Motion 5 greyed out functions

Question

John Kereny Author

Level 1

109 points

Motion 5 greyed out functions

Hello All,

All of a sudden I have greyed out functions on my project. See attached

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5q73ag4mx253xlb/Screen%20Shot%202013-09-18%20at%2010.4 3.47%20AM.png

- Show Project Pane

- Show Timline Pane

- Player Mode

- Show Canvas On Second Display

- Show Timing Pane on Second Display

- Revert To Original Layout

- Video Timeline

- Keyframe Editor

- Audio Timeline

I tried coping everything and pasting it to a brand new timeline, quiting and re-starting. Did I hit a mode by accident?

J5

Final Cut Pro X, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4), 2x2.4Ghz 6-Core Intel Xeon-12GB RAM

Posted on Sep 18, 2013 11:22 AM

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Answer 1

John Kereny Author

Level 1

109 points

Sep 18, 2013 11:31 AM in response to John Kereny

I ment to say I made a new project and copied the clips to the new project and still have the same greyed out functions. I can even get the timeline to come up.

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Answer 2

Sep 18, 2013 5:33 PM in response to John Kereny

Two things to try:

1. Delete motion preferences. Users/Library/Preferences/com.apple.motionapp.plist

2. Delete motion layouts folder from Users/Library/Application Support/Motion/Layouts

Hopefully the first will solve your issue.

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Answer 3

John Kereny Author

Level 1

109 points

Sep 19, 2013 9:10 AM in response to Jim Wanamaker

I couldn't find that file cause I have the App version right? I couldn't find that archive. Maybe I should uninstall and reinstall but I don't know how to do that without buying the app again.

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Answer 4

Sep 19, 2013 3:36 PM in response to John Kereny

Not sure what you mean by"App version" The files are in your user library which you can access by going to the Go menu in the menu bar while holding down the option key and selecting Library. You can also delete the preferences file using Preference Manager from Digital Rebellion, a free download from their web site. If you want to reinstall move the FCP app to the trash and log in to the App Store using the same account you purchased FCP under. Go into your purchased items window and click install for FCP. There will be no charge.

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Answer 5

GFXZen

Level 4

1,985 points

Sep 23, 2013 8:40 AM in response to Jim Wanamaker

For future refrence, this knowledge base article explains how to remove and re-install the app:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4057

Even though it says it's for Appstore update issues, it will work if you ever need or want to remove and re-install.

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Answer 6

John Kereny Author

Level 1

109 points

Sep 23, 2013 11:06 AM in response to Jim Wanamaker

Jim I meant using the app version of Motion I don't have the archive to delete preferences like the older versions. I will read the knowledge base and see if this helps. An added problem is the old video editor has FCP X and Motion 5 on his Itunes account. So I was trying for a solution without having to dump the whole software. Apple does not make it easy to switch a user Itunes account to a work account. I'll get the old password and keep you posted.

Thanks for all the advise.

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Answer 7

John Kereny Author

Level 1

109 points

Sep 23, 2013 3:20 PM in response to Jim Wanamaker

Okay so that didn't help. I still have a ton of functions greyed out. See the link.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0ag1e2c20nlkxmr/greyed%20out%20fucntions.psd

I must have hit a wrong button somewhere. I can't get the timeline open or anything.

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Answer 8

fox_m

Level 6

12,226 points

Sep 23, 2013 3:31 PM in response to John Kereny

Have you tried repairing permissions? Use Disk Utility and repair permissions on your root drive. In the Finder, type Command Shift U to open the Utilities folder. You'll find DU in there.

Also, do you have Motion 4 and/or FCP7 installed as well?

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Answer 9

John Kereny Author

Level 1

109 points

Sep 23, 2013 3:41 PM in response to John Kereny

I sloved the problem. If you calabrate your displays, Motion wont be able to work. I deleted the calabrated settings and everything came back.

Here's the tutorial I found.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fKKykx_s8I

Spread the word because there is nothing on your boards or the internet and this problem. This put me back several days and I think others can benefit from this. .

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Answer 10

fox_m

Level 6

12,226 points

Sep 23, 2013 3:52 PM in response to John Kereny

Good find! Amazing that is actually IS a problem though. You should be able to customize your monitor color profile. I'm not going to try this, but I'm wondering that if after installing Motion 5 you can customize a color profile without further issue.

Do notify Apple with Feedback (Motion menu > Provide Motion Feedback) It was probably just an oversight when they rewrote the software from scratch.

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Answer 11

John Kereny Author

Level 1

109 points

Sep 24, 2013 2:33 PM in response to fox_m

No on M5 you can't. I redid the setting in Motion 5 and same issue. I will send a feedback to apple abouth this issue.

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Answer 12

GFXZen

Level 4

1,985 points

Sep 28, 2013 9:05 AM in response to John Kereny

Interesting, I thought I'd give it a try and could not reproduce the issue. I'm running Motion 5.0.7 and 10.8.5. I used the expert mode options with Gamma 2.2 and the D65 whitepoint. Is there anything else you did with your settings?

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Answer 13

John Kereny Author

Level 1

109 points

Oct 1, 2013 9:17 AM in response to GFXZen

I gave away my Apple Cinema Displays a while ago to the Art Dept. So I am using dual Sceptre 32" monitors. The brightness was blasting my eyes so I went into system Prefs' and tried to adjust the screens inside the mac as well as the actual monitor adjustments.

Inside System Prefs', I hit the "Calbrate" function. After I was done I stayed on the calibrate setting for the "Color Setting" and when you go back to motion everything is greyed out. Not until I deleted the display profile the motion functions came back. If you are on a Apple monitors this might not happen.I have not tried. Sounds like you did... Again, I'm on third party monitors.

Hope that helps.

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Answer 14

GFXZen

Level 4

1,985 points

Oct 1, 2013 9:52 AM in response to John Kereny

Yeah, I'm only on a single monitor, I'll have to see if I can find a second one to hook up to my system. But also, are there more specifics, details about your calibration? It sounds like you did a re-install of the application. You're using Motion 5.07 and 10.8.4 (I'm guessing by your first post). Have you trie updating the OS? Did you choose a particular gamma (1.8 vs. 2.2). Every detail counts, maybe it's a particular setting that triggers the problem.

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Answer 15

John Kereny Author

Level 1

109 points

Oct 1, 2013 10:40 AM in response to John Kereny

Let me see if I can duplicate what I did and give you a detailed account of the problem.

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