've deleted preferences (using Preference Manager), reinstalled, deleted various folders in my library folder, none have made any difference.

More details in case it helps:

I export by going to File:Share:Export File...

Select Pro Res (HQ)

open in Quicktime when done

I don't really know what other options I have other than to hope one of these times it makes it through. Any suggestions are appreciated.

It would be nice if FCPX had more feedback as to what it is doing. It also would be nice if it worked.

Final Cut Pro X, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Feb 2, 2013 12:40 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

MacPro8658

Level 1

5 points

Feb 3, 2013 2:24 AM in response to rporras

Make sure you are set to H.264 or it will take forever to export which I already solve this problem for myself...

Hope this will help you and good luck with my suggestion! 🙂

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Answer 2

Feb 3, 2013 5:03 AM in response to rporras

There is nothing wrong with your export settings, you are exporting Master file if I understand you right. Is the same isue if you use Pro Res 422 ?

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Answer 3

rporras Author

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Feb 3, 2013 5:42 AM in response to rporras

Thanks for the two suggestions.

MacPro8658, I was trying to export as Pro Res 422 (HQ), not H.264, but since I plan on burning this to a BluRay, H.264 should be a valid alternative.

innocentius, I was using the "Export File..." option, not the "Master File" option, and honestly I don't know the difference between the two. However when selecting the Master File option I appear to be given the same kind of options.

So I am combining your two suggestions currently, exporting a Master File using H.264. If that works I plan on trying to Master File export as Pro Res 422, then finally Pro Res 422 (HQ). Just to see if my issue is with the codecs or my Share menu option selection.

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Answer 4

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Feb 3, 2013 6:16 AM in response to rporras

Create a new (short) test project with different media and see whether it completes the export. If it does, try a test of the same media (copy and paste; select a short section and see whether that exports. If it doesn't get rid of your project render files and try again.

Russ

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Answer 5

Feb 3, 2013 6:52 AM in response to rporras

If you chose Master file you have several option for the output. I always use ProRes 422 for that. Seems to be a default. ProRes HQ is overkill. Hope you find a good solution.

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Answer 6

rporras Author

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Feb 3, 2013 11:09 AM in response to rporras

So Master File export of H.264 froze at 81%. 😟

I tried a short test project with just a small clip from the overall project and that exported just fine.

So currently I just created a new project and copy/pasted the timeline from the project I am trying to export into this new project.

I am doing a Master File export using H.264, as innocentius pointed out I guess I really don't need 422 (HQ), though I like the idea of having a high quality master file around for future use, since it is a home movie. At this point I just want to get the **** thing to export so I can burn a copy for the grandparents.

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Answer 7

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Feb 3, 2013 3:23 PM in response to rporras

I'm with Innocentius on this. PR 422 should export perfectly fine and give you a great master file if the project is OK. Then you can do an h,264 (or MPEG2) to Blu Ray specs in Compressor. (I believe that Toast will re-encode h.264 even if you tell it never; I don't believe it will re-encode mpeg2.) And if you want an h.2634 encoded BD, you could always use the FCPX Share>Blue Ray.

Russ

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Answer 8

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Feb 3, 2013 3:39 PM in response to rporras

BTW, my earlier test suggestion was to use media that was different than that in your project because I suspect that you either have a corrupted clip, project and/or render. The copy-paste to the new project you're doing now should be instructive.

Russ

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Answer 9

rporras Author

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Feb 3, 2013 7:28 PM in response to rporras

Back from the Super Bowl party to find another 81% freeze in the new project.

This is so frustrating...

I guess my next step will be to figure out if there is a corrupted clip. I guess I'll start 81% of the time into the project, assuming the clips are exported in time order. I'm dreading having to re-edit a years worth of home videos again if it comes down to that.

Thank you everyone that has been offering suggestions. I really wish there was some feedback in FCP to tell me where it is getting stuck, tell me which clip it is processing, tell me its encountered an error, just anything besides a blue progress bar that never moves.

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Answer 10

Feb 3, 2013 9:59 PM in response to rporras

Hmm, could this be FCPX 'adopting' errors from Avid, just to look 'pro'?

I haven't seen this isue myself in FCPX, but many times in Avid MC. There, it's normally a transition or effect that has gone corrupt, and there is no other way, that try to export parts of the timeline, to pinpoint where the error might be... 😕

Maybe the same trick can be applied here as well? Set In/Out points ond only export a part of the time line, say first 1/2, then second 1/2 - does that work?

Maybe use Roles, and only export Video then only Audio? Does that work??

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Answer 11

rporras Author

Level 1

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Feb 10, 2013 1:21 PM in response to rporras

Okay, I finally got it to export. 😁

I followed RussH and Jakobs' advice and spent all of yesterday cutting out sections of my project until I could identify the problem clip. Since RussH suggested it first, I went ahead and marked him as the solver.

The process was quite painful, and either by coincidence or how it works, the clip was roughly 81% into the project.

If any Apple developers stumble upon this thread, or the 20 or so stack dump crashes I produced yesterday tracking down the "bad" clip, it would be so helpful to have an output window or something that could be looked at to see which clip is currently processing, to help track these sorts of issues down when it gets stuck. I still don't really know why it didn't like the clip I had to remove, but luckily it wasn't "needed" in the project. And future generations will just have to live without seeing me open the last half of my birthday presents.

Thanks to everyone who replied, it was all very helpful.

🙂

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